web1_flowers.jpg

Their view: The hypocrisy about Russia

web1_Letter-to-the-editor2.jpg

YOUR VIEW: Family thankful for help after fire

<p><strong>Diamonds</strong> to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/sports/railriders/667383/swb-railriders-prepared-to-keep-the-foot-on-the-pedal-in-the-second-half" target="_blank">Railriders </a>for a professional focus that ignored the legal battle between Luzerne and Lackawanna counties regarding who got what from the sale of the franchise. The Triple-A baseball team has remained in a tight race with the Durham Bulls for the best record in the International League. They are, of course, paid to play regardless of who plays politics outside the stadium, and they have done just that, making sure the region has the entertainment and excitement promised when the two counties joined to bring a franchise to the region.</p><p><strong>Coal</strong> to Harrisburg lawmakers, yet again, for the pointless exercise in the art of impasse that is the state budget. Clearly, they cannot be shamed into doing their jobs, or all the negative press and criticism this year and in years past would have prompted more resolve in reaching a compromise each June. But this has become such a chronic condition it may be time to simply reserve a lump of anthracite in this space for them each week.</p><p><strong>Diamonds</strong> to Luzerne County Retirement Board Member <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/666883/luzerne-county-officials-propose-pension-fund-changes" target="_blank">John Evanchick</a> Jr. for raising an issue that shouldn&#8217;t even exist: the need to change state law setting rules for county employee pensions. Evanchick argued, rightly, that the state should eliminate a mandate to provide a pension to exiting workers over age 60 regardless of how long they worked for the county. There&#8217;s a double inanity here: not only should a person be required to work at least five years for any public pension, but 60 is too young an age these days for any such requirement. Common sense says the state should negate or modify this mandate without delay. But then, common sense isn&#8217;t a Harrisburg commodity (see preceding coal).</p><p><strong>Coal</strong> to past Luzerne County commissioners, yet again, for the neglect of the courthouse architectural treasures. This time it is the circular<a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/666952/luzerne-county-courthouse-stained-glass-needs-repairs-report-says" target="_blank"> stained glass window</a> at the peak of the dome. The problem was hardly unforeseeable; indeed, it was almost inevitable. As beautiful as this oculus-style flourish is, the use of lead to hold the glass pieces in place assured that, eventually, the metal strips &#8212; being roughly parallel to the ground &#8212; would succumb to the forces of gravity and sag, putting the entire window at risk. This could have and should have been addressed before the sagging ever became noticeable, much less dangerous.</p><p><strong>Diamonds</strong> to the<a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/667171/happy-65th-garden-drive-in-still-a-popular-place-for-family-fun" target="_blank"> Garden Drive-In</a> and sister theaters (Hazleton&#8217;s Laurel Drive-In comes to mind) for sustaining this distinctive American cultural touchstone in an age of instant streaming on any-sized smart screen. It&#8217;s no secret that the drive-in wasn&#8217;t always about the movie, and it will surely be interesting to see if the institution survives the dawn of self-driving vehicles. But the Garden turned 65 this week, and here&#8217;s wishing it many more.</p><p><strong>Coal</strong> to the violence in us. Tunkhannock&#8217;s <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/667398/weis-market-scene-of-recent-tragedy-reopens-amid-angst-and-anticipation" target="_blank">Weis Market</a> opened Thursday following triple-murder. Sunday morning bar shootings in <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/666943/early-morning-shooting-in-plymouth-leaves-one-dead-one-in-custody" target="_blank">Plymouth </a>and <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/666909/one-man-dead-one-in-jail-after-early-morning-shooting-in-pittston" target="_blank">Pittston</a>. <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/667029/jury-spares-jessie-con-uis-life-for-federal-prison-guards-murder" target="_blank">Con-ui</a>. Too much. Enough said.</p><p><ins>For other opinion stories, <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/category/opinion" target="_blank">click here</a>.</ins></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/2017/07/web1_Letter-to-the-editor1-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption"></div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_Letter-to-the-editor1-3.jpg</photo0><caption0></caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>

OUR VIEW: Diamonds to pro baseballers, coal to amateur budgeters