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Our Opinion: Wilkes-Barre honors former police chief with ‘promotion’ to parade marshal

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Interest in Jan Lewan documentary led to screenplay and upcoming movie

WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Another Wilkes-Barre Area School District teacher is under investigation for an alcohol-related incident, Solicitor Ray Wendolowski confirmed Friday.Wendolowski said a &#8220;Loudermill hearing,&#8221; required by law prior to taking disciplinary action, will likely be held for the teacher on Monday or Tuesday.Wendolowski declined to give details or a name, but sources confirmed the incident centers on alleged drinking before or during a district basketball game Wednesday night. Sources also said the teacher was later stopped by city police and faces possible DUI charges.While Wendolowski would not provide a name, Wilkes-Barre police did post a notice on the department Facebook page about possible DUI charges against Christopher Gray following an accident on Reliance Drive late Wednesday night.Gray is listed in state records as a teacher at Dodson Elementary School as of 2014-15, the latest year of available data.According to police, officers responded to a motor vehicle crash shortly before 11 p.m. They suspected Gray, 30, of DUI and took him for a blood alcohol content test. Charges are still pending.According to state records, Gray was first certified as an emergency day-to-day substitute teacher in September 2009. He received his Level I certification for teaching kindergarten through sixth grade in June 1, 2010, two months before his emergency certification would have expired. Level I certifications are good for six years, and must be converted to Level II by taking more college credit courses or the certification lapses.According to Times Leader archives, Gray was hired as a teacher at the Nov. 16, 2011, school board meeting.The investigation comes two weeks <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/517284/several-teachers-suspended-without-pay-at-gar-memorial-high-school" target="_blank">after news broke that five GAR teachers had been suspended with pay</a> following an alleged incident involving alcohol at a junior high dance. Sources say the five, <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/518037/suspended-gar-teachers-relatively-new-to-the-job" target="_blank">most relatively new to the profession</a>, had either drank before chaperoning the dance or drank at the dance.All five could face termination under a clause in their teacher contracts. They are entitled to individual hearings before the school board.<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Mark Guydishmguydish@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish</shirttailMeta></div>

Another W-B Area teacher under investigation for alcohol incident, DUI