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Diamonds to Nanticoke and Plymouth Township. Each of these Luzerne County communities, once tagged financially “distressed,” has patiently and painstakingly reversed its fortunes – and improved its outlook for the future. This week, Nanticoke became the first city in the state, and only the 10th municipality, to exit Pennsylvania’s mandated recovery program commonly known as “Act 47.” Nanticoke Mayor Richard Wiaterowski called it the “beginning of a new chapter.” Plymouth Township aims to follow suit later this year, shedding its $510,000 debt. Credit goes in large part to blueprints created by the municipalities’ respective “recovery coordinators,” the Pennsylvania Economy League and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance. The Economy League has posted on its website a “Keystone Crossroads” report on what other cities can learn from Nanticoke.
Coal to the smutty-email-passing employees, current and former, in the state Attorney General’s Office. Emails released this week by the state Supreme Court paint a disgusting picture of how certain taxpayer-funded workers spent their time, misused government-owned computers and objectified women. Particularly distressing were the alleged actions of Frank Fina and E. Marc Costanzo, both now employed in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.
Diamonds to Geisinger Health Systems. Beginning in about a week, the organization intends to boost its pay for minimum-wage workers to $10 per hour. In turn, certain workers earning more than that amount also will see fatter paychecks because of increases in on-call rates and shift differentials. The move, which Geisinger estimates will cost about $3.3 million, “will help us to continue to retain and hire the best employees,” said its human resources officer. The Danville-based network, with hospitals and clinics throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania, employs about 23,5000.
Coal to obnoxious high school sports fans. By all means, root and rah-rah for your favorite area football, soccer and tennis teams. But berate or curse? No excuse for that conduct. If you can’t contain it, please stay home.
Diamonds to drivers who exercise extra caution when the area’s schools resume classes. “A pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at 25 mph is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling (at 35 mph),” according to AAA’s road safety experts. So, do your part to avoid a tragedy. Slow down, especially in school zones and near bus stops. Also, be vigilant during the before- and after-school hours for students darting across streets on foot or riding bicycles. About one-third of child pedestrian fatalities take place between 3 and 7 p.m., according to the automobile club. Help to ensure the school commute is trouble-free. Many local schools open Monday.