News: Page 299
Luzerne County voter registration shows continued Republican climb
October 11, 2018
Luzerne County picked up 1,106 more registered voters since the May primary, but the number of Democrats continued to decline, new election statistics show. Tuesday was the last day to register for the Nov. 6 election. As of Thursday, the county had 206,624 registered voters, compared to 205,518 in May, according to county Election Director […]
Looming regional labor shortages must be addressed, researcher says
October 10, 2018
If predictions hold true, there won’t be enough workers in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties to fill more than 10,000 jobs in a myriad of sectors over the next decade, researcher Teri Ooms told business leaders Wednesday. While job growth is a contributor, most of the vacancies are expected to stem from older employees leaving the […]
Luzerne County manager proposes 3 percent tax hike in 2019
October 9, 2018
Citing rising expenses and past unrealistic revenue streams, Luzerne County Manager C. David Pedri has asked county council to raise taxes 3 percent in 2019. The hike would increase county real estate taxes $18 on a $100,000 property, with the total tax bill rising from $597.54 to $615.47. “The (proposed) 2019 budget is a sustainable […]
Levee path road markings explained
October 8, 2018
For the curious, the Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority has issued a release decoding new letter and numerical markings painted on the popular road atop the Wyoming Valley Levee. Added as part of a repair project, these “station identification markings” serve as reference points for trained levee patrol volunteers to report possible problem areas during […]
Real estate taxes rising for Arena Hub Plaza due to reverse appeal
October 8, 2018
The Arena Hub Plaza’s real estate tax bill has increased nearly half a million dollars due to a reverse appeal arguing the old assessment was too low, county court records show. As a result of the Wilkes-Barre Township shopping center’s $19 million assessment increase, owner TFP Limited must pay a combined $1.43 million in real […]
Luzerne County Notebook: 2019 budget unveiling set for Tuesday
October 7, 2018
Luzerne County Manager C. David Pedri is scheduled to present his proposed 2019 budget to council on Tuesday. It’s unclear if the administration will recommend a tax increase. The budget ordinance attached to the meeting agenda contains a blank space for the tax rate. Pedri said Sunday that he is not seeking any new positions […]
Keeping it green
October 7, 2018
DALLAS — Area residents gathered at the Huntsville Golf Course on Sunday night for the seventh annual “Taste the Local Harvest” event that raised money for the North Branch Land Trust and supported local growers. Barbara Romanansky, NBLT director of development, said supporting local farmers, growers, vintners, and brewmasters was consistent with the organization’s mission […]
Downtown Wilkes-Barre high-rise hotels still a go, start dates still up in the air
September 30, 2018
WILKES-BARRE — Two downtown hotel projects remain on the drawing boards, but time will tell which one will be built first. Sphere International LLC has proposed its project for the corner of West Northampton and South Main streets. A few blocks away, Gateway Center Associates selected the former Hotel Sterling site at West Market and […]
Plans for valuable Luzerne County-owned tract debated
September 30, 2018
Luzerne County officials are still assessing what they will do with more than 400 acres of county-owned land in Butler Township. In all, the county owns approximately 530 acres in the township because it operated the Kis-Lyn work camp for juvenile delinquents from 1912 to 1965. However, 407 acres are available because the Keystone Job […]
Luzerne County tax auction yields 44 sales and 527 advancing to free-and-clear
September 30, 2018
Bidders purchased 44 properties at Luzerne County’s main annual first-stage delinquent tax auction last week, paying a combined $430,284, according to a tally from county tax-claim operator Northeast Revenue Service LLC. Paul Young, of PA Rehabs Inc. in Jim Thorpe, purchased the most properties — a dozen, records show. His acquisitions include the highest single […]