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Nuremberg Community Players award scholarship to Audrey Grace Glickert

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Roundtable discussion seeks ways to prevent veteran suicides

<p>NANTICOKE &#8212; After Wednesday&#8217;s shocking news that the State Correctional Institute at Retreat was once again being targeted for closure, state lawmakers based in our area called a press conference to assure the community that they&#8217;ll be fighting to keep the prison and the jobs it provides for locals.</p><p>State Sens. John Yudichak, D-Plymouth Township; Lisa Baker, R-Lehman Township; and John Gordner, R-Berwick, gathered in Yudichak&#8217;s Nanticoke office on Thursday afternoon, along with members of the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association (PSCOA), the labor union that represents corrections officers around the commonwealth.</p><p>Their combined message was obvious: they would do everything they can to keep SCI-Retreat open.</p><p>Yudichak opened the conference on a somber note, reminding reporters it was only recently they gathered in the same room to celebrate a victory in keeping SCI-Retreat open.</p><p>&#8220;Two years ago, we gathered at this table, many of the same folks you see here today, and we celebrated the fact that no prison in Northeastern Pennsylvania (would close),&#8221; he said. &#8220;That was a great day for Northeastern Pennsylvania.&#8221;</p><p>Now, though, Yudichak said this part of the state was &#8220;dealt a great blow&#8221; by the announcement of the planned closure &#8212; especially considering the planned closure of the White Haven State Center.</p><p>&#8220;When you look at the economic impact, it&#8217;s over $100 million in economic losses to Luzerne County,&#8221; Yudichak said. &#8220;It&#8217;s almost 800 jobs that are being ripped out of Luzerne County.&#8221;</p><p>Larry Blackwater, president of PSCOA, said that the economic downturn Yudichak forewarns against would begin immediately with the families of those employed by SCI-Retreat.</p><p>&#8220;We don&#8217;t believe you can put a price tag on public safety,&#8221; Blackwater said, going on to say local economies have felt dire consequences as a result of other state prison closures around Pennsylvania.</p><p>The one thing in their favor, the senators said, is the recently enacted Act 133 of 2018, which requires the Department of Corrections hold public hearings to justify the closure, which Yudichak said he believes is coming as a result of political interest groups who want to close state prisons, and not actually a budgetary issue.</p><p>Additionally, while she was not there, State Rep. Tarah Toohil, R-Butler Township, also issued a statement condemning the proposal.</p><p>&#8220;Just like two years ago when SCI Retreat was threatened, I will join with my legislative colleagues to mount a campaign to convince the governor and DOC that closing the facility would be a serious mistake with severe economic consequences,&#8221; Toohil wrote in her statement.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Mark Truszkowski eastern VP of the PSCOA, Larry Blackwell President of PSCOA, Senator John Yudichak, Senator Lisa Baker, Senator John Gordner and Hank McNair executive VP of Pennsylvania PSCOA speak at a press conference on the closure of SCI Retreat. Aimee Dilger|Times Leader </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_TTL083019prison-meeting1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Mark Truszkowski eastern VP of the PSCOA, Larry Blackwell President of PSCOA, Senator John Yudichak, Senator Lisa Baker, Senator John Gordner and Hank McNair executive VP of Pennsylvania PSCOA speak at a press conference on the closure of SCI Retreat. Aimee Dilger|Times Leader </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_TTL083019prison-meeting2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Mark Truszkowski eastern VP of the Pennsylvania State Corections Officers Assoc., Larry Blackwell President of PSCOA, Senator John Yudichak, Senator Lisa Baker, Senator John Gordner and Hank McNair executive VP of PSCOA speak at a press conference on the closure of SCI Retreat. Aimee Dilger|Times Leader </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_TTL083019prison-meeting2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Mark Truszkowski eastern VP of the Pennsylvania State Corections Officers Assoc., Larry Blackwell President of PSCOA, Senator John Yudichak, Senator Lisa Baker, Senator John Gordner and Hank McNair executive VP of PSCOA speak at a press conference on the closure of SCI Retreat. Aimee Dilger|Times Leader </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_TTL083019prison-meeting3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Larry Blackwell, president of the Pennsylvania State Corections Officers Association, speaks about the effects of closing the State Correctional Institute at Retreat. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_TTL083019prison-meeting3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Larry Blackwell, president of the Pennsylvania State Corections Officers Association, speaks about the effects of closing the State Correctional Institute at Retreat. </caption2><photoCredit2>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_TTL083019prison-meeting4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">State Sen. John Yudichak, left, speaks at a press conference Thursday about state plans to close State Correctional Institute at Retreat. Listening are state Sens. Lisa Baker and John Gordner. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_TTL083019prison-meeting4.jpg</photo3><caption3>State Sen. John Yudichak, left, speaks at a press conference Thursday about state plans to close State Correctional Institute at Retreat. Listening are state Sens. Lisa Baker and John Gordner. </caption3><photoCredit3>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit3></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Yudichak, Baker and Gordner join forces to condemn Retreat closure</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Patrick Kernan</p><p>pkernan@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @PatKernan</p></shirttailMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><videoMeta><p><table style="border:none;width:98%;" class="mceItemTable"><tbody><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">VideoID:</td><td id="videoid" style="width:50em;font-size:90%;"> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KQzlnHUl8E">6KQzlnHUl8E</a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">VideoType:</td><td id="videotype" style="font-size:90%;"> YouTube</td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">URL:</td><td id="url" style="font-size:90%;"> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KQzlnHUl8E">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KQzlnHUl8E</a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">Video Embed String:</td><td id="videoembedstring" style="font-size:90%;"> </td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">Video Caption:</td><td id="videocaption" style="font-size:90%;"> </td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">Video Credit:</td><td id="videocredit" style="font-size:90%;"> </td></tr><tr><td style="font-weight:bold;font-size:100%;vertical-align:top;text-align:right;border:none;">Video Position:</td><td id="videoposition" style="font-size:90%;"> </td></tr></tbody></table></p><p style="margin-top:10px;font-size:70%;color:#555;">(use the &#8220;for files&#8230;&#8221; link above to associate attached files with this source)</p></videoMeta></div>