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It’s an all-diamonds week, and we hope you will agree that the honorees are well worth the gemstones.
Diamonds to Swoyersville Borough and its police department for some beneficial promotions and hires.
On Monday night, council unanimously voted to fill two open positions, at the recommendation of Chief Kyle Castner. Mayor Chris Concert then swore in Andrew J. Jones and Andrew Labar as full-time patrolmen. Concert praised Jones and Labar for the service they had already rendered to the borough as part-time officers.
The department had been down two full-time officers due to the resignation of officer Jeffrey Fox in July, and the retirement of former Chief David Latoski in August, which led to Castner’s promotion last month. On the same night Castner was sworn in, patrolman Joshua Wolinsky was promoted to sergeant.
“I want our police department to interact with the community, and I think Kyle’s the perfect man for the job,” the mayor said after Castner’s swearing in.
Each of these men has a history of service to the community, and we wish them well in their new roles.
Diamonds to Plymouth Borough Councilwoman Alexis Eroh, who discovered her appointment to the post may have been done in error, and who brought the information to the attention of officials and the community.
Eroh was appointed to Plymouth Borough Council on Sept. 11, 2018, to fill the unexpired term of Gary Kochinski, Jr., who resigned his seat. The term runs until January 2022.
Eroh, 33, recently discovered that state election law requires a special election to fill terms. Eroh, the borough council and solicitor, were unaware of the requirement.
Mayor Thomas McTague died Sept. 27 and the borough must now fill the remain time on his term. Eroh said when she was researching the procedure on how to fill the mayor’s seat, she uncovered the law regarding her own seat.
“That’s when I realized my appointment might have been done in error,” Eroh told reporter Bill O’Boyle. “I want to be sure I’m serving to the letter of the law.”
Attorney Michael Kostelansky, who serves as the borough’s solicitor, Friday said he will file a petition in Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas within the next seven to 10 days requesting a special election be held by the end of the year regarding Eroh’s seat.
Kostelansky said Eroh’s seat must be filled by the first Monday of January 2020, and that the seat should have been in the primary for 2019 and contested in the November general election.
The situation appears to have been an oversight, and we praise all concerned for addressing it as quickly and efficiently as possible, with maximum transparency.
Diamonds to everyone connected with SHINE of Luzerne County, which opened its ninth after-school program, at at Pittston Area’s Intermediate Center, with a ceremony earlier this week.
The Schools and Homes In Education (SHINE) program was formed in the fall of 2015 by state Sen. John Yudichak, D-Plymouth Township, and former U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta. Wilkes University is SHINE’s higher education partner and serves as home for the program.
The SHINE Center at the Pittston Intermediate Center will serve elementary school students in first through fourth grades and also have a home visiting program encompassing a four-day-a-week after-school program for students recommended by teachers or guidance counselors.
Diamonds to Heller’s Orchard and Shickshinny American Legion Post 495, both of which were honored by the Greater Shickshinny Business Association for 100 years of operation. Family businesses like Heller’s and veterans’ associations like the Legion are cornerstones of many American communities, and a century of successful service is an achievement worth noting.
— Times Leader