NO ROOM AT THE INN!

  SATURDAY, MARCH 2ND., 2019
        NO ROOM AT THE INN!

    I was back in my hometown for a
quick visit Friday.
    The Snape's Pizza and Jimmy's
hot dogs were as good as I remembered.
But another memory only prompted
dismay.
     I remember a day when all of our
proud cities boosted a grand hotel.
In Scranton it was the Casey. In
Wilkes-Barre is was the Sterling.
In Hazleton we had the Altamont!
     The Altamont was the place to
go for a good meal. Local Civic
clubs held their meetings there.
      The first dance I ever attended,
under duress as I recall, was in the
huge Ballroom in the Altamont.
       Long after its days as a hotel
came to an end the building was
converted into apartments. First
as a sort of Care Home and later as
a Half Way House for inmates
hoping for a chance to reenter
society.
       There were also active store
fronts at ground level offering
proof their was still live in the
old landmark Hotel.
        When I passed Friday,
however, I found the store front
closed, the building empty, and a
large fence surrounding the
property.
         There is no room at the
Inn and soon, I fear, there will be
no Inn.
          There are probably a million
memories within those walls
including those of a kid who went
to his first dance there.
            I haven't been inside for many
years but I'll still be sorry to see it
go.
           Hope it's remembered fondly
and that all your NEWS is good!