a Vol. 92, No. 34 aE Women Organized Aginst Rape (W.0.A.R.) will be renamed Vic- tim’s Resource Center: Compre- hensive Services for Rape and Sexual Abuses, Sept. 10. The name will be different but the services provided to victims and the com- munity will remain the same. The agency, started in 1974, maintains an office on South Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre. W.0.A.R. has become increasingly better known as the place to go for help in cases of rape or sexual abuse. Statistics show W.O.AR. volunteers were contacted by 12 clients in 1975 and 121 clients in 1981. awients call the agency’s 24 hour “notline for reasons ranging from rape, sexual assault, incest and at- tempted assault to obscene and threatening phone calls. Often it is not the victim, who makes the con- tact, but a peer or family member. The agency, which receives support from the United Way, also has facilities for helping the victim's family through the trauma of sexual assault. In 1981, clients included 78 actual vicitims, 34 peers or family members and nine requests for information and referral. Of the 78 victims, three were between the ages of 0 and 5, four between 6 and 12 and five from 13 to 14. The high- est number of reported victims fell into the 20 to 25-year old bracket. There were 20 such clients helped last year. : Rape also affects men as shown by the fact that three direct clients were males. Only three black persons reported to the agency. In 82.5 percent of the reported cases, the rapist was a non-stranger. Only 11 of the 78 said they were abused by someone they did not know. Non- strangers include casual acquaint- ances, spouses, parents, brothers or sisters. From another angle, however, the figures are far less impressive. In 19 of the cases, no police arrest has been made. In nine others, charges were dropped. Three are awaiting trial and on three others, no information is available. To help educate the community about rape and sexual abuse, W.O.A.R. presented a total of 92 programs to civic, media, prof- essional, religious and social groups, as well as in schools. The purpose of W.0.AR. is guiding rape victims through the ordeals which follow such acts. Non-judgmental support and option counseling are provided by trained volunteers. The office is run by two staff members and 18 active volunteers. Six backup volunteers are also available, including two males, used to help family mem- bers or male victims. Fourteen more work in other capacities. A number of the agency's volunteers are Back Mountain Flanagan Herstek, Trucksville, educational counselor; Estella parker, Shavertown, member of the Board of Directors; Sally Parr, Shavertown, president of the Board of Directors; Dr. Johnynne Supulski, Dallas, member of the Board of Directors; and Marcia Wazeter, Trucksville, president of the volunteer organization and member of the Board of Directors. All volunteers are not directly in- volved in rape counseling since W.0.A.R.’s activity in other areas requires various skills. The legal committee guides rape victims through the hearing process, keeping up with legislation regard- ing rape and its consequences. The newsletter committee publishes a monthly agency news- letter and quarterly police news- letter. Speakers committee informs the community of the activities of W.0.A.R. and seriousness of the rape problem. Donations from speaking engagements help support the agency. The fundraising committee plans two - fundraising projects per year to help finance volunteer expenses. Volunteers also put together special projects such as the “Mock Rape Trial,” popular education program sponsored annually by the agency. Shelves are almost empty at. the Regional Red Cross Blood Center in people of Northeastern Pennsyl- vania not coming out to donate at case at Trucksville last week. When this shortage occurs, blood at exorbitant rates and this ® A Traffic Citation Blue Cross; this cost is borne by the patient. It is up to the communities to provide blood at collections to prevent their friends and neighbors being put in this position. The period around Labor Day is traditionally a “low’’ and the Back Mountain which has previously fielded such good collections was asked to: host this collection. Despite the efforts of over 50 callers only 176 people turned out to donate. This was out of the more than 300 ‘who said’ they would and three ‘hundred more who said they would i try. The regular teams from the | Junior Women’s Club, St. Paul’s Church, Trucksville Church and the Gate of Heaven Church were this time joined by teams from Hunts- ville Church and Trinity Presby- terian. Still more teams are needed “in order to spread the load’ said Jeff Townsend. Red Cross reports that this summer has been one of the most difficult on record. Despite the overall increase in donations it is becoming more and more difficult to keep up with the increasing demand. There has been a rise in the needs of patients of about 1: percent. With the cooperation of Red Cross Chapters and community groups such as the Back Mountain Blood Council, plans were made for this summer to meet the known rise in use of blood in our hospitals. It is discouraging for these groups of dedicated people, who work hard on behalf of their communities, to find that in many instances, those who promise to come do not. Sandra Murray who works with volunteer callers said, “We know that a number of people will say yes even if ‘they do not really intend coming, and that a number who say yes are unable to make it, but this cannot account for all those who did not show up. I think that so many do not realize the vital importance of a constant and adequate supply to the hospitals.” You're traveling on Route 309 in Shavertown, minding your own business and singing along with the radio. Suddenly you notice the flashing red light behind you and, after a moment’s confusion, determine that the officer in the police car actually wants you. [nstinctively you glance at the speedometer of your vehicle to see if you’ve exceeded the posted limit. Well, perhaps a few miles over 35. Police don’t make a federal case of a few miles, when there are so many actual speeders on the high- way, do they? The officer writes a citation for speeding and informs you that you ay request a hearing if you “disagree. Otherwise, you may simply pay the fine and drive more carefully in the future. You don’t believe you were in violation of the law. It may be a speeding ticket, failure to stop at a stop sign, or any number of traffic ffenses which are punishable by a ‘ine. These are not crimes and do 10t make you a criminal, or less ‘han honest citizen. They are, for he. most part, the result of im- satience, a lack of concentration or gnorance of specific traffic codes. Still you say you are ‘not guilty’ of ‘he offense and do not wish to pay the fine. What recourse do you have? ) The wheels of justice have room for your defense. You can make your plea fo the District Justice, wv who receives the case, at a formal hearing. Approximately one in 25 persons who receives traffic citations actually does plead ‘not guilty’, said Shavertown District Justice, Earl Gregory. The number of those who win their case is not documented, but if you lose, an additional $5 is tacked on to the original fine. ‘‘It only happens with traffic citations,” said Gregory. “In no other circumstance is an addi- tional fee tacked on for losing.” But you still have a chance, if you are firm in your belief that you were not in error. The burden of proof is on the State. All you need do is plead ‘not guilty.’ The officer must prove his case before the District Justice. Police officers have, of course, a variety of means for proving the State’s case. In the instance of a speeding violation, the officer reads his statement, indicating for what distance you were followed, and how much of that distance, you were timed. The legal minimum for timing at an illegal speed is .3 miles. Assuming the officer has certification that the cruiser’s speedometer was calibrated within the last 60 days, he has proven your guilt. You might also present certifica- tion of calibration within the last 60 days. But, when was the last time you thought to have your speed- ometer calibrated? The officer knows his speed- ometer is accurate and you cannot prove that yours is, so you must pay the fine plus $5. Suppose he claims you slid through a stop sign, and you reply ‘‘absolutely not true.” How. is he going to prove this one? Dallas Township patrolman Doug LaMoreaux, who recently used the film from such surveillance as proof of guilt in a hearing, said he frequently offers to let a protesting driver see an ‘instant replay’ of his actions. The camera is equipped with a small screen for instant playbacks, or film can be viewed on a larger screen (providing detailed information such as the vehicle’s registration and description of the driver). There dre gray areas in the issuance of traffic citations and police officers quickly learn how easy it is to lose a case. How long must a car remain stopped at an intersection? No one seems to know the answer to this one, and the traffic code does not specify. For this reason, Lamoreaux said, he gives at least three warnings to every citation he issues. He realizes the abuse must be fairly obvious or he could end up wasting his time, the driver’s and the judge’s. Still, you cannot count on ad- minstrative slip-ups in your favor. They are said to be the exception rather than the rule. If you are unhappy with the verdict on the District level, you can take your case to the Court of Common Pleas. Of course, the police officer also has against him. The Back Mountain Police Association has provided local departments with an infallible means of proof. It is a Panosonic Video Recorder, used for traffic control and criminal surveillance. A police officer, for example, responding to a number of com- plaints by residents about a par- ticular intersection, will set up the camera. Since it is equipped with a telephoto zoom lens, an automobile is recorded from approach and photographed at close range during actual stopping procedures. Since a traffic offense is not a criminal action, circumstances could result in a ‘not guilty’ verdict although the offense in fact oc- curred. It could happen that the officer will fail to bring the necessary proof documents to your hearing. Without the speedometer calibration certificate, you are off the hook, even if you were traveling at 100 mph. Unnecessary delays due to improper planning by the State might occur, and these will get you off, as well. “If your hearing is planned for 7:15 p.m. but doesn’t get underway until 7:45 p.m., the patient about the wait. A fire which totally destroyed the interior of Wong’s Palace Restaurant on Route 309, last week, continues to be under investigation by the State Police Fire Marshal. Ron Ramage, investigator for the State Police said damage estimates to the building are in the vicinity of $100,000. He confirmed it was definitely the work of arsonists. The blaze occured on Friday morning about 2:30. Dallas Fire Company responded on a call from Harveys Lake Police who noticed smoke pouring from the building as they drove by. By the time firemen arrived, the fire had burned itself out, leaving dense smoke to contend with. Investigators found at least 17 area of the establishent. These included 15 2% gallon plastic jugs and two trash barrels. Because of the nature of the fire, it shot up quickly and was quickly downed by a lack of oxygen, the exterior of the building owned by John Banks of Dallas was not damaged. The restaurant is owned by Joe Wong, 50, of Dallas. He opened the Chinese-Polynesian establishment just over a year ago. he does not know whether he will reopen. “I don’t know what I'll do,” he said. Wong ran the restaurant with his daughter, Liz. Come to the Luzerne County Fall Fair, Sept. 8 through Sept. 12 and visit the Dallas Post booth. Meet members of the Pennaprint Inc. staff, who will give you specific information about the Post, one of the papers published by Pen- naprint. While you're there, register for one of the prizes the Dallas Post will award Sunday, Sept. 12, at 8 p.m. The prizes have been made possible through the cooperation of area merchants. ; Among the prizes to be awarded at the Dallas Post booth will be a television set from Katyl’s TV & AppliaNCE: $50 grocery order by Daring’s Market; $10 gift cer- tificate, courtesy of the Jean Store; ice cream cakes from Carvel, San Souci Highway, Wilkes-Barre; 50 ft. hose and windup reel from Valentine’s Toys & Hardware; $10 gas certificate given by Spurlin’s Exxon; and 2 gift certificates from Gino’s Shoe Store. Other prizes include dinner 4 potato chips from Middleswarth; cases of Pepsi-Cola courtesy of the distributor; luncheon certificates from White Horse Restaurant; and 12 certificates good for a whopper, french fries and beverage from Burger King. There are no strings attached, nothing to purchase. Just stop at the Dallas Post booth at this year’s Luzerne County Fall Fair and fill in a slip with your name and address. You don’t have to be present to win. Names and addresses of all winners will be published in the next edition of the Dallas Post. See you at the Fair. INSIDE CLASSIFIED 11 COMING EVENTS 5 COOKBOOK 6 SOCIAL 7 SPORTS 10 WEST SIDE 8,9 9
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers