Doin’ Dunmore: Couple’s Fond Memories of First Swinick Home

Posted on February 2, 2022 by The Dunmorean

By Steve Svetovich

The late Tom Swinick’s first Swinick home was built in 1987 for Robert and Mary Ann Fitzpatrick.

“A quality home is the only kind you can afford.”

Custom built. Choice lots. Fine features. The Swinick Development in Dunmore.

Swinick, who died this past Nov. 15, did not disappoint the Fitzpatrick couple, who are still enjoying their home to this day.

This house located at 421 Shirley Lane was the first sold by the late Tom Swinick in his new development.

The home is located at 421 Shirley Lane, Dunmore.

The home originally was supposed to be 401 Shirley Lane. But due to a simple error made in the County assessor’s office the address became 421 Shirley Lane.

Bobby Fitzpatrick, known by all of his friends as Fitz, explained. “The home is the first in that phase of the development,” he said. “It was originally supposed to be 401 Shirley Lane, but the individual in the County assessor’s office made a slight error by changing the zero to a two, so 401 became 421. No one corrected it, so the homes on Shirley Lane start at 421 rather than 401. Because of this, then that section of the development started at 421. People often ask why it starts at 421. Well, that is the reason.”

Fitz said he met Tom Swinick at the old Igoe’s Bar in Dunmore. “We were in graduate school at the time and would stop by once in a while after classes.

“When my wife Mary Ann and I decided to build a home we contacted Tom Swinick. Tom was such a great guy and very honest and hard working.

“We bought two parcels of land on Shirley Lane in 1987 from him. We decided to build our first home there. It was our first home and the first one Tom built for anyone.

“Well, for our wedding present, the late John Domanish, a local architect, designed our home for us.

“This was Tom’s first house to be built in the development, so he could not wait to get started on it. He was just as excited as we were. He was there everyday for the building of his first home. When it was completed, he was so excited and proud to hand us over the keys.”

And it didn’t stop there. Fitz said Swinick stayed in constant touch, always asking about the initial home and making himself available for any possible issue.

“He was literally there from start to finish, from 1987 until two weeks before he died,” Fitz said.

“Just two weeks before he passed away, I called him. I had a broken lock that I could not fix. Well, Tom came right over. He actually fixed the lock with the exact same apparatus he used in 1987. And that was not all he did. He went on to check every lock in the house. He found other locks that needed repair and promised to come back in a couple weeks to fix them.

“But then he passed away, But he kept his promise, because a few days after he passed I got a call from his son. He told me his dad made a promise to fix the rest of the locks.

“So his son came over to fix the locks to keep his dad’s promise.

“And that’s the kind of guy Tom Swinick was. True to his word and working from the day his first house was built in 1987 until two weeks before he died.

“He was just a tremendous guy right to the end. And we are still enjoying the home he built for us. He was so proud of it.”

Doin’ Dunmore: New Year’s Wish List Now in 32nd Year

Posted on January 4, 2022 by The Dunmorean

By Steve Svetovich

It’s time for the annual New Year’s wish list for 2022.

It began with the 1991 issue of The Dunmorean.

And with a pandemic lasting two years now, and a year that ended with the passing of Betty White just 17 days short of her 100th birthday, there is plenty to wish for in 2022.

With thousands of lives lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic, America still had Betty White.

Until the final day of 2021 when we lost the TV legend.

So here we go with the 2022 wish list:

An end to the COVID-19 pandemic, omicron variant, or any other variant that mysteriously comes along…a cure for those seriously afflicted with COVID-19…unity and much less division among the American people…better and more effective vaccines…less haters…an entertainment and humanity lifetime achievement award named after the late Betty White…America celebrating Betty White’s momentous life in memorium this January 17…a Dunkin Donuts in Forest City…breakfast at Katrina’s Diner in Dickson City…Debbie serving coffee at Katrina’s Diner…a Sunday at The Roosey in Dunmore…Olena serving fresh drafts at The Roosey…Shania Twain anywhere…another Bob Dylan concert…Mick Jagger strutting and singing “Satisfaction” at 78…Keith Richards alive at 78…Charlie Watts pounding the drums in Heaven…breakfast at Neen’s Diner in North Scranton…Taco Bell…an Arby’s Gyro…Starbucks coffee…crumb cake from Cwikla’s in Avoca…a night with The Sperazza Band…a hike at Lake Scranton…Joe Tomko back in politics…Nardozzi’s Pizza…my dad’s chilli…a chili burger from Carawana Diner in Carbondale…Mary Tyler Moore reruns…Carol Burnett hosting Saturday Night Live…a special place in Musician’s Heaven for Johnny Cognetti, former guitarist of The Fabulous Fortunes…a recovery from a stroke for Art Stanton, former sax player for The Fabulous Fortunes…more band jobs for my dad, the leader and drummer of The Fabulous Fortunes who is in his 75th year of performing…Nicholas Pizza…a Keystone Diner texas wiener in West Side…a hoagie from West Side Flavas…a happy retirement for Gene and Maria of Roberto’s Pizza and Restaurant who served West Scranton for so many years…a Hank’s hoagie from Tommy Owens in Green Ridge…Green Ridge Pizza…a visit with Tim Wagner at his sporting goods store in Green Ridge…more books from Dunmore’s legendary Guy Valvano…another successful year for Dunmore’s Bob Walsh, chairman of the Northeastern Chapter of the PA Sports Hall of Fame…Ross Zanghi making the Northeastern Chapter of the PA Sports Hall of Fame…Todd Helton, Gary Sheffield, Jeff Kent, David Ortiz and Jimmy Rollins being elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame…the late Cliff Branch in the Pro Football Hall of Fame…a special place in football Heaven for legendary NFL coach and broadcaster John Madden…a night at Legends in Dickson City…a fresh Blue Moon draft…a night at Sanderson Street in Throop…Thunder Road…no road rage…Valerie Bertinelli back on a TV sitcom…Happy Days reruns…Barbara Eden in a Jeannie bottle…a German brownie from the Minooka Bake Shop…Honeychild’s wings in Dunmore…Mickey Gannon’s wings…a night at the Chestnut Street Tavern in Dunmore…dinner at LaCucina in Dunmore…breakfast at The Bucktown Diner…Eva Longoria…Alyssa Mylano and Tony Danza on a Who’s the Boss reunion…Laverne and Shirley reruns…Nibs Loughney back in politics…a solid quarterback to lead the New York Giants for Dunmore’s Paul Nardozzi, the team’s number one fan…Neil Young back at Montage…the peanut stick back at Krispy Kreme…Maroni’s Pizza in West Scranton…more good people like Dunmore’s Carol Scrimalli…good health to Dunmorean publisher John Hart and his wife Maureen…a lamb or chicken gyro from Crown Chicken in South Side…dinner at Ragnacci’s in Dunmore…a cure for M.S….good health to my great friend Jeannie Hoppel whose dad always taught me to look at the bottle as half full…lower real estate taxes…a lower Scranton wage tax…less pot holes…no animal cruelty…less desperate housewives…no desperate husbands…much lower water bills…Jimmy Connors singing Johnny B Goode…Roger Finnerty, Billy Woelkers and Jimmy Tigue back with the Fabulous Fortunes…good health and complete recovery from a heart ailment to Dunmore’s Gary Duncan…best of health to my beloved friend and former coworker Leah Cronauer who continues to kick cancer in the butt…a night out at the Waldorf Tiki Bar in East Mountain…a winning New York Mets season for Steve Gall…Robert Plant in concert…a night at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park…Cher…Brian Wilson back at the Kirby Center…another Elton John concert…the New York Knicks advancing in the NBA playoffs…Brett “Gardy” Gardner back for one final season in a New York Yankees uniform…The Yankees retiring Paul O’Neill’s number…Marie Osmond and her Nutrisystem diet…Dunmore’s Shannon Miele and her sister Michelle rocking and dancing at the Waldorf Tiki Bar…Stuttering John and Jackie the Jokeman back on Howard Stern…a J.T. Concert…Bob Barker back on the Price is Right…Taylor Swift…a Pappas Pizza tuna grinder…a trip to Seaside Heights, New Jersey…a trip to Santorini, Greece…a Bengals game in Cincinnati…another great year from Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto…the New York Yankees back in the World Series…more government support, funds and adult transition programs for autism…Pete Rose eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame…a trip with my sons to Cooperstown…dinner at Fratelli’s in North Scranton…Old Forge pizza…Carly Simon in concert…Paul McCartney back in Hershey…Rod Stewart kicking soccer balls and doing back flips at 77…a Guiness draft…Sirius-XM radio in every vehicle…more of The Mad Dog on MLB Siriius-XM radio…good health to Dunmore’s Fran and Santa Burne…singing American Pie…Susanna Hoffs…Cooper’s Maryland crab bisque soup…Mike Sperazza strumming and singing Rolling Stones songs…Jennie Sperazza on drums belting out Zeppelin and Janis Joplin…Eric Sperazza on keyboard singing The Beatles’ Ballad of John and Yoko…my son Ryan on lead guitar singing “Oh Boy!”…a successful football season next year for Kevin McHale and his Dunmore Bucks…continued success for coach Ben O’Brien and the Dunmore Lady Bucks…continued success for coach Al Callejas and the Holy Cross Crusaders basketball program…success for all Dunmore and Holy Cross sports programs…a Dunkin Donuts hot coffee…an egg on croissant from Main Street Bagel in Dickson City…Odd Couple reruns…David Letterman back on TV…Jennifer Lopez…the Hawley Winterfest…a trip to Jim Thorpe…the Montrose Winterfest…a trip to Greene, New York…breakfast at Abe’s Diner…fresh water…a fresh Miller Genuine Draft…Yankees baseball on YES…my dad on drums…Jack Mead on sax…Tom Gavern on guitar…Jeff Lewis singing and on guitar…Firp on base…Ed Kosmahl on guitar…Vince Parisse singing and on guitar…a special place in Heaven for late Dunmore community volunteers and activists Addie Michalek, Carmel Arnone, Blanche Shaw, Philomena Errico, Fritz Voytek, Sam and Tom Cali, Leonard Verrastro, Billy Weller, James McHale, Sr.; and Al Frioni, Sr….no domestic violence…Dunmore’s Paul Nardozzi back in politics…risotto from Cafe Rinaldi in Old Forge…a romantic dinner at Carmella’s in Dunmore…good health to Dunmore’s Jimmy Burne…Nina’s wing bites in Dunmore…Kelly’s wings in South Side…a draft beer in the newly renovated Buddy Clarke’s in Dunmore…a special,place in Heaven for my Aunt Stella, a caregiver to her family for many years, who died this past year…a return to health to my Aunt Annette…a special place in Heaven for my late in-laws…continued recovery from cancer for my ex wife Beth who is winning the fight…a special place in Heaven for my uncles Gus, Art and Wally…a special place in Heaven for my sister-in-law’s parents and brother Nickie Stelmac…a most special place in Heaven for my late grandmothers…a most special place in Heaven for my late mom who always told me to take a chance…great health to my brother George, his wife Maria and three children: Mia, Livy and George…great health to my dad and sister Denise…great health and continued success in his job as a pharmaceutical sales rep for my son Dylan, the best center fielder I ever saw…great health and many more gigs with The Sperazza Band for my son Ryan, the best lead guitarist I ever saw…little baby ducks, old pick up trucks, tomatoes on the vine…life is short…enjoy life to the fullest…enjoy the simple things in life…Happy New Year, everyone.

Doin’ Dunmore: Lazar Returning to Roots for Holiday Season

Posted on December 1, 2021 by The Dunmorean

By Steve Svetovich

Local music product Alyssa Lazar’s earliest gigs as a teenager included a few Dunmore spots.

And with a new release of her album, “Hopeless Romanticism,” Alyssa will be returning to one of her old stops, Crotti’s on Ash, just a few blocks up the street from Dunmore’s Schautz Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 26. She will be performing from 8 to 10 p.m.

Daughter of Mark and Maureen Lazar, Alyssa, 22, is home on a holiday visit. She has spent her past four plus years in Nashville, Tennessee, where she recently received a bachelor of arts degree. in commercial music with an emphasis in writing from the Belmont School of Music in Nashville.

Alyssa embraces a unique set of genres on her new 7-song EP. She wrote all the songs and music.

The album, released this past Nov. 17, mixes pop and rock sounds with elements from other eras. The EP is available on ITunes and Amazon and can be streamed on Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal.

Alyssa plays guitar, but piano is her primary musical instrument. Her favorite artists, who she plays when performing, include Elton John, Lady Gaga and Billy Joel.

Her rendition of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” is scintillating. And likely to be heard at Crotti’s on Ash the day after Christmas.

Alyssa describes her music as piano-influenced pop/rock. Her fans often brand her shows as “Elton John meets Lady Gaga.”

Alyssa started performing at the tender age of four.

By the time she was 15, Alyssa was performing in local venues, bars and restaurants throughout Northeast PA. Crotti’s on Ash, Andy Gavin’s in Green Ridge, and LaCucina in Dunmore were among her regular spots for performances. Others included the V-Spot, Russell’s Restaurant, Duffy’s Coffee House, Sydney’s Lounge and the old McNally’s in Green Ridge.

Now she performs regular gigs in Nashville, including the 5 Spot where Lady Gaga performed while touring.

Alyssa’s new EP, includes two instrumental interludes.

“Hopeless Romanticism” combines today’s pop rock sound, the intricacy of 1970’s rock, with hints inspired by the music of the romantic era. It is riddled with chorale-like background vocals, piano and live strings performed by Jonathan Yudkin.

Yudkin has performed on albums of artists such as Taylor Swift and Bon Jovi.

Alyssa thoroughly enjoys song writing as much as playing piano and guitar. “This is the sound I was looking for with this EP,” she said. “It incorporates every musical aesthetic that I love the most and feels like the embodiment of who I was meant to be as an artist. I always loved classical and soundtrack music, but this is made to fit the pop/rock genre of today.

“The EP takes what are true experiences of those close to me or even the imagination of a true experience and romanticizes it.

“Some of the songs are very raw and vulnerable.

“Each song is inspired by a different mood or event that may have happened in the romantic era of the 1800’s and early 1900’s. There is an emphasis on art and romance. There are several instrumental interludes.”

Alyssa said she performs two or three nights a week in Nashville. “Being discovered is so different now,” she said. “It happens, but you need to grow and build a following. It’s not a thing that happens a lot, but it does.

“I focus on the places and venues where I am able to play my music and grow on my own. I don’t necessarily look for a break, but look to grow and grow as a musical artist and songwriter.”

The talented musical artist said she attended the Nashville Country Music Awards in 2017 and 2018. She even met country music legend Keith Urban. “He was very nice and had a good sense of humor. He even took the time to ask me about my career.”

You can find Alyssa’s new EP on most streaming platforms. She will be performing her songs from the EP along with other originals and classics during her appearance at Crotti’s on Ash the night after Christmas.