wl wf = 7 . 7 : Y% TE fr iryiaar LE temerasvsreindrenvuenranadrary ier, oy CASPER UREA EI CRE LT REE EB There are two odd things Lake = Borough - Council primary’ race. more a case of Republicans trying to unseat other Republicans than of Democrate trying to turn the trick. ‘Second, the Democrats, despite being the minority party and holding just one /seat ‘on council, have chosen to lie low at this the Republicans have the As of the beginning of the week, seven Republicans and four. Democrats had been identified as seeking nomination to run for the four borough council seats that will become vacant at the end of the year. The terms of incumbent Republicans Robert DeRemer (council president), Margaret Purcell, Robert Win- A Trucksville resident, F. Allan Nichols, an- nounced Monday that he would seek the Republican nomination for Luzerne County commissioner. In press conference at Wilkes-Barre’s Holiday tersteen, and Guy Gior- dano all expire this year. Only Giordano has declined to seek renomination. They've all announced themselves as running, with four more expressing the desire to replace them. four Democrats announced by Monday, only two of whom could actually be made to comment on the race. As expected, opinion ran strongest and was most sharply divided on the question of whether or not council should proceed with its plan of purchasing the Sandy Beach area to turn it into a public recreation site and make use of the building there for municipal purposes. : "Council president Robert DeRemer, leader of the movement to ‘make the purchase, said that he Inn, Nichols said he was running to ‘give the voters , of Luzerne County a better ‘politician’ candidate.’ “I have been considering this ‘action for the past couple of years, and after Incumbent DeRemer GOP believes the site will ensure all residents access to the lake, ringed now largely by private property, and that commissions from refresh- ment stands and parking will help fill the borough treasury. He pledged that he will also work to ‘straighten out the borough tax structure,” which he said finds nearly 1100 property $100 per year in property taxes. i He pointed to.” the recreation building, the borough garage, and the imposition of a franchise requirement on Back Mountain Cable TV as accomplishments during his term as president. DeRemer is completing hjs first term on council. He is the owner of the Dalias One-Hour Cleaners and is married to the former Mary Ellen observing the voters growing. trend towards a concerned and responsible selection at the polls, I became more confident that this year was the right time to aspie for the office of commissioner.” Nichols Yachew. The couple has two children. : Councilwoman Margaret Purcell, who pronounced herself ‘“‘not-a big money spender,” expressed disapproval of the proposed purchase, saying that borough income does chase and that both a feasibility study of the project and a current appraisal of its value should have been un- dertaken. She said that the borough, being fairly new, should carefully avoid ‘‘getting in over its head’ as regards spending and that council should be sure to: exercise fiscal responsibility. Purcell is also finishing her first term on council. Purcell and has four children. | Li Robert Wintersteen, the said. The 50-year-old Kingston Township ‘native said he believed a commissioner should work full time in managing the affairs of the county. He also said he believed public com- supervisor. gotten far out of hand.” Dr. Mahmoud Fahmy announced Thursday that he will seek a seat on the Dallas School Board in the May primary. Dr. Fahmy, who is a Republican, said he will cross-file. Dr. Fahmy has been a resident of the Back Mountain for 12 years. A life 2 election time. motorist.”’ professor at Wilkes College, he received his B.A. degree in Alexandria, Egypt, his masters degree from Columbia University, New. York City and his Ph.D., from Syracuse University. : A professor educator for 18 years, Dr. Fahmy The PTG of Gate of Heaven Church, Dallas, will sponsor a gala St. Patrick’s Day dance on Saturday, March 17, in the auditorium from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Music will be provided by the Hi-Tones. A hot and. cold buffet will be served. Beer and set-ups will be provided. The cost is $20 ‘per couple and $10, single. Chairmen for the dance are Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Dowd; Co-Chairmen are Mr. and Mrs. Jack Jones; publicity, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Bustin; Docorations, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Williams; Refreshments, Mr.. and Mrs. Robert Leonard. For reservations, please call Betty Dowd at 696-3746 or Peg Cartier at 675-1952, or any other member of the PTG. Father William Cusick is moderator of the PTG and Mrs. Robert Cartier is president. teaches education on both the undergraduate and graduate level at Wilkes College. He is chairman of the Citizen Advisory Committee of the Dallas School District and was instrumental in its in- ception. He is also a member of the Dallas Curriculum and Inservice Council, and served on the Long Range Planning Committee for three years. A member of the curriculum council of Intermediate Unit 18, Dr. Fahmy is also a member of the Child Development Council of Northeastern ordinator of Luzerne and Wyoming Counties Social Studies Council and has recently been appointed to a state commission whose purpose it is to review and revise certification for social studies teachers. Dr. Fahmy is a member of the Dallas Rotary, George M. Dallas Masonic Lodge, Caldwell Con- sistory, shrine, and is on the board of the Back In 1976, Dr. Fahmy served on both the county and state bi-centennial com- missions. When asked why he decided to seek a’ seat on the school board, Dr. Fah- my pointed out that in chairing the Citizens Advisory Committee. he has been involved with some decision-making concerning the school, and has become acquainted with various issues, problems and potentials of the school district. Dr. Fahmy stated, ‘‘I feel that I am in a position to be in the center of the can contribute to the school board in the area of professional education, helping the school district to put emphasis on the welfare of the children, quality of the teachers and the excellance of the program. I believe children, and the ‘‘lear- ners”, should be the center of education. Everything else sets the stage.” GOP remaining incumbent, could not be reached for comment. The Republican challengers are an in- teresting lot, consisting at this time of a “shadow” council member, an at- torney who assists at the Sweet Valley cult deprogramming center, and two men who describe themselves as political amateurs determined to get involved. The best known in Harveys Lake politics is certainly Francis Kopko, narrow loser to Democrat councilman Jack McManus in the last election. Kopko serves on the zoning hearing board and the planning commission and says that he has attended council meetings faithfully for ‘‘seven years or So,” along with attending sewer association meetings. munications and assistance to municipal governments could be improved. He said he did not believe the incumbent commissioners were satisfactorilly performing in the categories he mentioned. i Nichols is presently employed as vice president and credit manager of Fowler, Dick and Walker, The Boston Store, Wilkes- Barre, and has worked for the store for the past 32 years. Nichols is a graduate of the Kingston Township High School, now a part of the Dallas Area School System, and received a certificate of proficiency from the University : of Pennsylvania Wharton School for completion of their evening extension course “in accouting and business. A firm believer in citizen involvement, Dr. Fahmy said he will make it easy for parents to get involved by volunteering, visiting classrooms, or in any capacity they can. He said he is against ‘wasting money’’, especially exhorbitent spending on facilities. Dr. Fahmy said he feels safe, adequate schools are needed but that extra funds should be channeled towards upgrading the quality of education. He “is also an advocate of the neigh- borhood school. Dr. Fahmy said he feels a harmonious atmosphere between school board, teachers, parents and students is a “must”. A united front of parents, teachers and ad- ministration working to solve any problems in the district is a necessity in his opinion. Dr. Fahmy also believes that continuous communication between various levels within the school district is im- portant. Challenger Boice Democrat Kopko, a teacher in the Dallas Area School District, has refused to take a stand on the beach purchase issue. He said that he would like to keep his options open and see how planning and financing for the project progress before making a com- mitment. He said that Harveys Lake consistently runs into trouble because ‘‘Everyboby wants things their way and everything flops,”” urging greater cooperation and less arguing among council members. Kopko cited an instance in which, he maintains, inability to agree led to a failure to purchase a garbage packer that, in his belief, would have been very useful to Kopko is married to the former Mary Llewellyn, The couple has two He has served a term as an elected auditor for Kingston Township and presently serves in an appointive office on the Police Civil Service Commission of that township. As a member of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce Nicholas served on the committee which initiated the discussion and ultimate establishment of the county-wide police com- munications network, better known now as ‘Comm Center’ located in the Court House. Nichols is president of the Kingston Township Ambulance Association and past president of the Trucksville Volunteer Fire Company, as well as having been an active member of both of these volunteer services for a number of years. He has Dr. Fahmy said he recognizes extracurricular activities as an important part of school life but feels as many students as possible should be given an opportunity to participate. He thinks sports are im- portant, too, and those who excel deserve awards. He would like to see children excelling academically recognized and honored with awards as well. Dr. Fahmy, his wife Iran, and their three children, Roya, Raef and Randa live in Shrine Acres in Dallas. Iran is head teacher of emotionally distrubed classrooms for Intermediate Unit 18 and is liaison between Inter- mediate Unit 18 and the Childrens Service Center, Wilkes-Barre. Roya is a graduate of Dallas High School and is attending Wilkes College under the Hahnemann Program. Raef is a junior at Dallas Senior ‘High School. Randa is a fresh- man at Dallas Junior High School. children. A candidate with some national visibility is Atty. Gifford Cappellini, a Wilkes-Barre lawyer who works with ‘Freedom of Mind, Inc.,” a national cult deprogramming operation with its center in Sweet Valley. Careful levying and use of taxes rank high on Cappellini’s priority list. He believes that it is easily possible for government to abuse its taxing power, and he is concerned for the many he believes to have difficulty paying bills for necessities in addition to facing higher than necessary tax rates. As solicitor for the Harveys Lake Taxpayers’ Association (which has pitchaSé) He recently wrote to council reminding must be complied with in served on the credit legislation committee of the Pennsylvania Retailers Association. Nichols is a member of the Trucksville United Methodist Church and served as a lay representative of the church to the Wyoming Conference of the United Methodist Church. He is a member of the George M. The Lehman Township Taxpayers Association will meet Wednesday, 8 p.m. at the Lehman-Jackson Elementary School. Topic PAGE THREE | A GOP regard to the proposed | purchase. 3 Additionally, Cappellini | says that he sees a chronic | pothole ‘problem in the borough, believes that a guardrail system around | the lake is needed, and | wants to put an end to th litter problem. He woul also like to generate | greater state interest in regard to grants for the borough. vig He is married to the; former Deborah Andrews and says “We intend to make Harveys Lake our home, and we'd like to make sure it’s a proper place to raise our children.” i Bruce Anderson, Harveys Lake roofing and siding contractor, is | lifetime resident of th borough. i He speaks sharply | against the present counc (Continued on P. 12), Dallas Masonic Lodge, Caldwell Consistory and | Irem Temple. a He is director and past president of the Crime | Clinic of Greater Wyoming ° Valley, an organization | law enforcement, securit legal and business representatives, estab shed to open a one com munication between these groups in crime preven- tion. ; of discussion will be equalization of taxes and the recent situation at the Ldke Elementary School. | 4 Ra x 0
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers