Month: April 2025

NANTICOKE, PA – U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer joined Rep. Rob Bresnahan Jr., union leaders, and local elected officials in Northeastern Pennsylvania on April 5 to kick off her nationwide America at Work listening tour. 

During a roundtable and tour of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 163 Joint Apprenticeship Training Center, the group discussed supporting apprenticeships to develop a skilled workforce, improving infrastructure to attract businesses, investing in service members as they transition back home to their communities, and other ways to enhance America’s workforce. Union workers from a variety of trades, including electricians, ironworkers, and boilermakers participated in the roundtable along with state and local elected officials.

“From strengthening educational pathways for good-paying jobs to eliminating burdensome regulations that will drive economic growth, I enjoyed learning first-hand about the challenges and priorities of workers in Northeastern Pennsylvania,” Secretary Chavez-DeRemer said. “I look forward to hearing directly from more Americans as I help President Trump amplify the voices of workers who’ve been left behind by Washington.”

“It is crucial we have the skilled trade workforces needed to carry out essential infrastructure projects like rebuilding our roads and bridges, modernizing our electric grid, and implementing high-speed internet,” said Rep. Bresnahan. “These strong workforces would not be possible without apprenticeships. I want to thank Secretary Chavez-DeRemer for joining us and for making Northeastern Pennsylvania the first stop on her listening tour. I look forward to continuing this collaborative partnership with the Secretary and labor leaders to protect and prioritize American workers.”

Throughout her America at Work listening tour, the Secretary will continue meeting with various workers, union members, employers, and community leaders to ensure real-world experiences help shape and modernize federal labor policies and practices by taking the…

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Pine Grove 9, Williams Valley 2

PINE GROVE — Jamie Dinger drove in a team-best three runs and Pine Grove made themselves known at the plate when they crushed Williams Valley in the Cardinal Classic.

Chelcy Clark earned the win for the Cardinals, working seven innings while allowing two runs on three hits and striking out four Vikings.

Hannah Aungst and Madison Shiffer each had two hits and T Bohr and Shiffer each brought home two runs for Pine Grove’s offense.

Williams Valley 2 — Kobularik SS 2 0 0 0, Hand CF 2 0 0 0, S. Smeltz 1B 3 0 0 0, Q. Smeltz C 3 1 1 0, Fry 3B 3 1 1 1, Hand P 3 0 1 1, Brill 2B 3 0 0 0, Mahoney LF 2 0 0 0, Bixler RF 2 0 0 0. 23 2 3 2.

Pine Grove 9 — Leffler CF 2 1 0 0, Aungst SS 4 2 2 0, Shiffer 1B 4 1 2 2, Zimmerman RF 3 3 1 0, Dinger 2 0 1 3, Clark P 3 0 1 1, Flynn 2B 4 1 1 0, Bohr C 3 0 1 2, M. Umbenhauer LF 0 0 0 0, K. Umbenhauer 0 1 0 0. 29 9 19 9.

E — Williams Valley 2, Pine Grove 0; LOB — Williams Valley 2, Pine Grove 9; 2B — Hand, Fry, Shiffer, Dinger, Aungst; 3B — Aungst; SB — Hand, Kobularik, Leffler

Williams Valley 

IP H R ER BB K

Hand 6 10 9 5 6 1

Pine Grove

Clark 7 3 2 2 2 4

Pine Grove 12, Greater Nanticoke Area 0

PINE GROVE — The Cardinals made it no chance for Greater Nanticoke Area when they scored 12 runs by the end of the fourth inning for a home mercy-rule win.

Hannah Aungst drove in a team-high three runs for…

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Luzerne County Council can schedule presentations from the top three engineering firms interested in work on the closed West Nanticoke/Nanticoke Bridge after PennDOT approves a county administrative decision to eliminate two firms from consideration, County Manager Romilda Crocamo said Wednesday in a report updating the process.

A Luzerne County administration committee reviewed statements of interest submitted by five engineering firms on Monday morning, Crocamo said.

“Information from the committee reviews will be provided to PennDOT Central Office for their approval. Upon PennDOT approval, the firm names will be made public,” Crocamo said Wednesday in an email to county council members.

Two weeks ago, Crocamo decided to close the bridge over the Susquehanna River shortly after engineers conducting a scheduled routine bridge inspection determined advanced deterioration and section loss of primary, load-carrying components were critical deficiencies.

The county-owned bridge, built in 1914, links Nanticoke City to the West Nanticoke section of Plymouth Twp. The next-closest bridge over the river is the Route 29 bridge connecting Hanover Twp. and Plymouth Twp.

The vehicular weight limit on the bridge was reduced to 5 tons last May. That decision allowed cars and most passenger vehicles to cross the bridge, but emergency vehicles such as fire trucks could not.

Last August, the county put the bridge project into the PennDOT’s Engineering and Construction Management System, known as ECMS, to receive $10 million in federal project funding through the state Transportation Improvement Program. The county also has access to $55 million from an infrastructure loan funded by state gaming revenue.

Two weeks ago, the five engineering firms submitted statements of interest to get the job determining how to repair, reconstruct or replace the bridge. All five engineering firms interested are “excellent,” Director of Project Management Nick Vough said at the last council meeting on March 25.

“I don’t think we can go wrong with…

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