CMYK TODAY’S $ $ Astory of glory Smile, you’re on DEAL 100 ONLY@ for Rory the Click page FOR 50 McIlroy captures U.S. Open Church’s 2nd century, Relay DAILY in record-breaking fashion. for Life, Meadows Market DEPA AL! NE SPORTS, 1B CLICK, 1C Sign up now at nepadailydeals.com The Times Leader292442 WILKES-BARRE, PA timesleader.com MONDAY,JUNE 20,2011 50¢ AID TO HOMELESS RIVERFEST 2011 UGI: Rates for gas constant BILL TARUTIS/FOR THE TIMES LEADER Michael Smith washes a glass, achore he welcomes because Company spokesmen say he is in his own kitchen in his natural gas is a local fuel that own apartment. is better for the country. Aplace By ANDREW M. SEDER [email protected] The combination of increased natural gas supplies and high electricity and oil prices are to call keeping rates for UGI gas cus- tomers in check and should for years to come, according to company officials. his own During a recent stop at The Times Leader, UGI spokesman Joe Swope, business develop- BILL TARUTIS PHOTOS/FOR THE TIMES LEADER ment director at last Drummer Patty Hughes of Wilkes-Barre leads the City of Wilkes-Barre team dragon boat River on Sunday morning. Don Brominski There are and vice presi- 59,340 UGI dent of market- Local man escapes ing Allen West- Penn Natural homelessness after more than brook touted Gas custom- Dragon boats, ahoy! natural gas and ers in Luzerne 2years thanks to program. said the more County. reserves are found in the By JENNIFER LEARN-ANDES United States, the better it is for [email protected] Inaugural Kayaking the country and natural gas cus- Michael Smith still needs liv- tomers. ing room furniture and doesn’t event makes ahaul for “Not only is natural gas a do- have much cabinet space in his mestic fuel, it’s a local fuel,” one-bedroom Kingston apart- abig splash outfitters Brominski said, alluding to the ment, but it’s Marcellus Shale formation that “It brings paradise to By SARA POKORNY By SARA POKORNY some estimate could supply him. [email protected] [email protected] enough natural gas to power the tears to “It brings WILKES-BARRE -- Yesterday, WILKES-BARRE -- Every nation over the next century. my eyes tears to my eyes apirate lost her pants, a woman year, RiverFest gives the local That formation stretches from almost to have bedecked in rubber duckies led community a chance to enjoy New York state south and south- almost to my own place ateam to victory, and a geisha all the Susquehanna River has west into Pennsylvania, Ohio, have my again. I am so and her crew, to offer. One of the biggest at- Maryland, Virginia and West own place happy, so satis- INSIDE: See which includ- tractions of the event is the Riv- Virginia. Northeast Pennsylva- fied,” said the more photos on ed Wilkes- Rescue workers assist a member of the City of Wilkes-Barre er Sojourns, trips in kayaks and nia counties where drilling is again.” 62-year-old. Page 6A. Barre Mayor dragon boat team to the west shore of the Susquehanna River canoes down the waterway. taking place include Wyoming, Smith’s emo- Tom Leighton, after their boat capsized in the river. “When we first started River- Susquehanna, Bradford, Tioga Michael Smith of Kingston tion comes found themselves taking a dip in Fest we did one, on that Satur- and Lycoming. from more than the mighty Susquehanna. boats, two teams at a time, for12 rial Bridge. Each team kept time day,” John Mayday, board two years of It was an all-around good day races. The boats were provided while rowing by the guidance of member and a RiverFest coor- Plenty of natural gas homelessness. for the participants of the first- by 22 Dragons, a company adrummer at the helm of the dinator said. “It’s grown to He said so much gas has hit He was able to get his own place ever dragon boat races at River- based in Quebec, Canada, and ship and a professional dragon three trips and this year I think the market thanks to the drill- in November, thanks largely to a Fest. were raced from Market Street ing in the Marcellus Shale that grant Luzerne County govern- Eight teams of 20 manned the Bridge to the Veterans Memo- SeeDRAGON, Page 12A SeeKAYAKS,Page 12A there’s been a “pushback” on ment received to move chronical- the gas that’s taken out of the ly homeless people into perma- Gulf of Mexico and piped north- nent housing. east. The program, known as Shel- “We’re going to be swimming ter Plus Care, is designed to pro- States look to Net taxes to fill budget gaps in natural gas here in the United vide long-term housing and sup- States,” Westbrook said. portive services for hard-to-reach “Oil is extremely affected by homeless people with disabilities Web retailers are required to collect ducing health care services, but there is one But collecting those taxes from major on- what happens in the Middle or ongoing problems with drugs sales tax only when selling in a state place they could get $23 billion if they could line retailers is difficult. East. Natural gas is not,” Bro- and/or alcohol, according to the only agree how to do it: Internet retailers Internet retailers are required to collect minski added. federal government, which pro- where they have a presence. such as Amazon.com. sales tax only when they sell to customers Brominski said that as oil and vided the $370,140 in funding to That’s enough to pay for the salaries of living in a state where they have a physical electric prices have climbed, the county. more than 46,000 teachers, according to the presence, such as a store or office. When they have caused customers Smith’s monthly rent is $500, By CHRIS TOMLINSON U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In Califor- consumers order from out-of-state retailers, who rely on electric and oil heat and the county program pays Associated Press nia, the amount of uncollected taxes from they are required under state law to pay the to convert to natural gas to heat AUSTIN, Texas — State governments Amazon sales alone is roughly the same tax. But it’s difficult to enforce and rarely homes and businesses. That ex- SeePROGRAM, Page 12A across the country are laying off teachers, amount cut from child welfare services in closing public libraries and parks, and re- the current state budget. SeeBUDGET, Page 12A SeeUGI, Page 12A INSIDE ANEWS: Obituaries 2A, 10A downtown Wilkes-Barre this Thursday would be squealing >> A ‘RUFF’ DAY ON THE JOB: With the week- Local 3A THINGS “wee, wee, wee” with delight all the way home. Why? end’s siren song calling you to Saturday, working on a Nation & World 5A No, pork hasn’t been outlawed. It’s the opening day of Friday can be a trying experience. This Friday, though, the Farmers Market and any discriminating piggy can Editorials 11A you can have your furry best friend help you get YOU NEED find him or herself some tasty eats on Public through the day. It’s “Take Your Dog to Work Day.” So BSPORTS: NASCAR 7B Square. “Fido,” “Rover,” “J . Edgar Hoover” or whatever you name Weather 8B TO KNOW your dog can help you do your paperwork, file those >> GARY NUMAN’S FAVORITE MO- reports or chew the boss’s expensive leather shoes. CCLICK: 1C VIE: Pixar Studios is Hollywood’s new Community News 2C, 4C 5THIS WEEK gold standard as far as quality moviemak- >> ALL’S FAIR: What would summer be Birthdays 3C ing in concerned. The animation without carnival rides, cotton candy, Television 6C studio’s latest offering is a sequel funnel cakes, clowns and farm ani- Crossword/Horoscope 7C >> SUMMER’S LEASE BEGINS: The American to the 2006 hit “Cars.” The new mals? Well, it would be a lot less author/philosopher Sam Keen once said “Deep summer flick, opening this Friday, is the Comics 8C messy, but a lot less fun also. The is when laziness finds respectability.” Which is a good aptly named, “Cars 2.” You can very first fair of the summer DCLASSIFIED: 1D life lesson for this time of year, because summer official- follow the continuing adventur- comes our way this week when ly begins this week. That means, as of 1:16 p.m. Tuesday, es of Lightning McQueen and The Northeast Fair puts down you can dive head first into the big ol’ swimmin’ hole of Mater at a theater near you. stakes at the fairgrounds off Route laziness and come out dripping wet with respect. You can follow the extensive 315 in Pittston Town- marketing of the same charac- ship. The fun starts >> IF YOU GROW IT, THEY WILL COME: If ters just about everywhere on Tuesday and little piggies could actually go to a market (and not as a else. runs until Sun- main course), then a piggy lucky enough to find itself in 6 0981510011 day. K PAGE 2A MONDAY, JUNE 20,2011T➛ timesleader.com HE TIMES LEADER www.timesleader.com Rosella T. Savakinas MASS FOR PROTECTORS DETAILS June 18, 2011 LOTTERY osella T. Savakinas, 89, of Pitt- R ston, passed away Saturday, June18, 2011, at Wesley Village, Jen- MIDDAY DRAWING kins Township. DAILY NUMBER – 0-2-3 Born in Pittston, September 7, BIG 4 – 0-7-2-3 1921, she was a daughter of the late Joseph and Agnes Skechus Kirtik- QUINTO – 1-9-7-2-4 lis.