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Hazleton homicide suspect granted more time to file pre-trial motions

Letter to the Editor: Beware time limits for claiming lottery prizes, says sore winner

<p><strong>Diamonds</strong> to optimists who can sense spring&#8217;s approach and beckon it by, for instance, going to The Northeast Pennsylvania Home and Garden Show. The 15th annual event, which continues through Sunday at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township, offers a taste of things soon to come. See flowers in bloom. And get advice and products to power your upcoming projects: landscaping, cooking, home improvement or pool installation. For event times and ticket information, visit <a href="http://wilkesbarrehomeshow.com/" target="_blank">wilkesbarrehomeshow.com</a>.</p><p><strong><strong>Coal</strong></strong> to recent calls for changing Luzerne County&#8217;s home rule form of government. Tinkering with the setup for running county affairs would be premature. County voters would be wise for the foreseeable future to stick with home rule and weed out council members who cannot, or will not, attempt to work collaboratively under its format.</p><p><strong>Diamonds</strong> to people ready to cope with most any run-of-the-mill snowfall, natural disaster or human-spawned emergency. These prepared &#8211; <em>not paranoid</em> &#8211; citizens generally keep their vehicles&#8217; gas tanks full and their houses stocked with non-perishable foods. They have flashlights (with fresh batteries) and bottled water. They might even boast of some prior American Red Cross training. If you&#8217;re not already part of this group, join. For starters, get preparedness tips today at <a href="http://www.pema.pa.gov/planningandpreparedness/readypa/pages/readypa.aspx#.VqJXTVJLPYo" target="_blank">www.ReadyPA.org</a>. Emergency planning advice also is available through the <a href="http://www.redcross.org/local/eastern-pa/find-your-local-chapter/northeastern-pa" target="_blank">American Red Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania</a>.</p><p><strong><strong>Coal</strong> </strong>to nervous Nellies. Once upon a time in Pennsylvania, we called 12 inches of snow a &#8220;winter storm.&#8221; These days, it&#8217;s an emergency. Maybe former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell was right and people across this nation have become &#8230; uh, weak in the knees. Could it be that many of today&#8217;s adults spent too much time during their formative years in climate-controlled shopping malls?</p><p><strong>Diamonds</strong> to Luzerne County officials who&#8217;ll soon commit a flood response plan to paper. Rather than one day find themselves up a rising creek without a paddle, they intend to specify the duties of each department that collaborates with the Flood Protection Authority and essentially create a how-to manual. Periodically, county employees will review those plans and conduct drills. Considering the fickle nature of the Susquehanna River, and the potential for turnover among the county&#8217;s workforce, it is in every riverside resident&#8217;s best interest that the county government rehearse for the worst.</p><p><strong>Coal</strong> to Jane- and Johnny-come-latelies who, in the late stages of the NFL season, drop old team allegiances and latch onto a winner as if they had been lifelong fans. Arizona Cardinals? C&#8217;mon! Before 2008, even most people in Phoenix didn&#8217;t root for the Cardinals.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Picture new and colorful possibilities during this weekend&#8217;s Northeast Pennsylvania Home and Garden Show at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_homeshow012.jpg</photo0><caption0>Picture new and colorful possibilities during this weekend&#8217;s Northeast Pennsylvania Home and Garden Show at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township. </caption0><photoCredit0>Times Leader file photo | Pete G. Wilcox </photoCredit0></div></div>

Our Opinion: Home and Garden Show allows spring to take root (in spirit)