How did your Happiness is a McDonald’s has favorite new burgers athletes fare? therapy puppy for your belly SPORTS, 1B Caring canines provide comfort, HEALTH, 1C BUSINESS, 7B THE TIMES LEADER WILKES-BARRE, PA timesleader.com TuESdAy, MAy 14, 2013 50¢ President Sterling demo date edges closer rips IRS City gets final funding LEARN MORE about $400,000 from the U.S. cation from HUD for removal of ed.” Department of Housing and blighted properties. The former hotel, located on needed to raze dilapidated Information on the demolition Urban Development that is the “We are nearing the final the northeast corner of North building by early summer. project can be obtained from the targeting Office of Community Develop- final piece of funding needed to stages of this demolition,” River and West Market streets, ment at 570-208-4135 or www. cover demolition. The city will Mayor Tom Leighton said in a was condemned in 1998 and By STEVE MOCARSKY wilkes-barre.pa.us. advertise for demolition bids prepared statement. “This has became a target of vandals. Its [email protected] this week, city Municipal Af- been a top priority since the worsened condition after 2011 WILKES-BARRE — De- ous eyesore, should begin by fairs Manager Drew McLaugh- flooding of 2011. We all look flooding led the city to close of groups molition of the historic Hotel lin said. forward to the day when the half of Market Street and a lane late June to mid-July, the city Sterling, once a grand city has announced. The funding is a portion of public safety threat has been of River Street in September landmark that has fallen into the city’s annual Community addressed and the detour in He calls new GOP criticism of The city on Monday re- disrepair and become a danger- ceived an official release of Development Block Grant allo- downtown Wilkes-Barre is lift- administration’s handling of See STERLING, Page 10A Benghazi attacks a “sideshow.” By JULIE PACE W-B AREA SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER SWORN IN White House Correspondent County WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Monday called reports that the Internal Revenue Service targeted con- servative groups “outrageous” is urged and said anyone responsible should be held accountable. He pushed to probe back strongly against fresh Republican criticism of the administra- the LCTA Obama tion’s handling of last year’s Councilwoman wants Council to deadly Benghazi attacks, calling use authority to look into panel it a political “sideshow.” The president was dogged by due to suit, ridership declines. the persisting political contro- versies as he tended to diplo- By JENNIFER LEARN-ANDES matic duties during a visit with [email protected] British Prime Minister David Luzerne County Council- Cameron. woman Linda McClosky Houck Obama acknowledged that wants council to use its home people are properly concerned rule subpoena and investigative about acknowledgements from powers for the first time to ex- the IRS that conservative politi- amine county transportation au- cal groups were targeted during thority opera- the 2012 campaign to see if they tions. were violating their tax-exempt McClosky status. But he angrily dismissed Houck said she continued questions over Sep- is making the tember’s insurgent attack in request largely Libya that killed Ambassador because of Chris Stevens and three other PETE G. WILCOX/THE TIMES LEADER authority bus Americans. uzerne County Judge William Amesbury congratulates the Rev. Shawn Walker after Walker was sworn in as ridership de- McClosky “There’s no there there,” L a member of the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board on Monday at the school district’s Administration Building. clines and new Houck Obama said. “The fact that this Walker, the board’s first African American, replaces former board member Robert Corcoran. For the story, see information about the case of an authority keeps on getting churned up, Page 2A. frankly, has a whole lot to do employee with a pending sexual with political motivations.” harassment suit. Cameron and Obama had a A Times Leader article pub- meeting in the Oval Office be- lished Saturday said the Forty fore appearing before the media Hit-and-run victim’s son wants driver to come forward Fort woman who filed the suit in the East Room of the White was sexually assaulted and physically attacked in January House to take questions. Man says his mom, Jean, who HOW yOu CAN HELP The two leaders said they had by a man who entered her home discussed several pressing inter- died Sunday, was “the best Chief Frank Mudlock urges claiming he worked for a gas anyone with information about national issues, including the person you could ever meet.” utility company investigating a this case is to call Jenkins Town- gas leak. She said the man told Mideast peace process, trade ship police at 654-1281, or dial and preparations for a coming By BILL O’BOYLE 911 if you want an immediate her, “You have a big mouth, keep summit of the world’s leading [email protected] response. it shut and stop the lawsuit,” ac- cording to a search warrant af- industrial nations in Northern JENKINS TWP. — The son fidavit. Ireland. They said they were of Sunday’s hit-and-run victim his mother was, he or she Police and the District Attor- committed to working together said he holds no animosity to- would turn themselves in im- ney’s Office are investigating the to keep pressure on Syria’s Presi- ward the driver of the vehicle mediately. assault and seeking the suspect. dent Bashar Assad and assist the who fatally injured his mother “My mom was the best The woman filed a civil suit, opposition in a protracted civil shortly after she attended person you could ever meet,” which is pending in federal war. Cameron said, “There is no church, but he wants that per- Darsky said while standing court, against the authority, au- son to come forward to clear in the backyard of the home See OBAMA, Page 10A thority Supervisor Robb Hen- his or her conscience. he shared with his mother. derson and Executive Director Mark Darsky, 36, son of “Right now, I’m just remem- Stanley Strelish in October al- 65-year-old Jean Darsky, who INSIDE bering all the great times I leging she was sexually harassed was struck late Sunday after- A NEWS: Local 3A had with her. I cherish our on the job. noon in front of her home at Nation & World: 5A time together. ” CLARK VAN ORDEN/THE TIMES LEADER McClosky Houck said the in- 302 Westminster Road home, Obituaries: 6A, 7A Jenkins Township police Mark Darsky can’t help but shed a tear while talking about formation in the recent article said Monday that if the driver Editorials: 9A his mother, Jean, who was killed Sunday in a hit-and-run in was “disturbing,” and she is also knew what kind of a person Weather: 10A See VICTIM, Page 10A front of her home on Westminster Road in Jenkins Township. concerned about a “significant drop” in bus riders. While coun- B SPORTS: 1B cil may not be privy to details B BUSINESS: 7B about the police investigation Stocks: 7B Man prevents robbery suspect from leaving Wilkes-Barre store and the pending litigation, she Comics: 8B wants authority board members Cops say Charlie Grace filed. with evidence, theft and crimi- suspect, identified as Thomas, to explain what they know and how they manage the staff. C HEALTH: 1C halted man from fleeing Quik Christo- nal mischief. from leaving. Birthdays: 5C pher Thom- According to the criminal Customer Charlie Grace The county budgeted Television: 6C Food Mart on Main Street. as, 25, of complaint: told police he saw Thomas, $572,000 in funding to the au- Crossword/Horoscope: 7C West Maple Ghanshyam Majmundar wearing a ski mask and gloves, thority this year, and council ap- By EDWARD LEWIS Street, Wil- called police just after 11 a.m. pacing outside the store. points authority board members D CLASSIFIED: 1D [email protected] kes-Barre, saying a robbery suspect was Grace said he told Thomas as their terms expire. “I think we have a right to talk WILKES-BARRE — A cus- Thomas was ar- being detained by a customer he could not go into the store tomer stopped a masked man raigned Mon- inside the convenience store. wearing a ski mask. to them about what they know from leaving the store after a day by District Judge Joseph When police pulled into Grace followed Thomas and do not know and how they robbery at Quick Food Mart Halesey in Hanover Township the parking lot, they spotted into the store, where Thomas discipline employees. The board on North Main Street on on two counts of robbery and a vehicle that was up against 6 0 9 8 1 5 1 0 0 1 1 Sunday, according to charges one count each of tampering the front door, preventing the See PREVENT, Page 10A See LCTA, Page 10A PAGE 2A TuESDAy, MAy 14, 2013 timesleader.com www.timesleader.com TIMES LEADER Joyce Brothers dead at 85 DETAILS She advised America on love, LOTTERY marriage and child-rearing MIDDAY DRAWING and tackled taboo subjects. DAILY NUMBER - 6-2-6 BIG 4 - 3-2-0-1 By ULA ILNYTZKY Associated Press QUINTO - 1-8-3-3-2 Joyce Brothers, the pop psy- TREASURE HUNT chologist who pioneered the 03-05-17-19-22 television advice show in the NIGHTLY DRAWING 1950s and enjoyed a long and DAILY NUMBER - 0-9-8 prolific career as a syndicated BIG 4 - 2-4-2-4 columnist, author, and televi- QUINTO - 5-9-2-2-2 PETE G.