POCONO TWP., MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Police are on the hunt for a suspect involved in an alleged theft at a store in the Pocono Outlets.
Man accused of Gerrity’s retail theft

The Pocono Township Police Department is searching for the identity of the suspect pictured in a retail theft that occurred at Lids in the Pocono Premium Outlets on April 13.

Anyone with information is asked to call the non-emergency line at 570-992-9911. 

Ross Roggio of Stroudsburg was sentenced to 70 years in prison for the torture of an Estonian citizen back in 2015.

MONROE COUNTY, Pa. — A man from Monroe County will spend 70 years in prison on torture charges relating to his actions as a contractor in Iraq.

Ross Roggio of Stroudsburg was found guilty last year of numerous crimes, including the torture of an Estonian citizen back in 2015.

Pleasant Valley Manor will be privatizing its operations.

In an April 4 press release from Monroe County, the manor’s regulatory and fiscal challenges in the post-COVID pandemic healthcare environment were cited as the reason for the move.

A Monroe County corrections officer is facing felony weapons charges.

Lt. Anthony Perez is a guard at the Monroe County jail.

He faces five felony counts related to taking weapons into an institution as well as one misdemeanor charge of introducing a weapon that could be used for escape.

A preliminary hearing is set for later this week.

Source:

https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/poconos-coal/monroe-county-corrections-officer-facing-felony-weapons-charges/article_327e2642-f5e7-11ee-8595-fb03095e0161.html

Full article:
https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/monroe-county/pleasant-valley-manor-in-monroe-county-being-sold-to-private-health-care-firm-outcome-healthcare/523-7bfd4235-6fcb-42bc-9d68-f8ec0b24201d

Allegations and safety concerns at the Monroe County Prison are brought up again to officials.

Some Monroe County Corrections Officers say they fear for their lives.

They tell us the administration is not working with them when it comes to their safety.

"I think you guys need to be made aware of this information and discuss it because it involves a criminal enterprise inside the institution."

Monroe County Corrections Officers continue to present allegations that they say are not being handled correctly at the jail.

Monroe County Corrections Officer Don Kubick says, "There’s issues involving certain administrative level staff, some officers, we’ve had some new officers that were hired that are doing nefarious things that have been presented to the administration and they refuse to conduct investigations, they conduct investigations against their own policy and that’s what we’re trying to address here."

Officers at this morning’s Prison Board Meeting requested to be a part of the executive session to address those personnel issues but they were denied. Instead the Monroe County District Attorney urged them to reach out to his office when it comes to criminal allegations. And submit all others in written form to be considered during the executive session.

Kubick says, "We’ve provided things written for the last several years, we’ve gotten no response. They just asked for them again so we’ll provide them again and see what response we get and if not, we’re going to be here every month. It has to get addressed before it ends with one of us losing our lives. We’ve been saying that and we’ve had issues in the parking lot with people threatening people, people in the jail threatening people."

Monroe County District Attorney Michael Mancuso says, "I believe the board can only act on facts that are proven. So this will get a chance to get that done. And if we have follow up with you, we’ll invite you in to discuss it or take other action."

Besides what the officers are addressing when it comes to personnel, they have major safety concerns.

Kubick says, "Gangs, drugs, a lot of safety issues with the parking lot, just our safety goes in peril here and this administration is not working with us."

One of the safety measures they’re requesting is a swipe card gate for the staff parking lot. When News13 asked the Monroe County Prison Board Members for further comment, they declined.

It looks like the rusty metal shown on the original facebook reel (link below) is misleading, the bridge itself is strong.  

Official Response:
https://www.facebook.com/100064281326093/posts/814038830748820/?mibextid=QwDbR1&rdid=hYAWonxs9TBsQZCA

Original Facebook Reel:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/2170022093334952

Monroe County's nursing home will soon have a new owner.

It was announced today that Pleasant Valley Manor in Snydersville will be sold.

The county run nursing home is privatizing its operations after 100 years due to increasing costs to operate.

But we're told the change will ensure it will continue to serve the community for many years to come.

The name on the sign will most likely change as Outcome Healthcare takes over Monroe County’s nursing home in Snydersville. But we’re told the family-owned company is expected to keep everything else the same at Pleasant Valley Manor, including retaining all of the staff.

Monroe County Commissioners Chairman John Christy says, "You still have another place for viable healthcare for elderly people in Monroe County. We don’t take this haphazardly, we want to make sure that we have the ability for people to go for rehab and go for extended stay services."

The decision to privatize in its 100th year operating was reached by the board of trustees after facing complex fiscal challenges following the covid pandemic.

Christy says, "When you have a set amount that you get paid and your costs are up here, you know in the past we’ve been more than happy to supplement a million dollars to PVM, but unfortunately it’s more than that now and so it’s just too much of a drain on the taxpayers of Monroe County."

Back in 2013 the facility was also operating at a loss. But a new fundraising organization was introduced that kept it from being sold. Today the chairperson of Friends of Pleasant Valley Manor is saddened by the news.

Friends of Pleasant Valley Manor Chairperson Linda Zak says, "I just wish the public could have been given some notice and had the chance to voice their opinion on this because it is a publicly owned facility. And it would’ve been nice if we had gotten hundreds of petition signatures again."

Over the years the group raised funds for many renovations, upgrades and new equipment.

Zak says, "I think the whole country is going towards privatization of everything and I don’t think that’s right. I think this was a good facility to keep and I’m really jealous because I just heard in Northampton County, they are really investing big time into their nursing home."

But unfortunately we’re told the board exhausted all of their options and the dollars needed could not be made up by grants or fundraising.

Christy says, "If we hadn’t had the ability to have the American Rescue Plan and have everything else, it would’ve had to have been sold earlier or shuttered."

Friends of Pleasant Valley Manor still has thousands of dollars that they planned on spending on the 100th anniversary. Now they’re looking at donating the money to Monroe County Children in Youth.