MAIL BAG â??LETTERS FROM READERS

During November, the AARP Driver Safety Program will honor the services of U.S. veterans by offering free classes to them and their dependents. This includes spouses, domestic partners, children and widows and widowers, regardless of age, and also includes those taking the course for the first time as well as those repeating the course.

Interested persons should register by calling the number indicated. During the class they will be asked to fill out a coupon form indicating their branch and years of service in order to qualify for the free course.

To help find a class, contact zone coordinator Pat Pisaneschi by calling 868-6732 or emailing [email protected].

Pat Pisaneschi

Lake Nuangola

Zone coordinator

AARP Driver Safety Program

My husband Jerry and I own Twigs Café in downtown Tunkhannock. Recently, a luncheon for U.S. Senate candidate Tom Smith was held in our upstairs banquet room. The organizers parked their campaign bus on the public street in front of Twigs and displayed signs noting Mr. Smith's candidacy for the Senate. Mr. Smith, his campaign party and/or friends did not disrupt other diners in the restaurant nor try to influence anyone's political opinion.

After the luncheon, our manager informed us that a few customers in the downstairs dining area were offended by the presence of the campaign bus and signs. The customers told our manager they did not think it was appropriate that Twigs hosted a political event. Some people also assumed that the presence of a Republican candidate meant that Jerry and I, and other family members who run the restaurant, were showing political support for this candidate.

Regardless of our political positions, I believe that this is still America. Twigs Café is a family-owned and operated restaurant that has a banquet room. Gatherings, parties, weddings and business meetings are regularly booked, without regard for who is holding the events. We are flattered that the campaign chose our restaurant. We know that when it comes to atmosphere, food and service, Twigs is among the best in the state, and all are welcome.

Would someone be angry at an area business that received payment for printing campaign signs, or a radio station that allowed paid advertising for a candidate of any affiliation, or a hotel that might house a candidate and his or her staff? There is no reason for any business to turn away a paying customer because of his or her political party or platform.

Respectfully, we would like to assure Mr. Smith and his campaign that they, and any other organization Рpolitical or not, are welcome to hold their parties and other events at Twigs Caf̩.

Jerry and I hope that our fellow citizens, customers and friends will understand.

Lori Bogedin

Co-owner, Twigs Café

Tunkhannock

There's a new buzz word out there. It's being used as a coat of Teflon by those who choose to either further their agenda without any interference or to allow themselves to criticize those who oppose them in any way. It's called bullying, a term that should be used judiciously. The use of the term to suit one's agenda is an insult to those people, especially children, who have been truly bullied.

Children are resilient but need to be protected against true bullying by teaching them how to cope. Some parents think they're protecting their children by trying to show their children that they are special, that they are entitled, that they are better than someone else. They fail to show them that they won't always be there to protect them or provide for them. They don't let them know that in the real world no one is going to care who they are or what their parents thought of them.

Some parents completely neglect their children or abuse them.

Ultimately, children will be measured by their own investments, or lack of it, toward their academic careers, their job performances and the way they treat the least members of society. The most important gift they ever will receive from their families is involvement and a healthy environment, both physical and emotional. Everything else, they must earn.

The recent incident involving a female news anchor who received an email from a viewer criticizing her weight made headlines. It was called bullying. It was not bullying. It was rudeness and total insensitivity; and it was blown out of proportion. Doesn't anyone make a distinction between different behaviors? I don't think you need a degree in psychology to determine what really dangerous behavior is.

Now everyone seemingly needs protection from everyone. Yes, there are children who have been bullied, abused, intimidated to the point of suicide. But for everyone to jump on the bullying bandwagon is just wrong.

Deanna Innamorati Farrell

West Wyoming

On Oct. 23, Ed Lawrence of Orangeville laid out a frightening – and utterly fictional – scenario in his letter to the editor about the departure of John Norbeck as head of the state park system.

Both Gov. Tom Corbett and Rick Allan, the secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, which oversees the parks, have been on record multiple times saying they have no intention of drilling in, mining on and taking commercial timber from our state parks.

Any drilling on the state forest lands, an entirely different form of state land, is being done under leases permitted by the Rendell administration. Corbett and Allan both have said they will continue a moratorium on any further leases.

Norbeck was a Rendell appointee. Every administration, including Rendell's understandably, wanted its own crew. This boils down to a question of whether the state government shall be run by its elected officials or its entrenched bureaucrats.

Gov. Corbett and his administration are doing an excellent job in maintaining and overseeing our parks and forests. As an avid hunter, fisherman and bird watcher, I appreciate that!

And I am sure he will continue his good stewardship of our natural resources.

Peter Sidari

West Pittston

As a resident of Forty Fort, I offer a public thank-you to Andy Tuzinski, borough emergency management coordinator, and all who aided with recent storm damage. Their immediate response and tenacity in following up with UGI officials are to be commended.

Thank you to all involved, and especially to those who worked on their personal time.

Lisa Rinker

Forty Fort