2013 in Wilkes-Barre

From the Times Leader 

Jan. 17: Jamel Martin, 20, South Welles Street and Leroy Smith, 42, North Empire Street, both in Wilkes-Barre, were fatally shot outside Don Kasper’s Watering Hole tavern on Scott Street, Wilkes-Barre. No charges have been filed.

March 16: Renold Julien, 26, Wilkes-Barre, was gunned down outside Locals 88 tavern on Poplar Street, Wilkes-Barre. No charges filed.

April 25: Derrick Cottle, 40, South Hancock Street, Wilkes-Barre, was fatally shot on Reno Lane, Wilkes-Barre, in what authorities said was a dispute that began during a basketball game. Shauntae Thomas, 37, of Reno Lane, was charged with criminal homicide.

June 25: Zachary Williams, 23, Wilkes-Barre, was killed inside a home on North Sherman Street, Wilkes-Barre, while playing with a handgun. Brandon Switzer, 23, Nanticoke, was charged with involuntary manslaughter.

June 7: Vaughn Kemp, 24, Park Avenue, Wilkes-Barre, was killed in a shooting at a house party on South Grant Street, Wilkes-Barre. Joshua Ovalles, 19, Wilkes-Barre, was charged with criminal homicide.

July 18: David George, 25, South Welles Street, Wilkes-Barre, was killed in a shooting in front of his mother’s house on South Welles Street. No charges filed.

Sept. 13: Christopher Narainasami, 18, Hazle Avenue, Wilkes-Barre, was fatally shot while he was walking with friends in Boulevard Townhomes, South Welles Street, Wilkes-Barre. No charges filed but Jordan Stevens, 27, Wilkes-Barre, was captured as a “person of interest.”

Sept. 26: Jane Aiello, 46, Andover Street, Wilkes-Barre, was killed in a shooting allegedly by her estranged husband, Vito Aiello, 47, inside their home. Vito Aiello survived a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was charged with criminal homicide.

Oct. 13: Michael Onley, 34, Madison Street, Wilkes-Barre, was fatally shot in the patio area of Outsiders Bar & Restaurant, South Main Street Wilkes-Barre. No charges filed.

Oct. 13: Antonio Evans, 8 weeks old, died at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital after being found with bruises on his body inside a home at 351 N. Washington St., Wilkes-Barre. No charges filed.

Nov. 6: Eduardo Madera, 46, Wilkes-Barre, was fatally shot inside an East Northampton Street, Wilkes-Barre, home. Lamar Curry-Davis, 19, was charged with criminal homicide.

Nov. 11: Shantique Goodson, 27, Wilkes-Barre, was gunned down when sitting inside a parked vehicle in the Sherman Hills apartment complex, Wilkes-Barre. Kenneth Evans III, 21, of South Empire Street, Wilkes-Barre, was charged with criminal homicide.

13 murders. That puts us at a murder rate per 100,000 of 31.72. Philly is at 21.69. Think about that.


Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

GasGate still not resolved

Hope everyone had a nice Christmas.
I'm back after my little vacation.

Seems our DA is waiting for the last second to come out with, "We have found no wrong doing in 'GasGate' and it has nothing to do with politics. Really it has NOTHING to do with nepotism or politics."
I hope she realizes that a lot of people are sick of politicians and their entitled attitudes.

And the dodges they make to avoid scrutiny.

 Come now Miss Salavantis, This is NOT going to go away. Sooner or later someone in the national media will look into the flood of emails from fed up citizens and look into this. The simple fact that he was too lazy to do part of his job (fill out the gas log, which means writing down Who, Gas or Diesel, How much and what Dept) should be enough to go forward. A real investigation should NOT take over 18 months for a 'criminal probe'. But hoping people forget may take that long.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote