Royals fall to USMMA

web1_TTL090215DrumCorps_3.jpg

The revived Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Skyliners drum corps continues 50-year legacy

First Posted: 3/4/2012 <hl2 class="subhead" style="subhead">More jail time for Simonson</hl2>
Michael Simonson, who is serving a life sentence in the 2009 beating death of Plymouth resident Donald Skiff, had 20 to 49 years added to that sentence Monday in Lackawanna County Court.
Simonson, 35, of Plains Township, had pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, having taken turns beating Skiff, then 34, with Elvis Aaron Riccardi, 34, of Wilkes-Barre, on April 27, 2009.
Simonson's attorney, Bernie Brown, said Simonson was sentenced to an additional 10 to 20 years for the attempted voluntary manslaughter of Nicholas Pinto, a prisoner he attacked in Lackawanna County Prison in 2010.
Simonson also was sentenced to an additional three to seven years on escape charges and a combined six to 20 years on robbery, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment charges and another year for fleeing and eluding police for his escape from the Lackawanna County Prison on Sept. 28, 2011.
<hl2 class="subhead" style="subhead">Cordaro in NY federal prison</hl2>
Former Lackawanna County commissioner Robert Cordaro has been transferred to a federal prison in southeastern New York to serve his 11-year prison sentence on corruption charges.
Cordaro, 50, is now at the Federal Corretional Institution in Otisville, a medium security facility located about 70 miles from New York City.
Cordaro was sentenced in January for his conviction on 18 charges, including racketeering, bribery, extortion, money laundering and tax evasion. Prosecutors said Cordaro and former fellow commissioner A.J. Munchak used their positions to extort money from companies that did business with the county.
Munchak, 65, was sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in the scheme. He is scheduled to report to start serving his sentence on April 3.
Cordaro filed notice an appeal of his conviction with the Third Circuit Court on Monday. Munchak appealed his conviction to the court in mid-February.

NEWS BRIEFS