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Signature Day for Caring brings improvements to school

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Thomas J. Botzman: Free college proposals disproportionately benefit students who do not need an assist

<p>There&#8217;s a new vibe in Pittston.</p><p>But it&#8217;s not one you can feel by driving or walking down Main Street.</p><p>This one is a bit more mysterious and subtle, like a hidden gem.</p><p>And there&#8217;s nothing else like it in Luzerne County.</p><p>On Thursday night, I rubbed elbows with many sharply dressed and sophisticated folks at the soft opening for The Joint 53 in Pittston.</p><p>Just up the stairs from the popular restaurant Rikasa, The Joint is an escape from everyday life and the drama of the outside world.</p><p>That is, after all, what a speakeasy is all about &#8211; secrecy, mystery and refuge. The name was coined during Prohibition when the thirsty snuck through businesses and fronting establishments to find their fixes.</p><p>The anticipation of what to expect was enough to excite me on Thursday.</p><p>I couldn&#8217;t wait to see what owner Nancy Medico had done with the place, and like her other businesses, she outdid herself.</p><p>As soon as you walk in, you&#8217;re transported into an atmosphere of elegance and style.</p><p>From the seating options, bar and d&#233;cor to the beauty of the bathrooms, it&#8217;s like nothing you&#8217;ve seen locally.</p><p>For a moment &#8211; a few, actually &#8211; I felt like I was in Manhattan, feeling on top of the world in a place of prestige.</p><p>Live music is expected Thursdays through Saturdays, the nights which it will be open. On this night, the award-winning Frost Duo, a multi-genre and instrumental duo, was playing. Other acts are being booked as well.</p><p>The anticipation for this modern speakeasy had been building for weeks, especially if you&#8217;re one of the 500+ followers of the Instagram or Facebook accounts of @thejoint53. There, sophisticated photos of people and libations have been sparingly posted since late September.</p><p>The photos show men in top hats, women in cocktail attire and the brick walls that surround the space, which has many modern touches that you just have to see for yourself.</p><p>It&#8217;s funky, different and genius.</p><p>It will be hugely successful in Downtown Pittston &#8211; part of the resurgence we are seeing happening in that area every day.</p><p>Next time you&#8217;re in that part of town, stop at Rikasa for dinner (try the meatballs for an appetizer and any of the Italian or seafood entrees, if you&#8217;re so inclined), and stay downtown for a bit after, too.</p><p>Tell the hostess you want to see The Joint.</p><p>You&#8217;ll be impressed.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>Mike McGinley</p><p>Around Town</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Mike McGinley is the Times Leader Media Group&#8217;s major accounts executive. Reach him at mmcginley@www.timesleader.com or 570-704-3945.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Around Town: This Joint will be jumping. Don’t miss it