Pennsylvania
In his first year as governor, Josh Shapiro forged alliances with the natural gas industry, angering environmentalists who once supported him
In his remarks, Shapiro emphasized the need for the government to hold powerful oil and gas companies to account. “We can’t rely on big corporations to police themselves,” he said. “After all, they report to their investors and their shareholders. That’s their job. It’s the government’s job to set and enforce the ground rules that protect the public interest. And through multiple administrations, they failed to do that.”
Three years later, and nearly a year into his first term as Pennsylvania’s Democratic governor, Shapiro announced a “first-of-its-kind collaboration on environmental monitoring and chemical disclosures” with CNX Resources, a natural gas company, that the administration said would “advance commonsense measures to defend public health and safety.” The deal is predicated on CNX’s willingness to be “radically transparent” with the public about its own operations.
For some activists in Pennsylvania, Shapiro’s embrace of CNX is indicative of the distance between the governor’s policies on climate and the environment in his first year in office and the priorities he pursued as attorney general. From a working group on the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, whose members and agenda were kept secret for months, to the governor’s unequivocal support for building hydrogen hubs, even if they use natural gas, environmentalists who were once optimistic about Shapiro’s election are disappointed.
The governor’s 2024 budget address, delivered on Tuesday in Harrisburg, did little to dispel their concerns. There were few mentions of climate change or the environment, and the administration’s new 10-year strategic economic development plan, called “Pennsylvania Gets It Done,” unveiled last week and highlighted in the speech, relies in part on leveraging Pennsylvania’s natural gas resources.
“It’s really like a Jekyll and Hyde thing since he was attorney general and governor,” said Shannon Smith, the executive director of FracTracker Alliance, a nonprofit based in Johnstown that uses data and mapping tools to analyze and track the impacts of exposure to oil and gas development. “If you compare the two, they’re not even the same person.”
At the time of the grand jury announcement, environmentalists voiced support for its report’s eight policy recommendations for the state government “to minimize the hazards arising from unconventional drilling.” According to the Center for Coalfield Justice, an environmental and public health nonprofit in Southwestern Pennsylvania, the investigation’s findings “validated” residents’ doubts about the claims made by fracking companies drilling near their homes and their skepticism about DEP’s willingness—and ability—to regulate the industry.
In November, some of those same advocates were dismayed when Shapiro announced the partnership with CNX Resources, a natural gas company that Shapiro had charged with violating the Air Pollution Control Act in 2021 when he was attorney general. As part of the deal, CNX would “voluntarily expand its no-drill zones” in Pennsylvania from 500 to 600 feet and to 2,500 feet near vulnerable sites like schools and hospitals. It would also conduct “intensive” air and water quality monitoring, disclose chemicals used in drilling and fracking to the public and provide access to two future wells so that DEP could study air emissions at the sites and “make it possible for communities to understand the facts about natural gas development.”
“In place of endless speculation and dueling rhetoric, CNX seeks to change this paradigm by open-sourcing facts, science, and data to all stakeholders and creating mutual trust which can serve as the basis for cooperation and real environmental and economic progress in the Commonwealth,” said Nick Deiuliis, CNX’s CEO.
The Shapiro administration has not responded to requests for comment for this article.
To advocates who have studied and monitored the impacts of fracking on public health and the environment in Pennsylvania for the past two decades, the announcement felt like “a slap in the face to communities suffering from years of drilling,” as the Center for Coalfield Justice put it.
“We have enough research already,” Smith said, including a $3 million, three-year study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh and contracted by the Pennsylvania Department of Health that looked at the effects of fracking on asthma, birth outcomes and childhood cancer in Pennsylvania. “That was just such an insulting thing,” she said, “for him to put out that press release announcing this, as if we’re all going to applaud him.”
A Better Future
The Shapiro administration’s relationship with CNX Resources began with its transition team, when the governor chose CNX Vice President Brian Aiello as part of the subcommittee on energy and continued with the RGGI working group, which was convened to discuss whether Pennsylvania should join the multi-state cooperative that uses a cap and invest model to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power generation. Zach Smith, CNX’s director of government relations, was a member of the working group.
Another member of the RGGI group, David Masur, the executive director of PennEnvironment, said that he saw value in the governor’s bipartisan approach to the group, which included representatives from labor interests, fossil fuel companies like Shell and CNX and environmental groups.
“Just by bringing us all together, it did build some affinity,” Masur said. He said that participating in the group had introduced him to people he’d never met. Even if they didn’t agree, it was helpful to form relationships with political opponents—to see them as real, approachable people rather than caricatures. “I think we need more of that in politics,” he said.
Shapiro’s thinking in putting together the RGGI group was reflective of his governing philosophy as a whole, Masur said. “He’s willing to have the uncomfortable conversations. He wants to bring divergent constituencies together to hash it out versus keeping people in their silos.”
To Masur, Shapiro is doing the best he can under difficult political circumstances. “He needs partnership with the legislature, and they don’t seem like they’re wanting to come to the table on much of anything,” Masur said.
While Democrats gained control of the House for the first time in more than a decade in 2023, Republicans still control the Senate, limiting Shapiro’s ability to tackle the ambitious climate goals he set as a candidate for Pennsylvania reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 and generating 30 percent of the state’s energy from renewable sources by 2030.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 3 percent of Pennsylvania’s electricity generation comes from renewable energy sources, putting the state at 45th in the country for that metric. A 2023 report from PennEnvironment ranked Pennsylvania as 50th for growth in renewable energy since 2013, lagging far behind states like Texas. Pennsylvania also ranked 50th for energy savings from efficiency improvements.
In his budget address, the governor said that his economic development plan’s focus on site redevelopment for businesses and start-ups would help with “combating climate change” by investing in clean energy. “I know there are bills to pass and work to do to combat climate change, but one of the most important things we can do right now is invest in our clean energy economy and the jobs it supports,” he said.
“He’s got his work cut out for him because sadly, we are in a world now where there’s more political value in being obstructionist than there is in compromising and making incremental change for the greater good,” Masur said.
Like the CNX partnership, the RGGI group angered environmentalists, who saw the inclusion of stakeholders from the oil and gas industry as dangerous capitulation rather than pragmatic politicking. In a letter to Shapiro about the group, 15 environmental organizations in Pennsylvania said that the administration was “offering the corporations who would be regulated by RGGI an additional chance to kill the program.”
The Shapiro administration recently appealed two court decisions that had ruled against Pennsylvania’s participation in RGGI, but the governor declined to fully endorse the program.
Shapiro’s support for hydrogen hubs—which also dates back to his campaign—is another worry for environmentalists, who view the approved projects in Pennsylvania as a way for gas companies to keep drilling, fracking and building pipelines. In October, the administration touted the two hydrogen projects coming to Pennsylvania as a “transformational federal investment” that would create thousands of jobs, “harness Pennsylvania’s position as an energy leader, and make the Commonwealth the center of a growing industry.”
Nicknamed ARCH2 and located in West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, and western Pennsylvania, the Appalachian Hydrogen Hub will rely on natural gas to make hydrogen, and CNX Resources is one of its project development partners. In 2023, CNX spent $790,000 on lobbying efforts, according to Open Secrets, and one of the debates that they hoped to influence concerns rules that will determine what kind of hydrogen projects qualify for tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act. The industry fears that proposed rules requiring that projects use renewable energy sources would “negatively impact” hydrogen hubs that use natural gas.
In a statement reviewing the governor’s first year in office, Dave Callahan, the president of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, a trade group for the natural gas industry that counts CNX among its members, was largely complimentary. He highlighted reform for DEP’s permitting process and “opportunities to expand natural gas transportation and use, particularly in manufacturing and emerging hydrogen economies” as two “areas of focus” for Shapiro as he begins his second year.
“Natural gas is fundamental to Pennsylvania’s economy and we appreciate the broad group of business, labor and bipartisan legislative leaders who continue to advocate for commonsense energy policies,” he said. “We remain committed to promoting a flexible regulatory environment that keeps Pennsylvania open for business.”
Energy is one of five priority sectors in the administration’s new economic development plan. The plan underscores Pennsylvania’s energy industry’s “competitive specializations” in natural gas and hydrogen as well as the state’s “wealth of natural resources” in oil and gas, petrochemical and coal manufacturing, and pipeline transportation.
The two hydrogen hubs, the plan says, are “poised to collectively receive $1.7 billion in federal infrastructure and workforce development investment and create over 40,000 family sustaining jobs.” The plan calls for combining the hydrogen hubs with Pennsylvania’s “vast natural gas reserves” and goals for renewable energy to “take an all-of-the-above approach to energy production.”
In January, PennFuture and Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania called the economic plan “a repackaging of the fossil fuel industry’s playbook in Pennsylvania” that relies on “dirty fossil fuels” and will lead to “an unstable boom-bust economy that harms our workers, our environment, and our quality of life.”
“We can do better,” the groups wrote. Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania endorsed Shapiro’s candidacy in April 2022.
No False Solutions PA, an alliance of environmentalists in Pennsylvania who aim to “educate and inform legislators and decision-makers about emerging technologies that claim to be solutions to the climate crisis,” is one of the groups concerned about the governor’s choice to champion hydrogen hubs.
“What we are seeing in Pennsylvania is a concerted effort from the oil and gas industry to maintain business as usual by coming up with new ways to continue to use fracked gas,” one of the authors of a new report from the group, Sandy Field, said in a press release in January. “The health and environment of Pennsylvanian communities have been sacrificed for energy production by the fossil fuel industry for 150 years. Pennsylvanians deserve a better future.”
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2026
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Top Events and Attractions in The Sweetest Place On Earth this month
Happy June! The summer season in Hershey, Pennsylvania, is in full swing with so many things to do all month long. Keep reading for some of our top picks.
1. Spend The Day at Hersheypark
Open Daily; Hours Vary
Hersheypark amusement park is now open daily for its 120th summer season, with special events and activations in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
The largest amusement park in Pennsylvania features three parks in one this summer – all accessible via a single admission. Guests can enjoy more than 70 rides, including the most coasters in the Northeast, a full water park and an 11-acre zoo.
2. Cool Off at The Boardwalk
Open Daily, Weather Permitting; Hours Vary
Make a splash this summer at The Boardwalk at Hersheypark water park! Enjoy thrill rides like the Whitecap Racer and Breaker’s Edge Water Coaster, or relax on the 1,360-foot Intercoastal Waterway lazy river. Plus, experience our two new water play areas, The Inlet and The Island at Bayside Pier, or get drenched by the massive East Coast Waterworks and its 1,000-gallon tipping bucket. Access to The Boardwalk is included with general Hersheypark admission.
3. Visit ZooAmerica
Open Daily; Hours Vary
ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park is open every day in June for guests to explore a variety of habitats filled with North American animals such as river otters, Canada lynx and a black bear. The zoo offers daily summer activities, such as special animal enrichment and training sessions for guests to watch, weather permitting.
Hersheypark tickets include entry to ZooAmerica only by accessing the Zoo through the bridge inside Hersheypark during posted Park hours. Those interested in visiting ZooAmerica in the morning before Hersheypark opens must purchase separate Zoo admission tickets online or at the Zoo Admissions Building.
4. Jazz On The Veranda at The Hotel Hershey
June 5 & 12; 7 to 10 p.m.
Unwind on the veranda at The Hotel Hershey on select Fridays this summer for live music, sweet views, cocktails and light shareables available for walk-up service. Seating is first-come, first-served.
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6. Learn About Milton Hershey at the 1893 World’s Fair at The Hershey Story Museum
June 13 & 14; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Step into the excitement and innovation of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair at The Hershey Story Museum! Discover how the historic event shaped Milton Hershey’s future and the future of chocolate during a two-day, immersive event. The family-friendly indoor-outdoor experience features hands-on activities and interactive “innovation stations” inspired by the groundbreaking inventions and technologies showcased at the original 1893 fair.
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7. Father’s Day Celebrations at Hershey Gardens
June 21; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Treat Dad to a stunning display of classic Rolls-Royces and Bentleys at Hershey Gardens while learning the history of these luxury vehicles from the Rolls-Royce Owners’ Club. Afterward, stroll through the grounds to enjoy 3,000 vibrant roses in full bloom just in time for the first day of summer. As a special gift, all dads receive free admission to the Gardens on Father’s Day, and the car display is included with general admission.
Butterfly Atrium at Hershey Gardens
8. Youth Takeover Day at The Hershey Story Museum
June 27; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Experience Hershey history through the eyes of the community’s youth on Youth Takeover day at The Hershey Story Museum. As part of this annual national event, local students will take center stage to highlight young voices, ideas and leadership within the museum. Guests are invited to engage in hands-on activities, explore the Museum Experience and gain fresh perspectives on our region’s past through the unique insights of our local participants. This special programming is included with general Museum Experience admission.
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9. Enjoy Outdoor Dining
Daily; Reservations Available at Selection Locations
As the weather gets warmer and the days get longer, join us for sweet outdoor dining (weather permitting) at the locations below across the destination:
10. Relax With A Summer Spa Treatment
Daily; Appointments Highly Encouraged
The Spa At The Hotel Hershey and MeltSpa by Hershey mark the return of their summer seasonal treatments this month! Treat yourself to a day of pampering at The Spa At The Hotel Hershey with summer spa packages like the Vacation For A Day Package or indulge in the Summer Strawberry Collection at MeltSpa by Hershey with treatments including the Summer Strawberry Immersion, Scrub, Manicure and Pedicure.
11. National Rose Month at Hershey Gardens
June is National Rose Month, and there’s no better place to celebrate than Hershey Gardens, home to 3,000 blooming roses in 115 stunning varieties. To mark the occasion, any guest named “Rose” (or a variation thereof) will receive free admission all month long.
Plus, in honor of National Red Rose Day, Hershey Gardens is hosting special 30-minute guided tours of the Historic Hershey Rose Garden on Saturday, June 13, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tours are included with general admission.
Roses at Hershey Gardens 2024
Roses at Hershey Gardens 2024
Roses at Hershey Gardens 2024
Roses at Hershey Gardens 2024
12. Book A Getaway at an Official Resort of Hersheypark
Extend your visit to The Sweetest Place On Earth with an overnight getaway to one of The Official Resorts of Hersheypark! Save with popular summer packages, including the guest-favorite Kids Stay, Play & Eat FREE Package – back for a limited time at The Hotel Hershey, Hershey Lodge and Hershey Inn & Suites. Or, celebrate National Camping Month with the Hersheypark Summer Camping Package, including Park tickets and accommodations at Hersheypark Camping Resort.
Resort guests can make a splash at the outdoor pool complexes, open daily through Labor Day. Plus, enjoy daily resort activities, including Hershey Character appearances, s’mores roasts, chocolate bingo and more.
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The Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame’s 42nd annual induction banquet will be held Sunday, June 7, at Mohegan Pennsylvania, where 10 new inductees will take their place among the region’s greatest athletes across all sports.
The inductees are: Bree Bednarski, Brianna Pizzano and Frank Redmond, graduates of Wyoming Area; Allie Barber, Pittston Area; Ed Keil, West Side Vocational-Technical School; Joseph Kemmerer, Crestwood; Karen Krysiewski Day, Wyoming Valley West; Addy Malatesta, Berwick Area; Bobby Sura, Wilkes-Barre GAR; and Eddie White, III, Bishop Hoban.
The hall will also present the following honors: Neil Corbett, founding member of The Citizens’ Voice and its longtime sports editor, will receive the Media Award; Mary Kelly, Hazleton Area’s winningest field hockey coach, will receive the Tracey Tribendis “Profile of Courage” Award; and Jeffrey Swire, co-founder and president of Patriots Cove, will receive the Sam Falcone Community Service Award.
Additionally, the hall will recognize this year’s scholar-athletes — Tucker Blasi of Sullivan County, Addisyn Bly of Wyalusing Valley, Joseph Mayernik of MMI Prep — and Evelyn Sheer of Hazleton Area, winner of the HERizon Award, presented to the most outstanding female wrestler in the Wyoming Valley Conference.
“The Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame has been busy in recent weeks presenting scholarships to graduating high school seniors, donating supplies and funds to community organizations and making all preparations that need to be in place for this year’s banquet,” said James T. Martin, Jr., president. “It promises to be a fun night of camaraderie and appreciation for some of the men and women who have greatly impacted local and national sports over the past few decades.”
Inductees
• Allie Barber
A Pittston native, Barber played a key role in major team successes in multiple sports in high school and college. She developed her athletic foundation at an early age through constant exposure to sports alongside her family.
Barber scored a Pittston Area record 159 career goals in soccer and was a 2013 Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association all-state selection. She also led the Patriots to the District 2 Class 3A championship. In basketball, she scored over 1,000 career points and won a district title. She also competed in track and field for three seasons at Pittston Area, which won a district title in that sport, as well.
Barber continued her soccer career at Bloomsburg University, where she appeared in every game, recorded 19 goals and 20 assists and started the final 59 consecutive contests of her career. She was part of teams that won a regular-season title, a conference championship, an Atlantic Regional title and made the Elite Eight. She also played one season of basketball.
While at Bloomsburg, Barber was named a United Soccer Coaches second-team All-American and a first-team Scholar All-American. She also earned the school’s Eleanor Wray Senior Female Athlete of the Year award.
• Bree Bednarski
One of the Wyoming Valley’s most accomplished multi-sport athletes, Bednarski established herself as one of the nation’s premier field hockey players while also excelling in softball and track and field.
Bednarski concluded her remarkable field hockey career at Wyoming Area with 127 goals and 37 assists, setting program records for goals in a game, season and career. Her 67-goal senior season in 2015 set a state record and earned her Wyoming Valley Conference Player of the Year honors from The Citizens’ Voice. She was also a three-time all-state selection and member of the U.S. U17 national team. Bednarski continued her collegiate career at the University of Michigan and Penn State.
In addition to her field hockey success, Bednarski was an all-state softball player and was named the Times Leader’s 2016 WVC Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year. In that postseason, she won four medals at the District 2 championships — gold in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and 4×100 relay and silver in the javelin.
As Bednarski’s playing career ended, her coaching career began. She was named Wyoming Area’s head field hockey coach in 2022 and has led her Alma mater to new heights, including multiple district and WVC championships.
• Ed Keil
Keil’s life in golf is a story of service and lasting impact, beginning at West Side Vocational-Technical School. Keil was a golf captain and team MVP at West Side Tech before serving in the U.S. Air Force, where he competed on the golf team at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
Returning home in 1978, Keil began working as the golf course superintendent at Lehman Golf Club and enrolled at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, where he obtained a degree in engineering while continuing to work.
Keil was named Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s head golf coach in 1988, beginning a historic career that has included 38 years at the helm with 51 tournament victories and eight conference championships. In 2025, he was named head golf coach at Penn State Hazleton while continuing his duties at Penn State Wilkes-Barre. Between the two programs, he has coached 137 all-conference or all-state golfers and 195 academic all-conference selections. He has also coached bowling at Penn State Wilkes-Barre.
Beyond coaching, Keil built a parallel legacy in golf operations and instruction as a superintendent and instructor. He has also won more than 100 individual and team tournaments as a golfer, including two club championships at Lehman Golf Club.
• Joseph Kemmerer
Kemmerer was introduced to wrestling at age 6 at the Wilkes-Barre YMCA. In addition to making lifelong friends at an early age, Kemmerer learned skills and techniques that set the foundation for a long and successful career in a sport that influenced virtually every aspect of his life in some way.
Kemmerer wrestled at Crestwood High School. As a senior, he went undefeated (38-0) and won the 2004 PIAA Class 3A state championship at 119 pounds. He also won three District 2 championships and graduated with a 102-7 record.
Following high school, Kemmerer first attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He was the Southern Conference champion at 125 pounds as a freshman. He transferred to Kutztown University, where he won two NCAA Division II national championships and compiled a 60-4 record. Kemmerer furthered his education at Liberty University, where he served as a graduate assistant coach while training and ultimately competing on an international stage.
Kemmerer remains involved in the sport. He runs a successful wrestling club — Nova Wrestling Club — that has won championships in folkstyle, freestyle and Greco-Roman.
• Karen Krysiewski Day
A standout swimmer at the high school and collegiate levels, Krysiewski Day’s competitive swimming career began at the Wilkes-Barre YMCA. Soon, she entered the USA swimming circuit with the newly formed FAST Swim Club and emerged as an elite distance swimmer.
After helping Wyoming Valley West win four consecutive District 2 girls swimming team championships — and graduating as the program record-holder in six events with four individual district gold medals as a senior — Krysiewski Day matriculated to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
At UNC, Krysiewski Day competed under legendary coach Frank Comfort and she transitioned into the grueling world of collegiate long-distance swimming. She remembers this as one of the most challenging and transformative periods of her life. She was a member of two ACC championship teams. She graduated in 1999, carrying into her professional life the discipline and integrated approach to wellness that she developed as a Tar Heel.
• Adelene Addy Malatesta
Malatesta has dedicated nearly five decades to education, coaching and athletic leadership, leaving a lasting impact on student-athletes at Wilkes University and across Northeastern Pennsylvania and beyond.
Malatesta was a standout student-athlete at Berwick Area High School, where her coaches served as significant influences. Malatesta’s basketball coach, Joan Voveris, was an accomplished musician and teacher. Her field hockey coach, Dr. Betty Henry, rose to the title of superintendent of Berwick Area schools. Her softball coach, Paul Stenko, was a former Chicago Bear who returned home to teach and coach.
Malatesta pursued a degree from Slippery Rock University before returning to Berwick as a teacher and coach. She guided Berwick’s field hockey program in 1981 to a PIAA District 4 championship while also earning a master’s degree from East Stroudsburg University.
After coaching and teaching at SUNY Potsdam, Malatesta returned home in 1989 as head field hockey coach at Wilkes. Over 14 seasons, her teams won 140 games and multiple conference titles. She also served 23 years as Wilkes’ director of athletics, overseeing major facility enhancements and the growth of the athletic department to 23 varsity sports.
Malatesta is a member of both the Wilkes and Berwick Area Athletic Halls of Fame.
• Brianna Pizzano
Pizzano began playing tennis at age 3, taking her first lesson at Kingston Indoor Tennis Club. She quickly demonstrated the ability to compete beyond her age and was playing in — and winning — local and regional tournaments by age 8.
At Wyoming Area, Pizzano competed in both tennis and softball. She won two District 2 championships as a freshman and sophomore in singles play as a Warrior. In softball, she was an all-state shortstop who posted a .457 batting average as a junior; her senior season was canceled due to COVID-19.
Pizzano continued her tennis career at Misericordia University, where she was named MAC Freedom Player of the Year in all four seasons. She was also recognized as the conference’s Senior Scholar-Athlete and ranked No. 36 among the university’s top athletes of the century. She won conference championships in singles and doubles play and lost only once in regular-season play throughout her career.
She remains actively involved in the sport she loves, providing private tennis instruction to children and adults of all ages.
• Frank Redmond
Having been introduced to track and field as a seventh-grade student at Wyoming Area, Redmond soon captured a junior high championship that set the tone for an impressive high school and collegiate career.
Redmond recorded three top-10 finishes for the Warriors at the District 2 Cross Country Championships. On the track, he steadily improved each season and his achievements included qualifying for the PIAA state championships in the 800-meter race as a junior.
Redmond continued his running career at Misericordia University, where he took a significant step forward. He was named Misericordia’s Most Valuable Player four times in cross country and three times in track. He earned All-America honors in 2010 with a fifth-place finish in the 800-meter race at the NCAA Division III national championships. He earned 20 All-MAC honors across indoor and outdoor track and was a six-time All-ECAC selection. Following graduation, Redmond served as a graduate assistant coach at Misericordia while completing his master’s degree and competing in regional road races.
• Bobby Sura
A native of Wilkes-Barre, Sura is among the most decorated high school, collegiate and professional basketball players to ever come out of Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Sura’s GAR Grenadiers won three District 2 championships in four years and advanced to the PIAA state championship game his junior and senior seasons. As a senior, he averaged 34 points per game and was named the Associated Press Small School Player of the Year in Pennsylvania. He scored a GAR record 2,468 points.
From GAR, Sura enrolled at Florida State and was named the ACC Rookie of the Year as a freshman. As a sophomore, he scored 19.9 points per game and helped the Seminoles make the Elite Eight. He remains Florida State’s all-time leader in career points and minutes played.
The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Sura in the first round of the 1995 NBA Draft. He competed in the 1996 All-Rookie Game, the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest and the 2000 Three-Point Contest. He retired after 10 seasons in the NBA, recording 5,654 points, 2,474 assists and 2,240 rebounds.
In 1999, Times Leader readers participated in a poll that ranked Sura the No. 6 local athlete of the century. In 2002, The Citizens’ Voice ranked Sura as the No. 2 athlete of all-time from the Wyoming Valley. He was inducted in 2003 into the Florida State Athletics Hall of Fame.
• Eddie White III
White’s prolific and distinguished career has been defined by a deep-rooted passion for sports, shaped in the Wyoming Valley as a graduate of Bishop Hoban High School and Wilkes University.
After graduating from Wilkes, where he worked as an undergraduate with the school’s athletic office, newspaper and radio station, White served his Alma mater as a full-time director of sports information. White quickly rose through the ranks of sports communications and marketing, working for major brands and organizations in college and professional athletics, including Notre Dame and the Miami Dolphins.
White moved to Indiana, working for the sportswear company Logo 7/Logo Athletic. He was eventually hired by the first all-sports radio station in Indianapolis — ESPN The Fan — and hosted its afternoon drive show while also working numerous Super Bowls and then landing at Pacers Sports and Entertainment. He has worked the last 15 years for the NBA’s Pacers and WNBA’s Fever in various media and public relations capacities and he currently hosts Pacers Overtime, the team’s postgame radio show.
White’s grandfather, Eddie White, Sr., the legendary Wilkes-Barre Barons basketball coach, was inducted into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame in 1986.
MIFFLIN COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) — A Mifflin County man was arrested Thursday after Pennsylvania State Police say he dumped oil on a vending machine and rubbed raw chicken on the door of a nearby business.
Timothy Peachey, 33, is accused of committing the acts on May 17 on East John Street in McVeytown, according to a state police release.
The oil caused an estimated $10,843 in damages to the vending machine and the items inside of it, troopers said.
Peachey allegedly rubbed raw chicken on the front glass door of McVeytown Market. The reason for these actions is unknown.
Peachey is charged with criminal mischief — a third-degree felony due to the total property damage — as well as a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct and a summary offense for scattering rubbish.
He was released on bail and is awaiting a preliminary hearing, according to his court docket.
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