Letters to the Editor

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 02/09/2012
I grew up in Pittston, where my grandparents opened a family restaurant in the early 1940s. They raised seven kids from their downtown location – a marvelous piece of architecture, three-stories tall, with a mahogany staircase, et ...

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 02/08/2012
It seems that we are at a “Y” in the road and Luzerne County has a choice to make. Is it going to continue this policy of short fixes for mounting debt, or is it going to have a new day in Luzerne County?

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 02/07/2012
This is in response to a letter to the editor in the Jan. 30 edition. To the person who wrote that senior drivers should be re-tested every five years, there are a few things you should know.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 02/06/2012
I depend on the postal service. Recently, I’ve had two occasions to use the U.S. Postal Service (other than for paying bills, etc.)

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 02/05/2012
Opponents of President Obama’s decision to delay construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline are sadly misinformed. This project will in no way reduce our dependence on foreign oil, nor will it reduce our gasoline prices.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 02/05/2012
I disagree with Fred Murray’s letter (“Sportsmen add much to economy,” Jan. 8).

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 02/05/2012
I express a great big thank-you to the young lady who, with kindness, filled up my car with gas on Jan. 7. I was putting in only $5.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 02/04/2012
In his State of the Union address, the president praised natural gas drilling, noting that it is creating jobs and decreasing our dependence on foreign sources of energy.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 02/03/2012
It is my hope the newly elected Luzerne County Council does not hastily appoint residents who do not qualify for positions on boards, authorities and commissions.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 02/02/2012
While the impetus for writing this letter came from the recent letter by District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis (printed in Monday’s edition), the content is meant for all department and union heads in Luzerne County.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 02/01/2012
Words cannot express how disappointed I am that the Luzerne County Council apparently is about to make an uneducated decision that will compromise the county’s judicial system and other services.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/31/2012
As Americans, we owe a great debt to the men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces in the defense of the liberties we enjoy. We have a profound responsibility to honor that debt by ensuring our veterans can obtain ass ...

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/30/2012
Elderly drivers are a bigger cause for concern than teen drivers.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/29/2012
If you are in favor of term limits for every elected position in Pennsylvania, I would like to see a referendum on the election ballot. Please send your name, address and phone number on a post card to: P.O. Box 8104, New Castle, ...

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/28/2012

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/27/2012
Never have I been so abhorred with bullying. It is a form of aggressive behavior that is hurtful to any child who experiences it. No person should ever feel as if he is trapped or that he is unable to talk to someone.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/26/2012
This letter to the editor is in response to a letter appearing Jan. 17 by Jack Walsh (“New teen-driving law seen as unnecessary”).

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/25/2012
On Saturday when the snow had fallen and everyone was digging out in my neighborhood, I had gone into my home for a few minutes to get warm. In that short time there was a knock at my door by some young boys who were out making a ...

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/24/2012
I am writing this letter in great hope that it might resonate in the minds of people who currently are not voting.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/23/2012
The price of gasoline has jumped substantially over the last couple of weeks. Remarkably, President Obama’s response has been to again delay the approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/22/2012
I am responding to a letter to the editor by a school student who favored Sunday hunting.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/22/2012
Kathleen Dorris Reese, a longtime champion of human services, died in late summer. But her untiring commitment to improving the quality of lives for thousands of people over her many decades of service will long remain in the hear ...

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/22/2012

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/21/2012
The battle in Washington over the extension of the payroll tax holiday brought to the forefront another issue that has languished under the Obama administration: the Keystone XL Pipeline.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/20/2012
The United States is a nation that relies solely on the self-determination of its citizens for its prosperity and ultimately its survival. The protests taking place on Wall Street are not the exemplification of a society that is d ...

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/19/2012
I agree with Katelyn Pierce in her Jan. 12 letter to the editor titled “Student worried about future job prospects.”

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/18/2012
Republican candidates are campaigning to be able to run against Barack Obama for the presidency. Although they have the country’s best interest in mind, I tend to disagree with some of their views.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/17/2012
It is good to know that teens such as Katelyn Pierce, whose letter to the editor appeared on Jan. 12, “Student worried about future job prospects,” are working diligently in school despite some pessimism about what awaits them.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/16/2012
This letter is written regarding the recent election of officers for the Sugar Notch Fire Department and the ousting of Chief Bill Hagan after 40 years of tremendous service to the borough.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/15/2012
I am alarmed by the Corbett administration’s freeze on state funding for health and human services.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/15/2012
I am so outraged at Geisinger Health System and its policy banning people who smoke from getting jobs there. And why is it now that we hear of it?

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/15/2012
We at the American Lung Association in Pennsylvania were pleased to learn of Geisinger Health System’s decision to consider the health and wellness of its employees and implement a tobacco-free hiring policy.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/14/2012
I ask those people in Luzerne County who have lost faith in our local government to open their eyes and reconsider.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/13/2012
I live in “College Town, USA,” aka downtown Wilkes-Barre, in the backyards of students living in off-campus housing. I miss you kids when you graduate or leave for the semester, and hope you aren’t worrying too much about the cats ...

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/12/2012
Amazing! The first thing that interim Luzerne County Manager Tom Pribula mentions is an option to raise the property tax rate 4 percent. Stop it with that kind of thinking.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/11/2012
We encourage all interested Luzerne County residents to consider applying for positions on the county’s authorities, boards and commissions. Our new, home rule form of government will be most effective when people from all walks o ...

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/10/2012
“ART THOU king, and wilt be forced? I shame to hear thee speak.”

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/09/2012
In general, hunters comprise 3 percent of the U.S. population. (I suspect the percentage might be higher in Pennsylvania, but it’s lower in some states, less than 1 percent in Rhode Island.)

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/08/2012
How much natural gas is under the ground in Pennsylvania? Ask your friends who get royalty checks, and they’ll tell you there is a decline over the first year – as much as half less. And the following year, further large declines.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/08/2012
I am very grateful for the support of many people who voted for me in the recent Luzerne County Council election. Thank you so much for your warm welcome when I knocked on your door to ask you for your vote and spoke with you at c ...

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/07/2012
It seems the home rule charter that I was so enthusiastic about has gotten off to a bumpy start.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/06/2012
I have wonderful news for commentary writer Doug Ayers (“A New Year’s wish for healthy, happy, responsible living,” Dec. 30) and all of the rest of us who would like to see a major change in our world!

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/05/2012
This is in response to state Superior Court Judge Correale Stevens’ commentary on Luzerne County Courts in The Times Leader (Dec. 29). Judge Stevens wrote: “But no challenge is more immediate than public perception and earning the ...

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/04/2012
Every year, millions of Americans donate to the Christmas Seals campaign, the largest campaign of the American Lung Association. With each donation, we are able to fund life-saving research, education and advocacy efforts to comba ...

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/03/2012
On a recent evening, we had the pleasure of taking a tour of the Frederick Stegmaier Mansion, on South Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/01/2012
As 2011 comes to an end, the Wyoming Area Kiwanis Club thanks the communities we serve for their continued support of our many projects throughout the year, most recently our annual “Breakfast with Santa.”

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 01/01/2012
I am writing in reference to the article “Tough not to love,” printed on Dec. 18 in The Times Leader.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/31/2011
I am asking for your help to ban photo traffic enforcement in Pennsylvania. As a motorist, you know how important road safety is when exercising your inalienable right to freedom of travel.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/30/2011
With a new year starting soon, and our old form of government leaving Luzerne County and home rule coming in, it’s time for the people at the courthouse to get realistic and live within a budget.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/29/2011
I would like to acknowledge the recent announcement of the new housing development at the former Murray Courtright Complex site on Courtright Street in Wilkes-Barre. Mayor Tom Leighton, his administration and staff, along with Cit ...

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/28/2011
I don’t understand why there is no hunting allowed on Sundays in Pennsylvania. There are several reasons why it should be permitted.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/27/2011
After reading Christa Collins’ letter to the editor regarding the natural gas industry (“Writer believes drilling can remedy revenue woes,” Dec. 16), I wanted to respond.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/26/2011
I was amazed to learn in The Times Leader’s Dec. 17 edition that Symbiotics LLC, a subsidiary of Riverbank Power from Utah, has submitted a preliminary permit application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to conduct a ...

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/25/2011
The Times Leader’s Dec. 16 editorial (“End the secrecy regarding drilling”) advances a narrative that is fundamentally unsupported by the facts, suggesting that natural gas producers are secretive and “tight-lipped.” The truth, ho ...

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/25/2011
First off, I am a Christian and a believer in Jesus Christ. That said, I have had my fill of those people who do not like the Christmas holiday. The following is my solution to the problem, which should satisfy everyone.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/25/2011
We thank the local volunteer firefighters and ambulance services that responded to our recent house fire.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/24/2011
On Sept. 9, a devastating flood took a major toll on the Wyoming Valley, especially in the “Garden Village” of West Pittston.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/23/2011
It is with a heavy heart that I am writing this letter. I always have been a huge fan of Christmas. I have enjoyed how nice everyone seems to be at this special time of year. Well, unfortunately, the Grinch seems to have visited m ...

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/22/2011
Mr. John Sumansky’s commentary in Saturday’s edition reminded me why Mark Twain’s line about there being three kinds of lies, “lies, damned lies and statistics” continues to ring true.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/21/2011
The council-manager form of government in Luzerne County officially begins Jan. 2.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/20/2011
I played for Dallas High School football coach Ted Jackson from 1991 through 1993. I was fortunate to be part of the 1993 state championship team.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/19/2011
I would like to address and thank the person who left such a “thoughtful” letter on my windshield in the parking lot of a Wilkes-Barre hospital. Having driven myself to the hospital alone at night after suffering a heart attack, I ...

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/18/2011
I was so excited by the thought of driving I could not wait until my 16th birthday. After I got my permit a few months back, I’ve learned that driving today is dangerous and certain people will put their own life, as well as other ...

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/18/2011
A Christmas party was held recently for veterans from the VA hospital and was hosted by The Mountain Post American Legion and its auxiliary at the post home.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/17/2011
Well, it’s my old friend the Keystone XL Pipeline that’s back in the news. The claims are that it will create tens of thousands of jobs, decrease our dependence on Middle Eastern oil and if we don’t do it, the owners will just run ...

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/16/2011
As our county and many of our local governments consider another round of tax increases, I have to wonder if the natural gas industry in Pennsylvania can solve many of our tax problems.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/15/2011
In 2010, a zoning hearing board in Sugar Notch ruled that I was running an illegal boarding house, so I had to evict my two roommates. The board did this despite a zoning code clause that allows up to four unrelated people to shar ...

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/14/2011
Several of the area’s state senators and representatives voted for SB 1100 and HB 1950. Both are Marcellus Shale-related bills. Both could allow natural gas drilling rigs in residential areas subject to “setbacks.”

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/13/2011
Everyone who cares about the safety of our community should be watching closely as the House Liquor Control Committee meets on Tuesday to consider State Rep. Mike Turzai’s bill to privatize the PA Wine and Spirits shops.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/12/2011
To all the Misericordia University students whom I have had the pleasure of knowing over more than 21 years: At this time of retiring, the tickets are done, the ink pen is put down. But the memories will stay with me forever.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/11/2011
In the 13 years I have been a medical doctor serving the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania, advances in technology have improved how we care for our patients. New tests, medications and treatments reduce risk and increase the li ...

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/11/2011
The United States is the only western industrialized nation that permits capital punishment, or execution.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/11/2011
Thank you to all the merchants, vendors, parade participants, entertainers, volunteers and patrons who were instrumental in making our 16th annual Fall Pumpkin Festival a great success. We hope to see everyone at our Christmas eve ...

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/10/2011
The recent dismantling of our U.S. Postal Service seems in line with a continuing plot to destroy the entire fabric of our society.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/09/2011
Now that it’s been announced that our first-class mail delivery will slow and overnight mail will be nonexistent, I suppose we will still receive our “bulk” mail with no interruptions.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/08/2011
In his response to my letter to the editor concerning the expansion of hunting on Sundays and property owners’ rights that will be adversely affected, writer G.F. Schutz makes several statements that require a response.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/07/2011
I urge residents of Swoyersville and neighboring boroughs to support efforts to oppose the expansion of the Buck Mountain Quarry/Brdaric Excavating operation in Kingston Township and Swoyersville.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/06/2011
Recently, my girlfriend and I ventured to the state store next to Walmart in Wilkes-Barre Township. My girlfriend recently turned 21, so she was looking forward to making her first alcohol purchase.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/05/2011
Congressmen Lou Barletta and Tom Marino know that reckless spending paid for by debt and taxes isn’t going to help the state of our economy, but reining in our current administration’s absurd debt will.

MAIL BAG  LETTERS FROM READERS - 12/04/2011
Other news organizations often publish reports about predatory banking practices. (Visit www.truth-out.org/ban ...