5-year-old Harper Debra Armstrong is crowned 2025 Little Miss Cherry Blossom by Gina Malsky West Pittston Cherry Blossom Festival entertainment coordinator Dancers from Broadway on the Boulevard performed under rainy conditions before the West Pittston Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremonies on Saturday morning Evelynn Viglione flies through the air as she performs a dance routine for Broadway on the Boulevard Dance troupe on Saturday at the West Pittston Cherry Blossom Festival The Marketplace Tent was busy at the West Pittston Cherry Blossom Festival on Saturday 17-year-old Cora Lykins shops at the Rynkiewicz dips and mixes stand at the West Pittston Cherry Blossom Festival on Saturday There are plenty of attractions for children at the West Pittston Cherry Blossom Festival West Pittston Cherry Blossom Committee member Gina Malsky presents a scholarship to upcoming Wyoming Area graduate Petra Pribula Kevin Wiedl and Hayden Loughman were also scholarship recipients Former Luzerne County Judge Tom Burke thanks the West Pittston Cherry Blossom Committee for selecting him as the 2025 Grand Marshal the 2025 West Pittston Cherry Blossom Festival president speaks during the Opening Ceremony of the 54th annual festival The 54th Annual West Pittston Cherry Blossom Festival kicked off Saturday including the Little Miss Cherry Blossom contest From left are: this year’s contestants Cherry Blossom entertainment coordinator; and Maria Meade The inaugural West Pittston Cherry Blossom Festival 2-mile run is in progress Saturday morning led by 91-year-old Warren Pollard on a bicycle to map the route out for the runners The hometown Wyoming Area High School Band plays tunes along the Cherry Blossom Festival Parade route Retired Luzerne County Judge Tom Burke serves as the 2025 West Pittston Cherry Blossom Festival grand marshal as he tips his hat to the camera on the parade route WEST PITTSTON — The 54th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival sponsored by Big Top Rental kicked off Saturday morning with the inaugural “It’s Electric” Cherry Blossom Charge 2-Mile Run in honor of the late Robert Messina Sr Messina was a longtime Cherry Blossom volunteer He passed away earlier this year and is being honored at this year’s festival The Cherry Blossom Parade stepped off at 11 a.m The Opening Ceremony took place at 12:45 p.m Brief comments were offered by Lori DeAngelo The Little Miss Cherry Blossom contest got underway as the rain slowed 5-year-old Harper Debra Armstrong was crowned the 2025 winner Food trucks are available during the two-day event — Meet Elsa – prizes awarded to the best costumes dress in your best prince and princess costumes — Raffle winners announced & Festival Closing (WOLF) — A national leader of the Moose Fraternity made a special stop in Luzerne County this weekend Chairman of the Board for Moose International visited the Pittston Moose Lodge Sunday as part of his cross-country tour Bob Funkey has visited hundreds of lodges in more than 40 states this year alone he brought that tour to the Pittston Moose Lodge to learn how local members are serving their community The Moose organization includes nearly one million members across the U.S. Each lodge tailors its outreach based on what their area needs and in Pittston today that included honoring two Boy Scouts of America members for 50 years of service and supporting a troop donating a canoe to local Cub Scouts “We had no idea the extent to which we support the communities I file a report on every single lodge and it’s amazing to see all the things that we do We feel a need to give back to society," said Bob Funkey Funkey says every lodge’s contribution adds up to something powerful He says the Moose will continue focusing on grassroots impact letting each lodge lead the way in meeting local needs The shop offers a unique blend of curated goods and generational gifts held a ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside City of Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo and other officials at the Waterfront Warehouse 3 Sisters unique gifts and jewelry shop opened its doors at the Waterfront Warehouse building next to The Banks Venue Enewton and more at its new location at the Waterfront Warehouse looks over stock right after grand opening at the Waterfront Warehouse 3 Sisters’ owner Catherine Duffy stands in her new store at the Waterfront Warehouse across from CVS and next to The Banks Venue a well-established store selling curated goods next to The Banks – A Waterfront Venue 3 Sisters is self-described as the “destination for unique gifts and jewelry” carrying a “collection of handcrafted believes relocating to Pittston is the right move for her shop The City of Pittston has been going through a 20-year renaissance and with Mayor Michael Lombardo taking the lead; they are far from done with revitalization 3 Sisters is located at the ground level of the Waterfront Warehouse at Entrance D the Mayor; everybody has been amazing,” Duffy said but it was more and more apparent we were coming here.” Duffy is banking on the Waterfront Warehouse as being an epicenter in Pittston with other shops coffee shop and a bakery in the building to have a steady flow of customers not to mention the 26 apartments in the upper floors more room and having lots of neighbors to generate business,” Duffy added “Somebody can come down (to the Waterfront Warehouse) to get a hair cut they came come shopping here or they can even do a workout.” They specialize in items from American-made women-owned businesses ranging from $10 on up “If you love something and you can’t buy a gift or can’t find something in your price point we really would like to just appeal to a wide range and people can just come in and browse,” Duffy added Duffy has been pleased with the Greater Pittston response and some of her long-time customers have come back to reinforce her decision to move to Pittston Duffy encourages stopping by her shop to see the current stock along with new stock coming in every day She is looking forward to working with the City of Pittston with the Art Walks and the many other events being held being throughout the year To learn more about the business, check out its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/3sisters.pa or website at www.3sisters.com The shop can be reached by phone at 272-307-1073 By John Erzar and Tom Robinson For Sunday Dispatch Holy Redeemer first baseman Chase Binker sets to throw to first covered by pitcher Drew Cisney after fielding a bunt in the second inning Holy Redeemer starter Drew Cisney threw five innings against Pittston Area Holy Redeemer third baseman Nick Mazzarella holds up the ball as Pittston Area’s Dom Innamorati was called out in the first inning on a force play Mazzarella had knocked down a line drive and beat Innamorati to the bag Pittston Area’s Beau Widdick is safe ahead of the throw to Holy Redeemer third baseman Nick Mazzarella in the third inning After seven straight victories by double-figures margins the unbeaten Pittston Area baseball team was put to the test on the first of three consecutive days that it played this week The Patriots rallied from a two-run deficit to defeat visiting Wyoming Valley West 7-5 in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 game Tuesday Wyoming Valley West led 2-0 after 3½ innings before Pittston Area scored all of its runs in the bottom of the fourth The first six Patriots reached base in the inning Pittston Area got an RBI triple from Chase Montigney for its first run a game-tying RBI single from Nick Innamorati and a two-run triple by Dominic Innamorati Jake Aftewicz tripled with two outs and Widdick followed with a double to drive in the last run was 2-for-3 and scored a run to go along with his two-run triple Johnson got the win and Logan Laskowski worked the seventh inning for the save Silvio Giardina and Elijah Barr combined to strike out 10 in a two-hitter Wednesday as Pittston Area picked up a non-league victory at home The game matched teams that are unbeaten in the WVC while leading each of its two divisions Pittston Area coach Paul Zaffuto viewed the meeting as good preparation for a tough week ahead “I’m happy we’re playing it at this time because we have three tough games coming up,” Zaffuto said Dallas and (Wilkes-Barre Area ace James) Bottger “We’re going to see all good pitching and that was the start of it right there.” Pittston Area managed three unearned runs to help offset six strikeouts by former Patriot Drew Cisney in five innings The Patriots got their own quality pitching Giardina gave up only an unearned run and a hit while walking four and striking out four in three innings yielding only one hit and one walk while fanning six Jake Aftewicz got the offense started with a two-run double in the three-run first inning Richie Tonte went 2-for-3 and doubled for the team’s only other extra-base hit Elijah Mead went 3-for-3 with a double and scored a run Thursday when Pittston Area won at Berwick Dominic Innamorati had two hits while Chase Montigney and Richie Tonte each drove in two runs as part of a balanced attack that got hits from all but the ninth spot in the order Alex Rosencrance got the win with 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief from Ashton Lepore The Patriots are 11-0 to lead the division by two games with three to play They are 17-0 overall and leading the race for the top seed in the District 2 Class 5A playoffs Pittston Area Powerlifting Club member Trey Louis poses with his gold medal after winning an individual national championship at last month’s National High School Powerlifting Championships in Wisconsin Courtesy of Pittston Area Powerlifting Club Ella Rosiak (left) and Izzy Tokar both finished as runner-up in their respective weight classes at the National High School Powerlifting Championships A year after winning two team titles in New Orleans the Pittston Area Powerlifting Club put together another successful showing at this year’s National High School Powerlifting Championships Among the medal haul for Pittston Area this year included a national championship for Trey Louis runner-up finishes for Izzy Tokar and Ella Rosiak and a bronze medal for Troy Fratarcangeli just a few points away from a third-place team finish and bronze medal despite being a little shorthanded making the trip “We were going without four starters,” Powerlifting Club coach Ed Straub said “I was hoping we would at least place in the Top 15 … I’m so proud of these kids.” Some other top finishers for Pittston Area included Nathan Zielinski who finished in fifth place; Kayden Walker HUGHESTOWN — There was plenty to unbox after Tunkhannock’s 19-7 victory over Pittston Area in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 softball game Friday Foremost was Tunkhannock’s two-out hitting The Tigers scored three in the fifth inning with two outs and then scored eight more times in the sixth under the same conditions Pittston Area scored twice in the fifth to extend the game a game that started late because of lightning in the area and didn’t seem to want to end did But not until Pittston Area’s Marina Antal hit a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth for the game’s final runs “We could have packed it in,” Pittston Area coach Frank Parente said “It would have been easy to go three up But we battled and Marina had a great swing But that’s a helluva team over there and great coaches.” Antal also had an RBI triple in the fifth and recorded three of Pittston Area’s four hits Tunkhannock pitcher McKenzie Hannon wasn’t as sharp as usual Erin Van Ness was also 4-for-4 with four RBI for the Tigers who improved to 8-1 in the division and 14-1 overall Lucy Karp and MaKenzie Bevan each had three RBI Addisyn Waterman had a pair of triples and scored four times But it was a pair of two-run singles by Erin Van Ness and Kianna Hannon that were key in the eight-run sixth where 13 batters went to the plate “We’re really happy with our offense lately,” Tunkhannock coach Bob Hegedty said We’re playing consistent games every other day where we are getting to see some live pitching We still have some things to work on and we’re going to keep grinding it out and see how the season unfolds “But I’m happy where we are offensively.” but consecutive losses to second-place Dallas (7-1 Div 9-3) and Tunkhannock just about ended a chance for a repeat ‘Pittston at Sunset’ by Charles Burritt Zimmerman was on display during the West Pittston Historical Society program on West Pittston artists West Pittston resident Clark Switzer gives West Pittston Historical Society President Mary Portelli a hand in reading the back of a painting ‘Pittston at Sunset’ by Charles Burritt Zimmerman at the program at the West Pittston Library This painting by the late Robert Carlyle Barrett was on display during the program on West Pittston painting artists West Pittston Historical Society president presented a program at the West Pittston Library featuring West Pittston artists held a program on artists Robert Carlyle Barrett and Charles Burritt Zimmerman and industrial landscapes primarily from Pennsylvania and Virginia were he eventually settled and was buried at Lexington was considered an American Impressionist where his preferred medium as oil on canvas Charles Burritt Zimmerman (1900-1994) began art studies at George Washington University in Washington and continued his studies at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts where he maintained a studio for several years Zimmerman served as a commercial artist for Macy’s Department Store and was also awarded the Grumbacher Gold Medal Award in 1988 at the Wyoming Valley Art League Fall Exhibit Portelli said she would likely have another program featuring other artists from West Pittston in the future The inaugural West Pittston Cherry Blossom Festival 2-mile run takes off Saturday morning led by 91-year-old Warren Pollard on the bicycle to map the route out for the runners The overall winner of the West Pittston Cherry Blossom 2-mile run was Kyle Mlodziewsky The first female running through the finish line was Kristen Lombardo Lombardo was also the overall second-place runner West Pittston Cherry Blossom Committee member The elder Messina was an instrumental member of the Cherry Blossom Committee for many years Ninety-one-year-old Warren Pollard was chosen to lead the 2-mile run on his bike to help the runners map out the course The inaugural West Pittston Cherry Blossom Festival 2-mile run on Saturday Riding ahead of the runners on a bike was 91-year-old Warren Pollard leading the way to map out the race route for the runners A sprinkle of rain didn’t deter people from attending Pittston’s 2nd Friday Art Walk for July PITTSTON — Second Friday Art Walk returns to the city on Friday This community event transforms the heart of the city into a lively celebration of creativity Residents and visitors can stroll through the charming downtown area and explore a wide variety of local vendors This month’s Art Walk features a lineup of participants including Amber’s Accessories & Décor offering everything from handmade jewelry and home goods to refreshing drinks and sweet treats Local non-profit CSS will also be in attendance showcasing their mission and community impact Art lovers can admire and purchase pieces from Frank Wengen Whether you’re looking for unique gifts and an atmosphere filled with music and creativity make the Art Walk more than just a market it’s a celebration of what makes Pittston special each adding their own flair to this dynamic event “The 2nd Friday Art Walk continues to be a shining example of how community events can energize a city and brings people together to support local talent,” Mary Kroptavich will host the opening reception of Lois Pluskey’s Exhibit “Finding Joy – The Passenger” from 6:00 p.m Included in this collection are paintings and pastel drawings that explore local scenery with a unique perspective plus toys and everyday objects as experienced with beauty simplicity and often a bit of humor and whimsy Alicia Snopkowski and her 3-year-old daughter take in the 54th West Pittston Cherry Blossom Festival Parade on Saturday morning The century-old Cino Paci Band participated in the West Pittston Cherry Blossom Festival Parade What would a local parade be without candy and treats being thrown to spectators The Harding Recreation Committee members were busy tossing treats along the parade route stop and give candy to a young attendee of the 54th Annual West Pittston Cherry Blossom Festival Parade The 54th Annual West Pittston Cherry Blossom Festival Parade stepped off at 11 a.m under cloudy skies as rain moved in at the end By Margaret Roarty mroarty@timesleader.com The Costagliola family stands outside of their pizza shop Costagliola poses for a selfie with her dog Maia Costagliola spent most of her life thinking she didn’t want to go to college But that changed in the fall of 2023 when she enrolled in LCCC’s Early College program “My two older sisters did the program I actually like this,’” she said and I just really kind of fell in love with the whole idea.” not only is the 18-year-old Pittston Area senior committed to Misericordia University she’ll graduate high school on June 5 with an associate degree who plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education this fall with helping her juggle the extra coursework along with her regular studies She learned the value of hard work and responsibility at a young age while helping out at Napoli’s her family’s pizza place in Pittston “We all grew up in the shop,” Costagliola said “My parents taught me you can achieve anything as long as you put the effort in That is definitely a big part of what helped me get through all the assignments and all the final studying.” Thanks to Pittston Area’s partnership with LCCC Costagliola was able to earn her credits for free Not only will this ultimately save her money in the long run it puts her on track to graduate from Misericordia with a bachelor’s degree in only two and a half years Costagliola said the whole experience helped prepare her for college-level classes which were much harder than she anticipated “There were no study guides,” she explained In [high school] your teacher hands you a study guide for the test you actually had to learn it and study it.” “Coming from having all those … basically free answers on the test to having to make your own study guides in your own notes was like night and day and I can remember everything from all my classes now.” Working with other students from various age groups and walks of life was another benefit for Costagliola especially since she struggles with social anxiety but [my professors] really helped with all of that Especially with having little activities where you can meet people I look forward to the first day of school when I used to be terrified,” she said It’s obvious that Costagliola is more than ready to continue her education When asked what advice she would give to a high school student thinking of enrolling in an early college program Costagliola said she knows better than anyone that it’s a nerve-wracking decision to make just jump off the deep end because the people [who work at LCCC] will catch you it’s not a big deal because they’re so supportive and they’ll help you find a college that you like,” she said “That’s why I fell in love with that school and that’s important to find when going to college.” Your browser is ancient! Upgrade to a different browser or install Google Chrome Frame to experience this site Teamsters Local 401 members at PepsiCo in Pittston voted overwhelmingly to ratify a record-breaking contract with their employer The new five-year agreement includes average increases of 24 percent wage increases over the course of the contract “These workers demonstrated incredible resilience and tenacity during negotiations They’ve raised standards not just for themselves but for beverage workers everywhere,” said Scott Kucharski Not only does this place our members at the top of the industry but it also helps the company attract and retain quality employees.” With the ratification of their most recent collective bargaining agreement Local 401 members at Pepsi are now among the top-earning workers in the Wyoming Valley for all of their respective job classifications “This is a perfect example of what Teamsters can accomplish when we come together for the greater good and refuse to settle for anything less than what we deserve,” said Jeff Padellaro The former Pittston Hospital Nursing School is included in the sale to developer John Basalyga The view from the roof of the former Pittston Hospital looking toward West Pittston The roof view has a 360-degree view of Wyoming Valley to the Mid Valley The parking lot of the former Pittston Hospital will be developed by John Basalyga owner of the Marketplace at Steamtown and many other projects The former Pittston Hospital and the two other structures on the 13-acre property have been sold by Pittston City’s Redevelopment Authority to developer John Basalyga for housing development there have been many rumors and questions about the fate of the former Pittston Hospital entered a sales agreement with property developer John Basalyga a commercial real estate development and management company Basalyga is also the president of Eastern Roofing Systems The property borders the City of Pittston and Jenkins Township with the three main buildings sitting in Jenkins Township and Jenkins Township has been collecting roughly $1,200 in property taxes each year The City of Pittston Redevelopment Authority purchased the three standing buildings — the former hospital hospital nursing school residence and a maintenance building that includes a smokestack — for approximately $200,000 in August 2021 “There were a lot of rumors flying out there about what was possibly going in the old hospital,” City of Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo said “We heard everything from a methadone clinic to low-income housing and we wanted to have some control over what would go in there we looked at it from the preservation perspective those are great buildings that mean a lot to Greater Pittston.” The City of Pittston and Jenkins Township have worked out an agreement that will satisfy both Pittston and Jenkins Township officials and residents Pittston’s new boundary would collect additional acreage from Jenkins Township through annexation Annexation in real estate refers to the legal process by which a municipality expands its jurisdiction by incorporating land that was previously outside its boundaries This process effectively brings property outside the city limits into the city’s control allowing the city to provide services and exercise authority over the new territory Jenkins Township would be free of any jurisdiction Jenkins Township and the Greater Pittston Regional Ambulance have had an alliance for a few years now Basalyga has agreed to purchase the property for $400,000 The Pittston Redevelopment Authority will evenly split the profit with Jenkins Township the City of Pittston has agreed to share property tax revenue in perpetuity giving Jenkins Township an estimated up to and beyond $30,000 per year Basalyga has an excellent track record that speaks for itself His properties are higher-end residential living spaces “We can’t develop the land because we don’t have the resources so the best way to do this is to partner with someone,” Jenkins Township Supervisor Stanley Rovinski said The three standing buildings could hold up to 70 apartments Before the deal was struck between the two municipalities they had to plan road access and easements with existing properties Mayor Lombardo said the plans include a new entrance and exit at Johnson Street There is also a possibility of creating a new road which would ease traffic at West Coal Street Officials at Jenkins Township and the City of Pittston worked on this agreement for nearly two years before all parties were satisfied and maintenance building will be preserved additional housing can be built on the property and both municipalities will gain financially Rovinski said they worked hard to complete the deal “It’s a win-win situation for everyone,” he said Mayor Lombardo said the closing on the property will happen this year and Basalyga is eager to get construction underway He added that final approval on the annexation falls to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania construction could happen as soon as the fall of 2025 The Pittston Hospital holds a significant place in the region’s medical and community history it was initially created to serve coal miners and railroad workers particularly those associated with the Pennsylvania Coal Company and the Coxton Rail Yards This facility emerged during a period when industrial laborers faced hazardous working conditions and had limited access to medical care the hospital expanded its services by establishing the Pittston Hospital School of Nursing This institution played a crucial role in training nurses who would go on to serve both the hospital and the broader community A pivotal figure in the hospital’s history was Esther Tinsley Known for her strict yet compassionate leadership Tinsley guided the hospital through significant growth and modernization until her retirement in 1974 at the age of 88 Pittston Hospital was at the forefront during several regional emergencies It provided critical care during the 1920 Laurel Line trolley accident which resulted in 17 fatalities and numerous injuries The hospital was also instrumental during the 1959 Knox Mine Disaster treating miners who survived the catastrophic flooding of the mine the hospital faced challenges adapting to the rapidly advancing medical technologies of the late 20th century Financial constraints led to its closure on April 20 after which it merged with the NPW Medical Center now known as Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center Tinsley passed away the day after the hospital’s closure The nursing school continued for a few more years before closing in 1984 marking the end of Luzerne County’s last hospital-based diploma program the hospital building found new life as the Overlook Professional Center while the original hospital no longer functions as a medical facility its legacy endures through these preservation efforts and the planned redevelopment projects the City of Pittston acquired the property a few years ago with plans to redevelop it into housing The purchase was also to prevent a developer from coming in and leveling the facilities to create a situation out of the city’s control The transformation of the site into residential spaces serves as a testament to the hospital’s enduring impact on Pittston and its surrounding residents This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page This small city, nestled along a dramatic bend in the gentle Susquehanna River, is one of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s brightest gems. The City of Pittston, part of the Greater Pittston area it has transformed from a forgotten stop along Pennsylvania’s industrial corridor into a vital link between two of NEPA’s most populous counties Pittston has become a haven for suburbanites and city transplants seeking the perfect “in-between.” Local Shops & Boutiques Things to See & Do Community Nonprofits inviting atmosphere to contemporary twists on classic favorites these restaurants are sure to impress even the most discerning food lovers with their expertly crafted menus Whether you’re in the mood for outdoor fun or something more artistic these local hangouts offer the perfect spot to enjoy the city Pittston Area’s Richard Tonte signals to his dugout after hitting a double in the second inning Pittston Area right fielder Elijah Mead catches a flyball hit by Holy Redeemer’s Zachary Schultz in the third inning Pittston Area starting pitcher Silvio Giardina threw three innings HUGHESTOWN — It was a matchup of Wyoming Valley Conference baseball division leaders with the two best records in District 2 The much-anticipated — and twice-postponed — meeting between Pittston Area and Holy Redeemer finally occurred Wednesday Pittston Area was the better team in the only meeting this season as Silvio Giardina and Elijah Barr combined on a two-hitter in a 6-1 victory Division 1 leader Pittston Area improved to 16-0 overall While Pittston Area maintained its lead over Abington Heights for the top seed in the District 2 Class 5A playoffs the Patriots face a very tough three-game schedule next week So defeating D2-2A frontrunner Redeemer could be crucial should Pittston Area slip up a couple times “I’m happy we’re playing it at this time because we have three tough games coming up,” Pittston Area coach Paul Zaffuto said but some miscues led to three unearned runs They combined for 10 strikeouts and Redeemer’s Chase Binker had the only hits — singles to start third and seventh innings “They’re one of the best teams in the area You can even say the state,” Redeemer coach Ryan Knowles said “That was a great test for us moving forward into our stretch season and getting ready for playoffs “That’s why they’re on the schedule — to see guys like that.” Pittston Area took a 3-0 lead in the first inning Jake Aftewicz doubled in Barr and Giardina Beau Widdick brought in the third run with a sacrifice fly to right Redeemer got a run back in the fourth on a groundout by Chase Binker that scored Noah Hummel from third but the Patriots responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning Barr singled in one of them and Giardina knocked in the other with a sacrifice fly An error on a pick0ff attempt allowed pinch runner Zach Budzak to score Pittston Area’s final run in the fifth Cody Meade drove in four runs and pitched a complete game as Wyoming Area handled Hanover Area in five innings Alex Vacula was 2-for-2 with three runs scored Nate Wright had a double to account for one of Hanover Area’s three hits Brandon Kozlansky struck out 14 and surrendered just three hits as Tunkhannock edged MMI Prep Jaden Baltrusaitis had two RBI for the Tigers Nick Pantages doubled and had an RBI for MMI Jake Naugle allowed one hit over six innings to pick up the win as Lake-Lehman defeated Wyoming Seminary Sam Finarelli was 2-for-3 with two runs scored for Lehman Tristan Purdy and Von Voelker each had one RBI where the body of Nicole Cuevas was found decomposed wrapped in a tarp and buried in the basement WILKES-BARRE — A Pittston man accused for his alleged role in beating a man in the basement of a Carlisle Street house where a woman’s body was unearthed pled not guilty to assault charges before a Luzerne County judge on Thursday was charged by Wilkes-Barre police along with Jason Race with beating a man in the basement of 142 Carlisle St The man escaped out a window and summoned police help at Division Street and Carey Avenue where he told officers he was kept in the basement and beaten because he was blamed for touching a girl When officers went to the Carlisle Street house allegedly obstructed officers in their investigation to check on the girl’s welfare Molestation allegations against the man who was beaten and kept in the basement were found false who remains jailed for lack of $100,000 bail where he pled not guilty to charges of aggravated assault Race and Linnette are facing charges of aggravated assault terroristic threats and unlawful restraint while Beamer is facing three counts of obstruction are facing criminal homicide charges for their alleged roles in the torture and killing of Nicole Cuevas Cuevas’ decomposed body was found wrapped in a tarp buried in the basement of the Carlisle Street residence on Feb District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce previously said Cuevas was killed inside the residence in April 2023 is charged for his alleged role in beating Cuevas and assisting in burying her body in the basement Dixon is scheduled for a preliminary hearing next week on charges of aggravated assault simple assault and criminal conspiracy to commit abuse of corpse Harris was not charged in Cuevas’ torture and murder The Carlisle Street residence was formerly owned by Debra J Fox’s body was found in a wooded area near Exit 1 of the North Cross Valley Expressway in Wilkes-Barre on March 26 Fox had filed a petition for a protection-from abuse order against Race on Aug Sanguedolce previously said Fox’s death investigation is linked to the ongoing investigation of Cuevas No charges have been filed for Fox’s death If you are the site owner (or you manage this site), please whitelist your IP or if you think this block is an error please open a support ticket and make sure to include the block details (displayed in the box below) so we can assist you in troubleshooting the issue Governor Josh Shapiro has made it a priority to position the Commonwealth as an economic development and innovation leader — securing $20 million in his bipartisan 2024-25 budget to create the Main Street Matters program to invest in small businesses and commercial corridors The Shapiro Administration is continuing to focus on making strategic investments that will strengthen communities and help to build a bright future for families and businesses to thrive in Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger joined Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo and other local leaders to tour revitalized Pittston in Luzerne County and highlight the Shapiro Administration’s commitment to investing in Pennsylvania’s downtowns and small businesses and surrounding neighborhoods across Pennsylvania “The incredible revitalization effort in Pittston is a prime example of why vibrant downtowns are essential to attract residents and ensure our local economies thrive,” said Secretary Rick Siger “Main Streets are the backbone of our economy That’s why there’s such strong bipartisan support for the new Main Street Matters program which gives communities the resources they need to improve their quality of life and make their main streets and business districts better places to live “Real progress starts with hard work and collaboration and that’s exactly what these projects represent “They’ll serve as a foundation for working families to grow and our communities to flourish.” “It is tremendous to have the support of Governor Shapiro and DCED Secretary Rick Siger as we see state dollars being put to excellent use in Pittston,” said Representative Jim Haddock “The sites we toured today are all projects that are prime examples of the progress that can be made when we cultivate thriving partnerships between the state government it is clear when you give state money to Pittston it leveraged to swiftly bring about projects that are worthwhile and fully realized Thanks to the innovative leadership of Mayor Lombardo these projects are sure to become iconic fixtures in the community and we are all thrilled to be a part of them I am proud to continue supporting this progress!” The Shapiro Administration has invested $3 million to support several revitalization projects in downtown Pittston Secretary Siger visited the Kevin Powers Accessible Playground the site of the Market & Main/New American Theater project which will soon begin construction the site of a future retail/residential project a thriving retail/residential loft project the City of Pittston has seen unprecedented downtown and neighborhood revitalization and our partnership with Governor Shapiro’s office and DCED has been vital to this process,” said Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo “Innovative strategies such as Main Street Matters and the comprehensive Housing Action Plan are providing boroughs and cities the tools they need for economic vitality When all levels of government work together we “Get Stuff Done” for the citizens of the Commonwealth.” Governor Shapiro and his Administration have worked aggressively to make Pennsylvania a leader in innovation and economic development and create economic opportunity for all Pennsylvanians Governor Shapiro has had a number of major economic development successes at the midway point of his first term including: As Governor Shapiro marks two years in office his Administration is continuing to focus on innovation The Shapiro Administration’s commitment to investing in our businesses and workforce is positioning Pennsylvania to be a global economic development leader while opening the doors of opportunity MEDIA CONTACT: Justin Backover, dcedpress@pa.gov or 717.418.4014 Dom Zangardi started on the mound for Dallas Pittston Area’s Elijah Barr threw a five-inning complete game with seven strikeouts Pittston Area’s Richard Tonte (3) Kellen Kroski and Nick Innamorati (1) react to scoring on Dom Innamorati’s triple in the fifth inning Pittston Area’s Nick Innamorati looks to his dugout and reacts to the double he hit in the fourth inning Dallas shortstop Connor Healey throws to first in the third inning to record an out Pittston Area shortstop Silvio Giardina tags out Dallas’ Brady Mizzer trying to steal in the second inning HUGHESVILLE — Just when it appeared Pittston Area was going to miss another opportunity to create some distance Wednesday Innamorati’s bases-loaded triple with two outs in the fifth led to seven runs as unbeaten Pittston Area defeated Dallas 10-0 in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 baseball game Innamorati’s triple to the left-center gap bumped Pittston Area’s lead to 6-0 Silvio Giardina followed with an RBI single Jake Aftewicz hit an RBI double and Beau Widdick ended the game by the 10-run rule with an RBI single 8-0 overall) was holding a 3-0 lead that at times could have been larger The Patriots stranded eight runners in scoring position entering the fifth knowing my team I thought we should have had the game over in the third or fourth inning,” Pittston Area coach Paul Zaffuto said “Our two-strike hitting was not good today some way we find our way out of jams and get ourselves in position where we can have an explosive inning like this at any time.” Innamorati scored from second on a fielder’s choice A double steal on the play created a gap in the Dallas defense and by the time Dallas second baseman Jack Leandri could get back to his original position the Mountaineers couldn’t turn a double play on Giardina’s slow roller Giardina later scored on a single by Widdick 2-3) faced one of the WVC’s top pitchers for the second time in three games Barr held the Mountaineers to two hits — an infield single by Dom Zangardi in the first and a double by Zach Williams in the fourth The victory’s importance was twofold for Pittston Area The Patriots maintained a game lead for first place but also kept in the running for one of the top-two seeds in the District 2 Class 5A playoffs The top-two seeds get byes to the semifinals Dallas dropped from third to fourth in the D2-5A standings state and local leaders could see their breath as they walked down Pittston’s Main Street The city’s mayor could see progress and potential Michael Lombardo hosted the leaders on Tuesday showing Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger how state funds have helped the city revitalize downtown He also provided an update on the Pittston Redevelopment Authority’s proposed theater project which he hopes to break ground on later this year “We've had great support from our partners I can't say enough about the team,” Lombardo said past bright murals to projects supported with state funds the Waterfront Warehouse was home to one of the nation’s largest manufacturers of women’s undergarments there were 88 garment operations in the city The former 150,000-square-foot factory now includes residential and commercial space along with two restaurants and was converted with the assistance of state funding Pittston can provide a “blueprint” for other towns in Pennsylvania private sector commitment … you can pull together a really outstanding set of outcomes,” Siger said “We're excited to be here to learn and also to talk more about how we can help other communities achieve the same kind of success Pittston’s had.” Josh Shapiro’s new $20 million Main Street Matters program to support downtowns main streets and surrounding neighborhoods across Pennsylvania “The mayor's done a great job putting things together here and having successful projects done.” The redevelopment has helped lead to new business an increase in the earned income tax collected by the city city property taxes haven’t increased in 16 years the group stopped and Lombardo explained what he hopes will soon bring even more people to Pittston Lombardo hopes to break ground on the New American Theater project later this year — a $32 million project of the Pittston Redevelopment Authority Along with a 630-seat theater — the first in Pittston since the original American Theater was demolished in 1993 the building would include residential and office space It would connect to another project planned for the former Quinn’s market property acquired by the city last year with the assistance of a state program The city wants to build a parking garage that has both commercial and residential space and an outdoor plaza Other projects in the works include the redevelopment of the former Pittston Hospital which includes annexing the property from Jenkins Twp Lombardo said he would be able to provide more details soon He also hopes to convert Main Street and Kennedy Boulevard from one-way to two-way traffic which city officials believe will help with economic growth 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 PITTSTON — “Residents spoke and we listened,” City of Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo declared Lombardo is referring to city residents’ concerns over escalating garbage fees rolled up his sleeves and developed what he feels is a new garbage and recycling program that will please residents would see significant savings over the course of the year “When multiple people call us and they have suggestions or concerns they don’t fall on deaf ears; we listen to those things then we react,” Lombardo acknowledged “My style of leadership is being responsible Sometimes I think we have a model in government that is built around irresponsible thoughts and that is that nothing can change and nothing can increase in price.” Lombardo said things change when you have great growth in terms of new revenue you either increase fees or decrease services He strongly believes you don’t decrease services The mayor admits there are several reasons for increased trash fees and equipment have all gone up over the years we’ve had a variety of complaints including garbage fees are too expensive all at once to pay senior citizens don’t have the funds to pay for garbage stickers all at once and some have even stated they don’t even use all the stickers,” Chacke said “One of the things I did when I took over as City Administrator is to try to solve all of the issues.” What Chacke came up with is splitting up the recycling feel and the garbage fees payable to Berkheimer Tax Administrator with payment due within 60 days of billing Garbage fees have been simplified so residents can purchase a sheet of six stickers in increments Mayor Lombardo said residents can purchase a single sheet or multiple sheets at a time with the biggest discount achieved if 10 sheets are purchased at one time The more stickers you purchase at one time the more savings you will receive incrementally A big discount in savings to residents is by purchasing 10-sheets (60 stickers) at once you would receive a discount of an additional $50 off of the total price if you purchase 10 sheets of stickers (60 stickers) in advance That is a $75 savings for residents and a $90 savings for senior citizens from the current rate of $225 for the year sheets of stickers can be purchased at any time in whatever quantity instead of all at once but he emphasizes the biggest discount is when 10 sheets are purchased at once Chacke also said renters can now purchase their own stickers without relying on landlords Residents may purchase the new stickers beginning April 14 The new neon stickers must be used beginning May 1 garbage stickers can be rolled over from year to year For refuse payments, the City’s Treasurer’s Office will accept payments in person, at www.cityofpittston.org or placed in the drop-off box in front of City Hall a $5 postage fee will be added for each shipment with up to 60 stickers mailed at one time Please note the current purple stickers will expire on April 30 with no exceptions Garbage will not be collected after April 30 if purple stickers are attached to garbage Residents over the age of 65 qualify for the Senior Citizens discount must purchase stickers in person with valid government ID 1 sheet (6 stickers) — $20; senior citizens 2 sheets (6 stickers) — $40; senior citizens 3 sheets (6 stickers) — $60; senior citizens 4 sheets (6 stickers) — $80; senior citizens 5 sheets (6 stickers) — $100; senior citizens 6 sheets (6 stickers) — $120; senior citizens 7 sheets (6 stickers) — $140; senior citizens 8 sheets (6 stickers) — $160; senior citizens 9 sheets (6 stickers) — $180; senior citizens 10 sheets (6 stickers) — $150; senior citizens *Reflects an additional $50 savings if paid for the year in advance PITTSTON — Police in the City of Pittston along with the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Drug Task Force arrested two people and are searching for five others on drug trafficking offenses were arrested earlier this week on separate drug warrants Lemal is accused of delivering crack cocaine while operating a taxi a silver Chevrolet Impala called “Style by the Mile,” on multiple occasions Lee was charged with delivering fentanyl multiple times at various locations in the area Lee is further charged with stealing a credit card from an unlocked vehicle and making a purchase at a tobacco retail store in Pittston on Jan Lemal was charged with six counts each of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of communication facility She remained jailed Friday for lack of $100,000 bail set by District Judge Alexandra Kokura Kravitz of Pittston on Wednesday Lee remained jailed Friday on $50,000 total bail set by Kokura Kravitz on charges of theft possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance Authorities continue to search for Jonathan Timek Melissa Butler and Jason Williams on drug traffic warrants Wyoming Area Regional Police assisted in the drug investigations that involved the peddling of crack cocaine methamphetamine and prescription narcotics Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Timek Butler and Williams is asked to call Pittston City police at 570-602-0576 A fire broke out in a building in Pittston at the corner of Pine Street and Main Street Heavy fire was seen coming out of the 2nd floor of the 3-story Anne Lee Frocks building early this afternoon Plumes of smoke from the fire could be seen for miles Multiple fire companies reported to the two-alarm fire to get it under control Pittston Police shut down the streets of South Main St has been evacuated for safety reasons and is temporarily closed as firefighters continue to extinguish the fire PPL has cut power to parts of the area due to the fire and 43 customers are left without electricty — Police in Pittston Township charged Dean Robinson with sexually abusing a boy in the early 2000s Robinson was arraigned by District Judge Alexandra Kokura Kravitz of Pittston on charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse A man now in his early 30s reported to police in January that Robinson sexually assaulted him when he was 10-and-11-years-old soon after the boy’s father died The man claimed the trauma of being sexually assaulted recently came back to him when he suffered a medical issue and experienced anxiety telling police “all this was flooding back in (my) system,” the complaint says Police in the complaint allege Robinson committed the sexual assaults inside his residence and while taking the boy in woods on an all-terrain vehicle as depicted in this architect’s rendition is moving forward with remodeling that will house a community room The former Quinn’s Supermarket will eventually be leveled to make way for a four-story parking garage to include residential and retail The future parkade will be located at Market Street and Kennedy Boulevard Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo said the parkade will be pivotal piece to the development of Downtown Pittston The latest section of streetscaping in the City of Pittston involves the Junction The view shown above is looking south on Main St from in front of Our Lady of the Eucharist Church This cutout shows the apartments on the second floor and community space on the first floor of the former First Presbyterian Church The 3D model of what the cityscape will look like at the completion of Market & Main tower and a parkade for downtown Pittston The former Fort Pittston School is on schedule for revitalization The proposed 13-apartment complex will have some units with lofts PITTSTON — The City of Pittston is about to go through another transformation things will be looking up in the next two years that will change the landscape of Pittston The Mayor is referring to the Market & Main project a seven-story building with housing and retail with the new 540-seat American Theatre attached at the rear of the building Testing has been completed at the site on the corner of Market and Main Streets leaving the funding and bidding process next “We’re probably a month and a half out on the bidding of the theatre,” Lombardo said We have about six or seven months to get the remaining grants to get the project underway.” In addition to the new high rise coming to Downtown Pittston the four-story parkade will be built behind the theatre at the site of the former Quinn’s Market The structure will tentatively include the parkade Lombardo said the two new projects could be completed sometime in 2027 Another project waiting in the wings is a partnership between the city and the Greater Pittston YMCA expanding the Y to create much-needed space “We are looking at a few options that would include the parking lot behind the YMCA,” Lombardo revealed Lombardo wasn’t at liberty to disclose the parking lot possibilities but hinted a permanent structure could be built there with parking at the ground level the purchase of the former Grablick’s Dairy Bar and ice cream plant The dairy bar building was demolished last year and with a developer interested in the project additional housing would be converted from the ice cream plant the YMCA project and the former Pittston Hospital project,” Lombardo acknowledged and will be moving forward with ordinances on both sides and some form of a public meeting most likely held in Jenkins Twp just to bring everyone up to speed on the project It’s been a lot of work and I’m excited to get this done.” Recently completed in the city was streetscaping from the Duryea line to the Junction section The project included period piece lighting The next phase of streetscaping will go from Esther Street to Curtis Street “We have the funding in place for that and bids will go out and hopefully start the project sometime in the fall,” Lombardo said “The next phase would be the straightening of the curve across from the Convenient Store.” One project Lombardo is excited to get underway is the former Fort Pittston School conversion to housing Property has been acquired behind the school which in turn will utilized for an access driveway to parking for tenants of the building essentially having access to parking from Main St Lombardo said the Fort Pittston project would have approximately 13 units Some of the apartments will include second floor lofts Lombardo believes the site may be earmarked for a restaurant in the current standing building which residents have been accustomed to for many years One of Lombardo’s pledges to the city was to keep taxes at bay during his tenure while continuing to improve the landscape of Pittston “We will be rolling out a new garbage program in the next two months that will be a significant reduction for our taxpayers particularly our seniors,” Lombardo said seniors could see a 50% reduction or more per year on their garbage fees.” The last project Mayor Lombardo was willing to release is adding a second floor to the church on Broad St Two more projects Lombardo wasn’t willing to discuss is two more separate housing projects on Broad St Kridlo Memorial Bridge in Pittston is anticipated to cause increased traffic congestion the concrete bridge that carries Route 11 over the Susquehanna River and connects Pittston and West Pittston is expected to undergo repair work beginning March 17 There will be a lane restriction between 9 a.m The Pittston City Police Department is alerting drivers to use an alternate route if possible due to increased traffic as a result Work is expected to continue through the month until April 1 (WOLF) — A narcotics investigation led by Pittston City's Special Investigation Unit culminated in the arrest of two individuals following a search warrant executed on April 17 44-year-old Mark Braithwaite of Pittston was arrested on three counts of manufacture or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance and two counts of criminal use of a communication facility 21-year-old Damari Peterson of Philadelphia was taken into custody on one count of manufacture and one count of criminal use of a communication facility Both Braithwaite and Peterson were arraigned with bail set at $75,000 They were unable to post bail and have been remanded to Luzerne County Correctional Facility (WOLF) — Construction has begun on Kennedy Boulevard beneath the Fort Jenkins Bridge in Pittston The left lane is currently closed for construction as part of efforts to extend the bridge's lifespan while a new one is being built "The upper-most layer of the bridge is dropping due to water or cold A piece of concrete could fall on a car nobody wants that," Lombardo added Mayor Mike Lombardo emphasized the importance of the work "What they’re doing now is preventative maintenance to ensure we get another five years or so out of that bridge," said Lombardo Just under half a mile down the boulevard is the Water Street Bridge also known as the Fireman’s Memorial Bridge Mayor Lombardo noted that a gas line running beneath this bridge will need to be relocated before demolition can proceed "That gas line is such a large transition line; it has to go through what’s called FERC," Lombardo said the mayor assured that work on both bridges would be carried out almost simultaneously "This will allow us to start construction on both bridges and when we approach the terminus point of the Kridlo Bridge on the West Side and then the Kridlo will be completed," Lombardo explained would involve shutting down both bridges and redirecting all traffic to the Eighth Street Bridge Lombardo expressed optimism about the new structures "We’re going to have two good bridges with great amenities that will ensure safer Lombardo's administration will continue to monitor areas with high congestion and evaluate the best traffic patterns to ensure smooth transit during the construction period The new Canteen Central is one of two new restaurants coming to downtown Pittston Canteen Central is expected to open sometime in the first half of 2022 A popular breakfast and lunch spot in downtown Pittston has reportedly closed its doors for good as the business recently changed its hours to ‘permanently closed.’ The restaurant has not made any social media posts since the beginning of December 2024 Efforts to reach the owners to confirm the business’s closure were not immediately successful and the phone number associated with the cafe is no longer in service Canteen Central initially opened in spring of 2022 Canteen Central was previously located in Kingston which closed in 2019 after 9 years in business WEST PITTSTON — America’s “helpful place” is returning to the Pittston area A new Gerrity’s Ace Hardware store will be located at 720 Wyoming Ave directly across from Gerrity’s The Fresh Grocer The store is expected to open in late spring “Gerrity’s has been serving West Pittston and the surrounding area since 2006,” said Joe Fasula “We’ve been keeping everyone’s pantry in good shape for nearly two decades and now we’re excited to help with the rest of their home.” The store will occupy the building currently rented by Driscoll’s Home Center bringing Gerrity’s knowledgeable and helpful service paired with top-quality brands to help West Pittston area residents succeed with their everyday home maintenance projects This location will be the sixth Ace Hardware store opened by local residents Gerrity’s encourages all current Driscoll’s employees to apply for employment opportunities at the new store The company is looking for individuals who are passionate about helping their neighbors improve their homes and gardens The 13,000-square-foot store will feature thousands of essential products and supplies Gerrity’s currently owns five Ace Hardware locations in Carbondale Ace Hardware is the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world with more than 5,500 locally owned and operated hardware stores in approximately 70 countries Ace has become a part of local communities around the world and is known as the place with helpful hardware folks For more information, visit acehardware.com family-owned retail business in Northeastern Pennsylvania Luzerne and Northampton counties and consists of ten supermarkets six hardware stores and a corporate office in Scranton The company is owned by Joyce “Mom” Fasula and her son Gerrity’s Supermarkets is part of The Fresh Grocer Banner Gerrity’s employs over 1,300 people and has been in business since 1895 Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle Abington Heights’ co-captain Robby Lucas raises the District 2 Class 5A trophy high in the air after the Comets beat Pittston Area on Friday at Mohegan Arena Pittston Area senior Silvio Giardina (2) challenges 6-foot-5 Abington Heights sophomore Billy Johnson as he drives to the basket Friday night Pittston Area’s Lucas Lopresto dribbles past Abington Heights defender Andrew Kettel (14) Pittston Area’s Paul Jordan McGarry drains a 3-pointer over Abington Heights’ Robby Lucas Pittston Area coach Al Semenza calls out an offensive play against Abington Heights on Friday at Mohegan Arena The Abington Heights boys basketball team defeated Pittston Area to win the District 2 Class 5A championship Pittston Area’s Matt Walter sets up to drain a 3-pointer in the first half against Abington Heights but Pittston Area had the basketball in the hands of Silivo Giardina played out differently than hoped Friday night at Mohegan Arena Pittston Area never got off a potential game-winner as Abington Heights defeated the Patriots 53-48 for the District 2 Class 5A boys championship “If you told me we’d have the ball in Silvio’s hands with six seconds to go I’ll take my shot,” Pittston Area coach Al Semenza said “It just didn’t happen.” Pittston Area (15-9) will play District 1 third seed Pottsgrove (22-3) in the first round of the PIAA tournament on March 7 which won its third consecutive district title will get District 1 fourth seed Upper Moreland (19-6) Giardina tried to drive the lane but found it clogged He then tried to dish off to Aiden Lynn inside but Abington Heights’ Billy Johnson caused enough havoc and the Patriots never got off a shot Abington Heights closed out the game with four free throws — all by Jordan Shaffer — in the final 0.3 seconds Two were for a foul during the under-basket scramble and two for a technical foul on Semenza “It came down to the last play,” said Abington Heights first-year coach JC Show who also won district gold as a player at the school “I know the score says it was a five-point game It was also a game where Abington trailed by as much as 11 in the second quarter and didn’t take the lead until Johnson scored inside for a 45-44 advantage with 4:07 left in the fourth quarter The Comets never let Pittston Area regain the lead “I thought our kids did a tremendous job,” Semenza said Paul Jordan McGarry sank a 3-pointer for a 5-2 Pittston Area lead early in the first quarter The Patriots built the lead to 24-11 midway through the second quarter with McGarry and Matt Walter hitting 3-pointers in a 10-4 run Finn Goldberg had 12 of his 14 points in the quarter including a 3-pointer with one second until halftime to move the Comets within 26-24 Pittston Area was able to hold off Abington Heights until Johnson’s basket with 4:07 to play The Patriots then came up empty two consecutive possessions missing a 3-pointer and turning over the ball McGarry led Pittston Area with 17 followed by Lucas Lopresto with 13 ABINGTON HEIGHTS (53) — Andrew Kittel 3 0-2 8 PITTSTON AREA (48) — Silvio Giardina 1 0-0 3 Matt Walter 2 2-2 8,Paul Jordan McGarry 4 6-6 17 Pittston’s TJ Johnson pitches against Wyoming Valley West on April 16 Fred Adams file photo | For Sunday Dispatch Pittston Area’s powerful baseball team is getting so deep that the school needed a new team Coach Paul Zaffuto normally keeps the high school program together as one team but with only one graduate from last year’s contending team and a roster that has swelled to 41 players the Patriots began a junior varsity schedule Saturday The JVs headed to Crestwood while the varsity practiced at home The JV schedule – 11 games are currently planned – is just one adjustment to dealing with the challenges that come along with all the positives of a roster that features experience young talent and multiple options all over the diamond “The hard part is going to be that we have a lot of guys on the bench that are really quality players,” Zaffuto said “We’ve got to keep them happy and get them to buy into the fact that we’re all together and that it’s all for us and they’re not playing for individual stats or time “They have to find out how they can contribute to the team – whether is a pinch runner whether it’s a pinch hitter or just catching for one day to give our catcher a rest they have to take their job seriously.” Zaffuto said he likes what he has seen in that area so far in the team’s 4-0 start that included wins over Abington Heights and Old Forge in the past week “You have to hope that that kind of team camaraderie works,” Zaffuto said but you have to know how to play the game as well.” the defending District 2 Class 5A champion but the battery might be the best example of the team’s depth Johnson have all been successful on the mound and they make up the team’s three-man starting pitcher rotation Beau Widdick and Jacoby Harnen are also available on the mound Senior Logan Liskowski and lefties Brady Baldrica Nick Innamorati gained some pitching experience last season Chase Montigney could be a late-season addition to the staff as he continues his return from Tommy John surgery on his elbow Zaffuto said that depth eliminates the usual concern of rainouts stacking a bunch of games into one part of the schedule if he needs to rest four-year catcher and team captain Jake Aftewicz Aftewicz is committed to play at Wilkes University “We’re loaded at catcher,” Zaffuto said We have five guys who could be playing on most teams “They’re all quality catchers.” Kellen Kroski is a transfer from Scranton Prep Another sign of the team’s depth is at first base where Gavin Wardecki started much of last year but now may be third in line behind Barr and Montigney With Barr filling in elsewhere and some playing time available as designated hitter there will be times when two or three of them are in the lineup Lehigh commit Giardina will spend the most time at shortstop but the middle infield includes three college prospects Beau Widdick is at second base and Barr is available to fit into that rotation with all three capable of filling either spot off to a 6-for-12 start with a team-high nine RBI is at third base and giving the team its biggest early-season offensive spark who suffered a broken ankle in wrestling season Last year’s starting center fielder and a team captain he will eventually join the three current outfield starters to create a scenario where four players can share time across the three spots Nick Innamorati has moved from left field to center to begin the season and Elijah Mead returns in right Montigney and Tonte in batting at least .500 so far “We’ll have a rotation of four outfielders who are all way above average,” Zaffuto said The Patriots tied for second in Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 at 11-3 last season and went 18-5 overall Their season ended when they lost in the final and finished as District 2-4 Class 5A Subregional runner-up Elijah Barr’s fifth-inning single drove in the winning run Monday to hand the visiting Comets their only loss in five games to date Barr went 2-for-3 with two RBI and pitched two scoreless innings to save the win Richie Tonte was also 2-for-3 and drove in three runs Joe Bradley scored twice and starting pitcher Silvio Giardina had a triple Richie Tonte drove in three runs and Jake Aftewicz had three hits in Thursday’s non-league home win Tonte went 2-for-3 with a double and also scored Aftewicz doubled twice and ddrove in a run Johnson struck out six while giving up just a run on three hits in four innings Jacoby Harnen pitched two innings and Brady Baldrica pitched one without allowing an earned run Angelo DiMauro had two hits and scored twice from the leadoff spot for Old Forge Pittston Area took a 6-1 lead with three runs each in the second and third then broke open a 6-3 game with five runs in the sixth