Wilkes-Barre Police Charge 2 In Drug-Trafficking Case

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Luzerne County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WILKES-BARRE — A wanted Philadelphia man awaiting trial on drug charges is being held in the Luzerne County Correctional Facility in lieu of $50,000 bail after city police arrested him and another man on drug charges on Tuesday.

Emmanuel Williams, 20, was and found to be in possession of “distribution amounts” of heroin, police said, without elaborating.

According to police, investigation into suspected drug activity in the area around Park Avenue, Lehigh Street, East Northampton Street and Empire Street led to a traffic stop at Park and Lehigh on Tuesday.

An Edwardsville man, Rashon Whitest, 19, of Green Street, was processed and released pending a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge, police said.

Read more:  http://www.timesleader.com/news/news/754049/W-B-police-charge-2-in-drug-trafficking-case

Wilkes-Barre Lists 51 Rental Properties Cited By Code Enforcement

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Luzerne County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WILKES-BARRE — A day after council took the first step to approve an amendment toughening the city’s rental ordinance, the code enforcement office listed more than 5o citations to property owners over a four-month period.

More than half of the 51 properties have out-of-town owners, a point stressed by Mayor Tom Leighton when he proposed the amendment to crack down on problem properties contributing to the rise in violent crime.

City spokeswoman Liza Prokop said the timing of the release of the list was unrelated to the pending amendment.

In an e-mail Wednesday she said, “It is standard practice for the city to release information on code violations.”

Read more: http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/754179/City-lists-51-rental-properties-cited-by-code-enforcement

Mt. Airy, 3 Local Towns On ‘Best Places’ Lists

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Chester County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Several local towns and a Philadelphia neighborhood got kudos in the Money magazine’s annual round-up of “Best Places to Live.”

Chester County‘s West Goshen is No. 10 on the main list, which this year focuses on “small towns,” with 10,000 to 50,000 people. No surprise there, since West Goshen made the Top 25 on the last two “small towns” lists, in 2011 and 2009.

“West Goshen Township has a lush, suburban feel, with quiet, tree-shaded residential areas, lovely parks, and a full slate of community activities,” Money summed up.

Horsham was No. 34 this year, off a little from No. 31 in 2011, while Ardmore, No. 45 in 2011, failed to made this year’s Top 50.

No. 1 was “one-time summer resort” Sharon, Mass.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/Mt_Airy_3_local_towns_on_Best_Places_lists.html#sV1lv9l4Th0LvM1I.99

Pottstown NAACP Leaders Question Spending Priorities

Location of Pottstown in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Editor’s note:  I question a lot more than the spending priorities in Pottstown.  The municipal government is corrupt, dysfunctional and has a spending addiction.  Taxpayers are overburdened and get very little in return for their hard-earned money.  There is no leadership, no vision, no commitment to improving the quality of life in the borough and the list goes on and on.  The overpaid manager doesn’t even live in Pottstown along with most of the municipal employees in borough hall.  The state needs to take over before it’s too late.

POTTSTOWN — The president and vice president of the Pottstown chapter of the NAACP told borough council Monday that if the borough and school district can find $5 million to fix sidewalks and install bike lanes, they should also be able to find similar amounts to build a pool in Pottstown and help the Ricketts Community Center.

“I went by Memorial Park the other day and I saw kids swimming in the Manatawny (Creek),” NAACP Vice President Johnny Corson told council.

“I know I wouldn’t let my children swim in that creek. Who knows what’s in it, animal feces and the like,” Corson said. “If we had a pool, we wouldn’t have to worry about that.”

Pottstown did have a pool, Gruber Pool, but it closed in 2000 when it was discovered that long-deferred maintenance on the electrical system posed a safety hazard to swimmers.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130815/NEWS01/130819644/pottstown-naacp-leaders-question-spending-priorities#full_story

(UPDATE) Police Chase Shoplifting Suspect Through North Coventry (video)

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Chester County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NORTH COVENTRY — A 19-year-old suspected of stealing from the Kohl’s in the Coventry Mall eluded police for just about 20 minutes before his capture in woods near the Route 100 overpass over River Road Thursday afternoon.

After 2:30 p.m., police were called to track down the young man who allegedly took some items from the store and ran on foot.

Originally, the suspect was described as having dark-colored pants and a white shirt, but as the pursuit evolved, witnesses said he took the shirt on and off.

The suspect, who police have not yet named, was eventually captured by several police officers from North Coventry, West Pottsgrove and Pottstown in the woods down the embankment from Route 100 on the 300 block of River Road.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130815/NEWS01/130819550/(update)-police-chase-shoplifting-suspect-through-north-coventry-(video)#full_story