4 1 y) » @ 2 9 H Vol. 105 No. 51 Exxon is cleaning gas from Rt. 309 lot By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff Exxon of America is paying for cleanup operations at the site of the former Dallas Exxon station on Route 309, purchased in April, 1993, by Edward Orloski and the future location of a combination convenience store, gas station, bank-and car wash. According to Mark Carmon, media contact for the PA Depart- ment of Environmental Resources (DER), the gasoline components benzene, toluene and ethyl alco- hol had been found in a well at the site. Benzene is a volatile cancer- causing gasoline component, he said. The cleanup hasn't affected plans to develop the site into an Orloski's Quik-Mart, bank, gas station and car wash. “Sometimes we run into this when buying former gas stations,” said Edward F. Orloski. “Some sites are clean, others aren't. It can be handled with the right consultants and cleanup proce- dures. The cleanup hasn't changed our plans for the site as of yet.” A small white trailer sur- rounded by a stockade fence at the rear of the site contains equip- See EXXON, pg 10 Dallas, Pennsylvania There, there Santa Claus comforted John Charney during his visit to the Dallas fire station last weekend, just in case his stocking didn't have everything he asked for. POST PHOTO/CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK Final Lehman budget has higher revenues, spending By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff .- The Lehman Township super- visors adopted a final $528,724 budget for 1995 at their regular December 19 meeting. According to treasurer Alvin Cragle, several figures have changed in the township's favor since the supervisors approved the preliminary budget in Novem- ber. Property tax income is expected to be $90,000, or $1,000 higher than the preliminary budget had estimated. The earned income tax is also expected to be $1,000 higher, or $166,000. Adding an extra $100 income from the firemen’s pension fund of $13,400, the township expects to receive $376,000 in general fund income, or $2,100 more than had been anticipated. Anticipated expenses have also changed: $1,000 each has been trimmed from legal services ($6,000) and general expenses ($3,500). The secretary-treasurer will receive $14,000 instead of $12,000, the police chief will re- ceive $20,000 instead of $18,900 and police salaries will total $45,000 instead of $44,000. The two-mill special tax for road equipment is expected to gener- LEHMAN TOWNSHIP BUDGET 1994 item Total budget $493,605 Property tax income $86,000 Taxable properties Millage rate* Avge cost per household $45 * Two extra mills have been added to pay for road equipment 1,899, 14 1995 Chg. $528,724 7.1% $90,000 4.7% 1,909 10 14 = $47 $2 ate $13,000. The supervisors heard a report from Kathy O’Donnoghue, who has volunteered to contact county and state agencies Yo explore the feasibility of setting up a volun- tary township recycling program. She and Doug Ide will meet with county recycling coordinator Ed Latinsky to find out what such a program would cost to set up and what state grants are avail- able. The journey ends with a . Christmas lesson for a frog By T.T. CRATCHIT Special to The Post Mossback was growing weaker and weaker. He tried eating grass, but grass is rabbit food, not frog food. He was getting tired, too, but he was afraid to go to sleep. It was three days since Moss- back had impulsively given away his little green compass. And it was three days since Mossback had last tasted food. His mind reeled as he thought of flies, each bigger and juicier than the last. Mossback was no longer able to hop. He dragged himself along, his webbed feet leaving little fur- rows in the ground behind him. Soon, he couldn't do that any- more, either. He fell to his knees and crawled feebly. “It looks like I'm a goner,” Mossback said to himself in a hoarse, dry voice. “And I never did get to tell Santa Claus what I thought of him.” Mossback finally collapsed and drifted into unconsciousness, convinced he would never see the light of day again. Imagine Mossback’'s surprise - when he opened his eyes and found he was back in his little bedroom. “What happened?” he said aloud. “I know that wasn't a dream!” “No, it wasn't a dream,” a deep, laughing voice said from behind his bed. Mossback jumped out of bed and saw the biggest person he had ever laid eyes on. He was enormous. He had a long white beard and was dressed all in red. And he had a smile that made Mossback want to laugh out loud. “Who are you?" the bewildered frog asked. “And what are you doing here?” “Why, I'm Santa Claus,” the big person said. “And I guess I'm here to make sure you're all right. I Dave Sutton noted that the township has received a $3,500 Legislative Initiative Grant for a computer and photocopier for the police station from Senator Char- les Lemmond. The supervisors will hold their annual reorganization meeting January 3 at 7 p.m. Starting in February, all super- visors’ meetings will be at 7 p.m. the third Monday of the month. The Back Mountain's Newspaper Since 1889 LL Pe Cm om Nf WR BR BR Sb 5 Capp ——— a i mas a wr Sa a TT Si ba SH Sa I BE A SEPA TP CT BER AR Tn RR SRT RH i SRE i A ; 50¢ Oh bgt be {RY TS Dec, 21 thru Dec. 27, 1994 L-L plan seeks smaller classes By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff Lake-Lehman school board presidentJeff Fritzen summarized the district's recently completed strategic plan, which the board approved at its regular December 13 meeting. “According to our information, the parents don't want any radi- cal changes in the curriculum,” he said. “The parents like it. In keeping with their wishes, we plan to continue using the same grad- ing system and curriculum, keep- ing an eye to improving them.” The strategic plan suggests that class sizes in grades kindergarten through three be reduced from 29-30 students tobetween 22 and 24 students. Facilities at all three elementary buildings may have to be enlarged to accommodate ex- tra classes, Fritzen said. Although the plan doesn't make specificrecommendations for new buildings or additions, Fritzen noted that the three elementary schools and the middle school are operating at 90 percent of capac- ity, with the middle school close to 100 percent. “The board will have toresearch ways to fund building projects without significant taxincreases,” he said. The plan also calls for more use of computers and more technol- ogy education in all grades. “The strategic plan makes good See L-L PLAN, pg 10 Jim Wertman, owner of J&J Deli, dies suddenly By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff Anyone who has eaten lunch at J&J Deli on Route 415 or taken out a delicious order encountered its jovial proprietor, James L. Wertman, hard at work behind the counter. Known by! customers and friends for his sense of humor and pleasant personality, as § well as great food, § Wertman, 50, died of a sudden g te heart attack December 17. JMWERTMAN “I just spoke with him and Jan (his wife) on Saturday,” said Pauline Roth of Oscar Roth Jew- elers, the deli's next-door neigh- bor for the past 12 years. “He was having a big laugh teasing Susan, one of the work- ers. He teased her terribly. I'm glad I had that conversation - that's how I'll always remember him, as a happy person.” Ardeth Dale, owner of Dale's Office Supply two doors away, described how her children, An- drew and Katie, loved visiting Wertman after school. “They'd come in from school and say, ‘Let's go see Jim.’ It was never ‘Let's go get some candy fromJ&dJ’s.’ Theyreally liked him,” she said. “He was very friendly. It didn’t matter who you were - he'd take time to talk to you.” She added that Wertman's roast beef deli sandwich with Russian dressing and cole slaw was one of her favorites. “Nobody this side of New York makes a sandwich like that,” she said. The deli was open Monday to make cold sandwiches and take- outs, but its kitchen and dining room were closed until Thursday morning. Family members pitched iu making hoagies and filling orders, as customers filed silently in, talk- ing quietly and avoiding the dark- ened dining room. “He was a very nice man,” said Mrs. Natt, the owner of a farm in Centermoreland. “He was always good to people.” See WERTMAN, pg 10 Holiday publishing, deadline schedule Because of the Christmas holiday, The Dallas Post will be published Thursday, Dec. 29 instead of Wednesday, Dec. 28. The newspaper office will close at 3 p.m., Fri., Dec. 23, and will be closed all day Monday, Dec. 26. Items for publication in the Dec. 29 issue should be dropped off at the office by Noon Fri., Dec. 23 if possible. The final display and classified advertising deadline for the Dec. 29 issue will be Tues., Dec. 27 at 4 p.m. The office will be closed all day Monday, January 2. The final ad and news copy deadline for the issue of Jan. 4 will be 4 p.m., Fri., Dec. 30. found you lying on the ground about half a mile from here. You didn’t look too good, so I took you home.” “But how did you know where I lived?” Mossback asked. Santa bellowed out adeep, rich laugh. “I know where all the good little boys and girls - and frogs! - live,” he said, his ample belly bobbing up and down with glee. “Hey, that reminds me!” Moss- back said, remembering that he was supposed tobe mad at Santa. See MOSSBACK, pg 10 HW Students help homeless people by collect- ing 124 coats and 37 blan- kets. Page 3. HB Mat preview. Lake- Lehman is strong and experi- enced, Dallas is building its program. Page 11 18 Pages 2 Sections Calendar................. 18 Classified........... 16-17 Crossword.............. 18 Editonials................... 4 Obituaries.....9, 16, 17 SCRO0l.........00 12 SPOS... 11 CALL 675-5211 FOR HOME DELIVERY, NEWS OR ADVERTISING The Dallas Post MAILING LABEL- Please enclose this label with any address changes, and mail to The Dallas Post, P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612-0366
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