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Exhumations in 4 local unsolved deaths to begin next week

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WVC Football Notebook: Wyoming Valley West in unusual position

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; On Valentine&#8217;s Day 1997, M.J. Burke and Butch Burke bought Eddie&#8217;s Bar, the 131 Coal St., establishment. Neither were named Eddie, however, so a rebranding was in order. When it came to a name, Butch found inspiration in his wife&#8217;s hobbies.</p><p>&#8220;I liked collecting frog memorabilia, frog statues porcelain frogs, so one day my husband just came up with the name,&#8221; M.J. said.</p><p>For the better part of the next two decades, the Burkes turned Frog Pond into a family-friendly restaurant and bar. Swearing isn&#8217;t allowed in either section. M.J. said they&#8217;ll stick with warnings as much as possible, but &#8220;if we have to tell you, like, three times we ask you to leave.&#8221; This creates an environment where regular customers like Bear Creek resident Charlie Luce can bring his family when they visit for holidays.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a pleasant and gracious environment,&#8221; Luce said while sitting at the Frog Pond bar. &#8220;The food&#8217;s good and the people are great.&#8221;</p><p>For the last 16 years, Luce has made Frog Pond a frequent destination. His daughter even tended bar there part-time while she attended King&#8217;s College.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s nice, quiet and peaceful,&#8221; Luce said, just as a crowd of people sat on the other side of the bar discussing the World Cup of Hockey. M.J. said the bar&#8217;s atmosphere reminds her of &#8220;Cheers,&#8221; and its ability to simultaneously cater to both Luce and the hockey-loving crowd reflected that sentiment. Frog Pond is a place for people who enjoy food and drinks, as long as they can respect the atmosphere.</p><p>M.J. said their pizza is a big draw, and Luce agreed. A plain bar pie pizza (six cuts) is $4 every day at the bar, and each day offers a different drink special. A dedicated wait staff exists separate from the bar area for the seated dining section, which offers a menu ranging from the pizza to standard bar and American restaurant fare, including pretzels, salads, wings and burgers.</p><p>The Frog Pond is open Tuesdays through Thursdays 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., Fridays 2 p.m. to midnight and Saturdays 4 p.m. to midnight. They&#8217;re closed Sundays and Mondays &#8212; except Super Bowl Sunday.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Bear Creek resident Charlie Luce (seated) has frequented Frog Pond for the last 16 years. Luce said the &#8216;plesant and gracious&#8217; environment &#8212; coupled with the bar pie pizza &#8212; keeps him coming back. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_Frog-Pond-2-untoned-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Bear Creek resident Charlie Luce (seated) has frequented Frog Pond for the last 16 years. Luce said the &#8216;plesant and gracious&#8217; environment &#8212; coupled with the bar pie pizza &#8212; keeps him coming back. </caption0><photoCredit0>Gene Axton | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_Frong-Pond-1-untoned-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Frog Pond&#8217;s front entrance (pictured) leads into its bar, while the side entrance leads to sit-down seating. Street parking is available if the gravel lot across from the restaurant is full. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_Frong-Pond-1-untoned-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Frog Pond&#8217;s front entrance (pictured) leads into its bar, while the side entrance leads to sit-down seating. Street parking is available if the gravel lot across from the restaurant is full. </caption1><photoCredit1>Gene Axton | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Owner M.J. Burke said pizza and atmosphere are the bar&#8217;s biggest draws</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Gene Axton</p><p>gaxton@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Gene Axton at 570-991-6121 or on Twitter @TLArts</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Hot Spot: Wilkes-Barre’s Frog Pond is known more for its pizza than its lily pads