The Scoop

EDITOR JULIE IMEL DISHES THE NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Wyoming Valley happenings
There’s no sign of slowing down for a winter slump in the Wyoming Valley. From events at the library to networking mixers, check out some of what’s coming your way, and don’t miss a beat this winter:
Special Edition: Our friends at the Osterhout Free Library in Wilkes-Barre will host a special event on Saturday afternoon that anyone who appreciates good writing and local history will want to attend. Members of the library will unveil a special edition of Word Fountain Magazine, a literary-arts publication produced by the library, focusing on flood-related remembrances. The event will be held on Jan. 19 at 2 p.m. in the Library’s Reading Room. This issue of Word Fountain is a full-color, special edition magazine focused on flood-related poetry, short stories and photos commemorating the floods of 1972 and 2011. The premiere will feature a reading of select works and will be followed by a discussion. Copies of the magazine will be available at all Osterhout Library locations for a suggested donation of $5, and proceeds will be donated to a fund at The Luzerne Foundation to benefit victims of the 2011 flooding. To learn more, visit www.osterhout.info.
Leadership Wilkes-Barre (LWB): All are welcome to attend upcoming Leadership Wilkes-Barre events. Mark your calendars for Jan. 19, when the Greater Pittston Tomorrow team will host a fundraiser form 4 to 7 p.m. at Brews Brothers in Pittston. Admission is $20 per person, which includes beer, soda, appetizers and entertainment. A cash bar will also be available.
On Jan. 20, find your bliss at the Winter Bliss Cocktail Event to benefit the Greater Pittston YMCA’s Thrive-A Cancer Recovery Wellness Program. The event will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at Palazzo 53. Several celebrity bartenders will be on hand, including LWB’s Lori Nocito (LWB ’03). Tickets are $50 per person, and reservations can be made through the Pittston YMCA-clukatch@greaterpittstonymca.org or by calling 655-2255.
Kick things off right in February with a Mid-winter Cocktail Party at the Westmoreland Club on Feb. 1. Festivities will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. This year’s honorees are The Cohen Family and The Benco Dental Team. Open Bar (beer, wine, soda) from 5-7:30 p.m. Tickets are $40 per person and reservations can be made by calling the Leadership Wilkes-Barre office at 823-2101 extension 135.

Make plans in the Electric City
From Luzerne County happenings to events closer to the Electric City, mark your calendars for these special events coming your way:
Enjoying the View in Scranton: It’s back — ‘The View’ with a Scranton Attitude: Let’s Hear It From the Girls! Returns to the Scranton Cultural Center on Friday, Jan. 25 from 7 to 9 p.m.
They’ve got a great line-up panelists to share witty and insightful answers to our questions, including: Julianne Kalasinski, development director of the Boys and Girls Club of Northeastern Pennsylvania; Nell Donnelly-O’Boyle, associate broker of Realty Network Group; and vice president of the Greater Scranton Board of Realtors; Trish Hartman, anchor at WNEP-TV 16; Cathy Donnelly, of Entercom Communications – WILK, The Mountain and Froggy 101; and Brenda Bistocchi, retired from the restaurant industry and adjunct professor at Keystone College.
The event begins with a cocktail hour at 6 p.m. Admission is $6. For tickets and more information, visit www.scrantonculturalcenter.org.
Gala Event: Marley’s Mission will host the Third Annual Blue Ribbon Gala on Saturday, Feb. 16, at The Hilton Hotel and Conference Center in Scranton. Honorary Chairman of the gala is U.S. Senator Bob Casey, and co-chairpersons are Kathleen Bolling Bell and Gretchen M. Wintermantel. Tickets are $125 per person, and more than half of that cost goes directly to Marley’s Mission. For tickets and more information, visit www.marleysmission.com/gala-2013/.
That’s the scoop! Thanks for reading, and I’ll meet you here again next week.