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Ashley Fire Department seeking child who sent note of encouragement

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Luzerne County ethics complaints pending

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; While the Wolf Administration has made it clear that no testimony will reverse the decision to close the White Haven Center, proponents to keep it open refuse to go down without a battle.</p><p>Tom Kashatus of Glen Lyon, parent of a White Haven Center resident, alerted other parents, caregivers, elected officials and the public about two upcoming meetings scheduled to hear what all have to say about the decision.</p><p>&#8226; The White Haven Center Board of Trustees will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 28, at 4:45 p.m. in the Administration Building of White Haven Center. There will be a brief closed meeting at the beginning. and then the meeting will be conducted in an open forum.</p><p>&#8226; The Department of Health and Human Services&#8217; Office of Developmental Programs will hold a public meeting on Thursday, Sept. 12, at 5 p.m. in Saint Patrick&#8217;s Church, White Haven.</p><p>Last Wednesday, state Department of Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller announced the closure of the White Haven State Center in Luzerne County and Polk State Center in Venango County.</p><p>Rep.Gerald Mullery, D-Newport Township, said he will attend all hearings regarding the planned closure of White Haven Center despite the Administration&#8217;s position that it will not reverse its decision to close the 112-resident home.</p><p>&#8220;Moreover, I have personally invited Gov. Wolf to visit the White Haven Center to meet face-to-face with the residents, their families, the caregivers and the entire White Haven community,&#8221; Mullery said.</p><p>Mullery said he remains hopeful that the Administration will reconsider the decision to close the center.</p><p>&#8220;We plan on presenting the best case possible to whomever presides over the scheduled hearing,&#8221; Mullery said. &#8220;I am urging everyone who wants their voice heard to register to testify, or to submit formal remarks for the record.&#8221;</p><p>Mullery said he has been contacted by civic leaders, colleagues in government, current and past employees of the White Haven Center, business and industry representatives, and religious leaders in the community who have joined in one voice in support of keeping the center&#8217;s doors open.</p><p>&#8220;But, nothing had prepared me for the stories of concerned family members from within and outside my district,&#8221; Mullery said. &#8220;Their voices have been the most impactful and should be those first heard on Sept. 12.&#8221;</p><p>Rep. Tarah Toohil, R-Butler Township, and Sen. John Yudichak, D-Plymouth Township, said they will be at the Sept. 12 meeting.</p><p>&#8220;The outlook is bleak as the Governor&#8217;s Office and DHS are saying that this is not a &#8216;proposal for a closure&#8217; as it has been in prior years and that this, in fact, will be a closure,&#8221; Toohil said. &#8220;The most positive thing that could happen would be for governor to order a reversal of this decision.&#8221;</p><p>Toohil also said that she is working to move the meeting starting time to the evening to better accommodate families.</p><p>Yudichak said he plans to detail the negative impact that a closure will have on the people served at the center, the workers at the center, and to the community of White Haven.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_retreat03CMYK-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Yudichak </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_retreat03CMYK-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Yudichak </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_Tarah-Toohil-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Toohil </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_Tarah-Toohil-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Toohil </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_Jerry-Mullery-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Mullery </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_Jerry-Mullery-1.jpg</photo2><caption2>Mullery </caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

White Haven meeting set for Wednesday