Pocono Lake man sentenced
SCRANTON - A former Pocono Lake man was sentenced Thursday to more than five years in prison for an investment scheme he operated between 2008 and 2011.
Jeffrey Olson, 51, was sentenced to 65 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $794,486 in restitution to victims of the scheme, in which he persuaded people to loan him money and invest in a business called Northco Investments, according to a release from the U.S. attorney's office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Olson pleaded guilty to wire fraud, for which he received a 51-month sentence, plus 14 months for violating his supervised release.
Bridge slated for replacement
WILKES-BARRE - The state Department of Transportation is receiving federal funding to replace a bridge over an abandoned railroad on Route 11 at the Edwardsville-Larksville border.
The approximately $6 million project involves replacing the bridge at the intersection of Woodward Road, according to project manager Justin Marchegiani of PennDOT.
PennDOT plans to replace the existing steel I-beam-and-concrete structure with a concrete arch, half the bridge at a time, he said.
The project is slated to start in late summer 2014, and the target completion date is April 2015, Mr. Marchegiani said.
Luzerne leaders eye garage change
WILKES-BARRE - Luzerne County Manager Robert Lawton wants county workers, residents and visitors to continue parking for free when they come to the county courthouse.
The county in 2011 ended a policy of charging visitors 50 cents to park in the county parking garage on Water Street in the city.
Mr. Lawton plans to propose a parking ordinance to county council that establishes who can park where. Controller Walter L. Griffith Jr. spoke in favor of installing an automated ticketing gate at the parking garage, saying it would cost less than $20,000 and generate more than $12,000 a year in revenue. County engineer Joe Gibbons estimated the cost of a ticketing gate at $50,000.
Wrestler charged with theft of cash
WILKES-BARRE - On the eve of the District 2 wrestling tournament, a standout wrestler from Meyers High School was arrested Thursday morning for swiping a money bag from the safe of Abe's Hot Dogs on Barney Street, police said.
Investigators said they nabbed senior Justin Elick inside a school locker room during a morning wrestling workout and found the cash bag in his locker. Meyers wrestling coach Ron Swingle said Mr. Elick would not participate in a wrestling tournament today at Lake-Lehman High School. Mr. Elick faces theft and related charges.