The year in news was dominated by the Scranton School District’s ongoing financial and legal problems, and by a bombshell state grand jury report that detailed the degree to which Pennsylvania Catholic dioceses went to conceal priests accused of sexually assaulting children. Also in the mix: The GOP’s efforts to preserve its congressional and legislative gerrymanders, prosecutions began of Lackawanna County Prison guards accused of sexually assaulting female inmates, a Wall Street banker from New Jersey tried to unseat an incumbent congressman, and county commissioner Laureen Cummings remained quotable on everything from bike baths to medical marijuana.
