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Letter to the Editor: Senior citizens are ‘forgotten people’ in presidential debates

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Concussions force former Penn State RB Akeel Lynch out of football

<p>PLAINS TWP. &#8212; Wilkes-Barre Area School District Superintendent Brian Costello presented a new plan for the ailing Meyers High School at the start of Monday&#8217;s meeting, proposing the auditorium be preserved and renovated into an &#8220;urban center for the performing arts,&#8221; the rest of the school be demolished, and memorial stadium be completely renovated.</p><p>It was the first vision proposed for the venerable and massive building, set to be closed when Meyers is consolidated with Coughlin High School in a new building at the Coughlin site. Critics have argued closing Meyers will drive down property taxes and drive away residents. Costello envisioned the neighboring Kistler School expanded to kindergarten through eighth grades, with the revived auditorium and new athletic facilities serving as community centers.</p><p>Costello also called for renovations of athletic facilities at the Solomon/Plains Memorial education complex, where the meeting was held.</p><p>Costello gave a rough estimate of $20 to $22 million for all the proposals. He suggested $5 million to $10 million could be obtained by sale of district property and through grants. He also expressed &#8220;very high confidence&#8221; that the district will get $18 million to $20 million in reimbursement from the state for the Coughlin and Kistler projects, and for the recently completed renovations at the Mackin Elementary school building, currently holding two grades from Coughlin, where the older section of the school was closed for asbestos removal, expected to be completed by the end of October.</p><p>Costello suggested the project be done in phases: Renovate the Solomon facilities in 2017-18, raze Meyers and restore the auditorium in 2020-22, and renovate Memorial Stadium in 2022-23.</p><p>Attorney Kim Borland spoke first during the public comment section and immediately argued the plan does nothing for academic achievement. He urged the board to follow the recommendation of Save Our Schools &#8212; a group formed when the high school consolidation was approved &#8212;to bring in an outside group for a second opinion on Meyers. The district contends inspections show repairing Meyers will be too costly.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">The Meyers High School auditorium, shown in this file photo of a recent assembly, would be saved while the rest of the school would be razed under a proposal made by Wilkes-Barre Area School District Superintendent made at Monday&#8217;s School Board meeting. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_TTL030416diversity32016101718296797-3.jpg</photo0><caption0>The Meyers High School auditorium, shown in this file photo of a recent assembly, would be saved while the rest of the school would be razed under a proposal made by Wilkes-Barre Area School District Superintendent made at Monday&#8217;s School Board meeting. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_TTL101816WBArea2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Attorney Kim Borland addresses the Wilkes-Barre Area school board during a meeting at Solomon Plains Elementary School in Plain Twp. on Monday, October 17. 10/17/16. Sean McKeag | Times Leader</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_TTL101816WBArea2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Attorney Kim Borland addresses the Wilkes-Barre Area school board during a meeting at Solomon Plains Elementary School in Plain Twp. on Monday, October 17. 10/17/16. Sean McKeag | Times Leader</caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Mark Guydish</p><p>mguydish@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish</p></shirttailMeta></div>

New proposal would save Meyers auditorium, Memorial Stadium