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Luzerne County readies for assessment of new power plant in Salem Township

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WVC football: Old Forge routs Holy Redeemer

<p>LUZERNE &#8212; Borough Police Chief Michael Kotwasinski can often be seen walking the streets of Luzerne, working to prevent crime and ensuring the safety of the community.</p><p>Saturday&#8217;s borough fall festival again found Kotwasinski walking the streets. But this time he was with a tiny pug, dressed in a striped prison uniform, complete with a hat.</p><p>&#8220;His name is Reuben and he&#8217;s entered in the pet-costume contest,&#8221; said Kotwasinski, laughing. &#8220;He was arrested for theft of treats.&#8221;</p><p>Kotwasinski said the festival, in its 23rd year, was a great opportunity for law enforcement to get to know residents of the community and to bring out local merchants.</p><p>&#8220;There are several officers here,&#8221; the chief said. &#8220;As well as ensuring safety, we&#8217;re getting to know people in a fun environment.&#8221;</p><p>Indeed, the festival, sponsored by the merchants&#8217; association, brought food, music and fun to the borough&#8217;s Main Street, with moderate temperatures which many said were an improvement over last year&#8217;s heat.</p><p>When asked about her favorite part of the festival, Lily Bankes, 10, couldn&#8217;t pick just one thing.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a festival. What&#8217;s not to love at a festival?&#8221; she said.</p><p>As Bankes passed a music area featuring hits from the &#8216;60s and &#8216;70s, she began dancing.</p><p>&#8220;Our family comes back every year,&#8221; she said.</p><p>&#8220;Sharkey&#8221; from Gem 104, who was providing the hits from past decades, said many people took time to dance for a few minutes when they recognized a song or realized for the first time that they liked the Oldies.</p><p>&#8220;People seem to be really having fun,&#8221; he said</p><p><strong>Books, crafts, and no rain</strong></p><p>For young book lovers, Cassandra Lennox was signing her new book, &#8220;Mama Kangaroo, Nursery Rhymes for Modern Times.&#8221;</p><p>Lennox, who is from Luzerne, said although she has done multiple book signings, doing one in her hometown was especially enjoyable.</p><p>Flo Harris, Harveys Lake, took advantage of the opportunity. She had Lennox sign books for her three grandchildren.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s nice to have a chance to get the books signed,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It&#8217;s a family friendly festival.&#8221;</p><p>Young art lovers at the festival had the opportunity to craft a pumpkin, complete with a face, in anticipation of Halloween.</p><p>Connor Dymond, 7, Dallas, chose a cat theme for his pumpkin, with yellow eyes and black whiskers he carefully placed and re-placed until he was pleased with the feline face.</p><p>His mother, Courtney Keezer, said the family attends every year as a way of welcoming autumn.</p><p>Garry Wojciechowski, from Michael&#8217;s Farm Market, said the business was doing very well at the festival, with corn, tomatoes and peaches being favorites.</p><p>Although he was hoping for a bit more sunshine on a mostly overcast day, he was happy that any rain stayed away.</p><p>&#8220;We were keeping our fingers crossed,&#8221; he said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Luzerne Police Chief Michael Kotwasinski walked the streets of the borough&#8217;s fall festival Saturday with a tiny pug named Reuben, who was arrested for &#8216;theft of treats.&#8217; The dog was dressed as a prisoner for a pet-costume contest. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_cop.jpg</photo0><caption0>Luzerne Police Chief Michael Kotwasinski walked the streets of the borough&#8217;s fall festival Saturday with a tiny pug named Reuben, who was arrested for &#8216;theft of treats.&#8217; The dog was dressed as a prisoner for a pet-costume contest. </caption0><photoCredit0>Submitted photo </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_cop2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Reuben the pug </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_cop2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Reuben the pug </caption1><photoCredit1>Submitted photo </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL091618LuzerneFallFestival2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Zachary Ziomek, 3, of East Stroudsburg, draws with colored chalk on Luzerne&#8217;s Main Street during the Luzerne Fall Festival. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL091618LuzerneFallFestival2.jpg</photo2><caption2>Zachary Ziomek, 3, of East Stroudsburg, draws with colored chalk on Luzerne&#8217;s Main Street during the Luzerne Fall Festival. </caption2><photoCredit2>Sean McKeag | For Times Leader  </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL091618LuzerneFallFestival3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Sophie Williams, 5, of Swoyersville, is carried by her grandfather during the Luzerne Fall Festival. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL091618LuzerneFallFestival3.jpg</photo3><caption3>Sophie Williams, 5, of Swoyersville, is carried by her grandfather during the Luzerne Fall Festival. </caption3><photoCredit3>Sean McKeag | For Times Leader  </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL091618LuzerneFallFestival4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Kernel Moonie&#8217;s Gourmet Popcorn Shoppe serves popcorn from a stand during Saturday&#8217;s Luzerne Fall Festival. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL091618LuzerneFallFestival4.jpg</photo4><caption4>Kernel Moonie&#8217;s Gourmet Popcorn Shoppe serves popcorn from a stand during Saturday&#8217;s Luzerne Fall Festival. </caption4><photoCredit4>Sean McKeag | For Times Leader  </photoCredit4></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL091618LuzerneFallFestival1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Jonathan Healey, 12, and his sister, Madison, 8, both of Luzerne, compete in a game in a bounce house during the Luzerne Fall Festival on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo5>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL091618LuzerneFallFestival1.jpg</photo5><caption5>Jonathan Healey, 12, and his sister, Madison, 8, both of Luzerne, compete in a game in a bounce house during the Luzerne Fall Festival on Saturday. </caption5><photoCredit5>Sean McKeag | For Times Leader  </photoCredit5></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Geri Gibbons</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div>

Luzerne Fall Festival welcomes autumn with community spirit