CMYK Life imitates Nittany Lions ’Death’ locally to hire O’Brien? Area troupe doing Miller Sources say Patriots’ offensive play ’Death of a Salesman’ coordinator set to take job $ VOUCHER $ the GUIDE, INSIDE SPORTS, 1B 20 FOR ONLY 10 731892 The Times Leader WILKES-BARRE, PA timesleader.com FRIDAY,JANUARY6,2012 50¢ ‘KIDS FOR CASH’ $17.75 million settlement would release Mericle from lawsuits REDISTRICTING SPORTS SHOWCASE Senator to Juvie operator fights deal file appeal By TERRIE MORGAN-BESECKER INSIDE: State ends oversight of Luzerne County court system, 10A [email protected] Attorneys for juveniles want Powell, juvie centers held liable, 10A of redrawn An attorney for juvenile de- tention center operator PA Child Care and related entities plaintiffs over others. appear at 9 a.m. today before has filed a court motion oppos- Schneider also raises con- U.S. District Judge A. Richard districts ing the proposed $17.75 mil- cerns that some attorneys have Caputo, who will review the lion settlement of the “kids for Mericle aconflict of interest that would settlement to determine if it cash” lawsuits reached with es- allow them to unfairly seek a should be approved. Minority Leader Jay Costa tate developer Robert Mericle. sons why the settlement larger cut of the settlement for The settlement, reached last says maps drawn based on In a legal brief filed late should be rejected, including juveniles they personally rep- month, would release Mericle Wednesday, attorney Bernard claims that the agreement un- resented. political advantage. NHL Schneider cites numerous rea- fairly favors certain juvenile Attorneys are scheduled to SeeJUVIE, Page 10A FLYERS 5 By ANDREW M. SEDER BLACKHAWKS 4 [email protected] HARRISBURG – The man who Remembering local missing woman cast the only vote opposing a RANGERS 3 state reapportionment commis- PANTHERS 2 sion’s recommended state legis- lative maps now says he will file an appeal to the state Supreme MAPLE LEAFS 4 Court asking adoption of the maps be overturned. JETS 0 And at least one local senator says he will join in. COLLEGE State Senate Minority Leader BASKETBALL Jay Costa, D-Forest Hills, Allegh- eny County, PENN STATE 65 said the maps PURDUE 45 were drawn based on politi- cal advantage INDIANA 73 rather than what’s in the MICHIGAN 71 best interest of residents. The “We must commission, MANUSKY FIRED tasked by law follow The San Diego Chargers with redrawing what the fired defensive coor- the boundaries dinator Greg Manusky of for the state’s 50 state Con- Dallas after just one year Senate and 203 stitution on the House seats, job on was made up of dictates, Thursday the leaders in and that is and both the House to keep replaced and Senate and him by asenior Superi- counties promot- or Court judge, and munic- ing line- who is a Repub- Manusky backers lican, giving the ipalities coach GOP a 3-2 edge whole un- John Pagano. The shak- on the panel. eout came four days “We have se- less abso- after the Chargers fin- rious concerns lutely nec- ished 8-8 and out of the about the redis- playoffs for the second tricting proc- essary.” straight year. Sports, 1B CLARK VAN ORDEN/THE TIMES LEADER ess. The goal of Sen. Jay Costa Phylicia Edwards, niece of Phylicia Thomas, who has been missing for eight years, and other family members spent maintaining Minority leader Thursday outside the Luzerne County Courthouse carrying signs to remind the public and the new district attorney one-person, that the case is unsolved. See story, Page 3A. one-vote was INSIDE clearly not a priority. Political ANEWS: Local 3A gain was the priority. We must Nation & World 5A follow what the state Constitu- Birthdays 8A tion dictates, and that is to keep Obituaries 2A, 7A counties and municipalities Editorial 9A whole unless absolutely neces- BSPORTS: Scoreboard 2B Gas to flow in Dallas Twp. pipeline sary. They can’t be sliced and Business 7B diced to help candidates win re- CCLASSIFIED: Funnies 12C election. The voters deserve bet- Williams Field Services’ gathering line the Lathrop Compressor to de- ter,” Costa said. THE GUIDE could go active as soon as today. liver gas extracted from wells Sen. John Yudichak, D-Ply- Movies/TV to the Williams-owned Tran- mouth Township, said he will Entertainment sco interstate pipeline, which lend his name and support to the Crossword By SARAH HITE runs through the township. appeal and he expects most, if [email protected] AWilliams official delivered not all, of his Democratic col- WEATHER DALLAS TWP. – Construction is set to letters describing the compa- leagues in the Senate to do the Aidan Martin wrap up and natural gas could be flowing ny’s plans to nearby residents and the Dallas same. Partly sunny. through Williams Field Services’ pipeline in School District on Wednesday. He said he’s aware such an ap- High 43. Low 26. Dallas Township as soon as today, Williams The letter, written by operations manager peal “is an uphill battle” but said Details, Page 8B officials said Wednesday. of the Appalachian Basin area Mike Dickin- it’s the right thing to do for all The company began construction of the constituents. BILL TARUTIS/FOR THE TIMES LEADER 33.5-mile gathering line last summer. The SeePIPELINE, Page 4A Costa cast the lone dissenting Amarker for a Williams transcontinental pipeline begins in Springville Township, natural gas pipeline in Kingston Township. Susquehanna Township, and runs through INSIDE: Residents upset by lack of notice, 4A SeeAPPEAL, Page 10A Republican presi- Finish in Iowa caucuses puts spotlight on Santorum dential candidate Rick Santorum speaks at a cam- Area political observers ing off, or that it cuses on Tuesday. last man standing as so- paign town hall assess former Pa. has begun its ap- Brian Carso, as- cial/evangelical conserva- Thursday in proach to land at 2012 sistant professor tives embraced and then re- Northfield, N.H. senator’s chances. the end of his ELECTION of history and pre- jected other GOP candi- The former Penn- quest for the Re- law program di- dates. sylvania senator publican presiden- rector at Miser- “The combination of old- finished a very By BILL O’BOYLE tial nomination. icordia Universi- fashioned, hand-shaking, close second to [email protected] Santorum, a former U.S. ty, said Santorum’s sudden baby-kissing campaigning Mitt Romney in WILKES-BARRE – De- senator and House mem- surge is a result of two and a big dose of luck this week’s Iowa caucuses. pending on whom you’re ber from Pennsylvania, fin- things: He put all his eggs worked for him in Iowa,” talking to, Rick Santorum’s ished eight votes behind in the Iowa basket by cam- Carso said. “But I think Io- 6 0981510011 top-tier finish in Iowa could former Massachusetts Gov. paigning in all 99 counties; mean his campaign is tak- Mitt Romney in Iowa’s cau- and he was lucky to be the SeeSANTORUM, Page 10A AP PHOTO K PAGE 2A FRIDAY, JANUARY6,2012 ➛ timesleader.com THE TIMES LEADER www.timesleader.com Police allege Charles was POLICE BLOTTER found on casino property at 12:10 a.m. Thursday, several DETAILS WILKES-BARRE – City weeks after he was ordered by Man charged with robbery police continue to investigate adistrict judge not to go onto astabbing Wednesday at a casino property, according to LOTTERY residence on Coal Street. the criminal complaint. Police allege Joshua James rectional Facility for lack of 22. Piekanski was under the im- MIDDAY DRAWING Detective Brent Sevison on Police said in the complaint Watkins, 25, of Kingston, took $10,000 bail. pression they were going to a DAILY NUMBER 0-4-5 Thursday said police are wait- they found a syringe on Char- Watkins also is facing trial on pool hall in Edwardsville and ing to have a longer interview les. money, cellphone from friend. burglary-related charges alleging Watkins turned onto a dirt road BIG FOUR 0-8-6-3 with the victim. Charles was jailed at the he entered a house on Hughes claiming it was a short cut. QUINTO 0-2-2-3-4 Aman who was taken into Luzerne County Correctional Street, Swoyersville, and was Piekanski said Watkins stop- TREASURE HUNT custody Wednesday was re- Facility for lack of $1,000 bail. By EDWARD LEWIS confronted by a homeowner ped the car, got out and walked to 02-10-11-14-17 [email protected] leased, said Sevison. Apreliminary hearing is while stealing jewelry on Jan. 3, the passenger side door and The name of the male vic- scheduled on Tuesday before LARKSVILLE – William Pie- 2011. Watkins is also facing trial opened it. He then allegedly NIGHTLY DRAWING tim and the man who was District Judge Diana Malast. kanski told police he thought on a theft charge in which King- punched Piekanski in the head DAILY NUMBER 2-5-0 released were not available, Joshua James Watkins was his ston police alleged he siphoned several times, and Piekanski told BIG FOUR 0-8-2-9 said Sevison. WILKES-BARRE – City friend. gasoline from a vehicle near Mar- police he believed Watkins aimed The stabbing occurred at police reported the following: That was until Watkins, 25, QUINTO 9-9-6-4-5 ket Street on Jan. 11, 2011 and a agun at him while demanding 243 Coal St. shortly 4 p.m. •Officers responded to a drove Piekanski to a dirt road and CASH FIVE and the victim was located a bomb threat at the Pennsylva- allegedly robbed him of money receiving stolen property charge money. 21-27-33-39-40 short time later with multiple nia Department of Labor and and a cellphone.