By Steve Svetovich
It’s that time of year again. This marks the 34th consecutive year of the New Year’s wish list.
It began with the 1991 issue of The Dunmorean. So here we go with the 2024 wish list:
No rain outs this summer for Brian McGurl and Tom Hallinan at the annual Bucktown Music Fest… a Hank’s hoagie in Green Ridge from Tommy Owens…Tommy Owens firing his whiffle ball curves like he did back in the day…Brian Wilson back at the Kirby Center…a stop to American Water Company with skyrocketing bills to consumers in Dunmore and Scranton…Dunmore’s Joe Tomko back in politics…Johnny Carson reruns…Jackie the Jokeman and Stuttering John back with Howard Stern…more of Dick Van Dyke at 98…a Pappas Pizza tuna grinder…a cheeseburger in paradise for the late Jimmy Buffett…pasta at Carmella’s in Dunmore’s Bunker Hill…Starbucks coffee…a coffee and toasted bagel from the Retro Cafe in Pinebrook…Shania Twain anywhere…Mary Tyler Moore reruns…Stangers Rock…a German Brownie from Minooka Bake Shop…the return of the peanut stick at Krispy Kreme…a night out at the Rockwell VFW…Alyssa Milano, Judith Light and Tony Danza on a Who’s the Boss reunion…the return of the Saint Patrick’s picnic in West Side…Marie Osmond turning back the clock with Nutrisystem…Mick Jagger and Keith Richards rocking at 80…Keith Richards defying the odds at 80…Springsteen at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park…Adrian Beltre, Todd Helton, Jimmy Rollins, Joe Mauer, Gary Sheffield and Tori Hunter in the National Baseball Hall of Fame…Kenny Anderson, Isaac Curtis, Torry Holt and Otis “O.J.” Anderson in the Pro Football Hall of Fame…Warren Zevon, Jim Croce and The Guess Who in the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame…crumb cake from Cwikla’s in Avoca…a square tray of pizza with onions from McAlpine Pub in Avoca…dinner at Ragnacci’s in Dunmore…wings from Haggerty’s in West Side…a West Side Flava’s hoagie…a Dunkin in Forest City…Paulie’s hot dogs in Honesdale…Barbara Eden in a Jeannie bottle…Dunmore’s Anthony Duchnowski back for another summer in the Tri-Valley Baseball League…a healthy year for Atty. Melanie Naro, former Dunmore councilwoman, who continues to kick cancer in the butt with her positive vibes…a decrease in real estate taxes…peace for the Ukraine…the strawberry frosty back at Wendy’s…my dad’s chili…Mickey Gannon’s wings…a night with the Rock Royalty Tribute Band…continued recovery and health to Peter St. James, leader of Rock Royalty, who recently received new kidney…Nardozzi’s pizza in Dunmore…a return to health for Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow…Dunmore’s Shannon Miele and her sister Michele rocking and dancing at the Waldorf Tiki Bar…a visit with Tim Wagner at his sporting goods store in Green Ridge…Joe Snedecker weather reports…Vince Sweeney back as a local TV weatherman…a continued mild winter…fresh water…complete recovery for Jimmy Connors and his vocal cords, so he can sing Johnny B Goode…a night at The Roosey in Dunmore…Olena pouring fresh drafts at The Roosey…wings from Honeychild’s in Dunmore…Taco Bell…Nicholas Pizza in Green Ridge…a Dunkin hot coffee…Cher turning back time…continued success for local music talent Alyssa Lazar…Alyssa Lazar back at Crotti’s on Ash…the return of Gold Crown Pizza in Dunmore…a new Neil Young CD…Dunmore’s Brian McGurl on keyboards with Q Ball…less haters…less division in our country…breakfast at the Bucktown Diner in Dunmore…the return of Bartels beer…a draft beer with my long time buddy Brian Bosley…the return of the Throop Cow Flop…Mickey Gannon’s wings in Green Ridge…no pot holes…The Wannabes…a successful return to politics for Dunmore’s Nibs Loughney…an Arby’s gyro…Crown Chicken in South Side…a Popeye’s chicken sandwich…a chili burger from Carawanna’s Diner in Carbondale…Ringo and his All-Star Band…a Paul McCartney concert…the Saint Ubaldo Festival in Jessup…breakfast at Katrina’s Diner in Dickson City…a night at The Moose in West Pittston…another Bob Dylan concert on his “Never Ending” tour…another Lynyrd Skynyrd concert…Lady Gaga…the Cincinnati Reds in the playoffs…another year for Joey Votto…Rolling Rock beer…another book from Dunmore’s legendary Guy Valvano…Jennifer Lopez anywhere…Brett “Gardy” Gardner back in baseball as a coach for the Yankees…a football scholarship for Dunmore’s Danny Pigga…a new manager and GM for the New York Yankees…Donnie Baseball managing the Yankees…a Guiness draft at The Bog…Rock Royalty back at The Theatre at North…a night at Legends in Dickson City…Taylor Swift…more band jobs for my dad, the leader and drummer of The Fabulous Fortunes as he begins his 77th year performing…a return to health for Dunmore’s Bob Walsh, president of Northeastern Chapter of PA Sports Hall of Fame…solid New York Mets and flea market seasons for my great friend Steve Gall…Thunder Road…no road rage…Green Ridge Pizza…Valerie Bertinelli back on a TV sitcom…a 100th birthday for Jimmy Carter…Gomer Pyle reruns…Sirius-XM radio…more of the Mad Dog on Sirius-XM…the return of the cassette…a hoagie from Cara Mia’s in Dunmore…a fresh Italian hoagie from Roseanna’s Pizza in West Side…my son Ryan singing “Yesterday” with the Rock Royalty Tribute Band…Kelly’s wings in South Side…Madonna…another great summer baseball season for my son Dylan in the Tri-Valley League…good health to my great friend Tom Duggan as he continues his great work counseling prisoners…a day in Cooperstown, New York with my sons…a night with Bugeye McGuire…Welcome Back Kotter reruns…a reduction in gas prices and utility bills…a reverse to inflation…another Martina McBride concert at the Kirby Center…a night dancing to the music of The Sperazza Band…a night at The Knights in Pittston…continued success for Kevin McHale and the Dunmore Bucks football program…another state title run for the Dunmore Lady Bucks…Lori Loughlin back on the Hallmark channel…continued success to Holy Cross graduate Kaci Kranson with the University of Scranton Lady Royals…a return to form after injury for former Dunmore Lady Bucks standout Ciera Toomey as she continues her basketball career at the University of North Carolina…more great work from Dunmore Crime Watch head Gary Duncan…Eva Longoria…wing bites from Nina’s in Dunmore…singing American Pie…breakfast at Abe’s Diner in downtown Scranton…Maroni’s Pizza in West Side…a Bob Seger comeback…dinner at La Cucina in Dunmore…pizza from The Roosey in Dunmore…less divorce…no crime or shootings…police protection at all schools…more honest politicians like Green Ridge’s Bob Casey…more funding for autism…Happy Days reruns…good fortune and health to my friend Jeanne Hoppel (and her mom) whose late dad Bill always told me to look at the bottle as half full…a decrease in the Scranton wage tax…a trip to Seaside Heights, New Jersey…Santorini, Greece…Miller Genuine Draft…Everybody Loves Raymond reruns…a nice playoff run for the New York Knicks…wings from Joyce’s Cafe in Minooka…a Texas wiener from Green Ridge News…continued success for the Dunmore and Holy Cross athletic programs…Laverne and Shirley reruns…Flaxy Morgan…no animal cruelty…Roger Finnerty, Jimmy Tigue, Vince Parise, Billy Woelkers, John Paris and Sam Zaffino back with The Fabulous Fortunes…Jack Meade on sax…Tom Gavern, Jeff Lewis and Firp Edmunds on guitar…my dad on drums…a strong playoff run for Dunmore’s Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins…King of Queens reruns…David Letterman back on TV…more Interviews from Howard Stern….Carly Simon…The Sperazza Duo at Ernie G’s in Avoca…Dunmore’s Paul Nardozzi back in politics and his Yankees back in the playoffs…Susanna Hoffs…my son Ryan singing Jethro Tull’s “Locomotive Breath” with the Rock Royalty Tribute Band…continued success for my son Dylan as a medical sales rep for Johnson and Johnson…good health to Dunmore’s Fran and Santa Burne…my talented musical friend Diane Luke singing White Rabbit…concerts at Bethel Woods…Rock a Royalty at A.J.’s in Carbondale…another trip with my sons to the Montrose and Hawley Winterfests…Cooper’s Maryland Crab Bisque soup…the Saint Rocco’s and Saint Anthony’s picnic in Dunmore’s Bunker Hill…continued success and more gigs for my son Ryan and the Rock Royalty Tribute Band…a special place in Heaven for my aunts Stella and Annette who passed away this past year…a special place in heaven for late Dunmore community activists Addie Michalek, Carmel Arnone, Blanche Shaw, Philomena Errico, Fritz Voytec, Sam and Tom Cali, Leonard Verrastro, Billy Weller, Lou Perrella, Al Frioni, Sr. and James McHale, Sr….great health and more treats for my cat Lola…a newspaper, business ventures and big cigar in Heaven for late Dunmorean founder and publisher John Hart who passed away this past year…continued success to his son Atty. John Hart III who is honoring his dad’s wish to keep The Dunmorean alive as the new publisher…great health to Maureen Hart, as she continues her ongoing role as dedicated editor of The Dunmorean…a special place in Heaven for my in-laws, John and Elva Hoffman…a special place in Heaven for my Uncles Gus, Art and Wally…a most special place in Heaven for my two grandmothers…a special place in Heaven for my sister-in-law’s parents and brother Nickie Stelmac, gone too soon…continued good health to my ex-wife Beth, a cancer survivor…a most special place in Heaven to my mom who always told me to take a chance…great health and lots of hiking and kayaking for my girlfriend Janet…a night dancing with Janet and our friends Diane, Lynne, Kathie, Debbie and Allison…good health to my brother George and his wife Maria…a great senior high school year for my nephew George…continued success for my nieces Mia and Livy…great health and happiness to my dad and sister Denise…continued success and happiness to my son Dylan, the best center fielder, shortstop and base runner I ever saw…continued success and happiness to my son Ryan, the best guitarist, drummer, harmonica player and lyricist I ever saw…little baby ducks, old pickup trucks, tomatoes on the vine…peace, love and tranquility…the simple things in life…life is short…
Happy New Year, everyone.