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BRIGHTON BRINDERY CO
BOX 336
FERIGHTON, IA
Vol. 95, Nu. ¢
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EE AO
Ice formations
Dallas Post/George Poynton
DRGs are here
By WALLY KOCHER
Staff Correspondent
College Misericordia was the setting for a seminar :
on the Diagnostic Related Group Program on Jan. 19
uate Content Coordinator at the University of Pennsyl-
vania School of Nursing, was the guest speaker.
According to Greiner, Diagnostic Related Groups
(DRG) is a mew prospective reimbursement method
instead of for every day spent in the hospital.
“After a patient has been admitted to a hospital and
diagnosed,” Greiner said, “It will be determined how
much reimbursement the hospital will receive. The
rate of reimbursement will depend on the diagnosis.”
The DRG tells specifically how many days the
patient should have to stay in the hospital. If the
patient requires less time than expected to recover,
the hospital will still be reimbursed for the entire
anticiapted time. However, if the patient has to say in
Jan. 30-Feb. 4
the hospital longer than expected, the hospital either
has to absorb the costs, or they can appeal for a new
diagnosis. :
This system brings along with it the fear that
patients will be discharged before they are physically
ready for it. Greiner, however, reassures that this will
not happen.
“It’s true that this was a main concern when the
system was first brought up,” he said, ‘however,
since then the system has been tested cut in eight
different states, with success. The purpose af this new
method ito redhice hosyital costs.”
The times. of recovery used by the DRG have been
compiled by using both national and regional rates for
specific ‘diagnosis. Eugene Neugent, Executive Direc-
tor of Health Systems Agency, explained that the
agency of Health and Human Services compiled the
averages for an area.
Presently, this new system affects medicare
patients only. However, Greiner feels the system will
affect all hospital patients in the next five fo seven
years.
an it hap
By WALLY KOCHER
Staff Correspondent
As eyes focus on Louisville, Nebraska, and the
tension being created there between the people of the
Faith Baptist Church and the local and state officials,
a question should be running through our minds.
Can this kind of thing happen here?
Rev. Everett Silleven, pastor of the Faith Baptist
Church in Louisville, Nebraska, thinks it can.
In an exclusive interview with The Dallas Post, Rev.
Silleven stated, ‘There are several groups in the
United States that are trying to establish a require-
ment of teacher certification for Christian Schools. As
of now, in Pennsylvania, it is not necessary for
Christians schools to only employ certified teachers.
Rey. Silleven, however, feels it is only a matter of
time before such certification becomes a requirement
in Pennsylvania schools.
Rev. Silleven was arrested in 1982, while preaching
in his pulpit, for operating an unapproved Christian
school.
The reason the school is unapproved is because none
of the teachers at the school are state certified.
According to the Nebraska State Law, one certified
teacher must be present at all times.
Rev. Silleven feels that the state is trying to exercise
too much power by enforcing this law. ‘Christ is our
Lord, not the government,” he said. “All we want is
for Nebraska to return to the United’ States where
there’s absolutely no totalitarianism.”
A few days after the pastor’s arrest in 1982, 85
people including visiting clergymen, were bodily
carried out of the church and the building was
temporarily padlocked. The school was successfully
closed down for the rest of the year.
However, in September of 1983, classes at the school
resumed without the required certified teacher.
On Nov. 23, 1983, seven fathers and mothers were
requested to appear before a judge to testify in court
regarding the school. The fathers appeared, but the
mothers, along with their children, fled the state for
fear of arrest. Instead of testifying, however, the
fathers refused to answer any of the judge’s questions,
by using the Fifth Amendment. They were, in turn,
en here?
placed in jail, and charged with Civil Contempt of
Court. One of the men was released after talking with
the judge, but the remaining six men are still
imprisoned. :
Prison isn’t the only thing the parishioners have to
worry about. According to Rev. Silleven, several cases
of property damage, including garbage dumping, and
window breaking have been reported by the church
members.
‘The general public doesn’t feel the same way about
this religious discrimination as we do,”’ said Rev.
Silleven. A
A spokesman from the Louisville Sheriff’s office told
The Dallas Post the issue is not a religious one, as the
church believes, but that of a simple civil case.
Is all this actually happening in America? Even
more so, can it happen here in the Back Mountain
Area? We already have Rev. Silleven’s opinion, but
what about those people in our area who would be
affected
Gloria Long, principal at the Christian Academy of
Community Bible Church, Sweet Valley, is a strong
supporter of the Faith Baptist Church, and the stand
they have taken. :
“Certification has absolutely nothing to do with
quality education,” Long said. “If we allow the
government to control our christian schools, where
will they stop? Next they’ll want to license the
churches.”
Another supporter of Rev. Silleven is Rev. Dennis
Madeira of the New Life Community Church, Dallas,
who doesn’t feel the quality of education is the issue.
“The issue here is who gets control over our
childrens’ education,” he said. However, Rev. Mad-
eira doesn’t feel as strongly that what has happened in
Nebraska can happen here, as Rev. Silleven does.
“I don’t think it could happen here unless quite a
few changes (in the Pennsylvania law) were to take
place,” Rev. Madeira said.
Whether the laws change or not, it is obvious to see
that this controversy will be in the minds of Ameri-
cans across the nation for a long while. :
As one pastor put it, “If we don’t keep our eyes on
them (the government) it’s hard to say what they’ll
try.’ 5
Campaign leaders
With the theme “Beacon of Hope”
leading the way, Father William
Cusick, Father William Langan,
Sister M. Davida and members of
the faculty and study body of Gate
of Heaven School, Dallas, will open
Catholic Schools Week on Monday,
Jan. 30. -
Father Cusick will deliver a Pro-
clamation at 10 a.m. that day and
will kickoff a week-long celebration
of activities.
“Student Appreciation Day”
which will be conducted on Monday,
will highlight work done by the
students in the fields of religion,
education and language arts.
Monsignor Paul Terracciano,
superintendent, Scranton Diocesan
Schools, will commemmorate Cath-
olic Schools Week with a concele-
bration to be conducted on Tuesday,
Jan. 31, at 7:30 p.m. in the Gate of
Heaven Church. Father Cusick,
pastor, and Father Langan, assist-
ant pastor, will also participate in
this family mass with parents join-
ing students in the celebration of the
“Open House” for parents will he
conducted Wednesday, Feb. 1 and
will give parents an opportunity to
observe the students in their class-
room atmosphere.
Students and parents will partici-
pate in ‘‘Teacher Appreciation
Day” on Thursday, Feb. 2, with
various activities planned for the
occasion. A chicken bar-b-que will
be served in the cafeteria and
teachers will be honored at a lunch-
eon.
Throughout the week, guest
speakers in their own area of exper-
tise, will make presentations to the
students. Also, Ed Lyons, chief of
police, Dallas Borough, will finger-
print the students during the week.
A film on ‘The Life of John
Neuman’ will be shown throughout
the school during the week to com-
memmorate the tremendous contri-
butions he made to Catholic educa-
tion in the United States.
Presentations in essay reading, a
Scholastic Bowl and various sports
events will take place during the
week. Awards will be presented by
events.
The Board of Directors of the
Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of
Commerce recently agreed to the
establishment of a convention and
tourism bureau. The Board acted in
response to'a report presented by
Michael Lefchak, chairman of the
tee.
The committee interviewed indi-
iduals who were instrumental in
attracting and formulating conven-
tions recently held in Wilkes-Barre.
They also talked with restaurant
and hotel operators and met with
the Wilkes-Barre 11 organization.
2
dryer.
this year.
The committee identified a great
economic potential for the develop:
ment of conventions and tourism in
the area. They also noted the lack of
a single organization to act as a
central point for convention plan-
ners.
It was the unanimous recommen-
dations of the committee that the
Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of
Commerce should establish a Con-
vention and Tourism Bureau to act
as a focal point for all related
activities.
Members of the Convention ani
Tourism committee are: Chairman
Michael Lefchak, United Credit
Bureau; Bob Cardillo, Custom Color
Lab; George Stozenski, PP&L;
Michzel Salamon, Landau &
Landau; Dr. Carl Urbanski,
Optometrist; Joseph Perugino,
PG&W; Maria Rubando, Amy’s
Flower & Gift Shop; Leslie Parker,
United Credit Bureau, and Debbie
Zurinski, staff liaison.
College Misericordia’s annual
campaign was launched recently at
a kick-off luncheon held at the
Sheraton-Crossgates in downtown
Wilkes-Barre.
The 1984 ‘‘Gifts for Learning”
campaign, with a $292,000 goal, will
raise funds for student scholarships
and other financial aid programs.
Approximately 100 campaign vol-
unteers attended the kick-off. Prin-
cipals at the event included Frank
Pasquini, director of development
at the College, who introduced Mon-
signor Andrew McGowan, chairman
of Misericordia’s board of trustees.
McGowan served as emcee.
Harold Rosenn, Esq., of Rosenn,
Jenkins and Greenwald and vice
chairman of the board of trustees,
introduced Albert Duran, senior
vice president of United Penn Bank,
who is general campaign chairman.
Duran in turn welcomed the six
community vice chairmen of the
campaign. They are Thomas
Jacohs, managing director of
Boscov's; Helen O’Connor, Luzerne
County Register of Wills; George
Lister, vice president and general
manager of the Times Leader; Ray-
manager of AT&T; Susan Kluger, a
director of the First National Bank
of Wyoming; and Daniel Shall,
inventory and purchasing manager
at Commonwealth Telephone Com-
pany.
Benedicta North Matchett was
introduced as the chairman of Mis-
ericordia’s alumni giving program
which will feature a six day phona-
thon in February. The alumni advis-
ory committee has set a goal of
$86,000 which volunteers will
attempt to raise by telephoning the
College’s 7,000 alumni nationwide.
The alumni giving goal is part of
the campaign’s total goal of $292,-
000.
Dr. Joseph R. Fink, College Mis-
ericordia president, praised the
Dallas Postmaster Thomas Bly is
seeking the help and cooperation of
Postal customers in his delivery
area concerning snow and icy
weather conditions.
The recent snowstorms have
greatly hindred the letter carrier’s
ability to efficiently deliver your
mail. The weather conditions also
of increased vehicle accidents, slips
on walking surfaces and subsequent
falls causing injury.
Postmaster Bly has requested
that all residents clear -their side-
walks, as soon as possible, to pre-
vent late mail delivery, temporary
suspension of delivery service andor
possible third party claims for
injury.
Curbline boxes should also be
sufficiently cleared to allow the
letter carrier to serve the bos with-
out dismounting from his vehicle.
Postmaster Bly said, ‘Customer
cooperation regarding this matter
will be truly appreciated and will
allow the Postal Service to provide
the best possible service to all
customers in a safe and efficient
manner. "
commitment of local volunteers by
saying, ‘‘Because of the friends
which College Misericordia has gar-
nered over the years, we feel our
$292,000 campaign goal is indeed
achievable.”
“The funds raised by the College
in its annual campaigns are espe-
cially significant since nearly 99
percent of our students receive
financial assistance of some kind,”
Dr. Fink continued. ‘Without the
dedication of our Wyoming Valley
volunteers, College Misericordia
would not be able to continue its
support of deserving students.”
Rev. John Bendik, College chap-
lain, presented the invocation;
Sister Martha Hanlon, R.S.M., dean
of student, offered the benediction
at the Kick-off.
Three report meetings are sched-'
uled during the next six weeks. A
victory celebration will take place
Feb. 29.
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