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US overdose deaths fell 27% last year but remain above prepandemic levels

22 hours ago | standardspeaker.com | Mike Stobbe |Geoff Mulvihill

By MIKE STOBBE and GEOFF MULVIHILL, Associated PressThere were 30,000 fewer U.S. drug overdose deaths in 2024 than the year before — the largest one-year decline ever recorded. An estimated 80,000 people died from overdoses last year, according to provisional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data released Wednesday. That’s down 27% from the 110,000 in 2023. The CDC has been collecting comparable data for 45 years.
Penn State doing well financially even as it considers closing campuses

5 days ago | standardspeaker.com | Kent Jackson

Penn State University has healthy finances even as its leaders consider whether to close campuses later this month to erase a deficit in the education and general fund budget. With an annual budget of nearly $10 billion, the university had income of $516 million, and its assets increased in value by $1 billion to $20.7 billion, according to the most recent audit from November.
Freeland lifts water boil advisory

5 days ago | standardspeaker.com | Kent Jackson

Freeland Municipal Authority lifted a water boil advisory that had been in effect for the 800 and 900 blocks of North Street and Laurel Street and for blocks of 900 through 1100 on Chestnut Street.
Man accused of killing, burning woman in Hazleton awaits extradition

5 days ago | standardspeaker.com | Kent Jackson

A man charged with killing a woman and burning her body in Hazleton is incarcerated in Westchester County, New York and awaiting extradition to Luzerne County. Terence Leroy Ray appeared briefly in Westchester County Court on Friday before his case was adjourned until next week so he could weigh extradition, the Journal News of White Plains, New York reported.
Black Creek enacts long-discussed zoning overhaul

5 days ago | standardspeaker.com | Kent Jackson

BLACK CREEK TWP. — While looking at a revised zoning ordinance of 215 pages, Denise Davis noticed that contractor’s storage lots and concentrated animal feeding operations would be permitted in conservation and agricultural areas. “Are they compatible?” Davis asked. Kyle Maylath said he had seen a total zoning revision do a disservice to coworkers who live in another township. “If a hog farm or data center comes in, it affects these people. I don’t want to see that happen to my home,” he said.
Luzerne County controller weighs in on Fairview Twp. tax collector free

5 days ago | standardspeaker.com | Pat Rushton

Luzerne County Controller Walter Griffith told Fairview Twp. supervisors at their meeting on May 6 that a resolution approved at their April 1 meeting, which increased the fee for property tax certification from $10 to $25, was not legal and should be rescinded. Griffith cited Title 72 Section 36.1 of the Tax Collector Law, which he pointed out does not allow any governing body to change the rate of compensation for a tax collector after Feb. 15 during a municipal election year.
D2 SINGLES TENNIS: Defending 3A champion Mallaiah and top-seeded Velaga in 2A reach semifinals

6 days ago | standardspeaker.com | Joby Fawcett

Abington Heights senior Praneel Mallaiah, the defending champion, advanced to his fourth straight Class 3A semifinal round, while Scranton Prep’s Akhilesh Velaga remained undefeated in Class 2A to also advance to the semifinals after the first day at the District 2 Singles Championships. The semifinals start on Friday at noon, with the finals to follow at Birchwood Racquet Club.
Pope Leo XIV, first American pope, is a Villanova graduate

6 days ago | standardspeaker.com | John Misinco

Robert Prevost has become the first American pope elected in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church and has taken the name of Leo XIV. Prevost, a native of Chicago who spent his career ministering in Peru and leads the Vatican’s powerful office of bishops, is a graduate of Villanova University near Philadelphia. Prevost earned his degree from Villanova in 1977. He was named a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023, which the university touted in a story on its website. This is a developing story.
Former Rep. Cabell is new rural director for Pennsylvania

6 days ago | standardspeaker.com | Kent Jackson

Former State Rep. Michael Cabell of Butler Twp. is the new director of Rural Development for Pennsylvania, a federal agency that in the past 12 years provided $10.6 billion to the state for home loans, business assistance and development of community facilities such as hospitals, day care and libraries. Cabell said he was honored to become part of Rural Development.
H.S. TRACK: Blue Mountain strikes gold for another year at Schuylkill League meet

1 week ago | standardspeaker.com | Quinn Burkitt

MAHANOY CITY — The confetti fell for the second consecutive season on Blue Mountain’s boys and girls track teams as they struck gold at the annual Schuylkill League track and field meet Wednesday at Mahanoy Area High School. School and meet records were broken and Schuylkill League athletes got one step closer to qualifying for the PIAA State Championship next month. Next up, the District 11 Track and Field Championship awaits next Tuesday and Wednesday at Whitehall High School.