Holiday open house today
COVINGTON TWP. - North Pocono children can meet Santa and ride in a horse-drawn carriage as part of Covington's annual Christmas open house today and Sunday.
Held annually at the Moffat Estate on Route 435, people of all ages are invited to the event sponsored by the Covington Twp. supervisors.
From 2 to 6 p.m. today and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, people are invited to view the decorated area and the Moffat Estate, which features trees decorated by community groups and organizations, said Supervisor Marlene Beavers.
A tree-lighting ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. today, and Kelly Pulice of North Pocono Public Library will read stories to children from 4 p.m.
Police search for armed robber
COOLBAUGH TWP. - Pocono Mountain Regional Police are looking for a man who robbed a convenience store in Monroe County on Thursday night.
A man walked into Pen-Mart on Route 196 in Tobyhanna at about 11 p.m., brandished a handgun and demanded money from the clerk, police said. The robber was described as a black man between 5 feet 8 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall with a thin to medium build. He was wearing a black ski mask, black gloves and a gray-and-black hooded sweatshirt.
He fled on foot with an undetermined amount of cash.
Prisoner charged with PFA violation
BLOOMING GROVE TWP. - A prisoner was charged for violating a protection-from-abuse order while behind bars, state police said.
Jesse Spoerry, 40, was charged with having indirect contact with Suzanne Spoerry through a third person while he was incarcerated at the Pike County Correctional Facility, where he was serving time for a previous PFA violation and assault involving the same victim, police said.
Mr. Spoerry was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Jay Rose on Thursday and remains in prison.
Man pleads guilty to 23 burglaries
MONTROSE - A 42-year-old Montrose man admitted he committed 23 burglaries in Susquehanna County from November 2011 through Jan. 1.
Keith Canfield entered the guilty pleas - all on burglary counts - Friday morning in Susquehanna County Court. He could face up to 430 years in prison and $575,000 in fines.
A sentencing hearing was scheduled for Dec. 28.
District Attorney Jason Legg told the court that Mr. Canfield was caught in the Jan. 1 burglary of a Harford Twp. residence. He cooperated with state police, identifying 22 other residences and detached garages that he and Daniela Hollister burglarized.
The burglaries occurred in Harford, Herrick, Gibson, Lenox and Jackson townships. According to court documents, police estimated the total value of the items stolen at nearly $18,000.
Earlier this year, Ms. Hollister pleaded guilty to her role in the burglaries and was enrolled in the intermediate punishment program.
Police still looking into W-B shooting
WILKES-BARRE - Police are continuing to investigate a shooting Thursday at the Sherman Hills Apartments that left a man seriously wounded.
Nygee Taylor, 23, of Wilkes-Barre, was shot in the leg outside the townhomes in the apartment complex, 300 Parkview Circle, about 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Mr. Taylor remains hospitalized at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Twp. and is in serious condition, a hospital official said.
Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton said police have not identified a suspect or a motive for the shooting.
Mr. Leighton said police are waiting until the victim's condition improves so they can talk to him.
Luzerne County almost out of cash
WILKES-BARRE - Luzerne County Controller Walter L. Griffith Jr. and Councilman Rick Morelli are expressing concerns that the county may not be able to pay this month's bills.
The county has $4.4 million in its general fund, and wages and debt payments in December will exceed $7 million, Mr. Griffith said.
Council's next meeting is Tuesday and it plans to adopt a 2013 budget on Dec. 11. County Manager Robert Lawton has proposed a 2013 budget that would allocate $260 million and keep the county property tax rate at 5.32 mills - $532 for a property assessed at $100,000.
Four DPW workers laid off in W-B
WILKES-BARRE - Wilkes-Barre officials laid off four employees from the Department of Public Works on Friday, a day after 11 firefighters got the ax amid a multimillion-dollar city budget crisis.
The city notified the employees Friday that it was their last day of work, according to a prepared statement.
Over the past several weeks, 29 people have left the city workforce through 15 layoffs, 11 retirements and three voluntary furloughs in response to an estimated $2 million deficit caused by an outstanding tax payment from former county collector Centax and an overall decline in revenue.
Woman survives shooting accident
SPRINGVILLE TWP. - A Springville woman was taken to the hospital after a handgun accidentally discharged and injured her Thursday night, state police said.
Rebecca Jordan, 25, was shot while another person was trying to disassemble the firearm at 660 Johnson Road in Susquehanna County, police said.
Ms. Jordan was flown to Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, where she was listed in good condition Friday.