moving to Schuylkill County (Pittsburgh, Reading: amusement park, buying a home, buying)

[sleeplessinpa]

I am glad some of the younger crowd posted.

You are so right about so little to do and the drug and drinking problems.

And yes there are lots of Churches to go and repent but hey they are looking for money too-that is why they are there!

My kids are going to Millersville University and they love it! My daughter is taking Commercial Art and my son Computer Science.

They go all over to vist nearby places- Hershey, York, Harrisburg, Philly and Maryland all are just a short drive. Lots of places to shop and neither are board like here at home.

We rent a townhouse there which they pay half of the rent(we pay the other)and it is a regular 2 story home so they come home from school and it feels like a home.

I hope all of the younger posters go away to school(take a student loan if Mom and Dad can't afford it). I assure you once you have that degree you will be able to go much further in Life!

Both of my kids worked internships over the summer and made almost $11 an hour. They both graduate in May 2007 . The company my daughter worked for over the summer wants to hire her when she graduates. She will be making around $40,000 to start. Not bad.

My son expects to start at least at $50,000 in his field.

So please go to school- even night school and go far away from the Coal Region..

Good Luck and keep in touch..

[sleeplessinpa]

You have a right to freedom of speech and by the way I am Catholic but do not agree with the way things are run these days.

My church and the Biships Office have got letters from me. At least I am honest-most people just complain behind closed doors..

Not me. I say how I feel.

[MrTudo]

Might I ask what "boilo" is???

[dcris]

http://www.coalregion.com/Recipes/boilo.htm (broken link)

This is news to me too.

[MrTudo]

Hi, what are the towns closest to western Wayne Cnty?

Thank you

[mjk1093]

The coal region has its own cuisine, just like us PA Dutch. Some of it isn't half bad. Someone help me out, what is it called when you mix peanut butter and mashed potatoes?

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by MrTudo

Hi, what are the towns closest to western Wayne Cnty?

Thank you

Hi MrTudo. I see you're interested in Wayne County, more specifically "The Hideout", from what I saw on other threads. Wayne County, while still being part of the "Poconos", doesn't have to contend with the problems that Monroe County currently has. While Monroe County has gang issues, crime sprees, traffic congestion, etc., Wayne County remains a very safe, tranquil place to raise a family.

Naturally, the drug problem is out-of-control here, but where isn't it? At least here in NEPA, for the most part those doping up on heroin and meth keep to themselves and don't bother bystanders. In Wilkes-Barre, there's frequent problems with banks, mini-marts, (and most recently a NEXTEL store), being robbed by junkies seeking cash for a "quick fix", but Wayne County still hasn't seen any of these crime issues seep into its borders yet. Sure, a lot of the county's residents are literally high on life, but in this sense "Johnny Doe" smoking pot down the road will leave you alone.

Other than the drug problem, there really isn't much crime to speak of in Wayne County. There are a few DUIs (just like everywhere else), and occasional break-ins at unattended seasonal homes (I still can never understand why someone from NYC earning six-figures couldn't afford to consult ADT or Vector to spend a few hundred dollars on a security system for their second homes here).

Basically, all of Wayne County has a very "Mayberry" feel to it, with a few small towns dotted with churches, older homes, and mom-and-pop shops, along with a spattering of agriculture and seasonal homes. It's awe-inspiring actually to take a drive west on Route 6 between Waymart and Carondale on a clear day and see the large turbines on the windmills looming overhead like giant white pinwheels!

Overall, it's a very quiet area. I saw in the other thread you making a comment about being "nervous" when I mentioned "gangs", but I was referencing Monroe County, to the south, NOT Wayne County. Monroe County in itself is becoming "mini-New Jersey" in a lot of ways, wheras Wayne County is still a proud Pennsylvania address.

[sleeplessinpa]

Boilo from what I can remember is a combination of whiskey ,honey and I think some kind of fruit. It is put in a mason jar to cure for a few months or weeks and it is served at Holiday time warm.

When I was a little tike my Dad would bring it home in a Mason Jar from a Neighbors house and he always said it was Very Very strong. I do believe you can tie on pretty good with it.

I never heard of the potatoes and peanutbutter.

But Mrs T's Pierogies are a tradition in the coal towns. Nobody bought them and I am sure there are many women who still make them. I grew up helping my Mom make her homemade dough(rolled out on a large kitchen table) and then cut in squares and filled with potato -cheese filling. Gosh now that was fun..

I could go on but well this is not a cooking board..

LOl

Hey Scranton: I hear you about the Mod- No one said anything but well I said what I said cause that is what I feel.

[sleeplessinpa]

Originally Posted by LostInAMimeBox

Well, I'll give you my point of view, and mine would be different because I'm still growing up here. I'm only nineteen. In all honesty, I feel cheated out of a better education because football was infact more important then anything else. Or so it seemed.

Well I felt the same way in High School. I loved the arts and we did have a full time art Teacher(that has since changed though). She was an older women and she was very helpful to those of us who were Artistic.
I made arrangements to work on extra projects in her classroom during all my Studies or if she needed help I would volunteer.

During my 11th grade I was the one the class picked to do the Proms mural in the Gym. The art Teacher provided the paper. It was at least 8 feet high and the full length of the gym. This was back in 78 when classes still had their Proms in the High School. She provided Boxes and Boxes of colored chalk and a friend and I worked weeks in the Gym on that Mural which we had taped up on the Bleachers. The Theme was Stairway to Heaven!

Last in 12th Grade I again was picked to do the class Graduation Mural for the Back of the Stage in the auditorium. It was Huge! Higher than the 8ft. I wish I had pictures of it today but oh well. Good memories at least.. All I remember was we got this great picture off of a Placemate. Something to do with a stonepath and trees,birds.. I guess it was a Path to our New Lifes.

So basicly I am saying is Things have not changed at all with schools in the area. FootBall is still the only Activity that gets a great deal of money and everything else is secondary.

I beat if some really keen parents with some money wanted to, they could sue for discrimination. Because Football is a male sport so women should also be provided with equal activities that cost the same as football. I do believe that has happened in some schools in the US if my memory serves me right.

Anyway at 19 I want YOU to Think of YOU and Go to school and get a Degree!
Then get out of that town! I know how it is in small towns for kids- they did the same thing to me in the 70's. No where to go and they chase you from every corner because They can..

[sleeplessinpa]

Originally Posted by 7Iron

As part of the discussion for moving into the County I'm surprised that nobody mentioned the School tax system here.

I recently purchased a home in Schuylkill and 5 mo later the school district applealed our appraisal in order to raise our taxes. The apparent process is after the home is purchased the school dist checks the county assement information for their proposed FMV (Fair Market Value)and pleads that the purchase price is the new FMV. I've spoken with a lawyer and his reply was that this was an automatic tax increase and the home owners haven't been able to avoid/combat this.

Just to Let you know their have been Homeowners that have sued a School District im my area over this issure. I know the Lawyer that Represented them was NOT from the same COUNTY! Why- because no Lawyer from that County will give you GOOD advice because they are Friends with lots of the people in the schools(yep that is how it works).
So you need to talk to an Attorney from another County who does not give one Hoot what the County People think. His Bread and Butter in not coming fromt hat County.

I have not kept tabs on the people with the Lawsuit here but I know the Lawyers name George Royal(hope I spelled his name right) of the Poconos and the town is Lehighton..

By the Way George Royal also was the Lawyer that represented a group of Residence in Carbon County back in the late 1990's when they felt they were paying too much taxes on their homes and the rest of the county was too low. As it turned out the County then did a Reassessment in 2000 because of all that! Then they taxed everyone Way too HIGH!

I spoke with him on the phone back then and he gave me Free advice-walked me through an Real Estate Assessment Appeal ALL for FREE! All he asked was for me to send him articles about him from the Local Newspaper. Which I did!

By the way I got my Taxes Reduced down to the barrel on that one. I also made sure by going to the NewsPaper. They were more than happy to get a consumer to talk about their view of the reassessment..

Don't be afraid to fight your taxes..