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PITTSTON — The city’s expansive history is coming to the small screen.

More than 20 residents attended the first of two public meetings for the WVIA-TV “Our Town Pittston” documentary at the Pittston Memorial Library on Thursday evening. It served as an introduction to the documentary.

“The purpose of this evening’s meeting was sort of a getting-to-know-you session,” said WVIA-TV producer Lisa Mazzarella. “We’re introducing the ‘Our Town’ project to the community with the hopes that there will be the interest in participating and then going to the next step, which would be collecting ideas and then bringing them forward to next’s week’s session, and then finally planning what the community wants the film to be about.”

The second meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

Mazzarella told the audience they would be involved in the documentary by bringing in photos and videos and doing sit-down interviews with the crew. WVIA-TV editors will compile all that footage into a one-hour show, set to air in February.

Mazzarella said this way, the story of Pittston is in its residents’ control.

“What kind of story do you want to tell?” she asked the audience. “Do you want to tell a funny story? A happy story? Or a story that is just straight-forward? It’s all up to you.”

At the next meeting, which Mazzarella called the “white-board meeting,” residents are asked to bring in ideas and suggestions for the documentary.

Once the ideas are in place, contributors will donate materials for the documentary during a meeting Dec. 10. Interviews with those wanting to speak out about Pittston will also be conducted at this time.

Lifelong Pittston resident Maria Capolarella-Montante said she would like the documentary to mention the library and the coal mining statue, while her husband, Chester, wants to talk about the businesses.

Pittston Mayor Jason Klush said he will try to submit anything he can to the documentary and couldn’t choose one facet of Pittston’s history to focus on.

“I like everything,” he said. “I like the history and I’ve grown up here; it’s part of me and it’s everything. From the history, to now, to the future — it’s everything.”

Ron Faraday, president of the Greater Pittston Historical Society, is looking forward to hearing personal stories from residents and hopes to hear some heartwarming tales.

“It would be something if someone says that their grandfather, or great-grandfather, maybe helped build a building and it’s still standing and every time they see that building it reminds them of their relative,” he said. “I hope that’s something someone says.”

“Our Town Pittston” will be the 27th documentary Mazzarella has produced in the “Our Town” series, and she said no show has been the same.

Pittston, she said, has a family quality to it which makes her all the more excited to get started.

“The people love to be together,” she said. “They enjoy working together as a community and work hard to make this town the way it is. They’re looking to the future together, and that, to me, is very impressive.”

Pittston residents gather in the John P. Cosgrove Center at the Pittston Memorial Library for the first public meeting on the ‘Our Town Pittston’ documentary Thursday.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_PSD110616OurTown.CMYK_.jpg.optimal.jpgPittston residents gather in the John P. Cosgrove Center at the Pittston Memorial Library for the first public meeting on the ‘Our Town Pittston’ documentary Thursday. Jimmy Fisher | Sunday Dispatch

WVIA-TV ‘Our Town’ produceer Lisa Mazzarella, left, and WVIA-TV Vice President of Underwriting Ron Prislupski address the audience at the first public meeting for the ‘Our Town Pittston’ documentary.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_PSD110616OurTown2.CMYK_.jpg.optimal.jpgWVIA-TV ‘Our Town’ produceer Lisa Mazzarella, left, and WVIA-TV Vice President of Underwriting Ron Prislupski address the audience at the first public meeting for the ‘Our Town Pittston’ documentary. Jimmy Fisher | Sunday Dispatch

Pittston resident Richard Fitzsimmons asks a question during the first public meeting of the ‘Our Town Pittston’ documentary.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_PSD110616OurTown3.CMYK_.jpg.optimal.jpgPittston resident Richard Fitzsimmons asks a question during the first public meeting of the ‘Our Town Pittston’ documentary. Jimmy Fisher | Sunday Dispatch

Pittston Mayor Jason Klush sits in attendance at the first public meeting of the ‘Our Town Pittston’ documentary.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_PSD110616OurTown4.CMYK_.jpg.optimal.jpgPittston Mayor Jason Klush sits in attendance at the first public meeting of the ‘Our Town Pittston’ documentary. Jimmy Fisher | Sunday Dispatch
Next meeting is Thursday at the Pittston Memorial Library

By Jimmy Fisher

[email protected]

WHAT’S NEXT?

The next public meeting for the WVIA-TV documentary ‘Our Town Pittston’ will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the John P. Cosgrove Center at the Pittston Memorial Library, 47 Broad St., Pittston.

Reach Jimmy Fisher at 570-704-3972 or on Twitter @SD_JimmyFisher