web1_TTL100516WestPittston3.jpg

West Pittston Borough Council appoints 3 new members

web1_TTL100516RoshHash20.jpg

Jewish faithful celebrate Rosh Hashana

<p>WILKES-BARRE TWP. &#8212; In a case of &#8220;he said&#8221; versus &#8220;he said&#8221; former Wilkes-Barre Township fire chief John Yuknavich and the new chief Richard Hart have court dates next month on separate harassment complaints against each other arising from an alleged shouting match during the cleanup of the Giant&#8217;s Despair Hill Climb last summer.</p><p>Yuknavich, 52, was issued a non-traffic citation for allegedly harassing Richard Hart, 39, on July 10. Yuknavich countered with a private complaint against Hart. They have back-to-back hearings on Nov. 3 before District Judge Joseph Spagnuolo Jr. in Plains Township.</p><p>The citation against Yuknavich said that he &#8220;intentionally harassed, annoyed and alarmed (Hart) verbally by making threatening comments repeatedly which had no purpose.&#8221;</p><p>But Yuknavich disputed Hart&#8217;s account of the events, saying nobody came to hear his side.</p><p>Yuknavich said members of the township fire department went to East Northampton Street after the hill climb to take down the tent they set up to sell food that weekend. He said he was across the border on the Laurel Run side and heard someone yelling, &#8220;There&#8217;s the crook.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m here what are you going to do about it,&#8221; Yuknavich said he responded.</p><p>Yuknavich pleaded guilty in 2014 to federal theft charges related to his role as chief of the volunteer department. He served six months in prison and was released in August 2015. He has been serving three years probation.</p><p>In his complaint, Yuknavich alleged Hart made false statements about him carrying a gun while riding on an all-terrain vehicle and threatening others.</p><p>Yuknavich said he was on his ATV earlier in the day but went home and later came up in his pickup truck.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m on federal probation. My guns are gone,&#8221; Yuknavich said.</p><p>He added that he&#8217;s hired an attorney and subpoenaed the Luzerne 911 radio broadcasts to support his case.</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_TTL092614Yuknavichmug.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Yuknavich </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_TTL092614Yuknavichmug.jpg</photo0><caption0>Yuknavich </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Wilkes-Barre Twp. Fire chief and former chief dueling over dual harassment claims