Frank Andrews Shimkus sets the date

Frank Shimkus, the ex-TV newsman formerly known as Frank Andrews, had his engagement announcement run in the Times-Tribune on Sunday. He will wed former TV news subordinate Gabrielle Prutisto on May 3. For the record, the announcement says Frank lives in Throop. That man needs to get his story straight.

Former T-T reporter Josh Brodesky wins SPJ award

Former Scranton Times-Tribune reporter Josh Brodesky, now of the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson, was the co-winner of the Arizona SPJ's Sunshine Award, which recognizes important contributions to FOI issues. Kudos.

Times-Tribune alumni hit the Obscure Store daily double

At the end of the day Wednesday, two Scranton Times-Tribune alumni had the two top stories on Jim Romenesko's Obscure Store site. Matthew Kemeny of The Patriot-News in Harrisburg had a story about all the madness at the Susquehanna Township Chuck E. Cheese, while Lauren Roth of the Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Va. had a story about a schoolteacher who was running an escort service on the side. Kudos to all. (Both stories have since moved down the page a bit.)

The Times-Tribune goes inside the Scranton mayor's Clinton fundaiser

We know we're behind the curve on this, but Times-Tribune reporter Stacy Brown wrote an interesting first-person take on the high roller-only party Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty threw last week for the Clintons. Admission: $2,300 a head. The mayor invited Brown and his wife to the party, evidently the only reporter there.

Richard Connor of the TL: My friends don't know me very well

That's the obvious conclusion after Connor – who wrote about the spate of anti-Semitic vandalism in Wilkes-Barre – writes that people he knows have twice recently talked about "Jewing them down" and the like. Thing is, Connor's daughter is married to a Jewish guy. Oops! He also gets a shot in at Obama for good measure.

Shakeup at WBRE?

A tipster reports that s/he heard that Agent Andy Mehalshick is moving off the anchor desk. "Since it's better than 50-50 that Lyndall Stout won't be coming back after her baby, that means an entirely new anchor team (again!) at 28." Discuss.

Borys has a blog

Scranton Times-Tribune political writer Borys Krawczeniuk has been blogging about presidential politics for the last couple weeks, which is an excellent idea. The blog has been updated regularly (*cough*) with interesting stuff. Recommended reading. 

Kim Martucci gets an on-air proposal!

Former WBRE weather lady was proposed to recently on the air (!) down at WUSA in Washington. Wow. And wow.

• Read Martucci's crazy blog

Arsonist tries to torch new WNEP bureau

Someone tried to burn down the building housing WNEP's new Pocono bureau. Read the Pocono Record story for all the details and a picture of WNEP workers staring at a piece of lumber.

DeNaples lawyer meets with the Inky

How about this for unusual: Richard Sprague, the attorney for Louis DeNaples, had a lengthy sit-down with the Philadelphia Inquirer's editorial board to talk about the DeNaples case. It's a pretty interesting story for those following the DeNaples matter closely. Will Sprague meet with the Times-Tribune staff next?