By Steve Svetovich
It’s that time of year already. This marks the 35th consecutive year of the New Year’s wish list in The Dunmorean.
So here this scribe goes again with the 2025 wish list:
Less political talk…less angry political talk…no sexual abusers in politics…less potholes…Ichiro, Billy Wagner, Jimmy Rollins and C.C. Sabathia in the National Baseball Hall of Fame…Dick Van Dyke celebrating his 100th birthday…Jimmy Carter celebrating his 101st birthday…Barbara Eden in a “Jeannie” bottle…Barbara Eden back at the Scranton Cultural Center…a peanut butter frosty at Wendy’s…A Dunkin in Forest City…hot coffee and a toasted everything bagel with butter from my friends Liz and Angie at the Retro Cafe in the Pinebrook section of Scranton…my picture a bit closer to Cher and Taylor Swift in the celebrity bathroom at the Retro Cafe…a smooth transition to whatever awaits Senator Bob Casey, one of the most honest, moral, ethical men I know…Joey Votto back with the Cincinnati Reds as a coach or broadcaster…Dunmore’s Joe Tomko back in politics…a nice playoff run for Joe Tomko’s Minnesota Vikings…a night at The Roosey in Dunmore…a Guiness draft at The Bog…a glazed donut from Krispy Kreme…a trip to Cooperstown with my sons…more of Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo…another Bob Dylan concert…a Robert Plant and Jimmy Page reunion…Dunkin hot coffee…Gomer Pyle reruns…my dad’s chilli…Hazleton’s Joe Maddon back in baseball…a Hank’s hoagie from Tommy Owens in Green Ridge…Tommy Owens firing his wicked curve with a wiffle ball…another AL MVP for Aaron Judge…a Brett Gardner Day at Yankee Stadium…The Yankees back in the World Series and winning it…Taco Bell…Nardozzi’s Pizza in Dunmore…an Italian hoagie from Roseanna’s in West Side or Dickson City…Carly Simon…breakfast at the Bucktown Diner…Eva Longoria…no rainouts this summer for Brian McGurl and Tom Hallinan at the Bucktown Music Fest…a stop to American Water Company’s unjust and skyrocketing bills to Dunmore and Scranton consumers…a Pappas Pizza grinder…more Howard Stern interviews…pasta at Carmella’s in Dunmore’s Bunker Hill…Shania Twain anywhere…Strangers Rock…QBall…the return of Saint Parrick’s picnic in West Side…Marie Osmond continuing to turn the clock back with Nutrisystem…Cher turning back time…less drones…Jackie the Jokeman back at the Dunmore Holiday Inn…wings at Honeychild’s in Dunmore…Cara Mia’s hoagies in Dunmore…Stuttering John back on the Howard Stern Show…David Letterman back on TV…Johnny Carson reruns…Mick Jagger and Keith Richards rocking at 81…another Rolling Stones tour…Springsteen at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park…Kenny Anderson, Isaac Curtis, O.J. Anderson and Torry Holt in the Pro Football Hall of Fame…Warren Zevon, Jim Croce and The Guess Who in the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame…wings at Haggerty’s in West Side…a night at Legends in Dickson City…burgers and sausage at the Clarks Summit VFW…Alyssa Milano…dinner at Ragnacci’s in Dunmore…crumb cake from Cwikla’s in Avoca…a square tray of pizza with onions from McAlpine Pub in Avoca…a West Side Flava’s hoagie…a Taylor Swift concert…Dunmore’s Anthony Duchnowski back for another season in the Tri-Valley Baseball League…a healthy year for former Dunmore councilwoman Atty. Melanie Naro who is kicking cancer in the butt…Mickey Gannon’s wings…a Lady Gaga concert…a decrease in real estate taxes…peace in the Ukraine…Olena pouring fresh drafts at The Patch…a visit with Tim Wagner at his sporting goods store in Green Ridge…a Rod Stewart concert…a German brownie from Minooka Bake Shop…the return of peanut sticks in donut shops…Susanna Hoffs…Rolling Rock bottles…Joe Snedecker weather reports…Vince Sweeney back as a weatherman…Vince said it would be like this…Maroni’s Pizza in West Side…Gold Crown Pizza in Dunmore…Local music talent Alyssa Lazar back at Crotti’s on Ash…The Wannabes…less haters…less division in our country…less divorce…peace and quiet…good health to our departing President Joe Biden…Miller Genuine Draft…Jimmy Connors singing “Johnny B Goode” in heaven…Nicholas Pizza in Green Ridge…a new Neil Young CD…the return of Bartels beer…the return of cassettes…the return of the Throop Cow Flop…more of Bernie Sanders…Dunmore’s Brian McGurl on keyboards with QBall…another Sperazza Band reunion…a Popeye’s chicken sandwich…an Arby’s gyro…Saint Ubaldo’s in Jessup…Paul McCartney in concert…Willie Nelson at 92 at Bethel Woods again…another Lynyrd Skynyrd concert…more band jobs for my dad, the leader of The Fabulous Fortunes as he begins his 78th year of performing…Valerie Bertinelli back on a TV sitcom…Happy Days reruns…a Happy Days reunion…no road rage…no school shootings…Madonna…Thunder Road…a night with Bugeye McGuire…Richie Kossuth and Sugar Ray Nemetz with Flaxy Morgan…Martina McBride back at the Kirby Center…continue success for Kevin McHale and the Dunmore football program…Success to all of the Dunmore and Holy Cross sports programs…a successful New York Mets and flea market season for my friend Steve Gall…Lori Loughlin back on the Hallmark channel…Dunmore’s Shannon Miele back dancing with her sister Michelle at the Waldorf Tike Bar…Dunmore’s Paul Nardozzi back in politics with his New York Giants on the winning side…continued success for former Dunmore basketball standout for Moriah Murray as a starter for Penn State…a successful basketball season for Dunmore’s Ciera Toomey at the University of North Carolina…a return to good health for my great friend and Dunmore community activist Gary Duncan…my son Ryan singing “Yesterday” in any music venue…success to my son Ryan in the music industry…success to my son Dylan in the medical sales industry…my son Dyan out in centerfield chasing fly balls in the Tri-Valley Baseball League…my dad on drums…Jimmy Tigue on keyboards…Vince Parise singing and on guitar…Jack Mead on sax…The Fabulous Fortunes back at the annual Bucktown Music Fest at Dunmore corners…good health to my great friend Tom Duggan who continues his great work counseling prisoners…Everybody Loves Raymond reruns…Ray Romano back on a TV sitcom…a beer with my buddy Brian Bosley at his Moscow country home…my talented musical friend Diane Luke singing “White Rabbit” with her great voice…The Sperazza Duo at Ernie G’s in Avoca…more Carolina Panthers wins for my dear friend Miranda…Cooper’s Maryland Crab Bisque soup…three great summer nights of St. Rocco’s and Saint Anthony’s picnic at Dunmore’s Bunker Hill…another trip with my sons to the Montrose and Hawley Winterfests…a special place in heaven for my lifelong friend Jim Gregorowicz, family friend Santa Burne and my cousin Jeff Kardos who all passed away in 2024…King of Queens reruns…a successful year for Dunmore’s Bob Walsh, president of the Northeast Chapter of PA Sports Hall of Fame…success to my nephew George as he pursues a political science degree at West Chester University, my niece Livy as she pursues a master’s degree in Special Education at West Chester University and my niece Mia as she pursues her career in the restaurant management field in Orlando, Florida…a special place in heaven for Dunmore’s Guy Valvano, a legend in local sports journalism…Sirius-XM…a special place in heaven for late Dunmore community activists Addie Michalik, Blanche Shaw, Carmel Arnone, Leonsrd Verrastro, Fritz Voytek, Tom Cali, Sam Cali, James McHale, Sr.; Al Frioni, Sr.; Philomena Errico, Lou Perrella, Mike Mashurak and Billy Weller…a special place in heaven to my friend Bill Hoppel who taught me to always look at the bottle as half full…good health to my great friend Jeannie Hoppel…good health to my ex wife Beth, a cancer survivor…a special place in heaven for recently departed Sandra Buzas, my eighth grade English teacher who inspired me to be a writer…a special place in heaven for my aunts Stella and Annette, Uncles Gus and Wally and my two wonderful grandmothers…a most special place in heaven to my wonderful mom, a strong believer in education, who always told me to take a chance…continued success to Atty. John Hart III who continues to honor his late dad’s wish to keep The Dunmorean alive as its publisher…and a big cigar in heaven for his dad, John Hart, former publisher and local legend…great health to Maureen Hart as she continues her role as dedicated editor of The Dunmorean…great health and lots of hiking and kayaking for my dear friend Janet Fargo…good health to my brother George and his wife Maria…great health and happiness to my sister Denise…great health, happiness and lots of family gatherings for my dad who is always there for me…continued health and happiness to my son Dylan, the best center fielder and base runner I ever saw…continued success and happiness to my son Ryan, the best guitarist, drummer, pianist, harmonica player and singer I ever heard…little baby ducks, old pickup trucks, tomatoes on the vine…peace, love and tranquility…just the simple things in life…nothing ventured, nothing gained…life is short…and finally a wish for 35 more years of the New Year’s wish list…a Cool Yule…Happy New Year, everyone.