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Diamonds to a particularly colorful celebration of St. Patrick’s Day at the Department of Veterans Affairs Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center in Plains Twp. courtesy of the American Legion District 12. The legion helped veterans and their families celebrate the holiday through catered Irish staples like corned beef and cabbage, appropriately green desserts, a DJ providing music and games. Photos from the event show a good number of smiles, and the strength support is shown in the list of donors to the District 12 Canteen Fund, with regular contributions from legions in Nanticoke, Freeland, Ashley, Plains Twp., Harveys Lake, Kingston, Larksville, Plymouth, Exeter, Wilkes-Barre Twp. and Jenkins Twp. “It’s the joy in the faces,” Canteen Fund Representative Nicole Guest said. “To see them smile, especially with everything they’ve been through.” It is, indeed.
Coal to the Kingston man accused of burglarizing a Wilkes-Barre apartment while a woman there slept. According to police, the woman woke up to find someone rummaging through a desk in her bedroom. he told her to be quiet and that he was looking for “Michael.” Then he took her wallet and told her to put her head into a pillow and count to 200. Police say he gained access by climbing through a second floor window. The alleged perpetrator has priors of similar offenses. It’s bad enough to break into a home to steal; It’s a truly frightening thing to wake up to hear and see the thief. A diamond within this coal to the speedy work of police who used surveillance video to apprehend the man relatively quickly.
Diamonds to the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber for the Young Professionals Conference Wednesday, and the decision to feature former TL staff writer Ryan Evans. Evans told his story of struggle with a difficult childhood and his success in finding purpose, first through service in the U.S. Navy, then in pursuit of a college degree. He has been telling bits of his saga for more than four years, having been one of the speakers at a Sept. 11 commemoration at Luzerne County Community College in 2019, and having helped start a Veterans Club at the school. Perhaps most importantly, he has turned his success into an example for others, one of paying it forward. “As we become tomorrow’s senior leaders, we can accommodate the next generation of young professionals and give them the tools to step into their leadership roles.
Coal to another completely avoidable house fire. Wilkes-Barre firefighters responded to a blaze they determined started because a space heater was plugged into an extension cord that was plugged into a power strip that was plugged into an outlet. We’ve heard for decades of how overuse of extension cords is a common cause of house fires, and that using high-load devices like space heaters is a particularly important no-no, but the repeated warnings obviously go unheeded, leading to property destruction and, in some cases, injury or even death. Don’t plug space heaters into extension cords. Buy heaters that have automatic shut offs in case of overloads or tilting. Keep space heaters at least three feet from flammable materials such as curtains, bedding and furniture. If possible, set them on fire-resistant surfaces. And don’t leave them unattended. If you’re awake and not present, the room probably doesn’t need the heat. And if you’re asleep, an extra blanket or two is much safer.