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Say goodbye to Connor’s Grillroom and hello to City Market Cafe

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Kingston to be featured in WVIA’s ‘Our Town’ series

Bugged by things in their neighborhoods, a number of area residents decided in recent months to do something about it, something very promising.They didn&#8217;t simply whine.They didn&#8217;t sit back and wish for government to whisk in and handle the job.Instead, they took an up-by-our-own-bootstraps, all-American approach and appealed to like-minded citizens to join together, forming community groups to identify and conduct local improvement projects.At least two residents associations recently got off the ground in Wilkes-Barre neighborhoods, and Duryea this week officially organized a borough-wide Betterment Committee.Although established by the Duryea Borough Council, the latter group won&#8217;t be governed by it, according to Times Leader writer Nick Wagner&#8217;s <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/511031/duryea-borough-council-approves-volunteer-non-governed-betterment-committee" target="_blank">article</a> Wednesday. Betterment Committee proponent Art Pesotine led the push for the borough&#8217;s all-volunteer group and has been soliciting people&#8217;s project ideas via a suggestion box that he built and placed in the borough building annex. One project likely to be completed this year: creation of an honor roll, displaying names of Duryea residents killed while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.In December, meanwhile, people launched the South Wilkes-Barre Residents&#8217; Association. Its stated goals are &#8220;to build relations between neighbors&#8221; and &#8220;create community involvement,&#8221; according to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/swbresidentsassociation/" target="_blank">the group&#8217;s Facebook page</a>. A meeting has been scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 22 at Firwood United Methodist Church. (For details, visit Facebook or send an email to swbresidentsassociation@gmail.com.)Not far away, the startup Heights-Mayflower Residents Association is appealing for participants. The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HeightsMayflowerRA/" target="_blank">association&#8217;s Facebook page</a> indicates the group&#8217;s second meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Marymount Center, 154 S. Hancock St.We hope similar efforts take root across the region. Whether motivated by civic pride or disaffection with government&#8217;s often slow and costly solutions, these grassroots crusades can build neighborly bonds and help to revive entire areas. Look at the accomplishments, for instance, of existing groups such as the <a href="http://www.newporttownship.com/" target="_blank">Newport Township Community Organization</a>. Since 2004, its members have conducted cleanups, holiday contests and children&#8217;s activities.Imagine if all the area&#8217;s neighborhood groups &#8211; in conjunction with civic clubs, crime watch organizations and others &#8211; began to complement and coordinate their projects.Participants might begin to realize their true power. And to make significant progress.

Our Opinion: Join groups aiming to improve Wilkes-Barre neighborhoods, other nearby communities