PD News

By Sherry Long slong@timesleader.com
Staff Writer

LAFLIN – Readers have made their voices heard about which businesses are the best of the best in the Greater Pittston Area.

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Joe Borini, left, is presented with the award for best artist at a ceremony for the Best of Greater Pittston at St. Maria Goretti Center on Wednesday. Times Leader account executive Steve Morris makes the presentation. A total of 83 winners received awards.

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Sunday Dispatch Editor Ed Ackerman presented awards to 83 winners during the inaugural The Best of Greater Pittston 2010 during a reception dinner Wednesday at the Monsignor Philip A. Gray Banquet Hall at St. Maria Goretti Church in Laflin.

The 2010 Reader’s Choice Awards honored businesses and people in five divisions: Local Flavor, Dining Out, Goods and Services, Local Professionals and Nightlife – based on votes cast by Sunday Dispatch readers online and by paper ballots.

“All of you will always be the very first recipients of these awards,” Ackerman said. “It was a good thing I wasn’t the one who had to pick the award winners. If I had to pick the award winners, I know so many of you, everything would have been tied. There would be 20 best pizzas and that sort of thing.”

Tom and Joseph Petro, brothers and co-owners of Petro Hardware on Main Street in Pittston, were surprised and humbled by the award of their home improvement center.

“We’ve been helping families and businesses for 42 years, and we feel honored that they selected us,” Joseph Petro said.

Some of the business owners knew that votes were being cast, but were unaware that their businesses won. To some owners, winning the award is just an extension of the fun they have every day.

“We’re super proud of the hard work, of accomplishing what we have….We want to thank them for their loyalty, we love them. They are more than customers to us; they are friends. They’re all our friends. We laugh. We enjoy them. They enjoy us,” said Janet Russo, co-owner of My Sister’s Kitchen in Duryea.

Russo co-owns the restaurant with her sister, Gina Altieri.

Eight organizations or businesses won awards in multiple categories.

Cooper’s Seafood won the most with five awards for atmosphere/d�cor, seafood, place to hang out, happy hour and bartender Amanda Yurek.

My Sister’s Kitchen won four awards for best place for snack attack, cup of coffee, breakfast and server Paula Kashuba; Valenti’s Restaurant won three awards for sauce, Italian food, steak.

Three Pittston Area High School athletic teams tied for awards: swim team, track team and field hockey team; Sabatelle Fine Food won two awards for family market and Butcher Rocky Sabatelle; Burger King won two awards for burger and fast food; Brews Brothers won two awards for nighttime entertainment and bar food and Dente’s Catering Service won two awards for caterer and Chef Biagio Dente.

All award winners received a framed certificate, a window decal announcing Best of Greater Pittston 2010 and two free tickets to a Northeast Philharmonic show.

Sherry Long, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7159.