¢ A Pore tee SER Be i | : f 4 : Mo if J mem: 4 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, January 3, 1996 Publisher's notebook Ron Bartizek A few random thoughts as we begin a new year. First, we want to thank all our employees, friends, readers and advertisers who helped make the year just past a successful one. Despite new competition from The Times Leader, The Post's subscriber list was at a 10-year high as we ended 1995, and advertising ended the year on the upswing. We will do our best to retain your support in 1996. The budget crisis charade in Washington is an affront to all thinking Americans. As politicians attempt to use it as leverage for . their positions, ordinary citizens suffer. Most federal employees are ‘as conscientious as private sector workers, and face the same pressures and problems in life off the job. Now they are coming up short of money to pay bills and mortgages. At the same time, the people they serve, from the elderly to vacationers, are being ~ inconvenienced — and more — because offices aren't staffed. In the end, nearly all federal employees will receive full back pay, and will have to put in overtime to get their departments up to speed. The _ net result will be more billions of dollars spent, and less service for - the rest of us. That said, it'sgood to see the nation’s financial future being taken seriously after years of neglect. We simply cannot go on the way we have in the past unless we care nothing about the generations to follow. The cost of programs like Medicare and Social Security will skyrocket as the population ages, and there simply won't be enough working people to support them. What is being discussed now is merely a precursor to much more radical changes to come, which “will go far beyond tinkering with programs as they are now “structured. Are you ready to accept need testing for Social Security? If you aren't, the whole program will collapse. But with today’s ‘ sophisticated computers, maybe we'll be able to give everyone ‘benefits up to what they've contributed, then means test after that. Once again the economic powers that be in Luzerne County are saying 1995 was a year when they helped lay the foundation for future growth. I've heard that refrain every year for more than a decade but the future never seems to put in an appearance. I don't & know the reasons for our stagnant economy, but am willing to bet the lack of ambition in the Courthouse helps explain it. Luzerne . County's commissioners have shown little interest in projects that ' could make our regionmore attractive tonew investment, preferring to maintain the status quo that put them in office. Perhaps Red Jones will make a difference in that respect. The icicles hanging from the south-side eaves of our house are not a good omen for the rest of the winter. The early snow and cold was broken for a few days, but all that did was melt water that + refroze overnight. It reminds me too much of the winter two years ago. Our house and the office fared quite well in that one, but many + others didn't. I hope we see a change in the weather soon. If you haven't listened to Car Talk on WVIA-FM Saturday , mornings, you've missed a treat. Hosted by Tom and Ray Maliacci, . known as Click and Clack, The Tappet Brothers, this hourlong comedy ofthe car isalwaysentertaining, and sometimes informative. Last week they got a call from a top official in Montana who wanted : to respond to the brothers satirical comments about that state's - removal of speed limits on many roads. The official explained that most people in Montana drove well above 55 mph before the change, . and average speeds were up only slightly after. I subsequently read ; . an article that explained there was more to the matter than I had : known. It seems the previous speed laws included only a $5 fine and . no points on a driver's record, while the new ones hold fines of over - $500 and points. Still, the only restriction on speed on many ~ highways is a policeman’s judgement of what is reasonable and prudent, and that is likely tobe subject to legal challenge. Given the wide open spaces and flat terrain in many western states, higher Speeds are probably appropriate, but there should be upper limits. - Letters, columns and editorials The Dallas Post attempts to publish opinions on a variety of topics in many forms. Editorials, which are the opinion of the managment of The Post, appear on the editorial page and are written by the editor unless . otherwise indicated. Any artwork represents the opinion of the car- toonist, and columns are the opinion of the author. Letters to the editor are welcome and will be published, subject to the following guidelines: e Letters should not exceed 500 words. No writer may have more than one letter published during a 30-day period, except as a reply to another letter. e Letters must be signed and include the writer's home town and a _ telephone number for verification. «Names will be withheld only if there exists a clear threat to the writer. ~e The Post retains the right to accept or reject any letter, and to edit letters for grammar and spelling, as well as to eliminate any libel, slander or objectionable wording. In addition to letters, we welcome longer pieces that may run as columns. The author or subject's relevance to the Back Mountain will be the prime consideration when selecting material for publication. Your news is welcome The Dallas Post welcomes submissions about Back Mountain people and events. In order to plan each issue, we must adhere to self- imposed deadlines, as well as those of our printer. To have the greatest likelihood of publication, items should be received at our office by 4 p.m. the Friday prior to each issue. Items will be accepted until 4 p.m. Mondays, although much of the paper is already assembled by that time. Send or bring items to: The Dallas Post, 45 Main Road, P.O. Box 366, Dallas, PA 18612. Our normal business hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. A deposit box is located at the front of the building for after-hours submissions. The Published P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612 Ronald A. Bartizek PUBLISHER Peggy Young ADVERTISING ACCT. EXEC Paul Rismiller PRODUCTION MANAGER CLASSIFIED/TYPESETTING Jill Gruver OFFICE MANAGER MEMBER Pd PRINTED WITH NU PENNSYLVANIA 2) SOY INK SONAL NEWSPAPER INEWSPAPER Dallas Post Weekly By Bartsen Media, Inc. 717-675-5211 Charlotte E. Bartizek ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Grace R. Dove REPORTER Olga Kostrobala Park bench and pond, Bulford Road. Photo by Charlotte Bartizek. As I was saying fat Jack Hilsher When the news first came out | called Joe Cooper, founder and first president of the Glenn Miller Society (now called the Big Band Society) and told him swing band leader Miller would be featured on a U.S. stamp next year...Coop and others had fought for this foryears. He wasn't too excited at the news. Sort of grumpy, in fact, saying, “Well, okay, but it's about time. They should have done it years ago, at least before that Presley guy.” True enough. The Postal Serv- ice receives approximately 40,000 letters each year, each touting a particular subject for stamps. Letters are supposedly reviewed by the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, a group of private citizens who recommend stamp subjects and de- signs to the Post- master General. Next year's subjects cover American tradi- tions, music, his- tory and state- hood stamps for Iowa, Tennessee and Utah. P.G. Marvin Runyon says, “The '96 | stamps represent the best of what America is all’ about. They stand for the pursuit of ideas, knowledge, courage, excel- lence and success. Most importantly, #8 EE BE SBE BER EER New stamps long overdue, but enough is too much postage stamps.” Perhaps. But the collector public is getting fed up. Ninety different stamps for any one coun- try is a bit much. One collector (among many) wrote a stamp journal saying, “I am discontinu- ing this hobby. For many years - 60 or more - | have been collecting but no longer can I afford to buy all the new issues.” Another wrote, “I, too, have found that the number of new is- sues and their varieties has posed a financial burden that I can no longer justify, and I have collected for 40 years.” These writers are typical of those being turned off the collect- ing of U.S. stamps, but there are other reasons besides this bla- tant money-making volume. All you have todo is compare modern stamp designs, and subjects, with those of other countries, say France, whose painstaking en- gravings are breathtakingly beau- tiful. We feature Marilyn Monroe or bloated Elvis on slapdash, FR BRB EE REE ERE BEERS EERE they feature sub- jects that the American people have told us they wanttoseeon U.S. LIBRARY By NANCY KOZEMCHAK The Back Mountain Memorial Library Book Club dues for the year 1996 is now payable at the library. The membership fee is $10 for a single membership and $15 for a double membership. The dues entitles each member to take two book club books from the special shelf each time they visit the library. The 1995 total monies received for book club books was $2,156 which money was used to purchase the books for the special book club shelf. These books stay on the special shelf for six months and then go on the regular library shelves, and become a part of the library col- lection. The Book Club will hold its next meeting at the library on Monday, March 18 in the Com- munity Room. New books at the library: Band Leaders stamps coming next year, including a 32¢ Glenn Miller stamp. Glenn Miller, who is believed to have died in a plance crash in 1944, has long been proposed for a United States stamp, including by many collectors. (Reproduction furnished by Lynn's Stamp News, Sidney, Ohio.) poorly-executed artwork. (As role models perhaps? You've got to be kidding.) Anyway, come September next year Major Miller will appear on a first-class stamp “se-tenant” with three other swing era band lead- ers. Se-tenant means an issue “joined as a pair, strip or block with other stamps differing in design.” The three leaders joining Glenn Miller will be Count Basie (piano), the Dorsey Brothers, Jimmy (sax) and Tommy (trombone) and of course, virtuoso clarinetist Benny Goodman. (Oddly enough, Artie Shaw is nowhere in sight, and you can bet there will be static about that oversight.) Our bureaucratic postal mis- management will in no way ruin one of man's oldest and best hobbies. A recent list of notables who collected stamps reveals some surprises: Lily Pons, Adolph Menjou, General Mark Clark, our 31st Prez, Herbert Clark Hoover, and the dean of them all, Presi- dent Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who once said, “I can almost say that I owe my life to my hobbies, especially stamp collecting.” The diversion and pleasure from collecting stamps had helped him recover from in- fantile paralysis. And another White Houser, ex- chief of staff John Sununu also col- lected, buton that note I had better end this column before I get into trouble. (It was oktoattend stamp shows on “com- pany time" but John, on Air Force One?) The Book Club members’ 1996 dues are now payable “Angel Light” by Andrew M. Greeley starts with Toby Tobin saying: “I do not want 10 million dollars. I do not want to end a Tobin family feud. And, above all, I do not want to court my eighth cousin, once removed.” Even as he says the words, he knows it's useless to resist. His late grand- father’s will must be obeyed, and his family is determined to make him respectable by his 25th birth- day. “Shades of Grace” by Barbara Delinsky is an unforgettable story of three generations of women in one family, examining the limits of love, responsibility, and com- mitment. Grace is the confidante, a seasoned advice columnist. Grace's daughter, Francine, and granddaughter, Sophie, manage the vast Dorian empire, oversee- ing Grace's speaking engage- ments, interviews, and demand- ing publciity schedules. Grace develops Alzheimers. “Breakfast in Bed” by Sandra Brown is the story of Sloan Fairchild who is convinced that she will never be able to trust her heart to a man again. Instead, she pours all her energy into making a success of her elegant San Francisco bed-and-breakfast inn. Her friend asks her to house her fiance for a month, and Sloan opens her doos to Carter Madison and meets a man who turns her world and her concept of herself upside down. “Choke” by Stuart Woods is a large print book set against the shimmering sands of Key West and explodes with twists, shocks and action that have made these novels international bestsellers. Chuck Chandler was nearly a Wimbledon tennis champion until, he choked on his serves and ended his career in the last cru- cial moments. Now he lives in a 32-foot boat in the waters off of Key West, working as a tennis pro at an exclusive club. He is impli- cated in the murder of a wealthy club patron, who has a stunning wife. Joan, why haven't you written? Let the Back Mountain know what you think by writing a letter to the editor. Always include your name, address and a daytime phone number; we don't publish anonymous letters. Send letters to: The Dallas Post, P.O. Box 366, Dallas, PA 18612 ONLY YESTERDAY 60 Years Ago - Jan. 10, 1936 BATTLE OVER WATER RATE INCREASES LOOMS Miss Angeline Dymond, teacher in the commercial department of Dallas Borough High School, will be asked by the school board to reconsider the resignation she submitted recently. At a meeting Wednesday evening, members of the Dallas Borough School Board explained they have been unable to find an applicant who meas- ures up to the standards of Miss Dymond, although there have been a number of applicants. Miss Dymond is reported to have an offer of a similar position at Forty Fort High School. Prospects of a long battle over the increased rates filed by Dallas Water Co. with the Public Service Commission loomed this week as consumers with businessmen prepared to launch a protest in the vanguard. The new rates, filed with the Public Service Commission at Harrisburg, calls for $1.00 a year increase on flat rate for consumers and establish a new system of meter rates for commercial consumers. 50 Years Ago - Jan. 11, 1946 - STOLARICK BUYS NEELY STORE IN LEHMAN George Williams, prominent in Luzerne County newspaper and Republican political circles for more than 40 years, was sworn in as Burgess of Dallas by Judge Andrew Hourigan. It was the third time that Mr. Williams, who es- tablishes something of a national and state record, has been sworn inas Burgess ofa Luzerne County municipality. George Stolarick, former man- ager of the old A&P Store in Dal- las, has purchased the three story W.R. Neely store in Lehman Cen- ter from Mrs. Alice Elston and will shortly open there a modern farm equipment and electrical goods store. In addition to the farm equipment and electrical goods departments, he will also operate a 5¢ and $1 store. | Now playing at Shaver Theatre, “Conflict” with Humphrey Bogart, Alexis Smith and Sidney Green- street. 40 Years Ago - Jan. 6, 1956 KINGSTON TWP. OPENS THREE NEW STREETS St. Paul's Lutheran congrega- tion in Shavertown will hold serv- ices in the church edifice on Sunday but within a week or 10 days will transfer to Westmore- land High School auditorium while the break-through of walls is made and the new heating plant is hooked-up. Kingston Township will open three streets, according to docu- ments filed by supervisors Arthur F. Smith and Ralph M. Sands at Luzerne County Courthouse. They are Highland Avenue, Youngblood Avenue and Lawn Street. The ordinance was en- acted Dec. 7. 30 Years Ago - Jan. 6, 1966 NEW COMPANY MOVES INTO NOXEN TANNERY Dallas Borough has stipulated it would not try to enforce its ordinance imposing pole inspec- tion fee on utility lines until a hearing is held on the matter. Borough solicitor Robert Fleming told The Dallas Post the dispute willbe argued when the next equity court convenes, or in other words less than two months hence. The first of what is hoped to be several new industrial occupants of the old tannery building, this one with a possible employment of 35-50 men, signed a lease this week at Noxen, inaugurating what may well be a new era of prosper- ity in the lower Wyoming County region. 20 Years Ago -Jan.8,1976 DALLAS TWP. RESIDENTS SIGN DECLARATION Dallas Township residents, their friends and neighbors will have their first opportunity to officially sign the U.S. Declara- tion of Independence Saturday morning at the township munici- pal building. The ceremony will officially designate the township as a bicentennial community. A facsimile of the original Declara- tion of Independence will be on hand for visitors to the ceremony to sign. The document will re- main in the township building for signatures during '76 and then be framed and displayed in the build- ing. . i i a Ho 4 A 3 0 Th ! 3 bt ay 1 it ik ! aid | 4 Ta é¢ ¢ J
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers