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Letter to the Editor: Pennsylvania’s new data portal puts more information in public realm

<p><strong>Diamonds</strong> to Wilkes-Barre Administrator Ted Wampole. He and others who are keenly aware of the predominantly white makeup of the city&#8217;s firefighter and police ranks intend to encourage more minority applicants to apply for the posts, according to a recent <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/577548/wilkes-barre-officials-say-theyre-trying-to-diversify-city-hirings" target="_blank">news article</a>. No one&#8217;s talking about quotas, only common sense. In an urban center populated by a spectrum of whites, blacks and Hispanics, shouldn&#8217;t the city&#8217;s workforce reflect that diversity? Wampole, who formerly served on the Wilkes-Barre Fire Civil Service Commission, noticed in prior years how few non-whites took the exam to be considered for the public-sector jobs, he said. The city&#8217;s outreach efforts, if successful, will encourage qualified men and women of all colors to take the test and vie for selection. In turn, that can make the community stronger.</p><p><strong>Coal</strong> to the person, or people, who see the word &#8220;diversity&#8221; in an editorial and immediately fire off letters equating it to a new criminal element in the ol&#8217; neighborhood. Sorry, Archie Bunker, but we&#8217;re not buying into your narrow-minded beliefs.</p><p><strong>Diamonds</strong> to Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis. After long seeking to take control of the county&#8217;s drug task force from the state Attorney General&#8217;s Office, she learned this month that the transfer became official. The development makes Luzerne County the 46th county in Pennsylvania to have its task force under a local DA&#8217;s authority. One advantage of the setup: All cash and assets seized in civil forfeitures resulting from drug investigations will be kept in the county, rather than shared with the state, and put toward policing efforts. Salavantis plans to soon appoint a task force coordinator.</p><p><strong>Coal</strong> to confessed hit-and-run culprit Gregory M. Strazdus. The Dallas resident, 47, pleaded guilty this week to aggravated assault charges related to his vehicle&#8217;s clipping of a bicyclist on Lakeside Drive at Harveys Lake. Strazdus supposedly didn&#8217;t stop at the accident scene, instead telling police later that he believed he had struck a mailbox. Um, wouldn&#8217;t a responsible driver have stopped and checked, no matter what had been hit? Strazdus &#8211; who is expected to be sentenced Oct. 13 &#8211; should thank his lucky stars that no one was killed, then commit himself to making amends.</p><p><strong>Diamonds</strong> to volunteers at the area&#8217;s high school football games, toiling through four quarters inside those food concession stands. From behind their counters, they miss the big plays. But they&#8217;re eager to hand off the sodas, pretzels, pizza and hot dogs that keep fans fueled. This weekend, concession crews likely will cope with energy-sapping heat. In only a matter of weeks, however, they&#8217;ll dole out hot chocolate and coffee &#8211; making them among the most popular people in the stadium. If you attend a game, hand &#8217;em a few extra bucks; it&#8217;s for the booster club.</p><style>
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Our Opinion: Wilkes-Barre rightly seeks more diversity within its employee ranks