This compilation of the top local photos of the past week, as taken by Citizens Voice photographers, highlights the news of the past week in images.
â Ash Wednesday was observed by Christians throughout the region on Wednesday. This year s observance took on a different tone due to the pandemic. Priests and ministers distributed ashes using disposable cotton swabs, rather than tracing the sign of the cross on the foreheads of the faithful with their fingers.
â Wyoming Valley West finishes its distribution of Chromebooks to high school students last Thursday and began distributing the devices to middle school students this week. The district is issuing Chromebooks to all students in grades 4-12. The district received 3,200 Chromebooks in late January, nearly six months after it ordered the $720,000 purchase.
New projects are planned at the sites of some vacant buildings in Wilkes-Barre Twp.
The building that housed the former Bob Evans restaurant on Schechter Drive will be demolished and a discount tire store will be built in its place, said Wilkes-Barre Twp. Zoning Officer Tom Zedolik.
Zedolik said he spoke with an architect and an engineer representing national tire chain Discount Tire Company about a proposed project to demolish the former restaurant and open a tire store but they have not submitted official plans yet.
Meaghan Moore, a public relations representative for Discount Tire, said Discount Tire is planning a location in Wilkes-Barre Twp. but it is not slated to open until 2023.
WILKES-BARRE TWP. â A new specialty boutique has opened in the Wyoming Valley Mall where clothing retailer PacSun closed. Aesthetic offers customers shirts, jeans and shoes for men, women and children. All items are limited and new inventory circles through its doors almost weekly. The boutique sells big and tall men s clothing and women s plus sizes.
According to a news release, Aesthetic offers a unique shopping experience with a visually open and organized environment. The store also features dimmed lighting and curated music.
Aesthetic will have the same hours as the Wyoming Valley Mall: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 Sunday. For more information about the store, call 570-800-9867.
Election-related issues featured prominently in the news throughout 2020 in Luzerne County.
Sweeping changes to Pennsylvania election law took effect this year, including the implementation of âno-excuseâ mail-in voting.
The primary and general elections were held in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, which led to a flood of requests for mail-in ballots.
The county unveiled a new secure voting system, which was only partially implemented in the primary because of pandemic-related concerns.
An incident at the county bureau of elections drew nationwide attention and led to a federal investigation.
President Donald Trump, a Republican, and his Democratic opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden, made campaign stops in the region leading up to a hotly contested presidential election.