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Their view: Is McConnell trying to tank Trumpcare?

SCI Dallas 3-day lock-down due to facility search, according to prison spokesperson

Diamonds to World War II veteran and perennial patriot <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/665385/wilkes-barre-patriot-to-give-away-50-flags-on-wednesday" target="_blank">Jim Walsh</a> who, at 92, arguably remains the region&#8217;s fiercest flag supporter, a fact he proved again this week when he handed out 50 free American flags from his front porch. Walsh is ardent, even adamant, in his call to respect and regularly display the nation&#8217;s star-spangled standard. It is a sentiment we should all back, regardless of political and ideological leanings.Coal to current Lackawanna County Commissioners and former Luzerne County Commissioners &#8212; and everyone else involved &#8212; in the convoluted case of who gets how much from the sale of the Triple-A baseball franchise the two counties purchased in 1986. Yes, Luzerne County&#8217;s current administration deserves some credit for getting an expected $4 million following nearly seven years of litigation, but the initial amount sought had been $7.3 million. The fact that litigation occurred and lasted so long with such an unsatisfying outcome speaks volumes. This joint venture between the two counties was clearly executed with legal language muddy enough to create the judicial morass the two sides are only now concluding, and should never have faced.Diamonds to Wilkes-Barre&#8217;s <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/665642/44th-farmers-market-opens-with-sunshine-crafts-and-food" target="_blank">Farmers Market</a>, which opened for the 44th summer on Thursday. For that matter, diamonds to all the area communities that host such markets, which provide those in urban areas a chance to get freshly-picked produce straight from the source. The Wilkes-Barre event, as usual, also offered a lot of smiling young faces and adult socialization thanks to the pastiche of food, ice cream, baked goods and popcorn purveyors. The Diamond City is moving to two markets a week this year, an experiment worth trying.Coal to the seemingly endless litany of area residents charged with embezzling money. The latest case was filed in federal court against <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/665463/shavertown-man-charged-with-embezzling-428k" target="_blank">Richard J. Morgan</a> of Shavertown, accused of taking more than $428,000 from his own company, Wilkes-Barre Bookkeeping LLC. But the list of those accused of such illegal self-aggrandizement from both for-profit and &#8212; arguably more shamefully &#8212; nonprofit entities in our area is long enough to wonder why this moral shortfall keeps emerging.Diamonds to Circles on the Square for the aptly modest celebration of what would have been the 69th birthday for the late founder <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/665627/circles-on-the-square-remembers-late-owner" target="_blank">Phil Rudy</a>. When Rudy died March 2, this space paid <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/opinion/editorials/639732/our-opinion-phil-rudy-leaves-legacy-of-wit-and-persistence" target="_blank">homage </a>to the hard working entrepreneur, his menu whimsy and the eclectic offerings in the Public Square store. It is heart-tugging to see his wife&#8217;s tears upon the unveiling of a photo now hanging in the deli.Coal, now an annual award, to Harrisburg politicians who never seem to be able to budget on time in a responsible fashion. Regardless of what happens by the time you read this, the simple fact that a budget wasn&#8217;t finalized before the legal due date of Friday even dawned is, bluntly, a despicable dereliction of duty and an epic embarrassment.

Our view: Star-spangled diamonds to area veteran