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Wilkes-Barre, PA

BBQ Chain With Tyngsborough Location Closing Restaurants, Converting Some To Twin Peaks BBQ Chain With Tyngsborough Location Closing Restaurants, Converting Some To Twin Peaks
BBQ Chain With Tyngsborough Location Closing Restaurants, Converting Some To Twin Peaks Popular barbecue restaurant chain Smokey Bones is scaling back as underperforming restaurants shut down or are being rebranded. Parent company Twin Hospitality Group said it will have closed 15 Smokey Bones locations by the end of September. Nearly 20 restaurants are being converted into Twin Peaks, a mountain lodge-themed chain known as a "breastaurant" for its waitresses with revealing outfits similar to Hooters. The company said the Twin Peaks brand is delivering stronger sales. "Smokey Bones is a beloved brand that has amassed a loyal following over the years," said CEO …
Hammer Threats Made At Special Olympics In PA; Suspect Hurls Feces In Cell: Police Hammer Threats Made At Special Olympics In PA; Suspect Hurls Feces In Cell: Police
Hammer Threats Made At Special Olympics In PA; Suspect Hurls Feces In Cell: Police A man threatened participants at a Special Olympics event with a hammer before defecating and throwing feces inside a holding cell, Wilkes-Barre police announced on Thursday, Sept. 4. Matthew Fisher, 36, of Wilkes-Barre, was charged after the incident at Kirby Park on Wednesday, Sept. 3 at 6:32 p.m., according to police. Officers were dispatched to the park for a report of a man harassing several individuals and making threats with a hammer. Police said Fisher approached a group participating in a Special Olympics-sanctioned event, yelled obscenities, and threatened to harm them, shouting “…
Baltimore Hospital Ranked In Top 5 Worldwide, Six Recognized Nationally: See The Full List Baltimore Hospital Ranked In Top 5 Worldwide, Six Recognized Nationally: See The Full List
Baltimore Hospital Ranked In Top 5 Worldwide, Six Recognized Nationally: See The Full List When it comes to medical care, not all hospitals are created equally, and patients want the best treatment available, whether it's for a routine procedure or a life-saving intervention. Newsweek has released its World's Best Hospitals 2025 list. The rankings, created in collaboration with global data firm Statista, scored hospitals based on expert surveys, patient experience, and hospital performance metrics. Eleven hospitals in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic earned spots among the top 250 worldwide. The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore was ranked No. 4 glob…
Trump Administration Selling Off Hundreds Of 'Non-Core' Federal Spaces: Here's Where Trump Administration Selling Off Hundreds Of 'Non-Core' Federal Spaces: Here's Where
Trump Administration Selling Off Hundreds Of 'Non-Core' Federal Spaces: Here's Where The Trump administration is putting some of the largest and most well-known federal buildings up for sale. The move is all in an effort to eliminate waste, slash maintenance costs, and reinvest in more efficient spaces, according to the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). Officials have identified hundreds of "non-core properties" totaling millions of square feet that no longer serve essential government functions and are now up for grabs. “Selling ensures that taxpayer dollars are no longer spent on vacant or underutilized federal spaces,” federal officials said. “Disposing of the…
Penn State Closing Some Commonwealth Campuses As Enrollment Drops: Find Out Which Ones Penn State Closing Some Commonwealth Campuses As Enrollment Drops: Find Out Which Ones
Penn State Closing Some Commonwealth Campuses As Enrollment Drops: Find Out Which Ones Penn State University will close some of its Commonwealth Campuses as part of a major restructuring effort, citing declining enrollment and shifting demographics across Pennsylvania. Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi announced the decision in a letter on Tuesday, Feb. 25. The university's 19th president said the system can no longer sustain all of its Commonwealth schools, which operate as satellites of the main State College campus. A final recommendation on which campuses will close is expected by the end of the spring semester. "We must acknowledge the realities before us,"…
Gunman In Valentine's Day Hotel Armed Robbery Sought By Cops In Mahwah Gunman In Valentine's Day Hotel Armed Robbery Sought By Cops In Mahwah
Gunman In Valentine's Day Hotel Armed Robbery Sought By Cops In Mahwah Authorities in Bergen County are searching for a 31-year-old man with Paterson, NJ and Wilkes-Barre, PA ties accused of an armed robbery in a hotel parking lot. Henry X. Rodriguez is wanted in connection to an incident that occurred on Friday, Feb. 14, at approximately 8:12 p.m., according to Detective Sergeant Eric Larsen of the Mahwah Police Department. Police say Rodriguez confronted a man and woman in the parking lot of a local hotel, brandished a handgun, and stole the woman’s purse before fleeing the scene. Rodriguez is known to have ties to both Paterson, NJ, and Wilkes-Barre, PA. A…
400 Pounds Of Marijuana Seized From Box Truck On I-78 In Lebanon County: PSP 400 Pounds Of Marijuana Seized From Box Truck On I-78 In Lebanon County: PSP
400 Pounds Of Marijuana Seized From Box Truck On I-78 In Lebanon County: PSP Three men were arrested after Pennsylvania State Police found 400 pounds of marijuana during a traffic inspection on I-78 in Bethel Township, Lebanon County, authorities announced on Saturday, Feb. 15. Kelvin Rodriguez-Olivo, 25, of Wilkes-Barre; Starly Francisco-Lendof, 25, of Kingston; and Alfonso Francisco Roman, 64, of the Dominican Republic, were taken into custody after a Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program inspection of a 2018 Hino box truck revealed two pallets of marijuana, police said. All three men were charged with possession with intent to deliver and conspiracy, PSP detail…
These 64 PA Big Lots Stores Are Among Nearly 1,000 Closing Nationwide: Here's When These 64 PA Big Lots Stores Are Among Nearly 1,000 Closing Nationwide: Here's When
These 64 PA Big Lots Stores Are Among Nearly 1,000 Closing Nationwide: Here's When Big Lots, the popular discount retailer, is officially going out of business. The company, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September, has announced plans to close all 963 of its remaining stores nationwide, including the remaining 64 locations in Pennsylvania. Big Lots had 73 stores located in the Keystone State when they declared bankruptcy over the summer. More than 6% of all Big Lots were located in the commonwealth, with the most stores located in Texas.  The last day of business is expected to be in mid-February, according to sources familiar with the closures. While offi…
Actress Christine Baranski Coming To Wilkes-Barre To Campaign For Harris Actress Christine Baranski Coming To Wilkes-Barre To Campaign For Harris
Actress Christine Baranski Coming To Wilkes-Barre To Campaign For Harris Actress Christine Baranski is coming to Pennsylvania to campaign for Kamala Harris, the Harris-Walz team told Daily Voice on Tuesday, Oct. 15. Christine Baranski, known for her roles on The Gilded Age and The Good Wife, will join former Congressman Tom Malinowski in Wilkes-Barre to campaign for Vice President Harris and others on the democratic ticket. Baranski is participating in the Polish Americans for Harris-Walz bus tour, which the campaign says is an effort to "mobilize Polish American and Eastern European voters across the country. " State Representative Eddie Day Pa…
2 Motorcyclists Hospitalized With Serious Injuries In Hope Twp Route 80 Crash 2 Motorcyclists Hospitalized With Serious Injuries In Hope Twp Route 80 Crash
2 Motorcyclists Hospitalized With Serious Injuries In Hope Twp Route 80 Crash A pair of motorcyclists were hospitalized with serious injuries when one struck the other on Route 80 in Warren County on Saturday, Oct. 5. The Kawasaki and Aprilia motorcycle were traveling east on Route 80 when the 33-year-old Aprilla operator struck the rear of the Kawasaki around 6 p.m. at milepost 12.6 in Hope Township, New Jersey State Polie Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron said. Both operators were thrown from their bikes and taken to the hospital, one by medevac and the other by ground, with serious injuries. The Kawasaki operator is age 27, from Paterson, and the Aprilla operator is age 33…
Come On Down: 'The Price Is Right Live' Coming To York Come On Down: 'The Price Is Right Live' Coming To York
Come On Down: 'The Price Is Right Live' Coming To York If you’ve ever dreamed of spinning that big wheel, now’s your chance to “come on down.” Game show aficionados will have the opportunity to take part in “The Price is Right Live,” coming to Pennsylvania this fall. The live, traveling production brings the iconic television game show to life as randomly selected contestants play game show favorites like Plinko, Cliffhangers, and the famous Showcase. 💰🎰 Come On Down! 🎰💰 The Price is Right Live comes to WILKES-BARRE on Thursday, October 3rd! Join in on the excitement as... Posted by F.M. Kirby Center on Sunday, August 11, 2024 In true…
Vince Mazzotta, 62, Lifetime Darby Fire Company Member Dies Vince Mazzotta, 62, Lifetime Darby Fire Company Member Dies
Vince Mazzotta, 62, Lifetime Darby Fire Company Member Dies A Pennsylvania fire department is mourning the loss of one of their own. Vincent "Vince" John Mazzotta, a life member of the Darby Fire Co., died on Sunday, July 28. He was 62 years old.  The volunteer fireman, of Newtown Square, graduated from the Monsignor Bonner High School (Class of 1980) and King’s College in Wilkes-Barre (Class of 1984), his obituary on the Danjolell Memorial Home website says. Vincent's lifelong career as a federal civil servant began right out of college, 38 years of which were with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), his obituary says…
HS Band Director Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Student: Pennsylvania AG HS Band Director Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Student: Pennsylvania AG
HS Band Director Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Student: Pennsylvania AG A former school employee in Wilkes Barre was convicted of groping a student on Friday, June 28, said the state Attorney General's Office in a release.  Theron Roberts, the 41-year-old ex-band director at Crestwood High School in Mountain Top, was found guilty of felony institutional sexual assault and corruption of minors, prosecutors said.  According to authorities, Roberts groped a tenth-grade student after pulling them into a "secluded alcove" and threatened her not to report the incident.  The AG's Office said he met the victim three years earlier when they were in …
13-Year-Old Girl Accused Of Killing PA Woman: Police 13-Year-Old Girl Accused Of Killing PA Woman: Police
13-Year-Old Girl Accused Of Killing PA Woman: Police A 13-year-old is in custody for a murder in Wilkes-Barre, according to city police.  Authorities said they were called to the 20 block of South Sherman Street around 12:30 p.m. on Friday, March 29. They arrived to find a 44-year-old victim with "apparent wounds to the torso and head area," and she was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.  A second victim was also hurt, according to officials.  The 13-year-old suspect was charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, and related counts, and police said she is being charged as an adult.  "As further details b…
COLD CASE: PA Trucker Found Shot, Wrapped In Sleeping Bag, Dumped In Creek COLD CASE: PA Trucker Found Shot, Wrapped In Sleeping Bag, Dumped In Creek
Cold CASE: PA Trucker Found Shot, Wrapped In Sleeping Bag, Dumped In Creek Over half a century after his body was found in Slatington, state police continue to investigate the death of Richard Stewart Wimbish.  The 49-year-old was found shot to death and wrapped in a sleeping bag in Trout Creek on Jan. 13, 1973, troopers say.  Wimbish was last seen alive leaving work on Dec. 29, 1972, authorities said. He was employed by the Pennsylvania Trucking Company located at 49th Street and Parkside Avenue in West Philadelphia.  His regular delivery route saw him travel as far north as Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and Stroudsburg, police said. …
Northeast Philly Lottery Player Wins 'Millionaire's Raffle' Prize Northeast Philly Lottery Player Wins 'Millionaire's Raffle' Prize
Northeast Philly Lottery Player Wins 'Millionaire's Raffle' Prize A Pennsylvania Lottery player in Northeast Philadelphia is ringing in the new year $50,000 richer.  The lucky winner had their number pulled in the Tuesday, Jan. 2 drawing for the "Millionaire's Raffle" game, Lottery officials said in a release.  The "Millionaire's Raffle" features eight weekly drawings with two prizes of $50,000, leading up to the Jan. 6 drawing where $5 million in prizes will be awarded, officials said. The other winning ticket this week was sold in Wilkes-Barre, they added.  Players can see if they won by scanning their tickets at a licensed Lottery retai…
COLD CASE: Pregnant PA Woman Disappeared From Her Home Without A Trace COLD CASE: Pregnant PA Woman Disappeared From Her Home Without A Trace
Cold CASE: Pregnant PA Woman Disappeared From Her Home Without A Trace More than half a century after she vanished, Pennsylvania State Police are actively investigating the disappearance of Ilonka Cann.  The 22-year-old was pregnant and living with her husband Charles Cann II and their 15-month-old son in Huntington Mills, Luzerne County, according to authorities and the Charley Project.  Ilonka was last seen alive on the morning of May 26, 1970, troopers said. Charles told police he said goodbye and went to work at the Berwick Junior High School around 7:20 a.m. When he returned home around 3:30 p.m., he found their son alone, crying in h…
PA Man Charged With Torching NJ Home For Insurance Money PA Man Charged With Torching NJ Home For Insurance Money
PA Man Charged With Torching NJ Home For Insurance Money A Pennsylvania man already awaiting trial in connection with other incidents was charged with setting fire to a former home in Cherry Hill to collect on the insurance. Richard Orlandini, 62, of Wilkes Barre, collected at least $75,000 from Allstate by "recklessly placing others in danger of death or bodily injury,"  New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said. Firefighters reported finding the two-story single-family home on Chapel Avenue West well-involved shortly before 1:30 a.m. Oct. 20, 2018. No injuries were reported and the house had to be demolished. Orlandini deli…
Compulsive NJ Bank Robber From PA Heads Back To Fed Pen For 12½ Years, No Parole Compulsive NJ Bank Robber From PA Heads Back To Fed Pen For 12½ Years, No Parole
Compulsive NJ Bank Robber From PA Heads Back To Fed Pen For 12½ Years, No Parole A man who spent eight years in federal prison for robbing banks in Pennsylvania is headed back for another 12½ years for two subsequent South Jersey holdups in three days. Leon I. Stanford, 54, of Wilkes Barre, PA admitted this past March that he handed tellers notes demanding money at both the TD Bank in Oaklyn on Feb. 22, 2020 and at the Republic Bank in Cherry Hill two days later. Witnesses at both banks described seeing the robber flee the area in the same white Saturn SUV, said U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger. Surveillance cameras captured partial license-plate charac…
Trespassing Trio Found With Guns, Drugs: Allentown Police Trespassing Trio Found With Guns, Drugs: Allentown Police
Trespassing Trio Found With Guns, Drugs: Allentown Police Three men are in an Allentown jail cell after police say they were caught trespassing with weapons and drugs Tuesday night, Oct. 24.  Police were called about a group of trespassers on a South 14th Street property around 8 p.m., they said in a release.  Those arrested at the scene:  19-year-old Miles Gaye of Allentown  27-year-old Joshua Caraballo of Allentown 19-year-old Teyzon Robinson of Wilkes-Barre All three are charged with persons not to possess firearms, unlicensed carry, and narcotics possession with intent to deliver, the department said.  Gaye and Cara…
$3.2 Million Won By 4 Powerball Tickets Sold Across Pennsylvania $3.2 Million Won By 4 Powerball Tickets Sold Across Pennsylvania
$3.2 Million Won By 4 Powerball Tickets Sold Across Pennsylvania Four winning Powerball tickets totaling $3.2 million in winnings have sold across Pennsylvania, the state lottery commission announced on Thursday, Oct. 5.  The four tickets were sold for the Powerball drawing on Wednesday, October 4. The winning numbers were 9-35-54-63-64. A $2 million winning ticket matched all five balls, without the Power Play option it would have only been worth $1 million. It sold at CITGO, 2999 Bear Creek Boulevard, Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, which gets a $10,000 bonus for selling it. The second top winning prize of the night was $1 million sold in Phil…
PA Teen Opening For Rock Legend Pat Benatar PA Teen Opening For Rock Legend Pat Benatar
PA Teen Opening For Rock Legend Pat Benatar A teenage Pennsylvania singer is opening for the rock singer Pat Benatar at the Mohegan Pennsylvania Casino Resort in Wilkes-Barre on Friday, July 28, according to her Facebook page.  Gracie Jane Sinclair, a 19-year-old from Dorrance Township, Luzerne County, is set to take the stage before the legendary rock singer at 8 p.m. A graduate of Crestwood High School in Mountain Top, Sinclair's most recent release was the February single, "Like Before," per her Spotify page.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gracie Jane Sinclair (@graci…
Motorcyclist Dies After Slamming Into Bear On I-81 (UPDATE) Motorcyclist Dies After Slamming Into Bear On I-81 (UPDATE)
Motorcyclist Dies After Slamming Into Bear On I-81 (Update) A 67-year-old man has died after his motorcycle hit a bear on Interstate 81 early on Tuesday, July 25, 2023,  state police say.  Frank J. Castrignano was heading south when the bear wandered onto the highway from the eastern shoulder, authorities said. The crash happened around 7:30 a.m. in Rice Township, according to State Police.   After impact, the bike spun out and the rider fell off, police continued.  The Shavertown rider was wearing a helmet and eye protection, troopers noted.  He was rushed to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Hospital in Wilkes-Barre where h…
Convicted Bank Robber From PA Admits Holding Up Two NJ Banks in Three Days Convicted Bank Robber From PA Admits Holding Up Two NJ Banks in Three Days
Convicted Bank Robber From PA Admits Holding Up Two NJ Banks in Three Days A convicted bank robber who spent 10 years behind bars is headed back to prison after admitting on Tuesday that he held up two Camden County banks in three days. Leon I. Stanford, 54, of Wilkes Barre handed tellers notes demanding money at both the TD Bank in Oaklyn on Feb. 22, 2020 and at the Republic Bank in Cherry Hill on Feb. 24, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said. Witnesses at the banks in Oaklyn and Cherry Hill described seeing the robber flee the area in the same white Saturn van used in both holdups, the U.S. attorney said on March 14. Surveillance cameras captur…
2 Inmates Die In Three Days After Being Found Unresponsive In PA Prison: DOC 2 Inmates Die In Three Days After Being Found Unresponsive In PA Prison: DOC
2 Inmates Die In Three Days After Being Found Unresponsive In PA Prison: DOC A man who intimidated a witness and a man who repeatedly raped a six-year-old girl were both found unresponsive in their cells and have died, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections tells Daily Voice.  Robert Dale Williams, 40, of Millersville, was found unresponsive inside his cell at the state correctional institutional Rockview in Benner Township on Friday, March 3, 2023, and Andrew Yuhas, 61, of Wilkes-Barre, was also found the same way in his cell the following Monday, March 6, according to two separate statements from the DOC. In both cases, SCI Rockview Prison staff and …
Missing PA Woman Was Going To Testify In Court Before Disappearance: Police Missing PA Woman Was Going To Testify In Court Before Disappearance: Police
Missing PA Woman Was Going To Testify In Court Before Disappearance: Police As the nine-year anniversary of her disappearance approaches, investigators are still searching for Danielle Marie Drozdowski.  In 2014, when she was 25 years old, the Wilkes-Barre resident had agreed to testify before a Luzerne County grand jury as a confidential informant, according to the Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers.  But when the trial date came and went that August without Drozdowski making an appearance, the court noted her as "wanted," officials said. Her family members told investigators they hadn't seen or heard from her since March 2014, when she last updated her Faceboo…
Serial Retail Burglar Strikes In Berks County, Police Say Serial Retail Burglar Strikes In Berks County, Police Say
Serial Retail Burglar Strikes In Berks County, Police Say A suspected serial burglar robbed a Berks County hardware store in what police say is his 15th theft from area retailers.  It happened on Thursday, Feb. 16 at around 1 a.m., Caernarvon Township police said in a statement.  The suspect pulled into the Lowe's at 340 Crossings Blvd., walked behind the store, and stole a Craftsman Zero Turn Lawn Mower, they continued. The same model lawn mower is valued at $3,099 on Lowe's website.  Investigators believe the same man is responsible for no less than 14 similar thefts at Lowe's locations throughout the region, inclu…
Top Ten Most Wanted List Updated By PA State Police Top Ten Most Wanted List Updated By PA State Police
Top Ten Most Wanted List Updated By PA State Police Three new criminals have been added to the Pennsylvania State Police's "Ten Most Wanted" list. The three newest fugitives replace three who have been captured. Those men are: Jordan Alexander Allen, Wilkes-Barre: Aggravated assault with a firearm. Samuel Irizarry, Philadelphia: Attempted homicide Rakeem Markell Jones, Erie: Attempted homicide. The other men on the list, which still includes one individual who has been captured, includes: Michael Edward Akerly, Erie: Wanted for a 1998 rape and aggravated indecent assault in Erie, PA. Seen in Wattsburg, Erie County; Chauauq…
Kidnapped Woman Tips Off Cops During Berks Traffic Stop: State Police Kidnapped Woman Tips Off Cops During Berks Traffic Stop: State Police
Kidnapped Woman Tips Off Cops During Berks Traffic Stop: State Police A driver in Berks County fled the scene of a traffic stop after state police identified one of his passengers as a missing woman being held against her will, according to authorities.  Troopers in Perry Township pulled over a southbound Dodge Ram 1500 on Pottsville Pike just before midnight on Friday, Feb. 10 for multiple traffic violations, they said in a statement.  During the stop, a 34-year-old woman in the car "discreetly alerted troopers to possible criminal activity" and was asked to step out of the vehicle, state police wrote.  The driver of the truck, described as a…
Rubber Gloves, Baby Oil Found On Lebanon Dad Of 5 Meeting 13-Year-Old From Florida: DHS Rubber Gloves, Baby Oil Found On Lebanon Dad Of 5 Meeting 13-Year-Old From Florida: DHS
Rubber Gloves, Baby Oil Found On Lebanon Dad Of 5 Meeting 13-Year-Old From Florida: DHS A Lebanon dad attempted to lure a 13-year-old girl from Florida to a hotel in Wilkes-Barre through her father— who was really an undercover officer with the Department of Homeland Security, according to court documents obtained by Daily Voice.  A step-father to girls 9, 11, and 15 years old and biological father to two boys, 26-year-old Mason Morey told the undercover officer he had already had sexual encounters with his two younger stepdaughters, DHS details in the criminal complaint.  Morey met the undercover officer on the social media app Wickr using the name DARKRAVEN329 and …
Six Lucky Pennsylvania Powerball Players Win $1.5 Million Six Lucky Pennsylvania Powerball Players Win $1.5 Million
Six Lucky Pennsylvania Powerball Players Win $1.5 Million Six winning Pennsylvania Powerball tickets have been sold in six different Pennsylvania counties in the drawing the day before the historic $2.04 billion Powerball drawing on Tuesday, Nov. 8. A $1 million ticket, less withholding sold at the Turkey Hill located at 7601 Allentown Boulevard, Harrisburg, Dauphin County; which earns a $5,000 reward for selling the ticket.  The $1 million-winning ticket matched five of the five white balls drawn, 10-33-41-47-56. Meanwhile, the following retailers who sold $100,000 Powerball with Power Play winning tickets each earned a $500 bonus. They are: …