Rumors is...Toys R Us offered free rent to stay in Mall, said no thanks!!! (Scranton: live, restaurants)

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

NOBODY goes downtown unless they work there or go to the bars at night and EVERYTHING closes a 5pm except the mall.

I neither drink nor worked Downtown, yet I found myself patronizing Downtown establishments quite frequently. It's sad if Scranton's own residents would rather spend their dollars OUTSIDE the city in Moosic or Dickson City.

[SteelCityRising]

I've never understood why so many in Scranton WANT their Downtown to fail. A failed Downtown means:

1.) Higher residential property taxes to offset the loss on commerce.
2.) A continued population nosedive as nobody in their right mind would want to move to a city with a decrepit core that would be embarrassing to show visitors.
3.) More disgusting urban sprawl (think South Abington Township, Dickson City, Montage Mountain, Pittston Township, etc.)
4.) More traffic congestion as more people are forced to drive longer distances to access amenities.
5.) Continued economic failure of the region as a whole.

[Lehigh Valley Native]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

Popping? ......NOBODY goes downtown unless they work there or go to the bars at night and EVERYTHING closes a 5pm except the mall......

[/b]

We don't work, live, or go to bars in downtown Scranton. We do however drive from Kingston and go to Scranton 3 or 4 times a month (more often in the summer).
We go to Steamtown or will take the kids to dinner at a local eatery, lately it has been the Hurricane grill. Then go into the mall and let the kids play in the indoor gym in the food court or go to Timmy's Town Center. We even have on occasion gone to the movie theater.

The indoor kid gym is an awesome alternative to Chuck e Cheese.

[Magritte25]

I agree LVN. We take the kids to the Steamtown Museum several times per year. I have never frequented a bar in Scranton nor do I live or there.

[johnqpublic]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

Why do you have a problem with someone cracking down on drunk drivers?

I have no problem with arresting drunk drivers, But The officer is predatory, it seems that if you are in town after 9 PM you are guilty by association, The officer pulls people over fo no reason, on the suspicion they may have been drinking, He will target a driver and follow him, pulling him over for the smallest if not made up reasons. His reputation is widely known and many people who may have gone downtown for a beer or two, and NOT be driving legally intoxicated will not go there any more because of the chance of being pulled over by the officer.
There is a line between doing a good job, and being overzealous.
The Officer has no doubt hurt downtown patronage quite a bit...

[SWBFAN]

So now we can just post rumor as fact?

[weluvpa]

Originally Posted by johnqpublic

I have no problem with arresting drunk drivers, But The officer is predatory, it seems that if you are in town after 9 PM you are guilty by association, The officer pulls people over fo no reason, on the suspicion they may have been drinking, He will target a driver and follow him, pulling him over for the smallest if not made up reasons. His reputation is widely known and many people who may have gone downtown for a beer or two, and NOT be driving legally intoxicated will not go there any more because of the chance of being pulled over by the officer.
There is a line between doing a good job, and being overzealous.
The Officer has no doubt hurt downtown patronage quite a bit...

The funny part is that he is friends with some of the bouncers in the downtown bars and they call in the tips for him when somebody leaves after a night of drinking. I haven't went downtown for anything more then coffee or soda because of him in a few years.

[Magritte25]

I guess if someone doesn't want to get a DUI, well, they shouldn't drink and drive. Pretty easy.

Did SWB also move to Pitt from Nova?

[johnqpublic]

Originally Posted by Magritte25

I guess if someone doesn't want to get a DUI, well, they shouldn't drink and drive. Pretty easy.

Did SWB also move to Pitt from Nova?

You miss the point, I dont condone drunk driving, but the problem is many people avoid the Downtown all together because of this. you dont have to be drunk driving to get profiled as such and pulled over..

[frank754]

If you haven't heard this one, here it is:

Recently, a routine police patrol was parked outside a local neighborhood bar in Scranton.

Late in the evening, the officer noticed a man leaving the bar so intoxicated that he could barely walk. The man stumbled around the parking lot for a few minutes with the officer quietly watching.

After what seemed an eternity and trying his keys on five different vehicles, the man managed to find his own car which he fell into. He was there for a few minutes as a number of other patrons left the bar and drove off. Finally, he started his car, switched the wipers on and off (it was a dry night), flicked the hazard flasher on and off, tooted the horn and then switched on the lights. He moved the vehicle forward a few inches, reversed a little and then remained stationary for a few more minutes as more patrons left in their vehicles.

At last he pulled out of the parking lot and started to drive slowly down the street.

The police officer having patiently waited all this time, now started up his patrol car, put on the flashing lights, promptly pulled the man over and carried out a breathalyser test.

To his amazement the breathalyser indicated no evidence that the man consumed alcohol at all!

Dumbfounded, the officer said "I'll have to ask you to accompany me to the police station. This breathalyser equipment must be broken."

"I doubt it," said the man. "Tonight I'm the designated decoy."