Arena, Boscov’s Among Suitors For State Redevelopment Funds

More than 300 groups from across the state are lining up to get a piece of the $125 million available for Pennsylvania redevelopment projects.

Those requesting funding include the Luzerne County Convention Center Authority, which wants to upgrade Mohegan Sun Arena.

The competition is stiff in this recently streamlined state program — called the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program — with funding requests totaling 10 times the available grant money.

Gov. Tom Wolf will decide which projects receive grants in the fall.

Read more:

http://citizensvoice.com/news/arena-boscov-s-among-suitors-for-state-redevelopment-funds-1.1890479

Three Shell Casings Found At Scene of Harveys Lake Shooting

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

KINGSTON TWP. — Three 9 mm shell casings were recovered from inside a Harveys Lake house where Paul Brace was shot — a find that seemingly contradicts claims in a search warrant affidavit that multiple rounds were fired from multiple guns by four men who forced their way inside.

An inventory receipt of items seized from 367 Second St. was filed Tuesday with District Judge James Tupper.

State police at Wyoming said they found three 9 mm shell casings, two .38-caliber live rounds, a laptop computer, an iPad computer, an iPhone, four cigarette butts, a swatch from a chair with blood, a swatch from a couch with blood, tissue paper with blood, pajama pants with blood, pieces of drywall with blood, socks, a safe and four CDs from a trash can, according to the inventory receipt.

Read more:  http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/590450/Three-shell-casings-found-at-scene

Man Shot In Harveys Lake Home Invasion

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

Editor’s note:  This is one weird story!

HARVEYS LAKE – A receiver for the Misericordia University football team is recovering from multiple gunshot wounds state police at Wyoming believe were caused by four armed men who forced their way inside a house on Second Street early Wednesday morning.

Paul Brace Jr., 19, a former standout and 2012 graduate of Dallas High School, was asleep when he was shot twice in the head and three times in the chest and arm just after 1 a.m., state police said.

Brace was transported to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township where he underwent several surgeries.  He was listed in critical condition, state police said.

Family members and friends said Brace was responding to certain commands such as squeezing his hand and moving his feet and toes.

Read more:  http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/573493/Man-shot-in-Harveys-Lake-home-invasion

Report: NEPA Economy Is Turning Around

Locator map of the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre Metropolitan Statistical Area in the northeastern part of the of . (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The 2013 annual report by The Institute for Public Policy & Economic Development indicates Northeastern Pennsylvania is showing signs of an economic turnaround.

The eighth annual Indicators Report, to be released and discussed at a forum Thursday at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, tracks the region’s performance on an array of categories, including demographics, public safety, jobs and the economy.

“The annual Indicators Report serves as a yardstick for measuring growth and trends in Northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Patrick Leahy, Wilkes University president and chairman of the institute, which is a partnership among Keystone College, King’s College, Luzerne County Community College, Marywood University, Misericordia University, Penn State Wilkes-Barre, The University of Scranton, and is owned and managed by Wilkes.

Reports covering more than 120 indicators for Lackawanna and Luzerne counties, as well as statewide data, will be discussed next week.  And reports from the institute’s five task forces also will be provided to show data on health and health care, jobs and the local economy, education, housing, transportation and land use.

Read more:  http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/523150/Report-NEPA-economy-is-turning-around

NEPA Higher Education Institutions Prosper Despite Economic Uncertainly

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Institutions of higher learning in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Metropolitan Area are thriving.  Even during hard economic times.

The University of Scranton set an all-time undergraduate enrollment record this fall with 1,059 students enrolled.  The university received 9,045 applicants – the largest pool of applicants in the school’s history!

King’s College saw a record number of new students enrolling for the fall semester.  The school’s full-time enrollment of 2,025 sets a record as well as receiving a record number of applicants (2565).

Wilkes University will welcome 570 freshmen this fall, up from 497 last year.  The enrollment this fall will tie for the second highest number of students in the school’s history.

Keystone College will welcome 1400 full-time and 400 part-time students this fall.  The highest enrollment since the school’s founding.  330 new freshmen will swell the student body.  Over 500 students will be living on campus this year, a record number.

Marywood University will have 1,100 students living on campus this year after constructing three new dormitories. This is the most students to have ever lived on campus.

Misericordia University set a record for applications received.  This year’s 2,011 applications represent a 24 percent increase over last year’s record number.