Solicitor: Federal agents sought Crestwood records

web1_gift-1551375_960_720.jpg

Ohio troopers find drugs wrapped as Christmas gifts in SUV

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; One by one by one they arrived at Tony Brooks&#8217; door for Thanksgiving dinner.</p><p>Three people responded to his invitation posted on Facebook to share a meal and company with him, his husband, Matthew, his parents, Emily and Tony, and dogs, Thacher and Remington.</p><p>&#8220;They all came by themselves,&#8221; Brooks said Friday of his guests. &#8220;Nobody showed up unannounced.&#8221;</p><p>A 90-year-old woman from Provincial Towers saw the post with his phone number and contacted him. So did a formerly homeless man whom Brooks met walking his dogs. The last guest was an elderly man from the Heights.</p><p>It was the first time Brooks, who also serves as Wilkes-Barre city councilman, invited people to his downtown residence for the holiday, and he didn&#8217;t know how many would take up his offer. His door has been open for Christmas dinner for the past five years, and five or six people usually attend.</p><p>As a member of the St. Stephen&#8217;s Episcopal Church on South Franklin Street, his faith motivates him. &#8220;We hear it over and over again to love your neighbor,&#8221; he said of the Bible&#8217;s teachings. He said he takes it to heart and reached out with the invitation as a sign of hospitality.</p><p>&#8220;Nobody should really be alone during the holidays,&#8221; Brooks said.</p><p>The dining room table comfortably sits eight, so there was plenty of room. Matthew prepared a typical American Thanksgiving meal of turkey and trimmings. Sorry, there were no desserts. Brooks said his family isn&#8217;t big on them. And the guests and the dogs got along nicely. The invite&#8217;s only requirement was, &#8220;You have to like dogs,&#8221; Brooks said.</p><p>He downplayed the generosity and kindness that he and his husband and family showed. They enjoyed sharing, he said.</p><p>&#8220;If in some small way it&#8217;s inspiring to others to do the same, that would make me very happy,&#8221; Brooks said.</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_Brooks_Tony_mug-cmyk-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Brooks </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_Brooks_Tony_mug-cmyk-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Brooks </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Room at the table, three accept invite to Thanksgiving from Tony Brooks