Tag: Nanticoke

Justin Kelemen OBITUARY

Justin Kelemen, of Nanticoke, passed away peacefully Friday, November 28, 2025 at Geisinger Wyoming Valley. He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. Born September 10, 1957, in Danville, Justin was the son of the late Joseph and Vitalia Karavacus Kelemen.

A graduate of Danville High School, he was a United States Army Veteran receiving an honorable discharge. Throughout his employment career, Justin was an auditor for several hotel franchises, most recently, the Ramada Hotel chain. Justin will be remembered for his outgoing personality, quick wit and colorful storytelling. In his youth he enjoyed hunting, fishing and later in life, the game of golf. He was a fan of the Steelers, Penn State and NASCAR auto racing – idolizing driver Bill Elliot. Mostly, he enjoyed shopping with his wife, Patricia and granddaughter Alexis. Spending time during the holidays with family and friends was time he treasured.

Preceding him in death in addition to his parents was a sister, Christina Resnick.

Left to cherish his memory, is his wife and best friend, the former Patricia Schintzius, at home; a son, Vaughn Kazokas, Wilkes-Barre; daughter, Bonnie Burke and her husband, John; granddaughter, Alexis Burke, all of Kingston, and his pet cat, Max.

Friends are invited to a visitation with the family on Monday December 8, 2025 from 5-7 PM at the Hugh P. Boyle & Son Funeral Home, Inc. 416 Wyoming Avenue, Kingston. A prayer service will be conducted by Rev John Chmil, pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish, Swoyersville at 5 PM. Memorial donations in Justin’s name may be made to the S.P.C.A. of Luzerne County, 524 E. Main Street, Wilkes Barre, Pa. 18702. Online condolences or words of sympathy, please visit: www.hughpboyleandsonfuneralhomeinc.com

Justin Kelemen

November 28, 2025

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Ella Stambaugh scored a game-high 24 points and Ellie Kersey had 12 as Wyoming Seminary jumped out quickly on the way to a 61-38 win over Old Forge in girls basketball Wednesday night.

Stella Ruiz added 11 for the Blue Knights.

Berwick 62, Williamsport 40

Abby Calarco scored a game-high 20 points as Berwick defeated Williamsport.

Grace Robbins added 12 and Addison Remley scored nine.

Nanticoke Area 39, Pittston Area 33

Three Trojanettes scored in double figures as Nanticoke Area held off a tough challenge from Pittston Area.

Kate Reed and Nevaeh Baran scored 11 points each for Nanticoke Area, while Jordyn Johnson chipped in 10 points.

Bella Dessoye led Pittston Area with 11 points. Giuliana Latona added 10 points.

Riverside 48, Wyoming Area 18

The Warriors were tripped up in a non-league loss to Riverside. Caitie Beecham led Riverside with 18 points.

Jailyn Park had 10 points and six rebounds to pace Wyoming Area.

Northwest 40, Milton 27

Ava Ruckle scored 21 points and Natalia Ninotti added 12 as Northwest defeated Milton.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Wyoming Area 54, Mid Valley 43

Luke Kopetchny scored 34 points and Mitchell Rusinchak added 11 as Wyoming Area defeated visiting Mid Valley.

Dallas 73, Lake-Lehman 36

Pat Flanagan scored 16 points and Tyce Mason and Brady Mizzer added 13 each as Dallas defeated rival Lake-Lehman.

Jake Evans scored 10 for Lehman.

Abington Heights 79, Wyo. Valley West 47

AJ Hickson had 13 points for Wyoming Valley West in a loss to visiting Abington Heights.

Zach Mondesir added nine.

Elk Lake 65, Nanticoke Area 40

Elk Lake pulled away in the second half to defeat Nanticoke Area.

Louden Mullery led Nanticoke Area with 10 points. Treyton…

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Chase Pond scored 22 points- including four 3-pointers- to lead Elk Lake to a 65-47 win over Wyalusing in a nonleague boys basketball game on Thursday.

Pond scored eight of his points during a 22 point third quarter for the Warriors (2-0). Brayden Miller added 11 points and Kendel Jones had 10. Tyler Caplan and Myles Kershner each led the Rams with 12 points.

Elk Lake 65, Wyalusing 47

Elk Lake 17 15 22 11 

Wyalusing 12 9 9 17

Elk Lake: C. Pond 8 2-2 22, B. Miller 5 1-5 11, K. Jones 4 1-2 10, J. Heitsman 4 0-1 9, C. Stephens 2 4-6 8, J. Hitchcock 1 0-0 3, B. Birtch 1 0-0 2, P. Upright 0 0-0 0, T. Upright 0 0-0 0, L. Sprout 0 0-0 0, B. Hewitt 0 0-0 0.

Wyalusing: T. Caplan 4 4-6 12, M. Kershner 4 2-2 12, A. Neiley 3 0-1 6, N. Kilmer 2 0-0 5, P. Cunningham 2 1-2 5, B. Johnson 1 0-0 3, M. Culver 1 0-0 2, J. Vandermark 1 0-0 2, S. Gartland 0 0-0 0.

3-Point Field Goals: C. Pond (EL) 4, K. Jones (EL), J. Hitchcock (EL), J. Heitsman (EL), M. Kershner (WYA) 2, N. Kilmer (WYA), B. Johnson (WYA).

Elk Lake 65, Nanticoke Area 40

John Heitsman scored 18 points and Chase Pond finished with 12 with two 3-pointers in Elk Lake’s 65-40 victory over Nanticoke Area in a nonleague boys basketball game on Wednesday, Dec. 3.

Kendel Jones finished with 11 points for the Warriors  in their season opener. Louden Mullery led the Trojans with 10 points and Treyton Mishanski scored eight.

Elk Lake 15 12 22 16

Nanticoke Area 9 12 13 6

Elk Lake: J. Heitsman 8 1-2 18, C. Pond 4 2-2 12, K. Jones 5 0-0 11, P. Upright…

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At 11:28 a.m. on Thursday, the National Weather Service released a snow squall warning in effect until noon for Broome, Chenango, Cortland and Tioga counties.

“At 11:28 a.m., a dangerous snow squall was located along a line extending from near Otselic to Cincinnatus to near Marathon to Danby, moving east at 40 mph,” according to the weather service. “Travel will become difficult and potentially dangerous within minutes.”

Locations impacted by the warning include Norwich, Maine, Guilford, Plymouth, North Norwich, Nanticoke, Coventry, Greene, Oxford and Berkshire.

The weather service adds, “Reduce speed and turn on headlights! During snow squalls, the visibility may suddenly drop to near zero in whiteout conditions.”

Hazards include intense bursts of heavy snow. Gusty winds leading to blowing snow and rapidly falling visibility. Wind gusts greater than 35 mph.

The snow squall guide: Preparation and caution on winter roads

What are snow squalls?

Snow squalls are intense winter weather events often associated with strong cold fronts. They can quickly blanket roads with snow and ice, even without a major winter storm in the forecast. Typically lasting less than an hour and resulting in minor snow accumulation, these squalls can still be dangerous due to reduced visibility, gusty winds, and rapidly dropping temperatures. Unfortunately, these conditions have historically contributed to serious and sometimes fatal traffic accidents.

Understanding snow squalls vs. snowstorms

The difference between a snow squall and a snowstorm is the duration of the event. Snow squalls are usually very short-lived (on the order of 30-60 minutes) and extremely intense. A snowstorm could last for several hours or even days.

Snow squall warnings

Snow squall warnings are short-fused and focused on distinct areas (like tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings). These warnings provide critical, highly localized life-saving information. If a snow squall warning is issued for your area, avoid or delay motor travel until the squall…

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Giving Tuesday has become one of the most important fundraising days of the year for nonprofits, and organizations across Maryland’s Eastern Shore say the needs driving those donations have rarely been greater.

From shelters trying to keep pace with rising costs to environmental groups racing to protect vulnerable waterways, many rely on this single day of giving to sustain programs that serve thousands of Shore residents annually.

The Baltimore Sun reached out to several Eastern Shore nonprofits ahead of Giving Tuesday, asking what they most need this year and how readers can help. Their responses offer a snapshot of the pressures facing local organizations – and a guide for anyone looking to make a meaningful contribution close to home.

Life Crisis Center

The Life Crisis Center provides resources to help Lower Shore families stay safe and connected during crises.

“LCC administers multiple programs right here on the Lower Shore, including legal support and court accompaniment services to survivors of domestic violence. There is also an 18-bed safehouse open and available to domestic violence victims and their children,” Director Jerrona Smith said.

Other services include the Lower Shore CASA program, which recruits and trains citizens to advocate in court for abused and neglected children. LCC also serves as the primary 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline administrator across the Shore.

“Our 24/7 Services Team mans the hotline 24 hours a day, 365 days per year, filtering domestic violence, suicide, and resource support calls,” Smith said. “In addition, LCC employs a staff of licensed counselors that work with victims, children, and the community to explore therapeutic strategies towards recovery.”

More information: lifecrisiscenter.org or 410-749-0771

ACLU of Maryland

The ACLU of Maryland works to build a more just and equitable state through legal action, public policy advocacy and partnerships with directly impacted communities.

…

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NANTICOKE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Residents were evacuated Sunday night after smoke filled the halls of a Nanticoke nursing home.

28/22 News spoke with Nanticoke Fire Department Chief Mark Boncal, who confirmed crews were called to the Birchwood Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center on the 300 block of Middle Road in Nanticoke in response to a fire alarm at about 5:45 p.m. Sunday.

The Wright Township Fire Department, Kingston Fire Department, and the Nanticoke Police Department also responded to the incident.

After about 50 people were evacuated from the second floor, firefighters found that a belt seized up on the HVAC unit above the second-floor nurses’ station on the roof, according to Fire Chief Boncal.

Solomon Plains school temporarily closed, no virtual

Fire Chief Boncal says the residents on the first floor sheltered in place until the incident was resolved.

The unit was shut down by fire personnel, but Fire Chief Boncal says the rest of the building is still able to get heat from other units.

There was a light amount of smoke, which crews were able to remove from the building, and residents were allowed to go back in, Fire Chief Boncal explained.

Fire Chief Boncal added that no one was injured from the smoke, crews cleared the scene at just before 7:00 p.m., and there is no further investigation into the incident.

The building’s maintenance was on scene and contacted their HVAC representative to try to make repairs, according to Fire Chief Boncal.

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The Buffalo Bandits were interlocked with their arms draped over their teammates’ shoulders as they christened a third consecutive championship banner to the KeyBank Center rafters.  

Defensively in the second half, the Bandits played like a group ready to chase another trophy. 

Dhane Smith scored a team-high four goals with a game-high eight points, Josh Byrne tallied six points and the Bandits allowed just three goals in the second half en route to a season opening 15-11 win over the Georgia Swarm on Saturday at KeyBank Center.  

Buffalo’s second-half shutdown marked a shift in the game after they’d allowed eight goals in the opening half and trailed 9-8 early in the third period.  

The Bandits allowed just two goals over the final 29:15 and prevented Georgia from scoring for over 14 minutes from the 14:15 mark of the third quarter to the 14:22 mark of the fourth quarter. 

“Defensively, we’re a lot more stingy down there,” head coach John Tavares said. “Didn’t give them as many step-down shots that they had in the first half. [Shayne] Jackson was shooting the ball very well, and he did get one in the second half, but I thought we came out with a little pressure. We made a few adjustments and they seemed to work today.” 

A key piece to the Bandits’ second-half success was also predicated on playing better defensively in transition. Tavares said Buffalo allowed four transition goals in the first half and it became a focus for the final two quarters, which included eight created turnovers and 42 loose ball recoveries.  

The Bandits finished the game with 12 blocked shots, 13 created turnovers and 80 loose ball recoveries. Buffalo held Georgia to 1-for-5 on power-play opportunities including two killed penalties in the fourth quarter.  

Bandits goaltender Matt Vinc shined in the second half with 11 of his 32 saves coming in the fourth quarter. His performance proved pivotal as the Bandits dressed eight defensive players instead of their traditional nine. 

Smith – who along with captain Steve Priolo was joined…

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The closed Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge project is moving out of a technical scoping phase and advancing toward the start of preliminary engineering work, according to the latest Luzerne County update on the project.

The county owns the closed Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge over the Susquehanna River and closed the bridge in March. In August, PennDOT approved Modjeski and Masters Inc., the county council’s selection, as the design firm responsible for determining how to repair, reconstruct or replace the bridge.

The county went through PennDOT’s process to select a design firm, which allows the county to receive $10 million in federal project funding through the state Transportation Improvement Program.

Modjeski and Masters re-submitted a scope and fee plan after receiving comments from PennDOT, Luzerne County and the Federal Highway Administration, the county said in the latest project update on Wednesday. Representatives from the county, PennDOT and the FHA will review the revised information and provide final comments, and that process could take a few weeks.

“If there are no additional comments, the next step in this lengthy process will be to fully execute the agreement between Luzerne County and Modjeski and Masters,” the county said in a news release. “Once the agreement is signed, the first task is for preliminary engineering work to begin. Regular meetings are held between all parties to ensure that this project moves forward in a timely manner.”

On March 20, County Manager Romilda Crocamo closed the bridge after engineers conducting a scheduled routine bridge inspection determined that advanced deterioration and section loss of primary, load-carrying components were critical deficiencies.

The bridge, built in 1914, links Nanticoke City to the West Nanticoke section of Plymouth Twp. The distance between the West Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge and the next-closest bridge over the river, the Route 29 bridge connecting Hanover Twp….

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Transfiguration of Our Lord Christmas fundraiser: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays, Nov. 29 and Dec. 6. Church hall of Transfiguration of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church, 240 Center St., Nanticoke. Food sale; church-made pierogis with butter and onions, clam chowder, haluski, whimpies, potato pancakes, etc., to eat in or take out. Also, gently used Christmas trees, lights, ornaments, toys, furniture, garland, blankets, holiday kitchen ware, books, coats, tablecloths, curtains, candles, cards and more for sale. Basket raffle tickets, $5 for 11 chances.

Hunters breakfast at Glen Lyon Legion: RSVP as early as possible; event 3 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 30. American Legion Post 539 Hall, 62 Newport St., Glen Lyon. Cost is $15 per person; includes scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, bacon and sausage, buttered biscuits, sausage gravy and baked goods, catered by TND Deserts and More. Call 570-592-4251 for reservations.

Newport Twp. Christmas tree lighting: 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 30. Wanamie Municipal Building. There will be children’s crafts, cookies, hot chocolate and caroling; food trucks available. Santa will arrive on fire truck and he will listen to the children’s Christmas wishes.

West Side Playground bi-monthly bingo: Doors open at 5 p.m.; games begin at 6 p.m. Every first and third Tuesday of the month; next bingo Dec. 2. Association’s hall, 389 W. Grand St., Nanticoke. Two magic numbers. Food, refreshments and door prizes. Non-smoking. Call 570-905-0524 for information.

American Legion bingo: Doors open at 6 p.m.; games start at 7 p.m. Second Wednesday of every month; next bingo Dec. 10. American Legion Post 350, 23 W. Broad St., Nanticoke. Kitchen open 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Food distribution: Newport Twp. Community Organization and the Weinberg Regional Food Bank conduct a monthly food distribution. An outdoor, drive-through distribution takes place from 11 a.m. to noon on the…

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Tunkhannock’s Mackenzie Gregory gets past Lackawanna Trail’s Hannah Phillips during a game on Wednesday, Dec. 11.

More steps forward, that’s what the Tunkhannock Lady Tigers are hoping for in their 2025-26 campaign.

After a 9-14 record last season, the Lady Tigers come into this season still very young, but not short on varsity experience as many seniors have seen the court early on in their careers. Although Tunkhannock has a smaller team than in year’s past, head coach Dan Williams said this is a hard working group of girls who are eager to get better every day.

“These girls have developed a lot of cohesion,” Williams said. “This year we’re planning to play in a way that we’re able to get almost everyone individual time which I think is going to strengthen the unit. The girls have been working really hard, doing a great job and enjoying each other.”

Among the returning players with varsity experience are senior Olivia Williams who will enter her third year as the starting point guard. She provided a steady hand as a ball handler and defender last season, and is looking to become a better all-around player and leader this season.

“I’m trying to be more aggressive and score and drive a little bit more,” Olivia Williams said. “I’ve been playing a long time with these girls and know them all very well. We all love each other so the team chemistry has been very good so far.”

Sophomore Elizabeth Moore will lead the Lady Tigers in the low post. She got her feet wet as a freshmen last year, and really showed some promise as a reserve to leading scorer Lourianna Alston. She’ll…

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