By Steve Svetovich
It’s time for the annual New Year’s wish list. And to those readers who look forward to this, the wish list for 2017 is as follows:
Crumb cake from Cwikla’s Bakery in Avoca…Bruce Springsteen’s new book, “Born to Run”…Springsteen and the East Street Band at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park…another Adam Sandler movie…a guest appearance from Bob Barker on The Price is Right…a visit at Madam Marie’s (where fortunes are told better than…) on the Asbury Park boardwalk…a Dunkin Donuts in Forest City…Bob Weir and Rat Dog at the Kirby Center…another reunion with the remaining members of the Grateful Dead…Dunmore native Joe LaTorre strumming Bob Dylan numbers…a swift repeal and/or end to Obamacare…real affordable health care…Shania Twain anywhere…good health and happiness to my good friend Maureen Reggie, R.N….a German brownie from Minooka Bake Shop…a cheese omelet with onions from Marty, Patty, Kelly and the crew at The Brunch House in West Pittston…a night at Legends in Dickson City…more honest politicians like Senator Bob Casey, Jr….a new CD from The Who…Alyssa Milano…
Another Happy Days reunion…Crown Chicken…the New York Yankees back in the playoffs…another title for the Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders…Fred “Crime Dog” 
McGriff, Edgar Martinez, Trevor Hoffman, Tim Raines, Curt Schilling, Vlad Guerrero, Jeff Kent, Jorge Posada, Mike Mussina and Larry Walker in the National Baseball Hall of Fame…Kurt Warner, Ottis Anderson, Morten Anderson, Alan Faneca, Joe Jacoby, Terrell Davis, LaDainian Tomlinson, John Lynch, Mark Bavaro and Kenny Easley in the Pro Football Hall of Fame…Future consideration for Kenny Anderson in the Pro Football Hall of Fame…a happy marriage for former Dunmore Councilman Paul Nardozzi and his fiancé Teresa McLaine…Dunmore’s Joe Tomko back in politics…a special place in Heaven for late Green Ridge native Ellen Dragotto who lived a humble and noble life traveling the world and giving to those in need…more people like West Scranton Pastor Tom Duggan who counsels prisoners and those in need of a spiritual lift…less pot holes…a reduction in real estate taxes…a reduction in the Scranton wage tax and garbage fee…no road rage…no domestic violence…no animal abuse…no child abuse…less divorce…less desperate housewives…less desperate husbands…Larry King doing interviews again…
A lifetime contract for Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon who broke a 108-year curse…the Cincinnati Reds back in the playoffs…another NL MVP for Reds first baseman Joey Votto… Breakfast at Marie’s Diner in Old Forge…soup and salad from The Olive Garden…a trip to Hawley for Winterfest…a trip to Seaside Heights, New Jersey…a Gyro from Gangi Pizza in Throop…Maroni’s Pizza in West Scranton…Lori Loughlin anywhere…a summer night at The Waldorf Tiki Bar…a slice of pizza from M-6 Deli in Olyphant…Ichiro batting .300…an NBA MVP for Russell Westbrook…colorful ties and suits in Heaven for late NBA sideline reporter Craig Sager…continued success and expansion for the summer baseball Dunmore Freedom League at Sherwood Park…
A special place in Heaven for late Dunmore community activists Addie Michalek, Carmel Arnone, James McHale, Sr., Al Frioni, Sr., Leonard Verrastro and Fritz Voytek…a birthday party in Heaven for late Dunmore DJ Billy Weller…continued success on the Wilkes College basketball team for Holy Cross graduate Alyssa Alfano…success on the mound at St. Bonaventure University for Holy Cross graduate James Wetter…Nardozzi’s Pizza in Dunmore…good health for my late mom’s best friend Annette…Mick Jagger, who recently fathered his eighth child, singing “Satisfaction” at 74…Keith Richards still alive at 73…Paul McCartney singing “When I’m 64” at 74…Rod Stewart “twistin’ the night away” and doing back flips at 73…Chuck Berry reelin’ and rockin’ at 90…a Chuck Berry tour to go with his new CD…a Keystone Restaurant Texas wiener…a Hank’s hoagie in Green Ridge from Tommy Owens…a trip to Tim Wagner’s in Green Ridge…breakfast at Neen’s Diner in North Scranton…
A Yankees baseball trip with Johnny from JZ Tours…a new Bob Dylan CD…the Wallflowers back at Montage…a Tom Petty concert…Cher…a slice of Antonio’s Pizza in West Pittston…Nina’s boneless wings in Dunmore…Mickey Gannon’s wings in Green Ridge…the return of the peanut stick at Krispy Kreme…good health to Dunmore Mayor Patrick “Nibs” Loughney and his lovely wife Donna…Maryland crab bisque soup from Cooper’s…dinner at Texas Roadhouse…Mike Brunetti’s chicken tortilla soup and special 
chilli…my dad’s chilli…Sam the Greek back in town…Teri Hatcher anywhere…increased health care coverage and lower costs for senior citizens…more programs and understanding for autistic and special needs children…Barbara Eden in a Jeannie bottle…another book from Dunmore’s Guy Valvano…an NFL MVP for Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr…for West Scranton’s Matt McGloin to get his big break and compete for a starting quarterback job somewhere in the NFL next season…the return of Cookie’s Travelers…Sirius-XM radio in every vehicle…Jimmy Tigue on keyboards…Jack Mead on sax…Bill Vargas on guitar…Vince Parise on vocals…Tom Gavern on guitar…Roger Finnerty on guitar…my dad and son Ryan sitting in for each other on drums…Jimmy Connors singing “Johnny B. Goode” with The Fabulous Fortunes…a Fortunes reunion with my dad, Billy Woelkers, Johnny Cognetti and Art Stanton…more band gigs for my dad…Gene Dempsey performing at 92 with his orchestra…
Paul Pierce finding the Fountain of Youth in his final NBA season…Jeremy Lyn bringing “Lyn-Sanity” to Brooklyn…Nicholas Pizza in Green Ridge…Regis back with Kelly Ripa…Jimmy Fallon doing his Neil Young rendition… less fascination with cell phones and 
tattoos (sorry tattoo lovers)…less meters and more free parking which helps local businesses…a Texas wiener from McIlwee’s in North Scranton…a hamburger with chili sauce from Carawana Lunch in Carbondale…a Wendy’s taco salad…the Ruby Tuesday salad bar…a hot fudge sundae from The Creamery in Old Forge…a gyro and chicken platter with rice from Crown Chicken in South Side…chicken strips with garlic and rice from Roberto’s Pizza in West Scranton…a trip to Mace sports memorabilia in West Scranton…more of Betty White at 95…Eva Longoria…wings at Bigsy’s in West Scranton..lower cable TV rates…Valerie Bertinelli anywhere….a gold Ford Pinto with an eight-track player…politicians who listen to Bernie Sanders…a subway hoagie for my son Dylan…a Red Robin chocolate malt for my son Ryan…
McGinty’s wings in Green Ridge…lunch at Royal Buffet…a Jimmy Buffett concert…good health to my long time mentor and good friend Bill Hoppel whose words, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” continue to have more meaning…a playoff run for New York Mets fan Steve Gall…more good work from Dunmore Neighborhood Watch leader Gary Duncan…a peanut butter tandy take…coconut cream pie…Jennifer Lopez…Mary Tyler Moore reruns…a trip to Rick’s Place Sports Cards and Collectibles at Sugarman’s Flea Market in Eynon…a fresh MGD beer…a show in the old North Scranton Junior High School auditorium…naming the old North Scranton auditorium after Annette Palutis…a walk at McDade Park…Zaleski’s wings in South Scranton…
Another Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga CD…a Bob Seger concert…James Taylor at Montage…another 15-win season from Bartolo Colon at 43…another Bartolo Colon home run…the return of cassettes…more Peyton Manning commercials…a Maroni’s steak and cheese…a tuna grinder from Pappas Pizza…rice pudding from Pappas Pizza…Chris DiMatteo singing Sinatra…gun control on military firearms…less violence…good health to Dunmore’s Fran and Santa Burne who is recovering from back and hip surgery…good health to Dunmore publishers John and Maureen Hart and their wonderful family…the New York Yankees retiring the number of Paul O’Neill…good health to North Scranton’s Sam and Glenda Cortese…a fresh Blue Moon draft…Holy Cross and University of Scranton baseball product Anthony Duchnowski lacing line drives in the Dunmore Freedom League…
Duryea’s Gene Guarillia strumming his bass in Heaven…Tim Tebow making it in baseball…a successful senior baseball season for Scranton’s Ross Zanghi, Jr….clean air…good health to Dunmore’s Jimmy Burne and family…more good people like Scranton long time plumber and handy man Jimmy Vincent…a concert tour with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the offspring of John Lennon and George Harrison…a Cat Stevens concert…fresh cold water…my dad’s spinach pie and stuffed Greek grape leaves…Steve Perry back with Journey…good health to the White family, Decker family and Martinelli family, all good people from West Side…continued success for Bob Crofton with the Holy Rosary Biddy Basketball program…my dad’s pizza…Rob “the Nasty Boy” Dibble back on Sirius-XM radio…
Good health to Old Forge’s Pete and Mary Valenta, friends for life…a reunion this summer with my college friends Mike Booth, Jim Gregorowicz, Ned “Doc” Sweeney, Tom “Duggie” Duggan, Andy “Droid” Debowalski, Ted “T.C.” Christy, Brian Bosley, Steve Gall, Paul “Saki” Wysocki, John Gregorowicz, Andy Gregorowicz, Paul Trama, Charlie “Chas” Minniella and John Reap…a Carly Simon concert…Taylor Swift singing and strumming…Neil Young back at Bethel…the late Jim Croce in the Rock N’ Roll Hall of 
Fame…The Wannabes performing at the Taurus Club…good health for my good friend DJ Jason Miller…Starbucks coffee…Chuck Morris back on sax…Springsteen singing “Thunder Road”…Savo’s wing bites in Pittston…
A shot at one more baseball season for former Phillies slugger Ryan Howard…a David Letterman comeback…Stuttering John and Jackie the Joke-man back on Howard Stern…a Straub’s beer, honestly fresh…less materialism…more dancing…more singing…no war…less arguing…peace and quiet…a successful academic and baseball season at Marywood for my son Dylan, my favorite center fielder, who never gave up on his dream…a wonderful senior high school year, graduation and continued success with music for my son Ryan, my favorite guitarist, who never gives up on his dream…
Health and happiness in our Dunmore home…good health to my dad who has been performing with his band, “The Fabulous Fortunes” for close to seven decades…health and happiness to my sister Denise, the Mallory from Family Ties…good health to my Aunt Stella…health and happiness to my former wife Beth who gave me our two boys, my legacy in life…health and happiness to my brother George, his wife Maria and children Mia, Livvy and George, Jr….a special place in Heaven for my nephew George’s best friend Zach who died three years ago at age six…a special place in Heaven for my sister-in-law Maria’s brother Nick who two years ago died at 44…a special place in Heaven for my late in-laws, John and Elva Hoffman…special place in Heaven for my wonderful grandmothers and Uncles Gus, Art, and Wally…and a most special place in Heaven for my mom who loved to shop and taught me to always take a chance…
For everyone to stop and smell the roses and enjoy the simple things in life…savor the moments…life is short…Happy New Year, everyone!
A reduction in high priced concert tickets to see artists such as The Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen…The Beach Boys back with Brian Wilson…a new CD from The Who…crumb cake from Cwikla’s Bakery in Avoca…a German brownie from Minooka Bake Shop…a special place in Heaven for Sister Adrian Barrett…Nardozzi’s Pizza loaded with pepperoni in Dunmore…Ken Griffey, Jr.; Trevor Hoffman, Allan Trammell, Curt Schilling, Fred “The Crime Dog” McGriff, Edgar Martinez, Jeff Kent, Big Lee Smith, Jim Edmonds, Mike Mussina and Tim Raines in the National Baseball Hall of Fame…Ken “The Snake” Stabler, Ken Anderson, Andre Reed, Bob Kuchenberg, Marvin Harrison, Terrell Davis and Kurt Warner in the Pro Football Hall of Fame…Jimmy Connors singing Johnny B. Goode with The Fortunes…Bob Dylan back at Montage…Shania Twain anywhere…a Dunkin Donuts in Forest City…
New Jersey…a night at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey…breakfast at Sonny’s Restaurant in West Scranton…Mick Jagger singing Satisfaction at 74…Keith Richards alive at 74…Rod Stewart doing back flips, kicking soccer backs and croning for the ladies at 73…just one more performance from Gene Guarilia and the Cadillacs…a trip to Yankee Stadium with with my boys Dylan and Ryan and great friends Jim and Jake Decker…Alysa Milano anywhere…The Wannabees at Kilcoyne’s in West Scranton…a Rolling Stones and Beatles station on Sirius-XM Radio…a Sirius-XM radio in every vehicle…summer nights at the Waldorf Tiki Bar in East Mountain…Jorge Posada back in Yankee pinstripes as a coach…Sam the Greek’s rice pudding straight from Greece…a recovery to the economy in Greece…a cruise to the Greek islands…Cher…more financial support for the Dunmore Community Center and its senior programs…a large decrease in potholes in the city of Scranton…reimbursement to drivers who ruin their cars and tires due to the large number of massive potholes…lower real estate property taxes…a reduction in the Scranton wage tax…lower garbage fees in Scranton…pasta at Rossi’s in Archbald…Joe Tomko back in politics…
Chris DiMatteo singing Sinatra…a return to the playoffs for the New York Giants next year for Dunmore Councilman Paul Nardozzi…less real life desperate housewives…less desperate husbands…a decrease in the alarming divorce rate…a decrease in sewer bills…clean water…breakfast at Marie’s Diner in Old Forge…Nicholas Pizza in Green Ridge…Terri Hatcher…the New York Yankees back in the World Series…Bob Barker back on The Price is Right…Bob Barker in another Adam Sandler movie…Happy Days reruns…a Brunetti’s hoagie in Green Ridge…Mike Brunetti’s chilli…My dad’s chilli…good health to South Scranton’s Bill Hoppel who always looks at the bottle as half full…another solid season for New York Mets fan Steve Gall…another solid season from Mets pitcher Bartolo Colon at 43…more of Pete Rose on Fox baseball broadcasts…a chilli burger from Carbondale’s Carawana Diner…a Texas wiener from Keystone Lunch in West Scranton…Starbucks coffee…Nina’s wing bites in Dunmore…
Tom Duggan…Tim Tebow back in the NFL…a starting NFL quarterback job for West Scranton’s Matt McGloin…Maroni’s Pizza with anchovies in West Scranton…a Subway hoagie for my son Dylan…a Red Robin chocolate malt for my son Ryan…a gyro and chicken platter from Crown Chicken in South Scranton…Rob Dibble, the Nasty Boy, back on talk baseball radio…a slice of pizza or any hoagie from Antonio’s Pizza in Pittston…a stop to the large yearly increases in health care insurance…an end to Obama Care…health care coverage that is really affordable…Good health to my good friend Maureen Bennett Reggie, R.N….wings at Zaleski’s in South Scranton…a chocolate cream pie from Minooka Bake Shop…a Blue Moon draft beer…
A nice finish for Kobe Bryant…another NBA MVP for Stephen Curry…a continued resurgence for the New York Knicks..Crown Pizza in Dunmore…peanut sticks back at Krispy Kreme…good health to my good Dunmore friends Gary and Lynne Duncan…good health for my late mom’s best friend Annette…Jimmy Tigue on keyboards…Roger Finnerty on guitar…Jack Meade on sax…Tom Gavern on guitar…Vince Parise on vocals…my dad on drums…my son Ryan on drums…Gene Dempsey performing with his orchestra at 90…Cookie’s Travelers back in full swing…good health to the Burne family in Dunmore…more honest politicians like Senator Bob Casey, Jr….Bill Woelkers back with The Fortunes one more time…Art Stanton on sax and Johnny Cognetti on guitar once more…a comeback from Peckville sax player Chuck Morris…wings from Mickey Gannon’s in Green Ridge…
Barbara Eden in a Jeannie bottle…more of Tina Fey…my dad’s pizza…more education on autism…more rights and advocacy in the school system for autistic children, many who are brilliant…a Texas Wiener from Coney Island…less taxes…lower insurance bills…a zero tolerance on domestic violence…less DUIs…a strawberry frosty at Wendy’s…Eva Longoria…Maryland crab bisque soup from Cooper’s…my dad’s Greek spinach pie (spinakopeta)…good health for my Aunt Stella…a return to health for my cousin Chester, an avid local sports fan stricken with cancer…people with cmanners…less tattoos (sorry tattoo lovers)…a slice of pizza from M-6 Deli in Olyphant…a Pappas Pizza grinder…Bob Weir and Rat Dog back at the Kirby Center…a texas wiener from McIlwee’s in North Scranton…my friends and I singing Thunder Road…zero tolerance on animal cruelty…
The New York Yankees officially retiring Paul O’Neill’s number…Bernie Williams strumming guitar…Derek Jeter back in baseball as an owner…a special place in Heaven for West Scranton’s Rebecca Barrett who fought a courageous battle with cancer…a day in Hawley during Winterfest…chicken strips with rice from Roberto’s Pizza in West Scranton…Suzanne Somers…a return to health for former West Scranton baseball player Nick Ivanoff…an interview with Pete Rose…clean air…less congestion…no road rage…polite people…breakfast with my sons Dylan and Ryan at Neen’s Diner in North Scranton…more music from Cat Stevens…Jim Croce in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame…a concert performance from Carly Simon…success for the Dunmore Freedom Baseball League (formerly CSBL) at Dunmore’s Sherwood Park…
More teams and recognition for the Dunmore Freedom League…another strong playoff run for the exciting world champion Kansas City Royals…a Jimmy Buffett concert…D.J. Jason Miller spinning discs…A few more years at the helm from Dunmore legendary football coach Jack Henzes…a softball diamond in Heaven for X.E. McAndrew…a return to health for local DJ Johnny Superstar…More good people like Gary DiBileo…Neil Young back at Montage…a a Springsteen concert anywhere…a home someday soon in Dunmore…more success on the drums, piano and guitar and some gigs for my son Ryan, my favorite musician…more success on the baseball diamond and for someone to take notice of my son Dylan, my favorite center fielder…a trip with my boys to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York…
Good health and happiness to my sister Denise who always reminded me of Mallory from Family Ties…success in basketball and softball to my niece Alyvia…success in cheerleading to my niece and Godchild Mia…success in Little League baseball to my nephew George…health to my brother George and his wife Maria…a special place in Heaven for my sister-in-law’s brother Nick Stelmak who died at 43…health and happiness for my dad…a special place in Heaven for my late in-laws, John and Elva Hoffman…a special place in Heaven for my Uncles Art, Wally and Gus…a kiss to my grandmothers in Heaven…a most special place in Heaven for my wonderful mom who always taught me to take a chance…health, happiness and love to my sons Dylan and Ryan…