Bill O’Boyle

Nov. 9—Every day should be Veterans Day. Yes, we should honor veterans every chance we get, whether it be with a simple handshake and thank you, or a parade. Veterans deserve everything — and then some, as my friend George Toma would say. When I think of veterans, I always recall that day at the local VA Medical Center when most of the attendees were in wheelchairs. They were wearing hats that ...

Nov. 15—WILKES-BARRE — There has not one day since my parents passed that I haven't thought of them or prayed for them. And every day I have drawn on what they taught me to make my life more worth living. Their memory is with me always, especially when their birthdays approach. My Mom's birthday is Sept. 25. Dad's is Nov. 21 — this Friday. I am sincere when I say that I feel I keep them alive ...

Nov. 16—Our community is really deserving of that decades-old motto —"Valley With A Heart." And these days, we need that to be true more than ever. Nonprofits in Luzerne County are constantly trying to keep up with the demand of the ever-growing needs in 2025. And by all indications, the demand is only going to increase. And that is just to remain at the status quo. But these agencies need to ...

Nov. 22—WILKES-BARRE — At 3 p.m. on Memorial Day, you could count on Bobby Baird to play "Taps" to honor America's fallen heroes. On Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2025, "Taps" played for Baird, the renowned trumpet player whose career included four years as the soloist for the U.S. Navy Band. Baird was laid to rest Saturday at an emotional service and tribute to one of the greatest American patriots ...

Nov. 23—WILKES-BARRE — It's Thanksgiving week, and what better way to begin the celebration than to continue my time-honored tradition of displaying Santa Claus on my front door. Wait. What? That's right, Santa has returned to my front door, proudly situated where he should be — not where he was originally marketed to go. Yes, folks, it's that time of the year again for me to re-tell the ...

Nov. 29—WILKES-BARRE — Trying to find a parking space Friday night, I turned a corner, and for some reason, I looked up, and it caught my eye. There, in a second-floor window, was a brightly lit Christmas tree. Maybe a bit early for the season, but I never gave that a second thought. I thought about what that tree meant to the people inside — especially if there were little kids in the family. ...

Dec. 27—WILKES-BARRE — Another holiday season is winding down, and 2025 is just about in the rear-view mirror. As we dismantle our Christmas trees and put away the decorations, we vow to get in good enough shape to fit into all those nice clothes in our closets that we used to fit into not that long ago. As we digest our pork and sauerkraut, we now look ahead to a bright 2026. Spring will soon ...

Jan. 3—WILKES-BARRE — One of the most memorable trips of my life was to Oklahoma in 1997. I had reasons for wanting to go there — my childhood hero, Mickey Mantle, grew up in Commerce, OK, and I always wanted to visit his hometown. So in 1997, I decided to visit my friend Leeland Alexander and his wife, Diane, in Tulsa, but the trip became much more than Tulsa. I met Leeland when we were in ...

Jul. 4—WILKES-BARRE — It took an act of Wilkes-Barre Township council to settle the decades-old struggle to correctly pronounce the name of the township and the city of the same name. And it happened ...

Jul. 11—WILKES-BARRE — Several years after Mickey Mantle retired, I met him at a news conference in the Poconos. A group had brought Mickey in to speak at a dinner in the Poconos, and they had a press briefing. I got to meet Mickey, shake his hand, and I told him a story. After hearing the story, Mickey gave me two autographs — one for me and one for my Aunt Betty. It was a thrill of a ...