web1_Harbs.jpg

College playoffs have a BCS feel to them again

web1_AP1633274871835520161128181544881.jpg

Former coach Bill O’Brien ‘couldn’t be more proud’ of Penn State players, coaches

<p>WYOMING &#8212; National and international media have been focusing on Luzerne County for the past few weeks, and on Monday, it was ABC-TV&#8217;s turn.</p><p>Diane Sawyer, of ABC-TV, was in town Monday, stopping at the Avenue Diner in Wyoming and later at the Wilkes-Barre City Fire Headquarters on Ross Street to conduct interviews for an ABC-TV news special that will air sometime in December.</p><p>According to sources close to the project, Sawyer and her crew are finishing up the project that has been in the works for more than a year. The sources said the focus of the show will be the U.S. economy and the need for jobs and income equality.</p><p>Dave Krappa has owned the Avenue Diner for 13 years. He said Sawyer and her crew arrived around 9 a.m. Monday and interviewed several customers. Krappa said he wasn&#8217;t sure how his diner was selected for Sawyer&#8217;s project.</p><p>&#8220;They were looking to talk to working class people and how they are struggling in today&#8217;s economy,&#8221; Krappa said. &#8220;(Sawyer) interviewed several customers, and she sat at the counter for a bit.&#8221;</p><p>One of the people Sawyer interviewed was Kevin McGee, a driver for the Luzerne County Transportation Authority and president of the drivers&#8217; local union local No. 164 of Amalgamated Transit Union. Norm Gavlick, LCTA executive director, said Sawyer was looking to talk to &#8220;blue collar, working class people&#8221; and McGee fit the bill.</p><p>Krappa said Sawyer also talked to a woman who works three jobs.</p><p>Gavlick said ABC-TV first contacted him shortly after the election, looking for people to interview for the upcoming special. He said an ABC-TV producer rode on McGee&#8217;s bus last week and interviewed him for the story and Monday&#8217;s interview with Sawyer was scheduled.</p><p>&#8220;Diane Sawyer told McGee that she would check back with him next year to see if his feelings have changed,&#8221; Gavlick said. &#8220;I know she did ask him about the election and who he supported for president and why.&#8221;</p><p>McGee, 50, lives in Shavertown and he has been with LCTA nearly six years. He said the ABC-TV producer rode with him on his bus on Nov. 17. McGee was driving the &#8220;Shopper&#8217;s Delight&#8221; route for LCTA, which goes to Price Chopper, Wegman&#8217;s, Walmart, Target and the Arena Hub.</p><p>McGee said Sawyer asked him what he thought was the American dream, and what he feels it takes to get by in the world today.</p><p>&#8220;I told her that if President-elect Trump wants to make America great again, he has to invest in the American people,&#8221; McGee said of his interview at the Avenue Diner counter. &#8220;I told her I did not support Trump. I just don&#8217;t believe one political party should control all branches of government. Besides, I don&#8217;t think the Republican Party will ever be for the working class people.&#8221;</p><p>McGee said Local 164 has 80 members. He said Sawyer told him she would do a follow-up interview &#8220;about one year from now&#8221; to see if his feelings about Trump and the direction of the country have changed.</p><p>Wilkes-Barre Deputy Fire Chief Alan Klapat said Sawyer was in the Ross Street Station and interviewed two city firefighters &#8212; Chris Smith and James Zaremba. The two firefighters were called out to an emergency later Monday and unavailable for comment.</p><p>Klapat said he did not participate in the interviews.</p><p>Krappa said Sawyer was at the diner for about an hour. He said Sawyer had a cup of coffee and interviewed several customers before taking a seat at at the counter to &#8220;swap stories&#8221; with patrons.</p><p>&#8220;She was enjoyable,&#8221; Krappa said. &#8220;She joked around with the customers and staff.&#8221;</p><p>Krappa said he posted the news about ABC-TV coming to the diner on his Facebook page. He said it reminded him of the time in 2008 when then-Sen. Barack Obama stopped at the diner with U.S. Sen. Bob Casey. The two politicians sat at the counter and had banana cream pie, Krappa said.</p><p>&#8220;For a little diner, we get our share of big names coming in,&#8221; Krappa 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_Diane-Sawyer-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Diane Sawyer of ABC-TV sits at the counter at Avenue Diner Monday morning. At left is Kevin McGee, a driver for Luzerne County Transportation Authority, who was interviewed by Sawyer for an upcoming ABC-TV news special. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_Diane-Sawyer-2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Diane Sawyer of ABC-TV sits at the counter at Avenue Diner Monday morning. At left is Kevin McGee, a driver for Luzerne County Transportation Authority, who was interviewed by Sawyer for an upcoming ABC-TV news special. </caption0><photoCredit0>Photo courtesy of Dave Krappa/Avenue Diner </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_Diane-Sawyer-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">ABC-TV&#8217;s Diane Sawyer talks to customers at the counter at Avenue Diner in Wyoming Monday morning. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_Diane-Sawyer-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>ABC-TV&#8217;s Diane Sawyer talks to customers at the counter at Avenue Diner in Wyoming Monday morning. </caption1><photoCredit1>Photo courtesy of Dave Krappa/Avenue Diner </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_Diane-Sawyer-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Kevin McGee, right, a driver with Luzerne County Transportation Authority, is interviewed by ABC-TV&#8217;s Diane Sawyer at the counter at Avenue Diner in Wyoming on Monday morning. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_Diane-Sawyer-3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Kevin McGee, right, a driver with Luzerne County Transportation Authority, is interviewed by ABC-TV&#8217;s Diane Sawyer at the counter at Avenue Diner in Wyoming on Monday morning. </caption2><photoCredit2>Photo courtesy of Dave Krappa/Avenue Diner </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_Diane-Sawyer-4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">ABC-TV&#8217;s Diane Sawyer chats with Trish Lako at the check-out counter at Avenue Diner in Wyoming on Monday morning. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_Diane-Sawyer-4.jpg</photo3><caption3>ABC-TV&#8217;s Diane Sawyer chats with Trish Lako at the check-out counter at Avenue Diner in Wyoming on Monday morning. </caption3><photoCredit3>Photo courtesy of Dave Krappa/Avenue Diner </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_Avenue-Diner-5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Diane Sawyer of ABC-TV is shown with Dave Krappa, owner of the Avenue Diner in Wyoming, and member of his staff. From left: Ashley Ostrander, Trish Lako, Diane Sawyer, Dave Krappa, Deb Roberts, and Cindy Mattie. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_Avenue-Diner-5.jpg</photo4><caption4>Diane Sawyer of ABC-TV is shown with Dave Krappa, owner of the Avenue Diner in Wyoming, and member of his staff. From left: Ashley Ostrander, Trish Lako, Diane Sawyer, Dave Krappa, Deb Roberts, and Cindy Mattie. </caption4><photoCredit4>Photo courtesy of Dave Krappa/Avenue Diner </photoCredit4></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_DIANE-SAWYER-MUG.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Diane Sawyer </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo5>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_DIANE-SAWYER-MUG.jpg</photo5><caption5>Diane Sawyer </caption5><photoCredit5>Photo courtesy ABC-TV </photoCredit5></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

ABC-TV’s Diane Sawyer interviews local residents about the need for jobs