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Diamonds to D&D Realty Group, which will be honored for the preservation and re-purposing of 116 S. Main St. in Wilkes-Barre. Built in 1914, the venerable edifice near the heart of Wilkes-Barre’s downtown sat vacant for years. Wilkes University purchased it in 2016 but used it for little more than storage while contemplating how it could fit into the downtown campus. Six years later, Wilkes initially agreed to have D&D convert three floors into luxury apartments, but about a year after that the whole building was sold to the developer, and the final outcome has returned the structure to modern use appropriate for a changing downtown. “It’s important to recognize outstanding readaptive use of old buildings,” Wilkes-Barre Preservation Society Director Tony Brooks said, “Our awards are to celebrate and encourage even more historic preservation, rehabilitation and readaptive use that contributes to the betterment and beauty of Wilkes-Barre.” That’s a very worthy goal, and we hope this public acknowledgment of the successful project fulfills that goal.
Coal to the Luzerne County Council majority’s decision to pass an “election safety” resolution. We don’t in any way mean disrespect for the theoretical intent; It’s pretty hard to argue against an effort to make elections safe. But the evidence seems pretty overwhelming that this was ultimately an empty gesture. State and federal laws already offer ample prohibition of harassment, intimidation and threats against election workers, and council approving a resolution saying they “stand in full support” of those adds nothing. Indeed, the real story would be if council passed a resolution promising not to support the law. Yes, this is a small nit to pick, but that’s actually the point. Council has better things to do.
Diamonds to three local high school golfers for stellar success in the state PIAA Class 2A championship. Wyoming Seminary senior Nick Werner not only took the title, he did so for the second year in a row. Lake-Lehman’s Charlie Weidner finished in a tie for second place. And Tunkhannock’s Hallie Brown tied for ninth place in the girls’ tournament. Let’s admit it: golf doesn’t generate the excitement and crowds of the most popular high school games like football and basketball, but athletes of state championship caliber deserve attention whether they are spiraling a football for a last-second touchdown or tapping a long putt into the final hole.
Coal to the two men involved in a shooting over slammed vehicle doors in the Wilkes-Barre Township Marketplace parking lot last November. The first man, Johnny Elijah Credle, was already sentenced following a no contest plea. The second, Anthony Gilliard, entered a similar plea this week and is set to be sentenced Dec. 12. Police say Gilliard and a woman exited Credle’s car and slammed the door. Credle claimed he was driving away, heard gunshots, and stopped to return fire before fleeing, though Gilliard said he started firing at the car only after the driver aimed a gun at him. Tomayto, tomahto; This sounds like pointless escalation of a dispute, made much worse because it happened in a busy parking lot of multiple businesses spreading the danger well beyond the people causing it.