REGIONAL BRIEFS
Pothole patching on I-81 today
MOOSIC - Interstate 81 northbound drivers should be aware of repair work being done on a section of the highway today.
The state Department of Transportation will be performing emergency pothole patching between Exit 178 to Avoca and Exit 182 to Davis Street and Montage Mountain Road from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m., PennDOT announced.
Police: Valuable coins stolen
DELAWARE TWP. - Someone broke into a Pike County home and stole approximately $10,000 worth of gold and silver coins sometime between Dec. 20 and Jan. 3, state police at Blooming Grove said.
Police said someone entered Christopher Lawler's Spencer Road home in Delaware Twp. and forced open his steel safe, making off with the coins that were inside.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 226-5718.
Family of victim says thank you
WILKES-BARRE - The family of hit-and-run victim Kevin Miller on Wednesday released a statement, signed by his parents and young brothers, to "thank everyone for the support and prayers" since the 5-year-old boy's Dec. 21 death.
Kevin, the son of Dr. Stephen F. Miller and attorney Caroline Miller of Dallas, was fatally struck on North Street in Wilkes-Barre while leaving a Christmas party with his parents, twin brother, Christopher, and older brother, Stephen, 8.
On Friday, police seized a 1999 red Pontiac Grand Am that investigators believe was involved in the crash and identified Thomas Letteer Jr., 22, of Plains Twp. as a "person of interest." The investigation continues and no charges have been filed.
Sewer officials extend deadline
SOUTH ABINGTON TWP. - Officials Wednesday voted to extend the deadline for receiving construction bids on an estimated $34 million project to upgrade the wastewater treatment plant.
At an Abington Regional Wastewater Authority meeting, members agreed to push the deadline from Wednesday to Jan. 25 - a move that shouldn't affect the timetable for construction.
"We wanted to give more opportunity for more contractors to submit a bid," project engineer James Elliot said. "We don't want them to rush. We want to give them plenty of time."
Construction on the project is expected to start in May.
The board will hold a special meeting on Feb. 19 at 10 a.m. to announce whether they will use a bank loan or bond issue to finance roughly $24 million of the project.
PPL donates to education program
SCRANTON - A regional energy business is chipping in to help young people jump-start their education.
PPL Corp. donated $55,000 to support the United Way's Pre-Kindergarten scholarship program, which helped more than 170 local children build a foundation for education last year, according to a news release from PPL.
The United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties offers tuition assistance under the state Department of Community and Economic Development's Education Improvement Tax Credit program for children to attend approved pre-kindergarten programs, according to the release.
Bridge over river due for repairs
TUNKHANNOCK - Drivers heading into or out of Tunkhannock should try to avoid the bridge over the Susquehanna River on state Route 29, state Department of Transportation representatives say.
Starting Monday and running through May, the bridge will be down to a single lane in each direction while long-term repairs are done. Contractors Kreiger Construction is performing preventative maintenance and will be repairing an expansion dam on the bridge.
Major delays are expected throughout the area and motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes if possible, according to PennDOT spokesman James May.