Students host benefit concert
CLARKS SUMMIT - In the wake of the tragedy in Newtown, Conn., several students at Abington Heights and Scranton Preparatory schools will host a benefit concert called "The Summit Sings."
Scheduled to begin Sunday at 6 p.m. at Duffy's Coffee House, the concert seeks a $10 entry donation and will feature more than 10 student musicians.
All donations and 10 percent of Duffy's sales will go toward the Newtown Family Recovery Fund.
The coffeehouse is located at 312 S. State St. in Clarks Summit.
W-B increases taxes 26 percent
WILKES-BARRE - City council on Friday unanimously approved a budget for next year that raises property taxes by 26 percent.
The new rate will increase taxes on the average home from $591 to $744, a $153 hike, according to the city's assessment records.
The $43.9 million budget, more than $872,000 less than last year's, includes a 25-mill property tax increase, raising the rate to 121.63 mills.
Council also approved increases in sewer and restaurant license fees Friday that will accompany the increased recycling fees, garbage bag prices, parking ticket and meter fees that members approved earlier this month.
Family: Rewards nice, unnecessary
WILKES-BARRE - The family of 5-year-old hit-and-run victim Kevin Miller appreciates the rewards pledged to help find his killer, but they'd rather people come forward on their own will.
"It should be instinctive - our very nature - to do what is right," Kevin's uncle, Dr. John Miller, said in a statement Friday. "Satisfaction is its own reward."
Friday marked one week since Kevin was fatally struck by a car on North Street in Wilkes-Barre while leaving a Christmas party with his parents, brothers and another couple.
Meanwhile, police on Friday continued following up on tips received from the public of possible sightings of the car - believed to be a red, four-door Pontiac sedan with a sunroof or moonroof that may have damage to the front end.
Anyone with information is asked to call Wilkes-Barre police at 826-8106.
Unit 2 back up and running
SALEM TWP. - Unit 2 at the PPL nuclear power plant near Berwick resumed electricity generation Friday. The unit had been offline since Dec. 16.
The unit shut down automatically because of an electrical connection problem during a routine turbine valve test, and a malfunction with a water pump valve extended the out-of-service time, according to a news release from PPL.
Unit 2 has shut down four times this year, including the two shutdowns in December. In May, PPL shut down the unit for turbine blade inspection and resumed generating about two weeks later after no issues were found with the turbine blades.
In November, a computer malfunction prompted operators to shut down the unit.