WILKES-BARRE -- Wilkes-Barre has edged in front of hundreds of other cities to become a quarter-finalist in a nationwide contest.
Sponsored by Frontier Communications, the Diamond City, along with the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce, entered into America’s Best Communities contest earlier this year.
Now, Wilkes-Barre needs help from the people who live and work there to move closer to the grand prize.
"The contest is really focused on engaging the community, engaging the businesses to really drive economic development and growth and to come together as one,” said Joe Boylan of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce.
Each city entered in the contest has to work with local businesses to make a redevelopment plan, showing how the $3 million prize money would be spent to improve the community.
"Wouldn't it be great to be America’s Best City, number one?!" said Phil Rudy, owner of Circles, a downtown deli.
"You know, you can't have an army without soldiers. So I’m a business soldier, fighting on the front line here."
Getting the word out online is another element of the contest.
"Knot Just Any Day Photography" does that almost daily. It posts photos on social media using the hashtag #abc50 for America’s Best Communities.
The semi-finalists of the contest will be chosen in January. Scranton is the only other city in the state also selected as a quarter-finalist.