David Ide plays trains for keeps pages Vol. 101 No. 2 Dallas cheerleaders By CHARLOT M. DENMON Staff Writer For the third time since 1986, the Dallas High School Cheerlead- ers have qualified for national competition. They will leave Feb- ruary 3 to enter the National High School Cheerleading Competition at Sea World, Orlando, Florida. In 1986 both the Junior Varsity and Senior Varsity squads quali- fied for the competition and in 1987, the Senior Varsity squad qualified. The head cheerleading advisor is Sheila Bonawitz of Shav- ertown. “The competition will be tele- vised on national television over ESPN," said Mrs. Bonawitz. “They will give us the dates when the competition will be aired.” “This year we have 28 girls en- A tering the competition,” Bonawitz said. “There are 13 girls on the senior varsity and 15 girls on the junior varsity squad. We qualified by entering the regional competi- tion at Jackson, New Jersey. Our senior varsity placed fourth and the junior varsity placed second in their class. The competition from Orlando will be televised on ESPN "We competed with 60 squads from high schools from the North- eastern Coast Region. There is no first place; that is ‘achieved ‘by - placing first in the Florida compe- “wg. tition." Mrs. Bonawitz explained that there are 33 regions throughout the United States and all squads entered in regionals compete against certain requirements es- tablished by the national associa- tion. “There can be as few as two squads qualifying in a region or as many as six or seven,” Mrs. Bonawitz explained. “All judging is done according to the national requirements established.” Each squad has 2 1/2 minutes to perform a chant and a cheer. Each must have music. A squad's routine must include partner stunts, pyramids, gymnastics as well. It can be creative because each squad's presentation is judged on its originality and its choreog- raphy. “In 1986 and 1987 the choreog- raphy was done by the girls, but the event has become so competi- tive that most squads now seek help,” Bonawitz explained. “We brought in a choreographer from Pittsburgh, the girls did half and JUNIOR VARSITY CHEERLEADERS - Junior Varsity Cheerlead- head to nationals A hoagie sale January 25 will raise money to fund the trip she did half. We also had a U.C.A. staff coach, who came in to get us started on the partner stunts. "When we planned our gymnas- tic stunts in 1986 and 1987 we had girls who were prepared. Since then we had only one girl but now we have seven girls who can do gymnastics. They were taught by a gymnast from Kingston who was associated with Intergymnasts.” Ann Marie Danna, the junior high coach, is responsible for all of the junior high choreography. Together with Wendy Wadas, jun- jorvarsity coach, they have worked to develop unusual choreography. “Everything has to be perfect,” Bonawitz said. “The girls' synchro- nization, timing, jumps, rhythm, music, dance, stunts, makeup, appearance, voice, crowd appeal - everything must be excellent to qualify. “If a judge leaves one of the tiny blocks on his paper blank, you won't make it. Creativity, original- ity, preciseness, smiles, they all count,” Bonawitz continued. The cheerleaders have no or- ganization to back them but they raise money for the trip through fundraisiers. They have their par- ents backing and when they had to come up‘with the alr’ fare in ad- vance, the parents were there to help. Since the coaches spend their time with the girls preparing them for the competition, the parents are doing the fundraisers. They have sold cards, had a lottery, will have a hoagie sale January 25, with hoagies only $2.00. They can be ordered in advance. The expense is about $450 per girl which includes air fare, five nights lodging, passes to Sea World, one day at Disney World, some meals and staying at exclusive motels. “In order to compete and go to Florida, the girls must keep up their academic grades. During the national competition, each squad's academic average is announced from the state. All stunt perform- ances are according to strict safety regulations nationally sanctioned,” Bonawitz explained. “The girls have been working towards this for the last three years. Their slogan has been ‘Nationals in 90’. This year they gave me a _ clock which is inscribed with the saying ‘Nationals in 90'.” ers, who qualified for the nationals in Orlando, Florida, practice one of their stunts they plan to do. Above, from left, first row are Camille Parulis, Jennifer Bryant, Lisa Ford; second row, Courtney Gauntlett, Lori Kraynak, Colby Gauntlett; third row, Tami Landon, Ginger Williams, and Kim Francis. (Photo by Charlot M. Denmon) To no avail It was already too late when Back Mountain firefighters arrived on the scene of this trailer fire in Kunkle last week. The trailer and a i car parked nearby were totally destroyed by the flames. It was the fourth trailer fire of the season. (Photo by Lynn Sheehan) Towns lack ordinances for free standing signs By CHARLOT M. DENMON Staff Writer Because they lack ordinances dealing with free standing signs, Dallas Borough and Dallas Town- ship seem to be awash in them. Enforcement is limited to seeing that the signs don't protrude into the highway right-of-ways. In Kingston Township the signs are covered by the community's Kingston Township's sign laws apply to the movable signs sign laws. Ben Gorey, Kingston Township Zoning Officer, said sometimes people in the township are not aware of the sign regulations but when they are informed by him, they cooperate. “I send them a notice specifying their violation, what needs to be done and the time they have to correct the violation,” Gorey said, “If the violator does not comply he or she is cited.” Gorey said the free standing signs which have become increas- ingly popular are legal as long as they are not in the highway right of All aboard David Ide of Lehman has so many miniature trains that he keeps his displays up all year. Here he shows off one of his 49 engines. Story and photos on page 5. (Photo by Scott A. Davis) Lake water problem to be solved - finally By SCOTT A. DAVIS Post Staff Nine months after Harveys Lake residents discovered fecal coliform bacteria in their drinking water, it appears the problem will be cor- rected today (Wednesday). “Things are definitely coming to a head,” said Warden Place resi- dent William Mann Monday after- noon. Mann has worked closely with the Harveys Lake Sewer Au- thority and The Department of Environmental Resources (DER) to correct the contamination prob- lem. Since May of last year, private drinking wells at Warden Place have registered contamination levels of fecal coliform bacteria as high as eighty times the legal safe drinking limit. Following months of attempts by the Harveys Lake Sewer Au- thority to locate the source of contamination, DER made an unprecedented move and assigned its experts to look into the matter. Because the wells are privately See WATER, pg 3 way, are the right size and are | properly placed. “We usually get good compli- ance from the business people on permits,” Gorey said. He agrees many of the these signs are an eyesore but says as long as they are the right size and properly placed they are legal. “They can't be lighted nor flut- See SIGNS, pg5 | Students stage sit-in for Dr. King By CHARLOT M. DENMON . Staff Writer Dallas School District administrators were surprised by a sit-in staged by Middle School students, Monday. The students said the protest was held to gain more recognition for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Senior High School principal | Frank Galicki was also caught off guard by the media attention the students’ action gained. “It is the policy of the school to settle such minor disturbances as the recent sit-in within the school if possible,” Galicki said Tuesday. Galicki had to face the protestors because middle school principal Gilbert Griffiths was on vacation. “We had a late start Monday See SIT-IN, pg 3 Property Transfers..... 8 SChO0L......ccciuivisiarers 10 Coming up: HARVEYS LAKE ZONING BOARD - Tues., Jan. 23, 7 PM, Harveys Lake Municipal Bldg., Route 415 LEHMAN TOWNSHIP MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY - Mon., Jan. 22, 8 PM, Lehman Twp. Municipal Bldg. HARVEYS LAKE TRASH COLLECTION - will be on Mondays and Tuesdays during January. Beginning in February, collection will only be made on Mondays for the entire community. Hauler is J.P. Mascaro & Sons.
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