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Diamonds to United Way of Wyoming Valley’s continuing involvement with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, and a little diamond inside the big one to former Luzerne County Commissioner Tom Makowski for bringing wry wit and self-effacing humor to an event at Greater Nanticoke Area’s Early Childhood Education Center marking the library’s fifth year in our area. As United Way President Bill Jones noted during the event, reading is critical to learning, and much of a person’s brain development occurs by age five, making this ongoing effort to get books into the hands of preschool students is so important. Dolly Parton began the project because her father was illiterate, and United Way has manged to hand out 100,000 books since launching Imagination Library locally. Makowski, who has been largely out of the public eye for more than a decade, is serving as co-chair for the United Way fund drive this year, and this was a great example of why the cause is so worthy.

Coal to those who insist on misusing off-road bikes by riding them not only on the road but doing so while violating the rules of the road. The latest example occurred in Hazleton, where city police seized a bike that police say was being driven on the wrong side of the road. It seems obvious, but apparently needs to be said: If the vehicle is not legally approved for operation on the road, it shouldn’t be on the road. It’s even more obvious that if regardless of the legal status regarding road use, the traffic laws must still be followed, for the safety of other drivers, pedestrians and even the scofflaw motorcyclist. Our transportation system only works as well as those who use it make it work. If we all ignore the rules of the road, few of us will get anywhere safely.

Diamonds to the state Department of Education for continuing to support public libraries. Back Mountain Memorial Library and the Wyoming Free Library received modest but valuable grants this week for renovations. Aside from the above-mentioned value of reading for young children, we all improve vocabulary, expand our minds and open up our world through the books, videos and periodicals accessible at public libraries. And although the Internet has retooled the way we use such facilities, public libraries remain an important part of any community. The Back Mountain grant of $129,845 will be used to renovate a meeting room to be more accessible and offer more space. If you haven’t checked out the many offerings Luzerne County libraries provide, consider stopping by or going on line to find out what’s happening at one near you.

Coal, while we brought up the improper use of off-road vehicles, to all drivers who seem to think “Right turn on red” means the red light can be ignored. The law is clear. If the light is red, you still have to come to a full stop before making that right turn. It’s a simple matter of safety, so you can make sure it really is clear to make the turn, and of courtesy, so others aren’t surprised (or worse, injured) by your haste and unpredictability. Nothing should be so important you can’t take the extra seconds to actually stop and look.

Addison Miller listens as Tom Makowski and Alana Roberts read Zach’s Alligator at the Nanticoke Pre-K on Tuesday morning in celebration of the Dolly Parton Library program with United Way. Aimee Dilger|Times Leader
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_TTL102219books4-1.jpg.optimal.jpgAddison Miller listens as Tom Makowski and Alana Roberts read Zach’s Alligator at the Nanticoke Pre-K on Tuesday morning in celebration of the Dolly Parton Library program with United Way. Aimee Dilger|Times Leader