The LuLac Edition #2158, August 13th, 2012

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TOM WALSH DEAD

We learned this evening that Tom Walsh, the former Mayor of Pittston City died at the Gino Merli Home for Veterans in Scranton. Walsh became Mayor in 1982 after an election that swept the old politics of Pittston City out of office. Walsh succeeded the late Robert Loftus who was Chairman of the Democratic Party for many years. Walsh took over a city that was highly politicized due to the arrests and convictions of many city officials on vote fraud charges. Walsh lead the city in the 80s and the 90s with a steady, calm leadership that endeared him to most city residents. Walsh was open to new ideas to promote the city, such as the Pittston Tomato Festival as well as the preliminary move of a new Library for the town. He made sure the City ran without huge tax increases. Plus Walsh was the type of guy who hired people with qualifications and let them do their jobs. I met Walsh one night in the old Quality Inn. He sent a drink over to my table because he said he recognized me as a Pittston boy. When I told him I was out of Pittston for over a decade, he smiled and said, "No one really ever leaves Pittston". I'll remember that because I'm sure in his suffering the last few years in Scranton, Mayor Tom Walsh really never left the city he loved.