Relocating to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton by myself. NEEDS YOUR HELP/ADVICE! (North East: houses, travel)

[4dogs4me]

I live in northeast Pa, on the outskirts of Wilkes-Barre. Yes, the city has really built up over the last couple of years, but I would NEVER want to live there. In the last several years alot of the bad people from New York & Philadephia have come into the city & brought it down. My husband works in Wilkes-Barre & sees drug deals all the time. There is a drug house on the same street that he works on. He can go outside & see drug deals all the time. It's sickening. He's working his butt off & theses people are dealing drugs & walking the streets. Plus in the last several years there's been a lot of shootings. (mostly in bars) Yes, I know this stuff is everywhere, but why would you want to move here? The weather sucks!!! It's dreary more of the time than nice. I can't wait for the day I can go south. I'm planning it now & it can't happen soon enough.

[W-B proud]

Hello, Wilkes-barre's best neighborhood's are anything north of center city, (Parsons, Brookside, Miners Mills, and parts of Northend) personally, I recomend Parsons. Also, East End (Wilkes-Barre's Irish section) is still somewhat nice. Avoid South Wilkes-Barre, Iron Triangle, and parts of the Heights. Even consider downtown. There have been many recent improvements, new condos are coming, many multi-million dollar projects are in the works. Wilkes-Barre's trying to rebuild itself, and has invested heavily in center city! Including a massive Riverfront Rehab project (opening this fall) that will have a small amphitheater, fishing pier, boat launch ect... Wilkes-Barre also has alot of affordable housing around ethier one of the two college campases (King's and Wilkes) River st. highly recommended. Riverfront condos coming soon! Downtown Wilkes-Barre is very compact and walkable. Brand new 14 screen theater, new eateries Thai, Italian, seafood, Hibatchi ect... Bart and Urbies is a new New York city style Bar and Grill. Entertainment: Jazz Cafe (rock-a-billy, trippy, jazz, blues), Woodlands Resort(mega club, many different clubs under one roof; dance club, higher-end jazz club, alternative lifestyle club ect..., Mohegan Sun casino features- slots, nightclubs, horse racing (no table games...yet!) Kirby Center features national music acts, comedians, majicians, plays, philharmonic ect... Wachovia Arena features AHL Hockey W-B/Scr Penguins (affiliate of the NHL Penguins), Arena football, as well as many national music acts, Disney on Ice, WWE Wresleing, moto cross (you get the picture). Scranton area features Montage Mountain ski resort in winter, PNC field (baseball AAA Yankees affiliate) Toyota Pavillion (national musical acts) in the summertime. As you can see, for an area this small we have a mountain of entertainment options! Plus NYC and Philly are only 2 hours by car or bus. Transportation: Posten Taxi, Burgit's city taxi, west side cab company (Wilkes-Barre area) LCTA (local bus company) Martz trailways (busses to NYC, Philly, Atlantic City, Baltimore...) Scranton taxi company-(McCathy's Flowered cabs), COLTS (local bus), Martz (out of town busses). The only bad thing is, local busses do not run 24/7, like major metro areas. You'll have to travel by taxi after-hours. If you choose to live downtown, right across from downtown W-B is Kirby Park,( biking, jogging on the levy, nature walks, tennis, small pond...a beautiful urban park overlooking downtown W-B) Anyway I hope I've helped. Welcome to Wilkes-Barre, Pa.! l h.2b

[mrchuk]

Quick note on jobs: Go to Scranton and look into civil service jobs. Take a couple of tests and see what happens. Oh by the way, you will need transportation.

[wilkes-barretruestory]

No jobs, no subways, no nightlife. Wilkes-Barre is where you go when you have nowhere else to go. Got just a few more months myself and then... outta here.

[wilkes-barretruestory]

Yes, avoid South Wilkes-Barre... only where the mayor lives, the police chief, a city councilman...

[Chefkey]

Originally Posted by wilkes-barretruestory

No jobs, no subways, no nightlife. Wilkes-Barre is where you go when you have nowhere else to go. Got just a few more months myself and then... outta here.

Spoken like a true Philadelphian, cheers to you as I lived there for years.

Regarding jobs, they are here but you just have to have a skill that is needed.

[Chefkey]

If you have the right skills for the needs of the area you can be very happy here.

[W-B proud]

This entire region is plagued with low paying warehousing jobs. Our region sits at the crossroads of many interstate highways that criss-cross the U.S. So many of these warehouses for national companies have moved thier operations here because of the low cost of operation, taxes, and wages as compaired to major metro areas along the eastern sea-board. On a brighter note however, Wilkes-Barre is home to a few burgeoning e-commerce and internet companies that have gained national attention and praise. Check out Solid Cactus, I-gourmet, and Pepperjam.com if you're in this field of work. I believe all three companies are hiring. As far as the roller derby, I think the Wilkes-Barre chapter is called The Coal City Rollers. Unfortunatly, besides what I've mentioned, neither Wilkes-Barre or Scranton have alot to offer in the jobs dept. Our area has pros and cons just like any other area.

[WasPA]

Originally Posted by wilkes-barretruestory

No jobs, no subways, no nightlife. Wilkes-Barre is where you go when you have nowhere else to go. Got just a few more months myself and then... outta here.

Maybe if you spent time volunteering...helping other people out, hospitals, nursing homes, church programs, city initiatives like anti-graffiti programs---maybe you'd feel better and less bitter. Join a gym.... like they say, "Move a muscle, move a thought". You see, it's all attitude. All the time. Your misery might not be so much Wilkes-barre's fault.

So take a suggestion. Get off your hiney and get going....you might learn lessons that will serve you and your attitude well no matter where you move.

Good luck, seriously. Life is very short and not all bad. Don't waste your chances or your time feeling sorry or critical.....

[BillieBrawliday]

Wow, the information has been overwhelming and helpful. Much to think about. I'm sort of leaning towards searching for another area of PA to live. But luckily, I have a friend or two in (west) PA that could help me look around (east PA) once I visit. Thanks to MRCHUK for the info about jobs. Good looking out! (: