Citizens' Voice from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania • T2

WY0U-TV pulls plug on local newscasts TODAY'S FORECAST Winds gusting past 50 mph today; colder with clouds breaking. Winds uoiuer wim uiouus ureawny. A 50 33 west-northwest 25-35 mph. WILKES-BARRE EXTENDED FORECAST Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. 2009 Average normal highslows for the week: 5635: Milder tomorrow with times of clouds and sun.

Winds west-northwest 8-1 6 mph. Windy Monday with rain; rain and snow at night. Wnds south-southwest 1 2-25 mph. SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY A 60 42 A 53 37 A 39 30 A 42 30 A 51 36 Warmer Cooler with Windy and Windy and Some sun; rain colder cold warmer Last year: 4637 5336 4937 6439 6440 KRISTEN MULLEN THE CITIZENS' VOICE WYOUWBRE television studios at 62 S. Franklin St.

in Wilkes-Barre. WYOU ceased all future news broadcasts after the 1 1 p.m. Friday show, and 14 people were laid off. COMPLETE WEATHER DATA ON PAGE 47 INSIDE TODAY'S VOICE Arrest warrant issued in fatal club stabbing State police at Wyoming have released information on a suspect accused of killing a 20-year-old inside Club Energy 21Diablo's. Page 8 Millionaire," each had 15 percent.

During the 5 p.m. hour, WBRE's newscast had 9 percent of the audience, WYOU, which ran "Judge Judy" had 10 percent and WNEP's newscast grabbed 41 percent of the viewing audience. WOLF-TV's reruns of "Everybody Loves Raymond" grabbed 4 percent of the viewing audience at 6 p.m. while WYOU's newscast took just 3 percent. Finally during the 11 p.m.

slot, WYOU's newscast, with 4 percent of the audience, barely edged out WOLF's reruns of "Seinfeld," which took in 3 percent. SEE WYOU, PAGE 15 INDEX Almanac 47 Advice 20 Birthdays 28 Business A6-7 Classified A8-16 Comics 24-26 Editorials 16-17 Horoscope 20 National A1 Public notices A8 Puzzles 25-26 Sports 36-48 Television 29 Ruling legalizes gay marriage Iowa became the third state to allow same-sex couples to get married. The state's Supreme Court ruled that restricting state marriage law was against Iowa's constitution. Page A1 Back-to-back wins Ryan Vena leads Pioneers to second-straight victory. Page 38 By Stacy Brown Staff Writer The lights are dark on the WYOU-TVset.

The station's final local newscast aired at 11 p.m. Friday hours after its management announced the decision. Nexstar Broadcasting, which owns WBRE-TV and operates WYOU-TV, said the move should result in a savings of approximately $900,000 in annualized operating expenses. The announcement came after a hastily called staff meeting at 2 p.m. Friday where 14 full-time employees in news, production and promotion were notified they would be laid off.

"This is probably the hardest decision one has to make in this business," said Dennis Thatcher, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Mission Broadcasting the Brecksville, Ohio-based company that owns WYOU. Through a long-held agreement, Nexstar managed WYOU for Mission. "We have tried everything. We have changed formats, we've changed the set, changed talent and we've spent about $1 million a year on 'WYOU News' and nothing has worked," Thatcher said. The reason for the local news W-B Area board By Erin Moody Staff Writer Current and former board members defended Wilkes-Barre Area School District's hiring practices after federal agents seized documents this week from the district's administrative office and the Wilkes-Barre Career and Technical Center.

Earlier this week, FBI agents subpoenaed the minutes from Wilkes-Barre Area School Board meetings and lists of employees hired during the last five years, Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey T. Namey and board President Jim Height said. At the career and technical center, the agents obtained the names of members of the joint operating committee that governs the center, according to Jack Dean, an attorney who performs contract negotiations and other work for the school. The agents also interviewed recently hired teachers from at least two Wilkes-Barre Area schools, in an apparent focus on Welcome company to the dinner table Chicken may seem like a plain meat to center an Easter dinner around, but this modest bird has enough flavor to entertain any palate.

Page 21 FIRST REPORTED ONLINE YESTERDAY AT 3:40 P.M. www.citizensvoice.com broadcast's demise can be seen in the numbers. The latest available ratings show WYOU newscasts lagging well behind its competitors, according to Phil Condron, president of Condron Company a Scranton advertising firm that also tracks local television Nielsen ratings. Last year, WYOU started a 4 p.m. newscast.

The broadcast garnered 5 percent of the viewing audience while WBRE's airing of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and WNEP's showing of "Who Wants To Be a members see no 'There was never, never, never a whisper or a hint that somebody had to pay for it. I don't think we would tolerate it, I don't think anybody would tolerate it JOHN CORCORAN Former board member Our voice: School district probe brings elephant out of hiding. Page 16 the district's hiring practices, Height said. Height joined the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board in 2001. At the time, Height said, he had heard about nepotism and jobs being awarded in exchange for money or favors, but does not think anyone would do that today "I heard about it before I got on the board supposedly that was a practice years ago but I don't think anyone would do it now," ON THE COVER A sign is seen in front of the American Civic Association, where a gunman opened fire in Bing-hamton, N.Y., on Friday, killing 1 3 people before apparently committing suicide, officials said.

(MATT R0URKE ASSOCIATED PRESS) LOTTERY NUMBERS fault in hirings Height said. "They'd have to know they'd be caught." Board member Maryanne Toole said she does not understand why the FBI would be looking into the district's hiring practices. Toole, who joined the board in 2003, said she has not seen or heard of any inappropriate hiring. John Corcoran, who resigned from the board last year after being elected Luzerne County coroner, said he never heard accusations that job applicants were required to pay money or provide favors for employment during his 11 years on the board. "Absolutely, positively not, as far as I know.

There was never, never, never a whisper or a hint that somebody had to pay for it," Corcoran said. "I don't think we would tolerate it, I don't think anybody would tolerate it." Hiring at Wilkes-Barre Area used to be performed by a simple majority of the nine-member board, according to Lynn Evans, a board member since 2005. SEE HIRING, PAGE 15 ABENT, Charles J. ABRAHAM, Betty BALESTER, James W. BROZZOSKI, Irene E.

CAREY, Harriet F. BESSOYE, Patrick J. EMEU Mary E. EVANS, John H. GAVIN, Margaret M.

HOFFMAN, Edward JAKUBOSKI, Sylvia KUBICKI, Robert J. LEWIS, Ronald L. MARSHALEK, Joseph MORTIMER, John Sr. NIESHELL, Anthony ORAVIC, Barbara A. PATACHNICK, Jennie REILLY, Bavid G.

RUBBICO, Jean F. RUZICKI, Edward TROUT, Bryan S. Obituaries, pages 30-33 Daily Number Day: 549 Daily Number Night: 837 Dig 4 Day: 2207 Dig 4 Night: 1246 Quinto Day: 79287 Quinto Night: 62005 Treasure Hunt: 9, 14, 15, 20, 28 Gash 5: 1, 12, 23, 36, 42 Super 7 8, 14, 15, 18, 20, 26,27,42,48, 60, 68 One player matched all five winning numbers drawn in Friday's "Pennsylvania Cash 5" game and will collect a jackpot worth $1 ,1 74,670. Tuesday's "Pennsylvania Super 7" jackpot will be worth at least $3.2 million because no player holds a ticket that matches seven of the 1 1 winning numbers drawn in Friday's game. (ISSN 1070-8E2E) USPS 450-590 The Citizens' Voice is published daily by Times-Shamrock, 75 N.

Washington Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711. Periodicals postage is paid at Wilkes-Barre, PA. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Citizens' Voice, 75 N. Washington Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711. 1-year, Luzerne County, $130.

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