William Hicks

Adelphia Cable Rates To Increase 
Hike Is Much Higher In Back Mountain Than Elsewhere

By KASIA KOPEC kkopec@leader.net
 Saturday, January 31, 2004 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1A 





WILKES-BARRE - There is light at the end of the tunnel. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 New downtown street lights are expected courtesy of a potential $1.5
million windfall from the federal government. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Congressman Paul Kanjorski, D-Nanticoke, announced Thursday night that he
is close to securing money to replace the red, Franklin-style lights that have
stood (most of the time, anyway) since the mid-1970s. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Since May 2001, about 50 of the city's 160 Franklin-style lights have
toppled or been removed because they were in danger of falling. Temporary
lights were erected in key spots, but many city residents complained of dark
stretches of sidewalk. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 While the money is not yet in hand, Kanjorski said he has no doubt it will
come through. ``I'm as confident as I can be that we will acquire this
funding,'' Kanjorski said Friday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The congressman said he spoke with Mayor Tom Leighton on Wednesday to
confirm that new lighting topped his wish list. ``I have talked with the mayor
on a number of occasions over the past several months, so I knew lights were a
top priority, but I just wanted to make sure that is still the case.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Councilwoman Shirley Morio-Vitanovec, who, with Chairwoman Kathy Kane, is a
part of a committee studying the lighting issue, said she was excited to hear
the funding news during a dinner honoring Kanjorski for his service to the
Catholic Youth Center. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Vitanovec and Kane recently met with representatives of the Greater
Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce and others to review light styles and other
details, including which upgrades to the electric infrastructure will be
needed to support the new equipment. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``We've only had the one meeting so far, so we still have a lot of work to
do,'' Vitanovec said. ``But at least the biggest obstacle - the funding - has
been taken care of.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Kasia Kopec, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 970-7436. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
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$1.5 Million Bonanza Near For W-b Lights