Sarah Scinto

1 week ago | wvia.org | Sarah Scinto

Think about some beach day essentials. That list probably includes things like sunscreen, an umbrella, a comfortable chair, snacks and drinks. My list also always includes a book. As soon as summer rolls around, I look forward to sitting on the beach in the sunshine, listening to the crash of the waves and immersing myself in a good story. Most of the time, when I look up from whatever my beach read of the summer might be, I spot plenty of other beachy bookworms doing the same.

1 week ago | wvia.org | Sarah Scinto

Roller skating, music and more as Juneteenth celebrated in ScrantonJuneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. On Thursday, people of all ages celebrated the holiday while a DJ spun jams at the Black Scranton Project’s Center for Arts and Culture. NEPA PrideFest coming to Wilkes-BarreWVIA's Haley O'Brien has the details on NEPA PrideFest, hosted by the Rainbow Alliance, in this week's Haley's Happy Hour.

1 week ago | wvia.org | Sarah Scinto

Local shelters struggle with record surrenders, less animals enter shelters nationwideLocal shelters in Northeast Pennsylvania say they can't keep up with surrenders, animal cruelty, medical cases and strays. Animal caretakers blame rising veterinary costs. Father and daughter coroner duo helps Lycoming County families at their worst momentsChuck Kiessling became Lycoming County coroner in 2000. He never expected his daughter, Kate Kiessling, to work at his side.

1 week ago | wvia.org | Sarah Scinto

Family planning funding on pause for Pennsylvania providers as HHS conducts compliance reviewsThe Trump administration froze funding for a federal program that provides reproductive healthcare. Locally, Maternal and Family Health Services, or MFHS, received less than half of the federal funding it budgeted. Carbon County residents report odors from tire burning at cryptomining plantNesquehoning residents say they can smell burning tires from the Panther Creek Electric Generating Facility.

1 week ago | wvia.org | Sarah Scinto

Keystone Mission will close its Innovation Centers in Wilkes-Barre and Scranton according to the organization’s interim director. "With the economy being the way it is right now, donations have dropped drastically," Interim Executive Director Justin Behrens said Tuesday. "We had to make tough decisions, and so the board voted on the closure of those two buildings."The two buildings are the Scranton Innovation Center for Homelessness and Poverty at 12 W.