While Luzerne County was running out of money to pay bills and employees last year, the county probation office spent $13,082 on two junkets to St. Louis and Harrisburg, according to invoices and checks. Since December, a county fund shortage has resulted in 54 employee layoffs, including 17 in probation. The probation office sent six employees to St. Louis and 10 to Harrisburg for drug-court conferences. Senior Judge Michael T. Conahan, who was in charge of the county's drug court, went to the Harrisburg conference. The county paid the conference bills with a probation account controlled by the then-President Judge Mark A. Ciavarella Jr. [continues 706 words]
Attend The Session Tonight At City Hall Or Watch It On Wvia's "Call The Doctor" NANTICOKE - Community leaders tonight plan to discuss a city task force's approach to confronting drug abuse. WVIA-TV Channel 44 will broadcast the 7 p.m. meeting live from City Hall for "Call the Doctor," the longest-running program on WVIA. The meeting is free and open to the public. Panelists will discuss what the Greater Nanticoke Area Drug Task Force is doing and how other communities can confront drug problems. [continues 324 words]
