Local News

LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Two women have been arrested after investigators say a child in their care was malnourished and restrained to a bed.

According to Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce, 52-year-old Stacey Ann Louder and 35-year-old Amanda Lynn Gregorio, both of Exeter Borough, were arrested for aggravated assault of a victim under thirteen.

Detectives stated that while under the custody of Louder and Gregorio, the child was restrained to their bed by their hands, chest, feet, and legs, including while they were asleep.

BRADFORD COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A Bradford County man has been sentenced to over 24 years in prison for the production of child pornography.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Benjamin Wheeler, 29, coerced two minor victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce child pornography on four separate occasions in June and July of 2022.

Carbon County forest fire coming too close for comfort

Wheeler was sentenced on April 15 to over 24 years of imprisonment followed by 10 years of supervised release.

PITTSTON, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Some might call it a "sign of the times," and a Luzerne County police department says it is paying dividends in their efforts to get drugs off the streets.

Pittston City Police say while it is not high-tech, it is effective.

The sign may not be fancy, but police say since they have been posting this sign outside of suspected drug houses and on social media. They have been getting more tips from the public about other suspected drug activity.

(WBRE/WYOU) — State police are searching for a man wanted after they say he stole credit card information from 19 customers who visited a Chinese buffet in Luzerne County.

The Pennsylvania State Police are investigating an access device fraud/theft that happened in Hazle Township in December 2013.

19 victims have reported unauthorized charges on their credit/debit cards at various locations in Hazleton, Wilkes-Barre, Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton.

The number of antisemitic incidents reported in 2024 across the U.S. was the most ever documented by the Anti-Defamation League, according to an annual audit by the organization.

KINGSTON TWP., LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Police in Luzerne County arrested two people on various charges during a DUI checkpoint placed during the holiday weekend.

During the Easter Weekend, Kingston Township Police Department said they conducted a DUI enforcement patrol to promote safety and deter impaired driving within the township.

Officers say they pulled over a total of 18 vehicles from Friday night through Saturday morning. Investigators stated they made two arrests during the enforcement.

HARRISBURG, DAUPHIN COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) will be holding a public meeting to examine the data center surge and its impact on PA's power grid.

The PUC says that as PA faces a surge in energy demand driven by the data centers and other large-load customers, they are hosting a public hearing on Thursday, April 24.

The hearing will begin at 1:00 p.m. in Hearing Room 1 of the Commonwealth Keystone Building located at 400 North Street in Harrisburg. It is open to the public and will be livestreamed on the PUC's website.

(WBRE/WYOU) — A pregnant goat "deliberately" hit by a car is on her way to a full recovery, officials say.

According to Indraloka Sanctuary, a pregnant goat, named Peach, was part of a "horrifying act of cruelty when she was deliberately struck by a car in a hit-and-run."

The sanctuary states that the visibly pregnant goat was traveling down a road when a passerby followed her to guide her to safety. A car then approached, slowed down, then accelerated and veered toward the goat, striking her before speeding away, the sanctuary reports.

Indraloka Sanctuary

DANVILLE — The Montour Area Recreation Commission and Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau will host a 2.6-mile guided walk around the Hess Recreation Area’s Hess Loop Trail on Saturday.

SUNBURY — Average gas prices are down across the country and in the Susquehanna Valley, according to AAA East Central’s gas price report released Monday.