PennsNet

Good morning, NEPA! It's a busy Thursday-into-Friday news cycle — data centers, ballots in the mail, and a Civil War cannonball that's been napping in a Conyngham home for a century. Grab your coffee.

Salem Township approves 4,000-acre data center campus amid split crowd (Fox56 WOLF-TV)
For the third time, the planning commission recommended expanding its data center overlay to make room for a $1.4 billion project — with hundreds packed into a Berwick church and residents sharply divided.

25,525 Luzerne County ballots set to mail next week (Times Leader)
Mail ballots for the Nov. 3 general election head out to voters who requested them, and the county has posted its drop box schedule. Election season is officially here.

Bresnahan and Cognetti stake out positions on affordability and jobs (Spotlight PA)
With the economy topping voters' concerns, Spotlight PA breaks down where the two candidates stand on taxes, cost of living, and jobs ahead of Election Day.

Exeter's St. Cecilia's Church to become a community history center (WBRE/WYOU)
The Luzerne County Historical Society is moving ahead with plans to transform the former church into a new home for local history — a fitting second act for a beloved building.

Civil War-era cannonball found in Conyngham Township home (WNEP-TV 16)
Homeowners cleaning out a house stumbled on a genuine relic from the Civil War, which had to be carefully removed. Talk about an attic surprise.

Quick Hits
· Bomb squad activity in Conyngham Borough disrupted Hazleton Area school bus routes Thursday.
· A New York man out on bail is accused of running a drug trafficking operation from Scranton's Hill Section.
· Dress for Success Luzerne County raised funds for women in need at its Diamonds Downtown gala at the Westmoreland Club.
· Kingston marked National Save a Life Day with free Narcan and overdose-prevention resources.
· Brace's Orchard credits a helicopter for saving its crop after that late-April frost scare.
· Firefighters in Nanticoke are teaching heating safety as cooler temperatures move in.
· The 171st Bloomsburg Fair kicks off with a small tweak to this year's music lineup.
· Pennsylvania has now confirmed 835 measles cases across 39 counties in 2026.


Stay cozy as the temps drop, NEPA — we'll see you back here tomorrow morning.