FLAG RAISING--Gary Boyer of Huntsville Road, Dallas, raises the Bicentennial flag at the Dallas ‘Borough Bicentennial mini-park. Gary dug the four foot hole, poured the concrete and installed the pole for the park. (Photo by Charlot M. Denmon) THANK'S DAD--Tracy Garinger gives her father a big kiss after he handed her diploma at the Lake- Lehman High School graduation. Arnie is president of the school board. Charlot M. Denmon) LARGEST RATTLER--Ron Milleson of Keystone Reptile Association displays the largest rattle snake brought in during the Rattlesnake Hunt at Noxen.The snake measured ~ 47 inches. See P. 14 for more snake photos. (Photo by Charlot M., Denmon) CO. = 52240 " VOL. 88 NO. 22 TWENTY CENTS’ Charlot M. Denmon) 7 The Public Utilities Commission this week denied an earlier report that the requested water rate increase for the four Back Mountain Water companies had been approved. John Frazier, a spokesman for the PUC said, despite publicity which appeared in a Wilkes-Barre newspaper, the rate hikes had not been approved. The PUC has proposed rates lower than those requested by the water companies. Homesite Water Company, Dallas, requested $1000 increase per year. The PUC re-adjusted the financial information supplied by the water company and suggested a $700 increase. If accepted by the water company, which is a subsidiary of Pennsylvania Gas and Water, the average annual rates per customer would go from $136.30 to $169.68 and not $186.73 as previously reported. The Shavertown-Kingston Township Water Company requested a $3,454 yearly increase. PUC suggested $1,946. If accepted the average yearly rates would go from $108.72 to $124.05 and not $134.81 as reported earlier. The requested water rate increase for the Trucksville Water Company was $21,612. PUC suggested $11,387. Average annual rates for these $269.52 and not the $302.63 as previously reported. Robert McBride, vice president of PG&W said the attorney for PG&W had contacted him through a letter unofficially announcing the suggested rate increases. Although no official word has come from PUC, McBride said PG&W will probably accept the suggested lower rate increases. Included in the letter from the attorney, McBride said, was a statement that PUC had accepted the requested $3,600 yearly increase for Hillcrest Water Co. Frazier, however, would not confirm this statement saying the PUC had not decided on a rate increase for Hillcrest.. ; “Apparently the lawyer got it wrong,” Frazier said. “Any rate by Nancy Huff The marijuana culture in the Back Mountain area is not exactly skyrocketing, but neither is it plummeting to an all-time low. “There’s a lot more marijuana around than the authorities like to think,” one area high school student said. “The marijuana is not only in the colleges. It is in the high schools and junior highs as well.” One Dallas high school student estimated 60 percent of his class smoked marijuana. Another student considered his own estimate of 35 percent modest, but more representative than the police numbers. (The Back Mt. Council on Drug and Alcohol Abuse is presently tabulating a survey which may provide a more definite figure.) Chief Willard Russell of the Lehman Township Police said the number of students smoking it is very low. “As a matter of fact,”” he said, “we’ve had very few problems with marijuana this year. It has been a very, very good year.” The Dallas Township Police said no Lake sewer The $300 mandatory sewage connection fee and installation charges may be troubling low or fixed income families at Harveys Lake. One solution to their problem may be the arrests have been made in quite some time, but Ptlm. D.H. Lamoreaux said, “It’s high all over. There’s also some talk about LSD coming into the area.” Of Lake-Lehman and Dallas High Schools, Dallas seems to have the higher percentage of smokers, according to several Dallas students. When school is in session, one student said, the smell - of marijuana ‘permeates the hallways, bathrooms and parking lot as well as the designated smoking areas.” “Dallas High School is divided between the freaks and the jocks,” one Dallas student said. “The freaks smoke. The jocks don’t” He also said there are the ‘‘go-betweens,” the students who float between the two groups. Helen Drugotch, the Lake-Lehman High School nurse said she personally patrols the halls and bathrooms of the school and has never smelled any trace of marijuana. ‘‘I never smelled marijuana in the school, but I'm sure they are using it,”” she said. ‘No one has ever come to me about it.” In Lehman High School, the increases for Hillcrest have been suspended briefly until a hearing on Tuesday.” Usually, Frazier said, a company will submit a request for a rate increase including the amount of the increase backed by a financial statement of the company. PUC would then determine what it feels to be a workable increase allowing for a fair rate of return and not an excessive one. If the water company decides to go with the lesser increase, then the company notifies PUC five days prior to effective date. If the company wishes to ‘charge the original increase, all increase operations are suspended and a hearing is set to determine if the company really needs the extra money. In the case of the Back Mountain water companies, PUC will mail the suggested rate increases in a few days, Frazier said. The water companies will have until June 30 to decide whether they will go with the PG&W’s McBride, however, said he was under the impression the water companies had 20 days until a decision had to be made. The Kingston Township supervisors have formally complained to the PUC about the proposed water rate increases. Mike Stanley, chairman, said he had received no word from PUC regarding his complaint. When a complaint is lodged with PUC Frazier said, a copy of the letter is. sent to the water company in question. In this case, the supervisors were complaining about the increases at the Trucksville Water Company and the Shavertown-Kingston Township Water Company. The companies then file an answer to the PUC and the complaining parties. The The PUC received an answer, on May 27 from the two companies, but as of yet the Kingston Township supervisors have not. Ben Jones, attorney for the Township, is on vacation and unavailable for comment. The answer was mailed to his office, McBride said. students still smoke marijuana, one student said, but are more cautious about it. Two years ago, the Lehman Township police raided Lake-Lehman High School, arresting two students and placing several others in the custody of their parents. This, one student said, is one of the reasons for the caution exhibited by the Lehman students. Barbara Landmesser, one of the counselors at Dallas High School, said she has never seen or smelled marijuana in that school. But, she said, she has counseled a small number of students who say they have smoked it. Even though marijuana is illegal, it is readily available. One student said any time. “It’s all over,” he said. “You can buy it on the street or in the schools. If you want it, there’s nothing stopping you from getting it.” One girl said all she does is walk down the street to her friend’s house to buy it. Another person said he contacts a friend who in turn contacts another friend, and somewhere along the line, he is able to purchase the amount he needs, but not always at a Marijuana has felt the crunch of inflation just as any other commodity, an ex-dealer said. In the 60’s, he could sell an ounce of Acalpuca Gold, a special brand of marijuana, for $25. Today, it sells for over $40. The brand most widely used in the high schools, another ex-dealer said, was Mexican, a harsh mixture of poor quality which sells for between $30 and $35 an ounce. The college students, he continued, usually buy Columbian, which can be purchased for about the same price as Mexican, but is of much better quality. The best mix of marijuana, he said, is Black African, a smooth blend which sells for $150 an ounce, and can “send you ozoning for two or three hours.” Marijuana is sold usually in one- be cleaned and seeded before it is used in a pipe, but it can be smoked in (Continued on Page Five) Farmer’s Home Administration (FmHA). FmHA is not an agency geared towards farm improvements alone. Through special lending and grant The Trucksville Volunteer Fire Company Summer Fair will open Thursday, June 23, and continue on Friday, June 24 and on Saturday, June 25. ‘Starting times are Thursday at 6 p.m. Friday at 5 p.m. and on Saturday at 4 p.m. The fair will be held at Howard ‘““Duke’’ Isaacs lot Route 309, Trucksville. Hugh Gallagher, fire chief, is in charge of the refreshment stand and will be assisted by members of the women’s auxiliary. Hot dogs, hamburgs, pizza, French fries, and steak hoagies will be provided and a special stand will feature potato pancakes. Parade chairman, Joe Menko and co-chairman, William Sarley, reported that the parade will be held on Saturday starting at 5:30 p.m. on \ Carverton Road, to Route 309 and north to the fairgrounds. All bicycle riders and people who are marching are asked to meet at the Trucksville Fire Hall. As the motorized vehicles pass the fire hall, the walkers will- then join in the parade. Paul Sabol, games chairman, and Jeff Dickson and Jerry Kapral, co- chairmen, reported that fire truck rides for the children will be provided on the 1931 Dodge Bros. fire truck better known as “Old Betsy’. The fire company dunker will also be in operation along with many, many other amusements for young and old. F. Allan Nichols, general chairman, reports that the proceeds from this year’s fair will be used to defray the cost of the newly ordered FM radio equipment, programs, ‘‘rural’’ home owners may borrow the needed money to make repairs to their homes, build a new home, or even pay for a sewage connection.’ FmHA in Nanticoke has already received several loan requests from Harveys Lake residents, Marion Wilson, acting county supervisor fro FmHA, said. The requests were for loans to pay for the sewer connection. Borrowed money from FmHA also canbe used toinsulate homes, provide storm windows, purchase or repair a heating system, repair siding, repair or supply structural supports, provide bathroom facilities and pay for expenses such as fees for legal and other technical devices. The list is not by any means complete and Back Mountain communities can qualify. FmHA is a lending organization much like a bank. The only difference between the two is the borrowers a person with established credit, FmHA will loan only to persons who are credit worthy but cannot get credit from other sources. FmHA also extends its services far beyond the private home owner. Programs vary from home improvement to supplying funds to purchase fire engines or aid an industrial park. Over 31 loan or grant has its own special requirements. Each loan is numbered, and in some cases is sub-numbered, having varying degrees of each loan’s eligibility requirements. The 504 loan, for instance, has two divisions. One division is a grant program for individuals 62 years of age or older. The person must have an income so low that he can not repay any part of a loan, and he must use the granted money to make repairs and improvements to his home that are necessary, to make the dwelling safe and sanitary for the occupants. The borrower must own his home and not have plans to sell the home for at least three years after improvements are made. i The second part of the 504 is a loan. This loan is available to low income families with the same eligibility requirements as the 504 grant, except there is no age limitation on the borrower. : Eligible Harveys Lake residents would most commonly ise the 504 loan to pay for the sewer connection, (Continued on Page Four) When a complaint is filed, no action may be taken on the increase until the complaining parties are satisfied. Frazier and McBride both agreed that any suggested amount less than the | original will ~~ usually silent the protestors. eed After June 30 the situation should be clear and exact increase rates known. As for the false publicity, Frazier said = it didn’t come from PUC and McBride said it didn’t come from PG&W, since | no rates have officially been | approved. i Si R Racing Guide . ...Section 111 1 Comments on gays wl Homerun derby «Pp. 11 & 12 State awards...P. 5 Trucksville fair Po IT Wilkes-Barre Fats | ..P. 12 i GETTING READY--Tom Rcwett works on the new book booth getting it ready for this year’s Library
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers