WVIA News

A 20-year-old Lackawanna County man is under arrest for shooting and critically wounding Scranton Police Detective Kyle Gilmartin. Aiden Deininger was arraigned and charged from his hospital bed, Gilmartin’s handcuffs placed on him.

State Representative Aaron Kaufer is not seeking reelection. Kaufer has served the residents of the 120th District since 2015. His district contains a large portion of Luzerne County. In a press release, the Republican and Wyoming Valley native said he’s stepping away to focus on his family. "However, public service is my calling, so I’m not saying this is it for me forever, but this is all for now," the release says. Kaufer has held many leadership roles while in office. He founded and currently serves as the chairman of the Northeast Republican Delegation (NERDs) and serves as the chairman of the Government Oversight Committee. He founded and co-chaired the Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education Caucus, among other committees and task forces. He will serve the remainder of his term, which expires on Nov. 30. “My focus over the next year will remain on providing the best representation possible until my final day," he said. "I will continue to work hard advocating for my constituents and the communities I serve."

Many faiths gathered for a service in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Those who spoke asked the congregation at Shiloh Baptist Church in Scranton to share King’s message of love with one another and their community.

Rushing water and some cold winds help push the captains of around 40 kayaks and canoes down the Lackawanna River on Saturday. They took to the water on a chilly but sometimes sunny January day in Scranton to celebrate the Lackawanna River Conservation Association’s annual ShiverFest.

The Endless Mountains Heritage Region is pursuing a National Heritage Area designation. The organization is asking residents and stakeholders in Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna and Wyoming Counties to contribute to a feasibility study, ask questions and help the organization get federal recognition, during a meeting Thursday at 5 p.m. at the Dietrich Theater in Tunkhannock. Endless Mountains has been a state-recognized heritage area since 1998. According to the National Park Service, National Heritage Areas are places where historic, cultural and natural resources combine. They are large lived-in landscapes. Endless Mountains is working with Point Heritage Development Consultants to pursue the federal designation.

Residents facing increased water and wastewater rates will have two opportunities this month to give input in Scranton. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) is holding two public hearings on the requests by Pennsylvania American Water Company to increase the rates. The hearings will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 30, at the Scranton Cultural Center on North Washington Avenue in the city. The first begins at 1 p.m., the second at 6 p.m. Last fall, the water company filed a rate adjustment request with the utility commission, which sets utility rates. Some residential customers would pay more per month for water.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Mobile Veterans Center (MVC) will visit Dallas on Friday, Jan. 19. The MVC provides free outreach and counseling services to veterans and their families. The 38-foot mobile center will be in the parking lot of the Dallas Shopping Center, 1 Tunkhannock Highway, Dallas, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., weather permitting. Trained personnel will be on hand to provide a variety of services, including individual, marital, family and bereavement counseling; medical referrals; assistance in applying for VA benefits; employment guidance and referrals; alcohol and drug assessments and referrals; and information and referrals to community resources. Veterans in need of individual counseling should schedule an appointment by contacting 570-344-2676. The center, which features two private counseling rooms, satellite communication and Internet service with VA Medical Centers and video conferencing and tele-health capabilities, is wheelchair lift and handicapped accessible. The U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs sponsors the MVC program to reach veterans in underserved areas. For more details, contact, call state Rep. Mike Cabell’s office at 570-675-6000.

On Friday, the Scranton police chief identified the detective who was shot and critically injured last week. Since then, the greater Scranton community has come together to support Officer Kyle Gilmartin and his family.

Scranton Police Detective Kyle Gilmartin was critically injured in a shooting incident early Thursday. The city’s police chief, Thomas Carroll, identified Gilmartin as the officer injured during a brief press conference Friday.

For the past 40 years, rivers and their tributaries in Pennsylvania have competed for the prestigious honor of being River of the Year. This year the Lackawaxen River in the Poconos is one of three rivers in the running.