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Around town: Helping turn NEPA pink for breast cancer awareness

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Their view: In a season of fundraisers, this one is our favorite

<p>NEWPORT TWP. &#8212; State officials have scheduled a public hearing on plans to close the State Correctional Institute at Retreat.</p><p>The hearing is set for 7 p.m. Oct. 17 in the auditorium at Greater Nanticoke Area Senior High School, 425 Kosciuszko St., Nanticoke.</p><p>According to a state Department of Corrections (DOC) legal notice published in the Times Leader, the hearing &#8220;will be provide information and allow public comment on the potential closure.&#8221;</p><p>The notice added that more detailed information regarding panel members and format of the hearing will be communicated on the DOC&#8217;s website at <a href="https://www.cor.pa.gov/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.cor.pa.gov</a>. Such information did not yet appear to be on the site Saturday afternoon.</p><p><a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/753856/sci-retreat-again-targeted-for-closure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Plans to close SCI-Retreat were announced last </a><a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/753856/sci-retreat-again-targeted-for-closure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">month</a>. Unlike 2017, when SCI-Retreat was among five state prisons Gov. Tom Wolf was eyeing for closure &#8212; <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/628673/officials-state-prisons-in-northeastern-pennsylvania-to-remain-open" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">only SCI-Pittsburgh was chosen</a> &#8212; Retreat is the only facility being targeted.</p><p>The Newport Township facility has 384 full-time employees and nearly 1,100 inmates, <a href="https://www.cor.pa.gov/Facilities/StatePrisons/Pages/Retreat.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">according to the DOC </a><a href="https://www.cor.pa.gov/Facilities/StatePrisons/Pages/Retreat.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a>.</p><p>The proposed closure is expected to save taxpayers $20 million this fiscal year and $40 million next fiscal year, <a href="https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/corrections_details.aspx?newsid=429" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DOC officials have </a><a href="https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/corrections_details.aspx?newsid=429" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said</a>, and is necessary due to the $140 million Fiscal Year 2019-2020 budget deficit.</p><p>DOC officials said every SCI-Retreat employee will be offered a position at another DOC facility, of which there are six within 65 miles.</p><p><a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/753909/nepa-lawmakers-vow-to-fight-sci-retreat-closure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lawmakers representing the region have vowed to fight the </a><a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/753909/nepa-lawmakers-vow-to-fight-sci-retreat-closure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">closure</a>, pointing out that shutting down SCI-Retreat comes as the Wolf administration separately has proposed to close the White Haven State Center, a residential facility for people with intellectual disabilities.</p><p>State Sen. John Yudichak, D-Plymouth Township, together with state Sens. Lisa Baker, R-Lehman Township, John Gordner, R-Berwick, and state Reps. Gerald Mullery, D-Newport Township, and Tarah Toohil, R-Butler Township, have spoken out against the state&#8217;s plans.</p><p>&#8220;If both White Haven Center and SCI-Retreat close, it will mean a loss of 840 total jobs and a direct economic impact loss of $105 million,&#8221; Yudichak said last month. &#8220;This constitutes a significant impact on the families connected to both facilities and on the region.&#8221;</p><p>One way in which the lawmakers and others can formally raise their concerns is at the upcoming hearing, which is required under Act 133 of 2018. Passed in the wake of the proposed 2017 cuts, that requires the DOC to hold a public hearing to justify the closure of a state corrections facility.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Governor Tom Wolf has called for the closure of SCI-Retreat, whose entrance is seen here last month. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_TTL082819SCI-Retreat1-2-1-3.jpg</photo0><caption0>Governor Tom Wolf has called for the closure of SCI-Retreat, whose entrance is seen here last month. </caption0><photoCredit0>Times Leader file photo </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Roger DuPuis</p><p>rdupuis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Pa. DOC sets hearing on SCI-Retreat closure