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Wilkes-Barre man pleads not guilty to charges he hacked former Mayor Tom Leighton’s emails

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Several Luzerne County tax breaks expiring this year

WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A grant of nearly $1.2 million &#8212; most if it recurring annually &#8212; will let Luzerne County Head Start nearly double the hours in the pre-school program for about 160 children, Executive Director Lynn Biga said.The Federal Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday that about $290 million will go to 665 Head Start and Early Head Start programs for what Biga called &#8220;duration&#8221; programs &#8212; expansion of both the hours each a day a child gets in the classroom, and the number of days each the year.Of the $1.19 million coming to the local head start, Biga said $375,000 is a one-time grant that will go toward improving classroom space necessary for the expansion.While the money does not create any new slots for children, more classroom space and teachers will be needed because the recurring money &#8212; about $815,000 &#8212; will allow Head Start to increase hours each day for current students from about four hours to five and a half, and to increase days per week during the school year from four to five.That means morning and afternoon classes currently using the same space for different students will have to expand into other rooms, yet to be found, Biga said.All told, the money will help head start nearly double the hours per year for about 160 students ages three and four, from 532 hours of service to 1,020.&#8220;Research says children who attend high-quality programs for a longer time during the day and for more days have better outcomes,&#8221; Biga said.&#8220;It really is a boost in what we will be able to do,&#8221; she added. &#8220;We&#8217;re excited for the opportunities for the children.&#8221;<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>

$1.2 million grant will nearly double service for Head Start pre-schoolers