Officials: Fatal fire was a suicide
FAIRVIEW TWP. - A woman who died from injuries suffered in a November fire at her Fairview Twp. home set the blaze herself, authorities said Friday.
An autopsy report delivered this week to Luzerne County investigators deemed Tracey Zero's death a suicide, District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said.
Mrs. Zero, 44, survived for more than 10 hours before succumbing to her injuries at the Lehigh Valley Hospital Regional Burn Center in Allentown.
During that time, Ms. Salavantis said, Mrs. Zero and her husband made statements indicating she set the fire at 319 Pine Lane in the Glen Summit area. A subsequent state police investigation found evidence of arson inside the home, Ms. Salavantis said.
County to discuss tax collections
WILKES-BARRE - Luzerne County Manager Robert Lawton is recommending that county personnel, rather than elected municipal tax collectors, collect county property tax revenue.
The change would take effect next year. It would save $258,555 a year and generate $130,000 in new revenue for the county, Mr. Lawton told county council members in an agenda submittal for Tuesday's meeting.
Council members said they don't plan to vote on the recommendation Tuesday but will discuss it. An alternative is cutting the pay rate for the elected tax collectors, Mr. Lawton said. Tax collectors are elected in 69 of the 76 municipalities in the county to collect property taxes for municipalities, school districts and the county.
Recycling schedule set for Honesdale
HONESDALE - The borough's first collection of recyclables in 2013 will begin the week of Jan. 22, council members announced.
As per the adopted recycling schedule, Monday and Tuesday areas will be collected on Tuesday.
The single-stream recycling program makes it possible that all areas have a scheduled pickup date. Recycling schedules are available at the Honesdale Borough Office from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday excluding holidays. The schedule is also available at www.honesdaleborough.com.