Edwardsville racing fan patronized Downs track since Day 1
Pick any race date at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and you’re likely to see Mike Kulikowich there, chatting with friends and hoping to pick a few winners. It’s been that way for 50 years.
“I liked it from the first day,” the 77-year-old retiree from Edwardsville said Tuesday night. And he means that literally – Kulikowich, 77, was in the 12,000-plus throng that welcomed the new Pocono Downs when it opened in July 1965.
At the time, Kulikowich was working in New Jersey, commuting home to Edwardsville on weekends. During the week, he would visit nearby tracks such as Monmouth Park. But when Pocono Downs opened, he changed his allegiance.
“I saved my money and came here,” he said.
Kulikowich recalls the early years being rough in many ways. “The horses couldn’t hold the turns” and some ran into the fence off the last turn, he said. Rumors of cheating were rampant, including one of a horseman whose son allegedly hid in the infield bushes and shot a BB gun at the flanks of horses he wanted to win.
Event recalls Jennifer A. Sidari, doctor who died young
PITTSTON — Sunday was a glorious day to celebrate the life of Dr. Jennifer A. Sidari, the skies were bright and sunny — just like the persona of Sidari herself — as the 3rd Annual “Dr. Jen’s Hope Memorial Ride & Block Party” was held in her memory at Cooper’s Waterfront.
The event began at 10 a.m. with motorcycle registration, followed by a 40-mile ride returning back to Cooper’s. An old-fashioned block party was held, which included a dunk tank and hot dog eating contest, food, a DJ and plenty of raffle prizes.
Dr. Sidari, a former West Pittston resident, 2005 Wyoming Area graduate, and double major at the University of Scranton, was a part of the first graduating class of The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC), Scranton.
She graduated from TCMC in 2013 and accepted a residency at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, in pediatric medicine. After a brief illness, she passed away on May 29, 2013 in the same hospital where she was to begin working at a week later.
Behind the Business: More of life’s lessons still to learn and wisdom to impart for Gus Genetti
In his line of work, Gus Genetti gets to meet a lot of people from out of town and they continually affirm his belief that the area’s biggest strength is its people.
It’s too bad the locals don’t see things from his perspective, says the Wilkes-Barre hotelier.
Genetti is one of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s biggest boosters and has shown his support in the 52 years he’s been in business in downtown Wilkes-Barre. He started his hotel career in 1959 in Hazleton and moved here in 1963.
In his 76 years he’s learned a lot and done a lot and plans to keep busy in the business
One dead after Pittston apartment shooting
PITTSTON — One person is dead following a shooting involving police at the Anthracite Apartments on North Main Street on Sunday night, Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said.
“This is an officer involved shooting. The individual involved is deceased,” Salavantis told the Times Leader.
Information about the victim was not available at press time, and state police and county detectives are conducting the investigation, Salavantis said.
Emergency dispatchers said the incident was reported at about 9 p.m
Police: Man stole neighbor’s Wi-Fi, downloaded child porn
BRODHEADSVILLE — Officials say an eastern Pennsylvania man was arrested after using his neighbor’s unsecured wireless Internet to download child pornography.
The Morning Call of Allentown reports 33-year-old Chad Wieder was charged with multiple counts of possessing child pornography and criminal use of a communication facility.
The Monroe County District Attorney’s Office says an investigation began last month when detectives discovered a computer on a file-sharing network downloading and offering to share child pornography.
Detectives traced the activity back to a home in Chestnuthill Township but found none of the computers at the residence had the pornography.
The investigation eventually led police to Wieder, who they say had a tablet computer with several hundred photographs and videos.
