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Hazleton mayor touts decreasing crime, development in State of City address

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Police Blotter

In case you haven&#8217;t heard or have been living under a rock or something, we are in for more than a little winter weather this weekend.That is, of course, only if our friendly neighborhood meteorologists are correct.If they are, a winter storm will move into the region and dump 8 to 12 inches of snow along with a mix of sleet and freezing rain beginning Saturday morning and lasting into late Sunday afternoon.As the storm moves away, an arctic blast of cold air will settle into the region, resulting in blowing snow and wind chills of minus 15 to minus 20 degrees.That&#8217;s all on top of the 1 to 3 inches of snow that was expected to fall Thursday evening into Friday.Rest assured by the time you read this, nearly every grocery store in Luzerne County will be sold out of bread and milk. (Why is it always bread and milk that fly off the shelves? We would opt for a few other items if we were going to be stranded at home for a few days.)Of course, there&#8217;s more to being safe during winter weather than making sure your pantry is stocked with the essentials.Be sure to take a few simple precautions to make sure this weekend&#8217;s storm doesn&#8217;t turn into a personal tragedy.If you have to venture outside, the American Red Cross offers these simple tips to follow:&#8226; Wear layered clothing, mittens or gloves, and a hat. Outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent.&#8226; Cover your mouth to protect your lungs from severely cold air. Avoid taking deep breaths; minimize talking.&#8226; Keep dry. Change wet clothing frequently to prevent a loss of body heat.&#8226; Stretch before you go out. If you go out to shovel snow, do a few stretching exercises to warm up your body.&#8226; Avoid overexertion, such as shoveling heavy snow, pushing a vehicle, or walking in deep snow. The strain from the cold and the hard labor may cause a heart attack. Sweating could lead to a chill and hypothermia.&#8226; Walk carefully on snowy, icy sidewalks.&#8226; If you must go out during a winter storm, use public transportation if possible.And if you have to drive, the AAA offers these tips to remain safe:&#8226; Avoid driving while you&#8217;re fatigued. Getting the proper amount of rest before taking on winter weather reduces driving risks.&#8226; Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.&#8226; Make certain your tires are properly inflated.&#8226; Never mix radial tires with other tire types.&#8226; Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze-up.&#8226; If possible, avoid using your parking brake in cold, rainy and snowy weather.&#8226; Do not use cruise control when driving on any slippery surface (wet, ice, sand).&#8226; Always look and steer where you want to go.&#8226; Use your seat belt every time you get into your vehicle.Of course, the best safety precaution during any winter storm is to just stay inside. After all Netflix was invented for a reason.&#8211; Times Leader<style>
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<div class="neCaption">John Walski uses a snowblower to clear the lot at the Westmoreland Club in Wilkes-Barre during November&#8217;s snowstorm. There has been no significant accumulation of snow in the area for the last two months, but that&#8217;s about to change. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_TTL111718snow1.jpg</photo0><caption0>John Walski uses a snowblower to clear the lot at the Westmoreland Club in Wilkes-Barre during November&#8217;s snowstorm. There has been no significant accumulation of snow in the area for the last two months, but that&#8217;s about to change. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div></div>

Our View: Get ready for Old Man Winter’s best punch