By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge over the Susquehanna River The Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge over the Susquehanna River is closed due to recent inspection findings Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo announced Thursday Crocamo said closure of the county-owned span is necessary “in the interest of public safety” because the inspection detected advanced deterioration of load-carrying bridge components The closure will be permanent as the county pursues bridge replacement options The county is in the process of selecting an engineer who must come up with three options to address the bridge In addition to $10 million in federal funding allocated through the state for this project the county has access to a $55 million casino gambling fund established for county infrastructure The weight limit of the bridge was reduced to 5 tons last May which allows passenger vehicles but not fire trucks and emergency rescue vehicles Inspections were required every six months due to the bridge’s condition the bridge connects Nanticoke and the West Nanticoke section of Plymouth Township The crossing was constructed in 1914 and last rehabilitated in 1987 Three options were already presented for the bridge early last year by Alfred Benesch and Associates which had been hired by the county before federal funding was involved the county must start from scratch in determining a solution for the bridge because federal funding has been allocated to the project through the state Benesch’s work thus far cannot be applied to the final project because the selection process for the engineer must go through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation procurement system Crocamo said the county is working in coordination with PennDOT to implement the closure promising additional information at a later date “The public’s cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated,” Crocamo said Plymouth Township Supervisor Gale Conrad said she and other residents and officials “assumed this sooner or later would come” because of the bridge’s age and condition noting Pittston area residents have experienced traffic congestion since the August 2021 closure of another county-owned span — the Firefighters’ Memorial Bridge (Water Street) Bridge — as they await a replacement crossing Conrad said she is particularly saddened for businesses that will suffer from the Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge closure but said the county cannot risk collapse of the span while it is carrying vehicles “Safety is obviously the most important to everyone,” Conrad said Nanticoke Fire Chief Mark Boncal expects more congestion in the area of the alternate route — the John S which is the official name of the Route 29/South Cross Valley Expressway span a lot of cars went over that bridge,” Boncal said of the Nanticoke/West Nanticoke crossing his city fire department had relied on the bridge to provide primary fire/rescue coverage to the township’s West Nanticoke area on the other side of the river but Boncal said crews are still arriving on scene in less than eight minutes for emergencies He hopes plans for a replacement bridge progress as quickly as possible “We understand it will be years,” he said Alec Ryncavage (R-Hanover Township) issued a statement describing the bridge closing as a “major challenge for our community.” “While this is a county-owned bridge I’ve been in touch with Luzerne County officials and have offered my full support as they work through this transition,” Ryncavage said He also has contacted the governor’s office to “make sure this issue gets the attention it deserves and to ensure government doesn’t get in the way of a swift solution,” his statement said “As I continue to work with everyone involved to push for the fastest possible solution Thank you for your patience as we tackle this together,” it said Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes An aging bridge across the Susquehanna River is permanently shut down due to safety concerns The county-owned Broadway Street Bridge links the City of Nanticoke with the West Nanticoke section of Plymouth Twp Its sudden closure comes in response to a recent inspection that found "advanced deterioration of load-carrying members," Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo said Thursday "Luzerne County is working in coordination with PennDOT District 4 to implement this closure Additional information regarding the closure will be available at a later date," she added PennDOT officials on Thursday said any information about the closure would be released by Luzerne County Built in 1914, the steel truss bridge carries about 6,300 vehicles each day, of which 500 are trucks, according to this report on The Lackawanna/Luzerne Metropolitan Planning Organization website the bridge's weight limit for vehicles had been downgraded twice in recent years to 15 tons in 2020 and then to 5 tons last year The weight limits — and now the closure — have raised concerns not just about traffic as Nanticoke City fire and ambulance crews serve communities on the west side of the river in Plymouth Township The nearest crossing is the Route 29 bridge roughly a mile — and several minutes — north The bridge closure is expected to "increase emergency services response times by at least 3 minutes depending on weather and traffic, increasing costs and risking loss of life, health complications, or severe injury," the online report states it is a 10-mile drive south to the next nearest public bridge County officials were working on plans to come up with replacement options for the bridge prior to its closure It is expected that the work would draw on a mix of funding sources “The closure of the Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge is a major challenge for our community I’ve been in touch with Luzerne County officials and have offered my full support as they work through this transition," state Rep “I have been in contact with the governor’s office to make sure this issue gets the attention it deserves and to ensure government doesn’t get in the way of a swift solution I will have the backs of our first responders and work with local officials to make public safety my top priority for all those affected," Ryncavage added “As I continue to work with everyone involved to push for the fastest possible solution I will keep you updated as we learn more," he said WVIA News wants to hear from you! If you have a story idea for one of our journalists, it's as simple as sending an e-mail. Reach out anytime at wvianews@wvia.org (WOLF) — The Broadway Street Bridge that connects Nanticoke and West Nanticoke is now closed Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo announced on Thursday that the decision was made in the "interest of public safety." Crocamo stated that a recent inspection saw "advanced deterioration" of load-carrying members The county is working in coordination with PennDOT to implement the closure and additional information regarding the closure will be available at a later date Crocamo said that public cooperation is "greatly appreciated" as the bridge will remain closed several Luzerne County officials recently met with city leaders to discuss the Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge replacement project county Manager Romilda Crocamo said Wednesday Crocamo had closed the county-owned bridge over the Susquehanna River on March 20 after engineers performing an inspection found further deterioration and section loss of primary five county council members attended the April 16 session with Nanticoke leaders Lisa Baker (R-Lehman Township) and state Rep and current Luzerne County Community College President John Yudichak Pennsylvania Department of Transportation District 4 District Executive Rich Roman and representatives of area communities Crocamo said the meeting focused on the “critical need for a crossing over the Susquehanna” in that area all parties expressed a unified commitment to achieving this goal as expeditiously as possible and county elected officials acknowledged the importance of enhancing connectivity and accessibility for the communities served by this crossing,” Crocamo’s Wednesday update said all participants emphasized “safety must remain the paramount concern,” it said “All representatives agreed that any plans moving forward will prioritize the safety of the public and the integrity of the infrastructure,” it said “This collaborative effort underscores a shared dedication to both progress and safety paving the way for a successful and secure crossing solution over the Susquehanna.” Crocamo’s update said discussions will continue and she expressed particular gratitude for the support and input from Bresnahan In the previous bridge update earlier this month Crocamo said the project engineer selection process was underway County council voted in March to streamline procedures by allowing a county administration team to review the statements of qualifications from all five engineering firm respondents and recommend the top three to county council The administration team has completed its evaluation to determine the top three and submitted its evaluation forms and rankings to the PennDOT’s central office for its approval Lombardo said he will immediately schedule a special meeting to hear technical presentations from the top three firms the county must select an engineer to develop three options for the bridge the alternate route is the Route 29/South Cross Valley Expressway crossing emergency crews from multiple agencies were dispatched to the West Nanticoke Bridge in response to a reported jumper into the river The call prompted a swift and coordinated water rescue operation closing Nanticoke City Fire Department made contact with the caller who had witnessed the individual jump and was maintaining a visual and Command was established while Nanticoke City Fire continued tracking the victim’s location The individual was observed drifting approximately 20 yards downstream from the old train bridge before being lost from sight Shoreline spotters from Nanticoke quickly relocated the individual in line with the pump house below the city’s Honey Pot section the Hanover Township Fire Department launched their rescue boat to intercept the victim Hanover Township's water rescue team successfully recovered the victim and transported them to shore The victim was immediately transported to a local medical facility The Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge over the Susquehanna River Luzerne County has placed concrete barriers on both sides of the Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge as part of the span’s closure The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s closure signs remain in place and the county has measured both sides for permanent fencing that will be installed to prevent trespassing said the communication prepared by county Acting Operational Services Division Head Michele Sparich and Operational Services Project Management Director Nick Vough The county administration also held a meeting with the county’s outside engineer Reilly Associates has forwarded this plan to PennDOT Detour signs will be ordered in the next few days and are expected to be installed within three weeks The county also ordered additional bridge closure signs to replace those on loan from PennDOT County Manager Romilda Crocamo closed the county-owned bridge over the Susquehanna River on March 20 after engineers performing an inspection found further deterioration and section loss of primary the county must select an engineer to come up with three options to address the bridge county council voted this week on a process to streamline the selection of an engineer for the bridge replacement a county administration team will review the statements of qualifications from all five engineering firm respondents and recommend the top three to county council PennDOT will publicly identify all five firms and the top three after the administration team makes its recommendation of the top three County Council Chairman John Lombardo said he will schedule a special meeting when council receives the three recommendations because council members must spend extensive time discussing and reviewing them Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer denied Saturday that President Donald Trump engaged in union-busting in an executive order last week absolutely not,” DeRemer said during a news conference with reporters that followed a roundtable with union and elected leaders in Nanticoke “The President cares about the American workforce and we're going to create more jobs than we've ever seen before in this country.” The roundtable took place in Nanticoke in the IBEW Local 163 Joint Apprenticeship Training Center No one during the roundtable asked about Trump's executive order but a WVIA reporter asked during the news conference Trump ordered numerous federal agencies to end collective bargaining with employee unions whose missions center on national security The Trump administration claims a federal civil service law “enables hostile federal unions to obstruct agency management.” The administration also asked a federal court in Texas to allow federal agencies to cancel union contracts The agencies included the Departments of Defense Homeland Security and immigration agencies but also agencies such as the National Science Foundation and the Food and Drug Administration A group of federal unions challenged the executive order in court Thursday also disputed the idea that Trump is a union-buster He pointed to the presence of union leaders who spent much of the roundtable urging the secretary to bolster apprenticeship training programs that's exactly what it's about: apprenticeship programs,” Bresnahan said Bresnahan later released a letter that he and other congressmen signed asking the administration to reconsider ending bargaining rights president of Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters said Trump is clearly trying to deny federal workers of their rights to belong to a union.“So it appears she (Chavez-DeRemer) is playing word games as the administration always does,” said Simpson whose union supported Democratic candidates last year Bresnahan spokeswoman Hannah Pope pointed out Simpson was invited to attend the roundtable and could have expressed his concerns if he did Simpson said he had to attend the council's quarterly meeting so Clarkson went instead an Oregon mayor and congresswoman before Trump nominated her as labor secretary and she favored a bill that would have made it easier to organize a union which she said was the first of a 50-state tour preisdent of the Northeast Pennsylvania Building Trades Council and business manager of SMART Sheet Metal Workers Local 44 in Wilkes-Barre asked Chavez-DeRemer for help funding apprenticeship program would be of help and a great investment into the future of apprenticeship,” Faust said Chavez-DeRemer said “that is not a partisan issue.” understanding what that means is a focus for the Department of Labor and for myself,” she said said data centers are sprouting across Pennsylvania and that will require “reliable “We're going to need an electrical grid that's very fluid and can turn on and off when needed And I think that that has kind of like really expanded the needs for infrastructure investment,” Darrow said “We want to see those (training) funds come to areas like Northeastern PA because we have training centers all throughout this country you need people to be able to string those data systems,” he said a representative of the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters urged the secretary to regulate labor brokers who pay undocumented workers in cash or non-taxable checks to work on local projects “Laws have to be adjusted to where labor brokers need to be more accountable for the people that they hire that are on our local job sites,” Clarkson said During the construction of a data center near Berwick many workers “disappeared” after Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration “I was told by some of the workers that we had union carpenters there .. it seemed like most of the jobs force on the construction side “There's got to be a lot more accountability something has to be written to stop this right now.” DeRemer said she appreciates the suggestion protecting the American worker is where our focus is,” she said Nanticoke police are investigating an attempted firebomb attack on state Rep. Alec Ryncavage's office in the city Wednesday night Surveillance footage released by police (see below) shows an unidentified male lighting and throwing "Molotov cocktail-like devices" at the building on North Walnut Street at about 11:25 p.m Ryncavage (R-Plymouth) said no one was hurt in the incident “Our complex shares walls with a family-owned pharmacy and we have neighbors right across the street someone came out here Wednesday night and wanted to light it all on fire," Ryncavage said Video shows a male in a dark hoodie and blue jeans hurl flaming devices at the building “I want to thank the Nanticoke Police Department and (Luzerne County) District Attorney Sam Sanguedolche for their work on this case Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or Nanticoke Detective Captain Chadwick Southern at 570-736-2094 The process to select an engineer for the Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge replacement project has advanced Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo said Wednesday County council voted last month to streamline procedures by allowing a county administration team to review the statements of qualifications from all five engineering firm respondents and recommend the top three to county council The administration team completed its evaluation Monday to determine the top three and submitted its evaluation forms and rankings to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s central office for its approval Technical presentations from the top three firms will then be scheduled with county council noting she is unable to provide a time estimate at this time Council Chairman John Lombardo said Wednesday he will schedule a special meeting to hear presentations from the top three A meeting focused solely on the engineers is warranted because each presentation will be lengthy emphasizing he does not want to rush through them “This will allow us to focus and make an informed choice,” he said Lombardo said he will immediately contact his council colleagues to select a special meeting date as soon as he receives the go-ahead from PennDOT “We want to get this project moving as quickly as possible,” he said Crocamo closed the county-owned bridge over the Susquehanna River on March 20 after engineers performing an inspection found further deterioration and section loss of primary Girls have always been wrestling at Nanticoke but when the PIAA sanctioned their sport two years ago the school district was one of the first 100 that pushed the sport over the top So I had to wrestle big guys and stuff like that I was wrestling this big boy from Crestwood My second year wrestling we added girls distinction and we were happy Nanticoke girls wrestling coach added,” Last year from very winning any team matches because low numbers this year were are undefeated right now in team duals. And every tournament we placed within the top 12 in every tournament “ Wrestling with a bunch of the boys definitely pushed me Junior Sierra Ripka has risen to the 2nd ranked 170 pounder in the state and is 20 and 1 this season The district champ finished 4th at states last March "Going the states and placing fourth was it was amazing I just kept knowing that I wanted to keep going And I was very excited about how I finished last year She's not afraid to grab somebody and throw them around But other than that her mindset is a good asset this year " Michelle Pastuizaca’s brother signed her up for wrestling her freshman year Since she moved to just wrestling girls the senior won a district title and was 6th at regionals And freshman Emily Kivler has stormed in and won 24 matches this season I am practicing trying my doubles and singles She's aggressive and she just loves the sport Next up for Nanticoke will be the second year of the district two championships and then onto states There are high hopes for this Nanticoke team says"My goals is to get a district champ again and go to regionals hopefully first make it to states this year but I am really happy that I have a spot to show about what I can do compared Orange ferrous iron has risen to the surface of Nanticoke Creek from the mines below making the water inhospitable for aquatic life This particular stretch of stream leads to the Askam treatment system Earth Conservancy leads charge to rehabilitate Nanticoke Creek Construction is underway on Clarks Cross Road in Hanover Township where a new alignment of Nanticoke Creek is set to be developed A snowed-over stretch of what was once Nanticoke Creek sits alongside Holly Street in Hanover Township Running water flows alongside Holly Street in Hanover Township representing one of the only currently active areas of Nanticoke Creek The flow of Nanticoke Creek was heavily impacted by the Wyoming Valley’s coal mining industry from the 1900s until the mid-20th century — so much so that it’s now a shell of its former self The team at Earth Conversancy is taking on the mammoth responsibility of bringing it back to life the Nanticoke Creek Watershed Restoration Project is the biggest undertaking in the organization’s history not to mention shoddy environmental regulations “One of the main problems that happened during that time was that when the coal companies came through and they did their stripping they really didn’t care too much about what was going on with the stream…,” Ostrowski said Years of redirecting streams to suit the needs of the coal companies took their toll on the flow of Nanticoke Creek which should naturally flow through the municipalities of Nanticoke City water was funneled through concrete or wooden flumes such as those still visible on Holly Street in Hanover Township This caused additional changes to the creek’s natural stream which eventually flows into the Susquehanna River now with no clear evidence of a stream in its vicinity is the crux of Nanticoke Creek’s current issues “Probably for about the past 50 or 60 years so all the waters from the headwaters of the Nanticoke Creek watershed basically stopped at this old railroad embankment,” Ostrowski explained “And it holed up there until it eventually seeped down int0 the mines.” though they bring orange ferrous iron along for the ascent a dead area of stream that is unsafe for aquatic life to live and grow the restored stream will be lined with clay to prevent similarly destructive minerals from rising Earth Conservancy’s plan to restore these damaged or forgotten areas of Nanticoke Creek is multi-pronged they plan to restore 15,000 linear feet of Nanticoke and Leuder creeks the latter of which feeds into the former in Hanover Township The first part of the plan pertains to reworking critical stretches of Nanticoke Creek’s main stem • A new alignment will be established for Nanticoke Creek at Clarks Cross Road This will be a reroute of the Nanticoke Creek’s original flow which traces through current-day residential properties will not be at an added risk of flooding due to the creek’s new path • A new water conveyance structure will be established on South Main Street The second part of the plan includes projects related to Leuder Creek • The replacement of a reservoir (or silt pond) with a natural channel and shallow overflow ponds Reparations in this area of Hanover Street will allow for Leuter Creek’s connection to Nanticoke Creek to be restored • The replacement of a buried culvert and deteriorated bridge with a new culvert Nanticoke Creek’s upper reach will be the focus of the plan’s third component • Restoring a deteriorated masonry arch with slip lining • Eliminating an existing obstruction and replacement with an open channel • Removing a bridge and stone arch from the stream’s path • Reestablishing a channel based on historic alignment to reconnect the upper and lower watersheds • Reopening a buried railroad tunnel and lining it with a smaller culvert These plans are being funded predominately by two grants one each from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is possibly the largest ever received by Earth Conservancy essential to making the Nanticoke Creek Watershed Restoration Project a reality It’s not an inexpensive project to do,” Ostrowski said EPA and Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation partnered with Earth Conservancy to work out a design plan and manage the needed permits Local engineer George Albert and Plains Township-based developer Stell Enterprises are also involved with the planning and execution of the Nanticoke Creek Watershed Restoration Project The individual projects detailed above will be carried out on land already owned by Earth Conservancy “All of the work that’s being done here is actually on Earth Conservancy property rather than trying to obtain rights to the properties,” said Ostrowski “That’s what made this project possible.” The Nanticoke Creek Watershed Restoration Project also has broader environmental the hope is that aquatic life will return to the restored areas Earth Conservancy is seeing these results in the similar — yet comparatively small — project to restore Espy Run In order to carry out the full set of plans Earth Conservancy has had to cut down many trees in Nanticoke Creek’s path Doing so has caused some concern in the impacted communities but Ostrowski has assured residents that a plan is in place to bring greenery back to the creek’s banks “We’ve actually received a lot of calls over concerns about the trees that are being cleared but the reassurance there is that we are going to be reestablishing tree cover…,” he said adding that 5,000 new trees will be planted to replace those that are lost With established funding and a consistent team of collaborators Ostrowki estimated that the Nanticoke Creek Watershed Restoration Project will be completed in two to three years a fraction of the time it took to complete the Espy Run project Information regarding the Nanticoke Creek Watershed Restoration Project can be found on Earth Conservancy’s website The defending district 2 champions were rolling with just 2 losses when Holy Redeemer ran into Lake L:ehman That 30 point loss has woken this team up “I think it just a letdown the Lake Lehman game one of the great coaches that doesn't get the credit You he's always in the gym scouting teams and they did a great job but I like where we are now as again as we played team basketball and shared a ball I think how many times are you going to shoot 3 for 56 The Lady royals are averaging over 57 points a game Not one player on the team averages double digits in points scored and that what’s Holy Redeemer such a tough team to defend we have the speed and the athleticism to get to the basket “The thing about us is who are you going to stop with us We have a lot of if you look at our box scores every night Nanticoke had high hopes coming into the season with 4 starters returning But the Trojanettes stumbled out of the gate Nanticoke is led by Kate Reed from the outside and Caitlynn Majiros inside focusing on what we need to do better and getting and going after every ball We just know where each other's going to be at all times Nanticoke feels they're ready to make a run in the Wyoming Valley Conference But in their last nine matchups with Holy Redeemer We’re ready just to get to that next level hopefully it comes tomorrow with Lehman and then into next week “ I think because last year we ended in a way we did not want to go And I think that's motivating us now to go further than we did last.” You can watch this matchup in the Wyoming valley conference between Nanticoke and holy Redeemer live on MYTV WQMY (WOLF) — The Broadway Street Bridge that connecting Nanticoke and West Nanticoke is set to close temporarily for a safety inspection The bridge will be closed to traffic to allow inspection personnel to use access equipment safely as part of the National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) safety inspection Motorists are advised to use the South Cross Valley Expressway (SR29) as a detour during the closure hours Detour signs will be installed to guide drivers Luzerne County Council approved a real estate tax break Tuesday and also agreed on a process to streamline selection of an engineer for the Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge replacement Missouri-based NorthPoint Development sought the break for a 15-building data center near Interstate 81 in Hazle Township NorthPoint will provide an estimated $1.18 million in lieu of taxes to partially offset the impact of tax forgiveness based on a formula of $2,500 for each acre housing a structure The break for blighted property is under the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance (LERTA) program that provides up to a decade of real estate tax discounts on new construction — but not the underlying land Council agreed to provide NorthPoint 90% forgiveness the first seven years Ten of 11 council members supported the proposal with the lone no vote from Councilman Harry Haas Haas did not secure majority approval for an amendment that would have altered the break to 70% the first seven years and 60% Several council members said the proposal already went through public negotiations at the council committee and work session stages and that the project will create positions with higher wages than those in the warehousing industry Councilwoman Joanna Bryn Smith also unsuccessfully sought an amendment encouraging the use of local labor in the construction which did not secure a second motion to advance to voting NorthPoint representatives already said — and reiterated Tuesday — that they are committed to using local labor Acting county Operational Services Division Head Michele Sparich said many hours will be devoted to the initial review because all five firms must be asked the same questions and have an opportunity to present to the administration team Skene said this initial screening session could run 12 hours County Operational Services Project Management Director Nick Vough said PennDOT must approve the questions and no pricing is discussed at this qualification review stage He described all five firms as “excellent.” “I don’t think we can go wrong with any of them,” Vough said Council Chairman John Lombardo said the bridge closure has created “pretty close to a dire need” in that area Lombardo said he will schedule a special meeting when council receives the three recommendations because council members must spend extensive time discussing and reviewing them Council Vice Chairman Brian Thornton said council should follow this process so it can “get something done with this bridge.” Bryn Smith was the only council member to vote against the plan She said she wants a prompt resolution but believes council should handle the initial screening stage of all five An experiment from students at Greater Nanticoke Area High School will soon reach new heights — and could provide insight into conditions on Mars NASA selected the Luzerne County juniors as one of 60 winning teams from across the country in the TechRise Student Challenge. This summer, a flight box containing the group’s soil experiment will soar on a NASA-sponsored flight test on a high-altitude balloon Liam McGovern said he “jumped for joy” when he and fellow engineering club members learned that NASA selected their proposal a town that probably not a lot of people have actually really heard of It's been chosen for the entire state,” he said “Now we get to do something that’s just really interesting It could help us a lot with going to Mars.” The students will take soil samples from several places across the United States — fertile soil from the Midwest desert soil of the Southwest and volcanic soil from Hawaii — and place them in the flight box Several monitors will help track conditions The box will be one of 60 in the NASA challenge that will rise to an altitude of about 70,000 feet and stay there for about four hours With an expected temperature of 75 degrees below zero low atmospheric pressure and high levels of radiation the conditions will be similar to the surface of Mars “We really feel as if this could potentially solve our question as to if we could really grow plants on Mars,” Liam said The experiment will take flight in June or July and the box — and the data it recorded — will be returned to the students for the beginning of their senior year checking to see if the organic materials survived the flight and whether a plant can grow “I want to see the data out of this experiment I just want to know that all this studying and hard work that we did is for something,” Robert Miller said But I want to learn the beginning and basics of STEM and then take that further in my future and I think this is a great step to that.” Winning teams each received  $1,500 to build out their experiments and  technical support from professional engineers throughout the process NASA chose the 60 winners from more than 720 proposals most Greater Nanticoke students had already left to start their weekends The engineering club sat in Fleury’s classroom watching a video from NASA on how to solder wires Alexandra Skillens and Jeremiah Montalvo — meet after school regularly to work on the project “So many students graduate high school having little experience with tools and using tools even if it's something as simple as a screwdriver or more complex like a soldering iron,” Fleury said “We are getting experience with all of those areas of STEM The Nanticoke Indian Museum has announced the hiring of Therese Avedillo as the museum’s new curator “Therese possesses exceptional skills and has successfully integrated into our community,” said Chief Avery Johnson “Our community has embraced her wholeheartedly and we consider it an honor to have an individual of her expertise and professionalism contributing to our historical museum.” Located at the corner of Route 24 and Oak Orchard Road the museum opened in 1984 and is the only Native American museum in the state The museum has about 2,400 square feet of indoor exhibition space featuring a collection of about 4,000 artifacts The museum’s 2-acre grounds regularly host community events The museum is housed in what used to be a segregated Indian school and is listed as a National Historic Landmark Avedillo has a television production background but has worked and volunteered in museums in California She grew up in South Africa and pursued a master’s degree in museum studies at the University of Leicester The museum is about to undergo big changes referencing a two-phase museum project that is expected to begin by the end of the year Bringing in a view from the outside while still being very respectful of traditions can be a good thing A lot of what she’s learned over the years can be integrated into museum operations and collection displays The first phase of the project involves restoring and renovating the existing museum facilities The second phase will include an addition that will feature a welcome center “We aim to enhance the museum's capabilities by expanding our exhibitions educational programs and cultural displays to better serve the community and foster a deeper understanding of Indigenous heritage,” said Johnson Much of Avedillo’s initial work will be making sure the museum’s artifacts are properly documented and then stored correctly during the project Preparing for the move will take several months because everything has to be documented Avedillo will focus on bringing the museum to a wider audience It will be very important to preserve what is here and to really put the Nanticoke Indian Association to the forefront The building’s history as a segregated school is interesting to Avedillo There are still many people in the community who can remember going to school here and there’s a desire to preserve that history too For more information on the Nanticoke Indian Museum, go to nanticokeindians.org, call 302-945-7022 or email info@nanticokeindians.org Chris Flood has been working for the Cape Gazette since early 2014 He currently covers Rehoboth Beach and Henlopen Acres but has also covered Dewey Beach and the state government business stories and random stories on subjects he finds interesting and he also writes a column called Choppin’ Wood that runs every other week Flood moonlights as the company’s circulation manager which primarily means fixing boxes that are jammed with coins during daylight hours but sometimes means delivering papers in the middle of the night He’s a graduate of the University of Maine and the Landing School of Boat Building & Design The Nanticoke Conservation Club hosted their 28th annual ice fishing derby Saturday morning The return of the event after two years of cancellations cold weather allowed for the ice to freeze eight to nine inches thick “Ice fishing is not for everybody but when you fall in love with ice fishing it may become your favorite place to be," said Philip Dale a member of the Nanticoke Conservation Club The derby at Francis Slocum State Park invited fishermen of all skill levels to brave the cold and reel in the biggest catch “We sometimes used smaller poles as you can see so you can sit alongside holes drilled through the ice You have a short pole so you can get up close to it using a small jigging pole and you can bob that up and down a bit and hopefully it will attract a fish to come over and grab your bait," explained Dale Using sleds to bring equipment on the lake holes are dug throughout the ice with special tools to find the perfect spot “Drilling holes all over the ice and going from spot to spot until you find where those fish are they’ll be around different structures like a stump or a rock," said Dale Different species of fish can be found in different lakes bluegill and we have a youth prize for the biggest fish overall that they catch," said Gary Gronkowski president of the Nanticoke Conservation Club Metal crampon spikes attached to shoes allowed those on the ice to enjoy a safe day on the lake “It does not affect how structurally sound it is for people to be out there You can be out there and hear these loud cracks like the ice is going to consume you It will not as long as the ice is thick enough," explained Dale whose name means the “tidewater people,” have lived in what is now Delaware for much longer than 200 years and they continue to be a vibrant community here.  “They are living in a contemporary society just as we are but the Nanticoke people are still connected to the land while holding onto their culture and customs,” said Jon Cox Cultural Immersion is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts and is collaboratively hosted along with the MINE: What is Ours in the Wake of Extraction art exhibition will kick off the event with welcoming remarks will share traditional stories about the cultural heritage and wisdom of Native American people The Nanticoke Nation’s multigenerational dance group will share a vibrant dance performance including indigenous and sustainably grown coffee and chocolate from the Peruvian Amazon will be available following the performances “One of the key aspects of this event is the on-campus collaboration,” said Lori Birrell associate University librarian for special collections and the director of museums Museums and Press is doing — creating content and events that engage people to think critically about the world around them.”  UD’s efforts toward highlighting Indigenous communities continues beyond Cultural Immersion Attendees are also encouraged to visit the Mechanical Hall Gallery to view the MINE exhibition an exploration of the impact of the illegal gold mining boom on the Madre de Dios region in the Peruvian Amazon and the ramifications endured by the people and the land The MINE exhibit — presented in collaboration with the Amazon Center for Environmental Education and Research Foundation AWA and Studio Verde — is free of charge and open to the public 10 a.m Inquiries about future collaborations with the Library, Museums and Press’ Special Collections and Museums staff should be emailed to Lori Birrell See More Stories Contact us at ocm@udel.edu Contact us at 302-831-NEWS or visit the Media Relations website One person is dead following a crash in the Town of Nanticoke New York State Police at Deposit responded to a crash at 9:35 p.m on Thursday in the 4100 block of state Route 26 in the town of Nanticoke troopers found the driver of a Ford pick-up pinned underneath a tire following the crash was dead by the time first responders arrived at the scene More: Binghamton, Seton CC, Dryden capture Section 4 titles State police were assisted at the scene by Maine Ambulance members of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Collision Reconstruction Unit (WOLF) — Nanticoke City Police are investigating a stabbing incident that left two people injured Police responded to a report of a stabbing around 10 p.m Saturday night in the 300 block of Kosciuszko St The incident stemmed from an argument between two siblings that turned physical Both individuals were transported to the hospital to be treated for their injuries By Margaret Roarty mroarty@timesleader.com A Nanticoke woman was arrested Monday on murder charges in connection with the death of a one-month-old girl According to the Pennsylvania State Police was charged with murder of the third degree involuntary manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child following the death of her infant daughter She was arraigned before District Judge Donald Whittaker and bail was denied She remains in custody at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility Police said they were dispatched to 167 West Green Street in Nanticoke on Oct who was at the time in the custody of her mother An autopsy report determined the cause of death was asphyxia due to mechanical compression It was previously reported by the Times Leader in April that the death was being investigated by Pennsylvania State Police at Wilkes-Barre and the Luzerne County district attorney’s office as a criminal homicide Gary Ross initially ruled the manner of death as accidental but investigators then said they uncovered suspicious online searches from the phone of the mother A review of the mother’s phone uncovered online searches about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is it safe to give a newborn melatonin drops stated search warrant affidavits filed at the time Ross gave a medical opinion that the infant did not have the strength to wiggle into a position to cause death Previous Times leader reporting stated that police in Nanticoke and emergency medical technicians who responded to the West Green Street residence on Oct found a U-shaped nursing pillow in the bassinet with the infant who had blood under her nostrils and the side of her nose A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec Anyone with information about the investigation is asked to contact PSP Wilkes-Barre at 570-821-4110 and Walter Sowa had just graduated from Newport Township High School in Luzerne County He was the only male still at home with his widowed mother Katherine — a Polish immigrant — and three young sisters “She was hoping I wouldn't go,” Sowa recalled last week Signing up for government-funded engineering and science training Sowa hoped the work would take him to Philadelphia where he could earn a civil service salary for his family and support the war effort relatively close to home “Little did I know it was the government preparing me,” Sowa said Sowa would go through more training stateside before being deployed to Tinian Island in the Pacific Ocean where he repaired airborne radar systems for the U.S Army Air Forces' B-29 “Superfortress” bombers The technology was critical to crews as they navigated dangerous skies during bombing runs over Japan enabling them to operate with precision even when clouds obstructed their view “My job was to make sure that the radar was functioning,” said Sowa Sowa spoke about his experiences during an interview last week at the Nanticoke home he shares with wife Marie One of the planes he came into contact with was Enola Gay the B-29 which dropped an atomic bomb over Hiroshima 1945 — the first time a nuclear weapon had been used in combat Another bomber, Bockscar, dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki three days later Emperor Hirohito announced Japan's surrender on Aug While Sowa wasn’t involved in the atomic missions he did get close to Enola Gay when it landed at Tinian after the bombings and has pictures of himself beside the aircraft and waving from its cockpit Sowa and his colleagues didn't yet grasp the plane's place in history but "we thought it was significant,” he said we take a picture of us in front of it,” Bartuska said Both of Sowa’s parents were born in Poland and spoke very little English They courted in the homeland but married in the U.S I do not know,” Sowa wrote in a written family history he shared during the interview “My guess is he had friends here who preceded him and encouraged him to come here.” and he recalled learning English at school He attended Holy Trinity School in Sheatown where the nuns would buy milk from the family Like so many immigrants in Northeast Pennsylvania Sowa’s father Mike worked in the coal mines the job would claim his life: He died at 49 from silicosis the 1940s brought more tragedy: He lost a brother who was killed in the mines at the age of 22; while a sister By this time older brother Stanley was married with a family of his own was working at a defense factory in Connecticut Sister Anna was hospitalized in a tuberculosis sanitarium near Reading at home with his widowed mother and three younger sisters as the war was intensifying overseas I was to assume taking care of ‘domestic responsibilities’ at the age of 15,” Sowa wrote which was why Sowa signed up for the “Engineering Science Management War Training” (ESMWT) program thinking it would lead him to work in Philadelphia after high school who never traveled farther than Wanamie and Nanticoke,” he wrote ‘You are not going.’ Several times — not in a demanding way but more in a hopeful way that I might change my mind,” Sowa wrote “To this day I cannot understand what possessed me to be so adamant.” Other family members recognized that young Walter probably needed to leave home to achieve his potential — and avoid the fate that had befallen his father and brother “There weren’t a lot of other opportunities here And his older brothers pressured him to not go into the mines,” Bartuska said of her uncles The ESMWT training did take Sowa to Philadelphia While Sowa’s decision did ultimately lead him into a war zone he returned home unharmed and the experience would change the course of his life “The fact that he was in the war gave him the opportunity (to take advantage of) the GI Bill which gave him the opportunity to go to college which got him out of working in the mines,” Bartuska said of her father He admits he didn’t hear much afterward from the men he had served with We all wanted to get back to our own lives,” he said Sowa went on to earn an electrical engineering degree from Penn State in 1950 followed by a master's degree in physics from what was then Wilkes College Despite some of the tragic losses Sowa's family suffered in their early years His 100th birthday was marked with a large party at his daughter's house in December followed by some phone and Zoom calls on the actual date last weekend To what does Sowa attribute his own longevity because I golfed a hell of a lot," Sowa said Sowa began using a treadmill and exercise bike in his basement to stay active and he goes to physical therapy twice a week Bartuska said her father also keeps his mind sharp and retains his curiosity about the world — especially electronic devices Sowa was very interested in the iPhone used to record this interview and take his photo for the story and uses an Alexa virtual assistant around the house During a road trip to Philadelphia a few years ago Bartuska was listening to a podcast in the car and her dad was very curious about how the podcast and GPS would overlap "I'm playing the podcast through the radio so then what happens when the GPS needs to give you directions and you're listening to the podcast?' Like he puts it all together and asks that question," she said you're gonna see,' but he's just very curious." And he is passing that curiosity down to a new generation and he asked her better questions than I would have about what she was doing and how it worked," Bartuska said and he starts asking her questions about Nepal that even I wouldn't have thought to ask," she added "GPS says 'You've now arrived at your destination,'" Sowa said "Dad always has a joke for you," Bartuska added with a chuckle By Mary Therese Biebel mbiebel@timesleader.com With caller Bob Nicholson offering instruction contra dancers form a circle in the hall at St You can expect a similar scene this Sunday Music for the contra dance will be provided by Henry Koretzky are invited to a Chicory House/Wyoming Valley Contra Dance acoustic music will be played by the Harrisburg-based band The Contra Rebels which features Henry Koretzky on guitar with Todd Clewell and Barb Schmid on fiddles Caller Bob Nicholson will guide the dancers through the movements including the do-si-dos and circles-to-the-left that may remind people of square dancing Nicholson may call a square or two before the afternoon is over But most of the dances will be contras — with dancers forming two long lines which first-time dancers often find especially easy Contra dancers tend to be a sociable group with experienced dancers eager to help newcomers learn Contra dancing has roots in English country dancing and may remind people of the kind of dancing they’ve seen in movies based on the novels of Jane Austen the Chicory House/Wyoming Valley Contra Dance schedule continues with dances: Faustina’s Parish Center in Nanticoke with caller Ted Crane and music by Contra Intuitive with caller Ted Crane and music by Celtic Nations with caller Bob Nicholson and music by the Contra Rebels • The Contra Rebels and Bob Nicholson are also scheduled to return to the Fine Arts Fiesta for an outdoor dance on the afternoon of May 18 By Sam Zavada szavada@www.timesleader.com Nanticoke council members gather for Wednesday night’s meeting at city hall The council unanimously denied the development of a solar energy generation facility in the city’s limits NANTICOKE — Facing a crowd of dozens city council unanimously denied the development of a solar energy generation facility within the city’s limits at their meeting on Wednesday night The public comment portion of Wednesday’s meeting at least in comparison to that at last month’s meeting city residents expressed their concerns with the development of the facility which they feared would create noise and environmental damage to the proposed building site The proposed site covers over 40 acres of land near a housing development on South Hanover Street The lone public comment before the council’s vote on Wednesday was a plea for the measure to be denied agreed with the anti-measure public sentiment that had been building over the past month An exuberant cheer from the crowd erupted within Nanticoke’s municipal building upon the final vote being cast to kill the proposed project from moving forward The developers of the proposed solar facility did not offer any comment on the council’s decision at Wednesday night’s meeting the presence of Susquehanna Solar may not be totally off future agendas for Nanticoke City Council Talk of a judicial appeal in the Court of Common Pleas to council’s decision almost immediately followed the crowd’s jubilation “We will fight them,” said council member Kenny James to the audience in response to any appeals that may be lobbed the city’s way from Susquehanna Solar the crowd questioned whether the city will enact a law to keep similar solar energy projects from being developed in residential areas of the city City solicitor William Finnegan indicated that such a law is in the works and the matter will be discussed in future public hearings Finnegan clarified that some future implementation of solar energy within the city’s borders “can’t be excluded altogether but there will be significant limitations.” Other matters discussed at Wednesday’s meeting included: • Luzerne County Transportation Authority’s (LCTA) new microtransit system which will partly serve the City of Nanticoke and its surrounding areas Members of LCTA’s administrative team were on hand at Wednesday’s meeting to offer a presentation to attendees and council members in which they described the microtransit system and its functions • The Connecting Autism & Communities event the daughter of council member Joe Dougherty said the event will allow those with autism who was in attendance at Wednesday’s meeting was complimentary of Olivia’s efforts in bringing the event to life saying she “did all the work.”