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➛ S E R V I N G T H E P U B L I C T R U S T S I N C E 18 81
Editorial
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2011 PAGE 13A
OUR OPINION: COURT REFORM
Juvie bills merit swift approval
I
T LOOKED LIKE a little er of private juvenile detenthing in Tuesday’s Times tion and treatment centers. Nor should we have to. The Leader, literally labeled a “brief”: Four bills offer- merit of these bills would ing reform of the juvenile jus- seem obvious even if the scantice system were unanimously dal had never hit our courapproved by the state Senate thouse and marred the lives of thousands of children. We Appropriations Committee. • Senate Bill 815 assures all laud Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Lehjuveniles have legal counsel at man Township, and Sen. John every step of their journey Yudichak, D-Plymouth Township, for their bi-partisan supthrough the justice system. port. • Senate Bill 816 But we start to would have the OfWhen adults worry that the imfice of Victim Advomake errors in portance of these cate represent and juvenile court, bills has been unadvocate for the inthe children don’t dermined by other terests of victims of juvenile crime. get a “do-over” issues, most notably the state bud• Senate Bill 817 of their most get. These proposwould limit the use of shackles and oth- formative years. als seem so fundamental one would er restraints on chilexpect them to fly dren in court. • Senate Bill 818 says a through the legislative procjudge must state for anyone to ess, yet more than two years hear why he or she opted for a after the two judges initially given disposition of a juvenile. signed plea agreements, the All seem like no-brainers, at bills only now will be given a least to those of us who en- full Senate debate. Time must not diminish dured the two years of trauma in Luzerne County created what happened. State legislawhen federal agents exposed tors should take quick action the selfish actions of former on these reforms. We are talking about chilcounty judges Michael Conadren. We get a brief chance to han and Mark Ciavarella. We won’t rehash the help those who enter the syswretched shortcomings in the tem. When adults make errors juvenile justice system while in juvenile court, the children these men reaped millions don’t get a “do-over” of their from the builder and co-own- most formative years.
QUOTE OF THE DAY “I’ve never seen such devastation — just block upon block upon block of homes just completely gone.” Gary Burton The former state legislator commented as rescue crews dug through splintered houses and crushed cars in a search for victims of a half-mile-wide tornado that killed at least 116 people in Joplin, Missouri.
OTHER OPINION: DISASTERS
Warning systems may need upgrade
N
ATURAL disasters per million today. But when may be as common in hundreds of people can be the United States as killed by a storm in a single day, they are in other you have to ask what more can be done to save lives. countries. A record-breaking 600 tornaBut the frequency and intensity of devastation in lands a does swept across the United world away can lull Americans States in April. Meteorologists are into thinking such blaming unusual dips in tragedies will never If more the jet stream for the happen to them -- until steps power of the storms. one does happen. Power outages in AlaThey were still look- are needed bama may have preing for bodies Monday to get vented many people from a weekend tornalifesaving from seeing or hearing do that left at least 116 people dead in Joplin, information storm warnings broadMo. to people, cast on TV and radio. In the Midwest, there is That killer storm take them. concern that some peocame within weeks of ple are so accustomed tornadoes in April that killed more than 230 people in to hearing tornado sirens that they don’t react quickly. Alabama. Weather forecasting today is Such numbers have officials questioning whether early- much more precise. But if more warning systems are sufficient. steps are needed to get lifesavThe death toll from torna- ing information to people, take does has dropped from about them. eight per million U.S. residents The Philadelphia Inquirer in 1925 to less than one person EDITORIAL BOARD RICHARD L. CONNOR Editor and Publisher JOSEPH BUTKIEWICZ Vice President/Executive Editor
MALLARD FILLMORE
MARK JONES Editorial Page Editor PRASHANT SHITUT President/Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co.
Obama missess yet another chance to lead this country TWO WORLD LEADERS met at the White House last Friday. Two seemingly natural allies, with so much in common. One man represented a country whose people have been arguably the objects of more actionable prejudice over more years than any race of people in human history, a people who miraculously have risen time and again and have refused to be extinguished by hatred. The other man is a member of a race whose introduction to the “New World” was born in slavery and bigotry, a race of people who likewise have refused to be undone by human intolerance and ignorance. On Friday, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with United States President Barack Obama. Our president had yet another opportunity to hit one out of the park and yet once again struck out. The president’s betrayal of our ally Israel is paradigmatic of this administration. The gaffe was unnecessary and just the latest in a series of baffling missed opportunities by this young, inexperienced and enigmatic president. This year should be, and yet may still be, a time of rebirth in the Arab/Muslim Middle East. We are living through a time when the Arab youths of the Middle East are revolting against the autocratic governments that have not only spawned terroristic fundamentalism, but also have retarded the
MAIL BAG
COMMENTARY
LETTERS FROM READERS
Raze Hotel Sterling and build marketplace
S
the tools that would knock down the walls of civil injustice and prove to the world that the United States understood the words of Martin Luther King when he taught us that STEPHEN ALINIKOFF it was the “content of a man’s character not the color of his skin” in achieving success. Enter Barack Obama, a young man of legitimate aspirations of cultural and political freedom for generations. What an oppor- color, a product of our best universities, trained as a lawyer in the use of words, and tunity our president had to lead and to eloquent in their use. He would be elected speak eloquently as to how two democratic by all: white, black, Christian, Jew and Musallies stand together to give all possible lim. It would be an election that would support to the aspirations of those fighting to achieve a common goal of representative represent the culmination of our highest aspirations and dreams. democracy. As we speed toward the end of this presiYet our president chose to speak eloquentdent’s first term, there are many questions ly of our differences with Israel. What a parochial error in judgment; and, yes, anoth- that remain. Have we reached a post-racial presidency, or is there more friction than er missed opportunity. The next day he explained his comments as mere words and ever concerning race in this administration’s handling of equal protections under the law? formulations that were meant for future discussions. Perhaps, but words have mean- Is Obama as learned in his grasp of history as we had hoped or merely a child of his ing and these words ignored and betrayed generation? Is his eloquence based on values six decades of events and a millennium of or is he more enraptured with his own preshared heritage between Jews and Chrissentation? Does he represent true causes or tians. will he interpret his words as he sees fit, Do we support Barrack Obama and his presidency, or are we, as the most generous depending on the audience to whom he is speaking? and accepting people in the world, in love Is our president a capable, strong leader? with the idea of Barack Obama? Remember Or is he merely, the dancing shadow of the 2008 was a year of so much promise. A ideal we want him to be? young man burst upon our national stage seeming to be the culmination of my generation’s greatest crusade. As teenagers and Stephen Alinikoff lives in Kingston. He is a managcollege students, we adopted the cause of ing principal in a local insurance and investment civil rights as our own. We were going to be firm.
ince it looks likely that the old Hotel Sterling will be razed, I believe the best use of the empty lot left behind would be a big-city style, downtown urban marketplace similar to The Reading Terminal Marketplace in Reading. This would be unique to NEPA, and a first for the entire region. This would be an excellent idea because unlike other proposals for that sight - i.e. condos, office building, hotel - the marketplace would serve the entire Wyoming Valley and be open to the public, whereas a hotel or condo project would only benefit a few. This marketplace would be a major boost in the effort to attract people to move to and reside downtown, and afford them a place downtown to purchase produce and groceries that otherwise they would have to travel a few miles to get. It is also ideally located between the two downtown college campuses, is in the heart of the office building area, is across the street from the new River Common and one block off of Public Square.
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I envision a three-tier parkade with the marketplace taking up the entire ground level. It could be stylish with a clock tower that can be lit up at night and be a new icon of the W-B skyline (think of a smaller “Big Ben”). It would serve a dual purpose as the main parking area for the River Common across the street, which currently has no parking area. It would also be a good idea to include a pedestrian bridge linking the parkade to the River Common so nobody would have to cross busy River Street. I envision an outdoor eating area and plaza with tables and umbrellas where people can sit and enjoy lunch. The Reading Market Terminal in Philly hosts food
DOONESBURY: FLASHBACK
vendors from around the globe. You can grab lunch at a Thai, Amish, Mediterranean, Indian, Mexican stand ...you name it, they have it. They have arts and crafts vendors, fresh flower vendors, fresh fish stands, butcher shops, cheese shops, spice shops, wine stands, bath works and candle stands, and of course the farmers market itself. It also hosts live entertainment and cooking demonstrations and workshops. Look up “Reading Terminal Market” on the computer if you’ve never been there. This marketplace would have the maximum positive impact for the downtown, it would be a regional attraction, and offer a year-round farmers market for downtown visitors, office workers, residents and students, plus it would complement the new River Common very well. This is our opportunity to turn a massive negative into a massive positive and add to the regional landmarks in the surrounding area, like the Market Street Bridge, the majestic courthouse, and the new River Common. That is my dream for downtown WilkesBarre. Bill Cook Wilkes-Barre