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I will be moving from NC to Wilkes Barre(miners mill) middle of January and wondered if anyone knew the answers to the following questions:
1-do dogs require any typ of license and if so where do i obtain one?
2-we will have natural gas in our new house and it is about 1500 sq ft any clue as to monthly heating costs/electric costs?
3-what is the best place to buy groceries?
4-place to eat?
5-on average what is the cost of car insurance?
6-any places in Wilkes Barre to avoid?
7-on average how much snow does the area get?
8-are the roads kept clear of wintry weather?
9-what month is the coldest?
any answers would be greatly appreciated, thanks so much
1-In PA dogs must be licensed. You can get licenses at the county courthouse. Most areas also have leash laws. Check your local ordinances.
2-It should run you, on average, $100 to $200 per month to heat your house (averaged over the entire year) depending on age of house, insulation, quality of windows, how warm you keep it, etc.
3-Weis Markets and Giant are two big PA chains. Weis Markets also owns Scot's and Mr. Z's. There are also neighborhood Shur Save supermarkets and various other places. See what's closest to your house and how you feel about the store in general - cleanliness, service, selection, etc.
4-There are so many great places to eat, especially around the Wyoming Valley Mall in Wilkes-Barre. One must try is Grotto Pizza just outside the mall. YUM!!! Best pizza around.
5-Car insurance depends on your insurance company. We pay about $1,000 per year for two vehicles, 1997 and 2001, through AIG. I know other people pay much higher fees.
6-As in any city, there are places to avoid. You'll have to ask your neighbors and other locals what their thoughts are on this.
7-We haven't had a really snowy winter in a few years. Most snowfalls bring less than a foot at a time. Sometimes that will accumulate in yards over time.
8-PennDOT is pretty good about keeping the roads cleared. Most municipalities also do a good job. Before a snowstorm PennDOT will often put a saltwater mixture on the roads to make them easier to clear. We don't have the ice storms here like Raleigh/Durham gets. What we get is mostly snow and is easily cleared away.
9-January seems to be the coldest month historically. We're having an unusually mild December this year. ****ay!! Hopefully this will continue through the winter.
I hope these answers were helpful to you. Best wishes for your upcoming move.
I will be moving from NC to Wilkes Barre(miners mill) middle of January and wondered if anyone knew the answers to the following questions:
1-do dogs require any typ of license and if so where do i obtain one?
2-we will have natural gas in our new house and it is about 1500 sq ft any clue as to monthly heating costs/electric costs?
3-what is the best place to buy groceries?
4-place to eat?
5-on average what is the cost of car insurance?
6-any places in Wilkes Barre to avoid?
7-on average how much snow does the area get?
8-are the roads kept clear of wintry weather?
9-what month is the coldest?
any answers would be greatly appreciated, thanks so much
1.) Yes. Dogs do require a license. Visit the following link for more details: http://www.luzernecounty.org/living/...mals/licensing
As you'll see, all dogs at least three months old require a license. You can download the license application from this link and mail it in to the county treasurer. The charges are $31 for a neutered or spayed dog or $51 for a dog that's not spayed or neutered. (I've said "spayed or neutered" so much that now I sound like Bob Barker! LOL!) Upon approval of your license application, you'll receive a metal dog tag that must be affixed to the collar of your pampered pooch.
2.) Our house is about 1,800 square feet and we have oil. I'll have to ask my parents for specifics on the bill, but I know most locals with natural gas do, unfortunately, harp on and on about "how expensive it is."
3.) This answer is subjective based upon personal tastes. Most locals flock to Wegman's, which is located alonng Highland Park Boulevard near to the Wyoming Valley Mall area. This store is one of my favorites for its huge selection of organic foods, imported foods, etc., but it is also on the more expensive side, so visit sparingly. If you're looking just to "grab a quick gallon of milk or loaf of bread", then you're pretty close to Schiel's Shur-Shave Supermarket on George Avenue in Parsons. Another unique place to shop that's a bit far of a drive is "Everything Natural" in Clarks Summit. I make a pilgrimage here every few months, as it's one of those unique stores that has all sorts of health foods and organic groceries. Accordingly, the prices are outrageous, but I like treating myself to my favorite cinnamon "Puffin" natural cereal.
4.) Another "subjective" answer (What I may like, you may not, and vice-versa). While just about every chain restaurant imaginable is up around the mall area (Olive Garden, Outback Steakhouse, Starbucks, Bob Evans, UNO Pizza, Logan's Roadhouse, Ground Round, Bennigan's, TGI Friday's, etc.), I'll try to give you a few "local" recommendations.
SEAFOOD: Cooper's in Scranton---It may be a bit of a haul from Wilkes-Barre, but if you're ever up in Scranton, stop by this true nautical-themed restaurant shaped like a ship and lighthouse along North Washington Avenue for some great seafood. Cooper's also has a second location in Pittston, about midway between Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, but I prefer the one in Scranton, even though I live in Pittston.
MEXICAN: La Tolteca---Located along Mundy Street near the Wyoming Valley Mall, this is my favorite local Mexican eatery. On some evenings you'll be treated to a roaming mariachi band that will play at your table while you chow down on quesadillas! (If you're anything like me though, make sure you know where the restrooms are! LOL!)
PIZZA: Well, for this, I'd reccommend that any new resident to the area heads up to the Scranton suburb of Old Forge to sample their unique "style" of pizza up there, (known as the "Pizza Capital of the World.") Personally, I don't care much for Old Forge-style pizza, but many locals rave over it. Some of my favorite pasta eateries in town include Anthony's, Arcaro & Genell, and Riviello's. If you try that style and don't like it (you pretty much have a 50/50 chance with it), then I happen to like Grotto Pizza near the mall (I know it's a chain). If you're feeling up for a romantic date, there's also a Grotto Pizza overlooking Harvey's Lake, which could provide a romantic sunset dining experience. Finally, I also happen to like Rodano's Pizza, located along North Main Street near King's College; my friends and I stop for pizza there often between classes.
OVERALL: Overall, I'm sorry to say that most of my favorite local haunts are a bit closer to Scranton than they are to Wilkes-Barre, but, then again, living midway between both cities, I tend to spend more time in Scranton, so I'm more accustomed to its restaurants. Here are my top overall favorites in the metro area:
Stadium Club, Moosic: Located at the Lackawanna County Stadium, home of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees baseball team, this is a nice sports-themed restaurant overlooking the field that should please any family. Prices are reasonable, and they offer a wide menu variety, from salads to buffalo chicken sandwiches to burgers to seafood and everything in between.
Brixx, Downtown Scranton: This "loft"-styled restaurant is located in the heart of downtown Scranton, and I like it best for the atmosphere moreso than anything else. Most patrons park at the Mall at Steamtown's garage for free and then walk a block up North Washington to get here. I love the "B-B-B" burgers here "Bacon, black, and bleu cheese", and my female friend raves over the salads (Actually voted "Best Salads" in a local entertainment publication).
Kazimi, Kingston: Located in an old brick warehouse in the outer parts of Kingston, just across the river from Wilkes-Barre, this restaurant (with a dressy casual dress code), has some excellent food for the occasional splurge. It's a good place to head to celebrate an anniversary or a birthday with family and friends, albeit a bit on the steep side. The owner is a very generous man; every Thanksgiving he opens his restaurant to anyone in the community who wants to come in and have a cooked meal free of charge.
Hillside Farms, Shavertown: I know it's only an ice cream parlor, but this Back Mountain staple always wins hands-down for "Best Ice Cream" in local polls. Located less than a half-mile off the Cross Valley Expressway on Hillside Road as you enter the Back Mountain, it's only about a ten-minute trek from your new home, and it's well worth it on those sweltering days. The new owners have impressed me---while they could have easily decided to sell off the old farmlands surrounding the dairy store to housing developers (as land values in the Back Mountain are skyrocketing), they've decided to preserve the open space and open up the grounds as a sort of "living farm" so children can come to watch day-to-day life on a farm just outside of the city.
5.) Once again, I'll have to double-check that for you. I pay $1,200 annually to cover my 1999 Ford sedan as a 20-year-old male (obviously a "high-risk" category to the insurance industry), but I'm still under my parents' family coverage.
6.) Generally, avoid parts of South Wilkes-Barre and the Coal Street area after dark. New officers have just been hired though in the Diamond City, so we should start to see improvements here soon!
7.) We usually get about four feet of snow every winter, but the last several winters have been unusually mild and "tame." Last year we ended up with just about two feet of snow, roughly HALF the average, and so far this year we still haven't had any measurable snow, which is extremely rare, and temperatures have been WAY above average (Maybe Al Gore IS right with his global warming rants? LOL!) If it's any consolation, most schools around here panic and cancel classes at the first inch of snowfall, and most employers are Liberal when it comes to being late due to icy roads.
8.) Depends on where you are. PennDOT usually does a decent job of clearing state-owned roads. Local communities are responsible, via their DPW, to clear their own roads, and, depending on each community's budget, they're either good or bad at it. Here in tax-rich Pittston Township, our roads are always cleared within 12 hours of a fresh snowfall. In the city of Scranton, motorists are still sliding around on icy streets DAYS after storms, due to the city's bankruptcy. Wilkes-Barre usually does a good job of clearing their streets, at least the main arteries and hilly streets; expect alleys, smaller side streets, etc. to stay as ice rinks though for a few days.
9.) On average, I believe February is actually our area's coldest and snowiest month. However, considering I was just wearing SHORTS the other day, who knows anymore, right? LOL!
I'll check back on those other two questions, and feel free to ask me anything! I'm going to push back my photos of Wilkes-Barre until tomorrow, as it's raining today.
1.) City Hall is conveniently located downtown on East Market St, just a block off of Public Square. Stop by with questions like this when you go to explore downtown/ go to the new cinemas, shopping at Boscov's;
3.) definitely Wegman's.....up on Highland Boulevard near the Wachovia Arena, the malls, etc.......huge shopping area, but Weggie's is phenomenal....
they have everything, everything is fresh, got a pharmacy, drycleaner, cafe...the works.....;
4.) Food is everywhere, from the chains (Olive Garden, Outback, etc., at the Wyoming Valley mall and elsewhere, to world's best pizza at the Victory Pig BarB Que on Rte. 11 between Forty Fort and Wyoming (a short hop for you to the west side via the N. Cross Valley Xpressway), to Stookey's BarB Q on Rte 11 in West Nanticoke. (my lifelong favorite....get a 'pork wet'), to Ray Hottle's on South Main St. Wilkes-Barre, or seafood/lobstahs at VicMar's in Edwardsville...casual fish house mit pitchers of beer....or more upscale (white linen) dining at "Wildflowers" in the Best Western East Mountain Inn, just north of I-81 and the intersection of 315; the casino at Pocono Downs will have dining facilities too; just around the corner from Miner's Mills...oh and the ASPCA is nearby too.....give them your old blankets and stuff for their 'charges';
Oh, I think that there is a "Waffle House" in Clark's Summit. north of Scranton, when you feel lonely for N. Carolina.....you won't get quite the same "How y'all doin" greeting,though...no accents;
7. buy a good shovel and some rock salt. enuf said.....
8. Being a snowy area, they are equipped to plow and clear....avoid using the car at the onset of a storm...wait 'til the roads are salted, if possible...
9. it can vary. I've seen below zero temps around late Decemeber and warm Jnuarys; best to stay busy, attend some hockey games at the arena, movies and good hobbies...before you know it, spring will be back and the wait well worth it!
Have a successful move and a good stay in Wilkes-Barre..oh, and Miner's Mills seems to be a fine area......south Wilkes-Barre is more likely to have woes. Just be sensible.
Sacre Bleu! I failed to mention "Abe's Hot Dogs/ Abe's Lunch" on South Main St. in Wilkes Barre (five blocks or so south of the Square.....just south of the Main Post Office on the opposite side of S. Main).
When you're sick of moving and unpacking ....head for Abe's, order two 'with' (chili sauce, onion, mustard) per person; you'll feel renewed, you'll thank me.
It's like stepping back into the 1930's. Folks who have moved away come in and order a couple dozen to take home...maybe hundreds of miles....
Best bang for the buck at under a dollar per dog....
While Stookey's is my favorite sandwich (and in addition to W. Nanticoke HQ, they have a Stookey's on River Road in Plains...close to Miner's Mills... I hear), Abe's hot dogs are surely second........
With apologies for over-writing and overwhelming......good luck!
4-There are so many great places to eat, especially around the Wyoming Valley Mall in Wilkes-Barre. One must try is Grotto Pizza just outside the mall. YUM!!! Best pizza around.
.
Overall a good post, but I have to respectully disagree with above. Grotto Pizza is HORRIBLE! Its no better than frozen pizza. Even big chains like Papa John's and Pizza Hut make better pizza than Grotto. I don't know many pizza places in W-B, but I have had Norm's pizza, which is excellent (if ordered without onions). Or drive up the road to Old Forge and try Revello's...the best pizza anywhere!
Oh, I think that there is a "Waffle House" in Clark's Summit. north of Scranton, when you feel lonely for N. Carolina.....you won't get quite the same "How y'all doin" greeting,though...no accents;
.
They're also building a Waffle House on Davis Street in Scranton, just down the hill from Montage Mtn.
The heck with the chain restaurants, I'm waiting for the Scranton smoking ban to take effect so I can eat at The Glider diner again! Best diner hands down, but I don't get to diners often because for one, I can't stand smoke since I quit smoking, and two, I won't expose my kids to smoke.
Sacre Bleu! I failed to mention "Abe's Hot Dogs/ Abe's Lunch" on South Main St. in Wilkes Barre (five blocks or so south of the Square.....just south of the Main Post Office on the opposite side of S. Main).
When you're sick of moving and unpacking ....head for Abe's, order two 'with' (chili sauce, onion, mustard) per person; you'll feel renewed, you'll thank me.
It's like stepping back into the 1930's. Folks who have moved away come in and order a couple dozen to take home...maybe hundreds of miles....
Abe's is excellent. Best hot dogs I've had aside from Hot Dog Johnny's in NJ.
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Part One
Finally, I also happen to like Rodano's Pizza, located along North Main Street near King's College; my friends and I stop for pizza there often between classes. 
Here are my top overall favorites in the metro area:
If it's any consolation, most schools around here panic and cancel classes at the first inch of snowfall, and most employers are Liberal when it comes to being late due to icy roads. 
