Normal Life in Wilkes Barre YES IT"S TRUE!!! (Scranton: lofts, condos)

[sheena12]

Contrary to the strange rant of a post that encouraged a querent to flee the city of Wilkes Barre and to basically "run for her life.", there are plenty of people living, safe, happy and productive lives in this city.Lives that have nothing to do with drugs or violence.

Yesterday afternoon and evening were really lovely! After helping my high school aged children with homework a but, hubby and I went for a stroll through the Farmer's Market, sampling the rich offering of locally grown produce and regional ethnic fare. We as former NYers had never had a pastie,
a Welsh cookie, or pogash ( in case misspelled it, bread with cabbage and potatoes baked in.) We also picked up some wonderful Amish bread, a yummy herb rye bread, some tabouli, hummas, pumpkin whoopie pies and lots of crisp apples, winter squash and tomatoes.

Together we enjoyed our eclectic repast, after which DH and I strolled over to the Osterhaut (sp?) Library - a really beautiful building - to take in a lecture being presented by a historian about The Pennsylvania Dutch practice of Pow Wow it's roots in Europe and it's growth in the region.
I really was unaware that many PA Dutch lived in Luzerne county, but she was able to find a reported incident of a PA Dutch farmer who claimed that his pigs and cows had been hexed in the 18th century by a neighbor.
The names of the family as well as the town were redacted.
In attendance were many professional and academic types. The lecture was folloed by a lively and informed discussion, after which we walked home.

I am not writing this because I am self absorbed or anxious to inform you about the minutia of my life.
I am writing to tell you that I am tired of hearing negative reports and fear based hysteria from some ( not all) posters who persist in posting about the perceived flaws and danger of Scranton or Wilkes-Barre.

I invite others do do the same!

[W-B proud]

Originally Posted by sheena12

Contrary to the strange rant of a post that encouraged a querent to flee the city of Wilkes Barre and to basically "run for her life.", there are plenty of people living, safe, happy and productive lives in this city.Lives that have nothing to do with drugs or violence.

Yesterday afternoon and evening were really lovely! After helping my high school aged children with homework a but, hubby and I went for a stroll through the Farmer's Market, sampling the rich offering of locally grown produce and regional ethnic fare. We as former NYers had never had a pastie,
a Welsh cookie, or pogash ( in case misspelled it, bread with cabbage and potatoes baked in.) We also picked up some wonderful Amish bread, a yummy herb rye bread, some tabouli, hummas, pumpkin whoopie pies and lots of crisp apples, winter squash and tomatoes.

Together we enjoyed our eclectic repast, after which DH and I strolled over to the Osterhaut (sp?) Library - a really beautiful building - to take in a lecture being presented by a historian about The Pennsylvania Dutch practice of Pow Wow it's roots in Europe and it's growth in the region.
I really was unaware that many PA Dutch lived in Luzerne county, but she was able to find a reported incident of a PA Dutch farmer who claimed that his pigs and cows had been hexed in the 18th century by a neighbor.
The names of the family as well as the town were redacted.
In attendance were many professional and academic types. The lecture was folloed by a lively and informed discussion, after which we walked home.

I am not writing this because I am self absorbed or anxious to inform you about the minutia of my life.
I am writing to tell you that I am tired of hearing negative reports and fear based hysteria from some ( not all) posters who persist in posting about the perceived flaws and danger of Scranton or Wilkes-Barre.

I invite others do do the same!

Thank's for the upbeat view of Wilkes-Barre. I have been living here my entire life can can happily report that I have never been mugged, or felt in danger, or threatened. W-B is a city, and like all cities, it has it's share of urban problems, but I feel that it is no more then anywhere else. I routinely walk around town at night, walk my dogs ect. and never feel in danger. Yes there are drugs and crime, but there are drugs and crime everywhere. Wilkes-Barre has a deep history that goes back to colonial times, and the city is starting to bounce back. It is 10 times nier then it was ten years ago, and it continues to make strides. The problem is that all the negativity always drowns out all the positive's this city has to offer. I'm glad to see a "former NYer" notice and appriciate that W-B isn't the hell on earth that many seem to think it is. Many of our own residents don't even appriciate that. Thanks for the positive feedback.

[pkrplr1]

Originally Posted by sheena12

Contrary to the strange rant of a post that encouraged a querent to flee the city of Wilkes Barre and to basically "run for her life.", there are plenty of people living, safe, happy and productive lives in this city.Lives that have nothing to do with drugs or violence.

Yesterday afternoon and evening were really lovely! After helping my high school aged children with homework a but, hubby and I went for a stroll through the Farmer's Market, sampling the rich offering of locally grown produce and regional ethnic fare. We as former NYers had never had a pastie,
a Welsh cookie, or pogash ( in case misspelled it, bread with cabbage and potatoes baked in.) We also picked up some wonderful Amish bread, a yummy herb rye bread, some tabouli, hummas, pumpkin whoopie pies and lots of crisp apples, winter squash and tomatoes.

Together we enjoyed our eclectic repast, after which DH and I strolled over to the Osterhaut (sp?) Library - a really beautiful building - to take in a lecture being presented by a historian about The Pennsylvania Dutch practice of Pow Wow it's roots in Europe and it's growth in the region.
I really was unaware that many PA Dutch lived in Luzerne county, but she was able to find a reported incident of a PA Dutch farmer who claimed that his pigs and cows had been hexed in the 18th century by a neighbor.
The names of the family as well as the town were redacted.
In attendance were many professional and academic types. The lecture was folloed by a lively and informed discussion, after which we walked home.

I am not writing this because I am self absorbed or anxious to inform you about the minutia of my life.
I am writing to tell you that I am tired of hearing negative reports and fear based hysteria from some ( not all) posters who persist in posting about the perceived flaws and danger of Scranton or Wilkes-Barre.

I invite others do do the same!

sounds like an exciting day!!!!

[varmintblaster]

Nice you hear you had such a wonderful day Sheena.

For a flip of the coin comparison, can you kindly take a late-night stroll with your hubby down S Main Street and hook a turn onto Hazle street?

I'm genuinely interested in what your impression will be.

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by varmintblaster

Nice you hear you had such a wonderful day Sheena.

For a flip of the coin comparison, can you kindly take a late-night stroll with your hubby down S Main Street and hook a turn onto Hazle street?

I'm genuinely interested in what your impression will be.

Is it normal for people not doing something surly to take late-night strolls?

[W-B proud]

Originally Posted by varmintblaster

Nice you hear you had such a wonderful day Sheena.

For a flip of the coin comparison, can you kindly take a late-night stroll with your hubby down S Main Street and hook a turn onto Hazle street?

I'm genuinely interested in what your impression will be.

You have to find the negative in an otherwise positive thread. That area has always been a seedy red light district, but the entire downtown used to be a seedy red light district. I'm happy that the city is getting it under control.

[varmintblaster]

I made no mention of negativity.

I am genuinely interested in a view of WB from Sheena's eyes..

[SteelCityRising]

The Diamond City truly does have a lot to offer, but, yes, the unwarranted negativity becomes so oppressive it drives people away.

Mayor hears familiar litany of concerns | The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, PA (http://www.timesleader.com/news/Mayor_hears_familiar__litany_of_concerns_10-27-2010.html?searchterm=Leighton - broken link)

Leighton unveils downtown road rehab | The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, PA

These two articles from the Times-Leader are a perfect example of this. One positive contributor to the commentary of both articles is left to fight against the jackals who wish to see the city fail because they're miserable in their own lives.

Wilkes-Barre has welcomed under the Leighton administration:

• River Commons
• University Corners (including Movies 14)
• Barnes & Noble
• Gateway Corners
• Revamped Coal Street Park (including a practice ice rink for the Penguins and also to include a splash park in lieu of a pool)
• Surveillance camera system
• Increased police staffing
• New downtown streetscape
• Intermodal Transit Center
• Continued Growth of Wilkes and King's
• Downtown Lofts/Condos
• A Slowing of the Decades-Long Population Nosedive
• New Playground in Iron Triangle
• Solomon's Creek Floodwall Improvements
• Increasing Downtown Foot Traffic
• Fiscal solvency
• Impending Mixed-Use Project on Empire Street
• More Downtown Parking
• Much More

Instead all most people can seem to focus on are potholes on Wilkes-Barre Boulevard, drug busts (a GOOD thing), personal vendettas, etc. Was Wilkes-Barre really THAT much better off in 2000?

[varmintblaster]

Originally Posted by Magritte25

Is it normal for people not doing something surly to take late-night strolls?

Absolutely, why would you think otherwise?

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by W-B proud

You have to find the negative in an otherwise positive thread. That area has always been a seedy red light district, but the entire downtown used to be a seedy red light district. I'm happy that the city is getting it under control.

Agreed. Wilkes-Barre has problems; however, the fact that so few are willing to admit it has FEWER problems than in years past irks me. You can't go from competing with Flint, MI to competing with Boulder, CO or Ithaca, NY in terms of overall quality-of-life considerations overnight. The city took generations to fall into such neglect, and in just a few years it has taken GREAT strides to turn itself around.