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Vol. 93, No. 10
4
25 Cents
BY JANE C. BOLGER
Are you an alert driver? If so,
then you recognize the overhead
light pictured as being across the
Memorial Highway in Shavertown
crossing between Cook’s Pharmacy
and the shopping center.
If you are really aware, you know
that when this light is blinking, you
ust stop to allow Shavertown Fire
‘and Ambulance Company’s
emergency vehicles the right of
way.
* Unfortunately this does not seem
according to Shavertown Fire Chief
Gary Beisel. “These lights are
useless; it would be easier to lay
firemen across the highway to get
some of these people to stop,” he
noted.
Part of the problem is believed to
be the fact that the firehouse itself
is out of sight, one block back on
North Main Street, and that the
emergency vehicles are pulling out
of a right-of-way that is more an
alley than a street. But this is no ex-
cuse for anyone ignoring the traffic
signals.
When there is an emergency a
three-minute timer is set in the fire
house, which activates the
overhead light to flash yellow while
the blinking sign reads ‘fire’ in
red. Traffic is supposed to stop and
yield the right-of-way to fire trucks
and ambulances, which in some
cases, must cross four lanes of
traffic.
Kingston Twp. Police Chief Paul
fire six or seven years ago in the
Shavertown Shopping Center. Be-
cause of the morning rush hour, the
fire engines were physically unable
to cross the highway until police
arrived and stopped the traffic.
Unfortunately, this is the case more
often than not as motorists ignore
the flashing lights until they see a
policeman ordering them to stop.
The township has sought approval
from the state to have the traffic
light at Center Street and Route 309
changed to stop all traffic at the
intersection so fire engines may
respond with as little delay as
possible. Despite the extra distance
to be traveled to reach the highway,
this would seem to be the solution.
The Dallas Fire Company reports
there is no problem with its trucks
leaving the fire house on Main
Street, although it uses a similar
fire button that stops all other
traffic at the five-way intersection
for two minutes. The Trucksville
Fire Department successfully uses
the same system to stop Route 309
traffic when fire engines are
responding from the fire house on
Carverton Road.
It is believed that motorists
respond more quickly in these cases
because the signals used are at-
tached to existing traffic signals
rather than in an area where there
However until the new system is in-
stalled in Shavertown, all motorists
are requested to be alert to the
blinking lights near the shopping
center and to be prepared to stop.
Boscov’s are
Photo)
Lehman Brownie Troop 641 and
Junior Troop 626 recently took part
in Boscov's Department Store’s 21st
anniversary celebration for the Girl
Scouts from Penn’s Woods Council.
Over 500 Girl Scouts from the
Wyoming Valley and Back
Mountain gathered to celebrate Girl
Scout Week. The event, entitled
“We Found a New World,” featured
displays, talent shows, Girl Scout
sales ‘clerks and special appear-
ance by Jane Adonizio of Channel
16’s “PM Magazine.”
The Brownies won two beautiful
ribbons; a first prize overall for
their table display on ‘‘What
Brownies Do,” and a first place
ribbon for their poster on the theme
“We've Found a New World.”
First, second and third place
ribbons were awarded in three
categories: Brownie, Junior,
Cadette and Senior. Brownie Troop
641 received the top award of the
day. Judges were Ms. Pat Sparlow,
Kingston, volunteer event coor-
dinator; Mrs. Arline Oldershaw,
trainer; and Phyllis Balberchak,
Boscov’s special events assistant.
Displays were judged on visual
appeal, enthusiasm of the girls,
creativity and adherence to Girl
Scout programs and ideals.
The Lehman Junior Troop won a
first prize ribbon in the junior age
level display. Their display
featured each troop member pic-
tured as a future professional,
accompanied by poems on careers.
Everything, from doctors to fire
fighters, to teachers to auto
mechanics, was represented. The
entire display explained ‘how the
junior badges can give girls insight
into future careers.
Troop 626 also performed in the
talent segment of the festivities,
doing a cheer and several songs.
Members of the troop are Andrea
Bunny, Becky James, Mandy and
Jenny Jones, Missy Larkins, Megan
and Allyson Lukasavagbe, Cindy
May, Becky ‘Miers, Kim Niegoda,
Amber Roese, Ainsley Rowlands,
Lori Recek, Cindy Spencer, Becky
Start, Jill Shaw, Trudy Wandel, and
Judy Williams. Troop leaders are
Mrs. Terry Sutton and Marsha
May.
Recent’ activities keeping the
Brownies hopping are first aid with
the Lehman Ambulance, Girl Scout
Sunday at Shavertown Methodist
Church, a McDonald's visit, roller
skating, Girl Scouts Inter-gathering
at Dallas, a ‘circus, a father-
daughter dinner and show, a fly-up
ceremony with Troop 626, and an
end-of-the-year field trip.
“I have mixed emotions after the
last board meeting,” said Dallas
High School Principal Edgar
Hughes. “I submitted my letter
saying that I wanted to retire June
30, 1983, and had full intentions of
“doing some of the projects I have
; § planning. I also would like to
0 some part time teaching at the
college level but after the directors
refrained from seconding the
motion made by Director Shawn
Murphy to accept my retirement, I
have had second thoughts.
“The Board can’t stop me from
retiring at the end of June but the
way I feel now if they want me I will
probably stay through the Middle
States evaluations. These are in
October and it would be unfair to
ask a new person to step in during
the middle of the year. If I stay'Il
would finish the year 1983-84.”
Hughes submitted his letter to the
board at the March 14 meeting of
Directors. Following Murphy's
motion to accept Hughes's letter of
retirement, ‘there was absolute
silence with no director seconding
the motion. In answer to Director
Joseph O’Donnell’s question as to
the next move, Board President
William Camp stated that it ap-
peared the directors were in favor
of Hughes remaining,
Hughes has been with the school
district 35 years this month and
with the inclusion of time out for
military service, he has a total of 38
years to his credit.
A resident of Dallas, Hughes was
a member of the 201st Anti-Aircraft
Battalion during World War II. He
enlisted in 1942 and served in
Africa, then in the Italian Cam-
paign. The war interrupted his
college education at Lafayette.
When he returned he completed his
Except for Northmoreland Twp.,
~ there will be some interesting races
' for the posts of supervisor and
auditor in Monroe, Noxen and
Northmoreland Twps. in the spring
primary on May 17.
In Northmoreland Twp., which
includes the Centermoreland,
Vernon and Keelersburg areas,
GOP candidates will have a
political cakewalk, being unop-
posed in three township-wide races.
x Incumbent Supervisor Jack
usband of Centermoreland is
unopposed for a new six-year term
on the township’s board of super-
visors, Husband, who operates a
tree service, is in his sixth year as a
supervisor and is serving as board
chairman at present. No Democrats
filed nominating papers for the
supervisor post to be balloted on.
However, a Democratic write-in in
the spring primary is possible.
Filing for the GOP nomination on
the two vacancies on North-
moreland’ three-member board of
township auditors was Mrs. Shirley
M. (Marie) Wall, R.D.2, Box 377,
Harveys Lake, who is seeking
election to a six-year term as
auditor. In the other township
auditor post in Northmoreland,
Mrs. Diane Faux of R.D.2, Box 384-
A, Vernon, Harveys Lake, filed
term. She is presently an auditor in
Northmoreland Twp., having been
named last fall to fill the vacancy
caused by the resignation of Mrs. H.
Vivian.
In Monroe Twp. which includes
the Beaumont, Evans Falls and
Bowmans Creek areas, James
Sickler, incumbent of Beaumont,
has filed for a GOP nomination for a
sixth term as supervisor. He is pre-
sently serving as chairman of
Monroe Twp.’s board of super-
visors. Also seeking the GOP super-
visor nomination in Monroe Twp.
are Lewis R. Whipple, Jonah Smith
and Jere T. Woods. Democrat
George Sheffler is a lone candidate
for the Democrat nomination of
supervisor in Monroe Twp.
Robert Z. Belles of Beaumont,
now serving as a member of
Monroe’s board of auditors, has
filed a GOP petition for a full six
year term as auditor.
An arson team from the FBI has
been called in to investigate a house
fire that occurred on Demunds
Corners last Thursday night at 8:27
p.m. The home, which suffered
mostly smoke and water damage, is
owned by Anna Wivell, who is pre-
sently in a convalescent home.
Dallas Township Police Chief
Carl Miers stated there is ‘no
question” that the fire was arson.
The FBI was called to assist in
evaluating various
evidence.
pieces of
Evidence is presently being
processed through the Arson Crime
Lab with results expected shortly.
Officials would not comment on
whether a connection is suspected
between this fire in an unoccupied
building and other recent ones in
Edwardsville, Larksville, Pringle
and Tunkhannock.
ir 4
education at Lafayette during 1946
through 1949. He earned his
Master's in history from the Unive-
rsity of Scranton where he also
received his principal certification.
Hughes first started with the dis-
trict at Dallas Township under the
supervision of Ray Kuhnert in 1949.
At that time he taught general
science, math, and history. Later,
he taught all of the history courses,
American and World Cultures. With
the first jointure which brought in
Monroe Township, Hughes went to
Westmoreland where he taught
senior high school classes.
He was the first athletic director
at Dallas Township and assistant
athletic director in the jointure.
Hughes was appointed senior ad-
visor while at Dallas Township and
remained in that position until he
was appointed assistant principal in
1969.
During the years 1959 to 1969,
Hughes taught summer and
Western Civilization at Wilkes
College.
Five years ago, he was appointed
principal of the senior high school to
fill the position left vacant by
Robert Dolbear’s retirement.
Area
“If the directors want me to
remain during the Middle States
Evaluation, I will,”’ said Hughes. “I
would finish out the year after the
evaluations so the district could
carry out a thorough screening
process.”
Hughes is married to the former
Jeanne McCabe. They have one
signed from her position in the
district as an English teacher to
assume a management position in
Wyoming Valley. They also have a
granddaughter, Shelby, in eighth
grade at Dallas Junior High School.
Leonard Harvey
BY JANE C. BOLGER
District Magistrate Leonard
Harvey, who officially announced
last week that he is running for re-
election, will apparently be
unopposed at the polls this year.
Despite persistent rumors that at
least one other candidate would be
running, no one filed for the post to
which Harvey was re-elected six
years ago after a stiff political
battle.
In addition to having a clear field,
Harvey holds the distinction of
being the only magisterial candi-
date running in Luzerne County.
Statewide elections to fill most
magisterial seats for the six-year
term of office were held last year,
but an ‘off year” election is
mandated in this district because of
the death in office of Harold Major,
the first magistrate to preside over
District 3-8.
Major died less than three months
after his election in 1970; his widow
was then appointed by the governor
to hold the office, but resigned after
Harvey, who had opposed Major
and been defeated, was then ap-
and ran for his first full term in
office in 1972.
This will be Harvey’s third full
term as district magistrate, al-
though there appears to be a
question of whether he will be able].
to complete his full term due to the
mandatory retirement law. Since
the inception of the magisterial
system, several district justices
have been forced to retire at age 70,
an age Harvey admits he will reach
in four years.
However, Magistrate Harvey
said he hopes to be able to finish his
full term in office due to new
legislation, which would waive the
mandatory retirement law. In the
past, when a magistrate retired or
resigned, a replacement has been
named by the governor.
Harvey, who lives on Woodlawn
Drive in Dallas with his wife,
Marion, has his office and court
room on the second floor of the Back
Mountain Professional Building on
Route 309, with hours from 9 a.m. to
3 p.m. daily, including the lunch
hour and from 6:30 to 8:30 Thursday
night. Harvey’s district covers
Dallas and Lake Boroughs and|
Plymouth, Lake, Jackson and Leh-