7
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By CHARLOT M. DENMAN
Increased public attention to alco-
hol-related problems and an
UNCERTAIN — Tom Pickett of
Pickett’s Charge Restaurant
hosts the only happy hour in
the Back Mountain area, but
he says he is not certain he
likes the idea.
(Proto by Charlot M. Denmon)
“
the influence’” has prompted the
Pennsylvania State Liquor Control
Board officials to consider banning
happy hour in bars throughout the
Commonwealth.
A similar ban was put into effect
recently in Massachusetts and cer-
tain groups in Pennsylvania advo-
cate a similar law in this state
because they believe the ban would
decrease vehicle accidents.
Happy hour is a period of time,
generally during early evening
hours, in a bar or tavern when
alcoholic drinks are served at
reduced prices.
The State Liquor Control Board
scheduled four hearings on the
issue, with one remaining on the
calender in Philadelphia.
After -the hearings are over, the
PLCB plans to allow 90 days for
people to submit written testimony
to the board.
To determine how tavern owners
and other persons in this area feel
about happy hours, several owners
and people at random were con-
tacted.
Now, only one establishment has
a happy hour, and the business
owner is not certain that he is in
favor of it. >
Tom Pickett of Picketts Charge,
Dallas, has happy hour, daily, from
4to 7 p.m.
“The only night we are very busy
at the bar is Friday,” Pickett said.
“People going by on the highway
believe the restaurant is crowded
when they see all the cars in the
parking lot. Actually, the bar is
crowded but not the dinning room.”
Pickett said that patrons stopping
for dinner cannot find a parking
place so they drive out and there
are many times the bar is full but
he has no one in the dining room.
This defeats the purpose of his
establishment, according to Pickett,
because he is in business primarily
to serve dinners. He said he has
offered incentives such as discounts
to the diners but said it hasn’t
helpedvery much.
Pickett said he didn’t believe that
happy hour had any effect on vehi-
cle accidents. The bar is usually so
crowded on Friday nights that his
one bartender is so busy that a
customer is fortunate if he gets
more than two drinks during the
period. He believes his aim to bring
in diners through happy hour is not
Yorking and is considering dropping
1
Lum Kern, owner of Fernbrook
Inn, has no happy hour but he
He said from his experiences, in
most places where there has been a
happy hour the bar is so busy that
customers seldom get more than
two drinks.
“Most of the happy hours are for
only one hour. 1’s/4ust a gimmick to
get people to come in. How much
can one drink in an hour,” asked
Kern. He said he believed the habit-
ual drinker will stop and drink no
matter what the price is.
Sid and Judy Sivlers, owners of
the White Horse in the Dallas Shop-
ping Center, do not have a happy
hour but said they don’t believe
happy hours plays a major role in
alcohol-related accidents.
“People who are going to drink
will drink no matter what the cost.
The occasional drinker might stop
for one or two drinks to socialize
with friends but they aren’t the
heavy drinkers,” said Silvers.
Sid’s wife, Judy, believes that the
PLCB is infringing upon the per-
sonal business of the bar or tavern
owner. She said that there are so
many rules and regulations in Penn-
sylvania now that it is difficult for
the owners to survive. She doesn’t
believe a happy hour would be
beneficial to their business.
She said they had decided on a
schedule of charges for the alcoholic
beverages served in their place and
that they would adhere to them.
Neither she nor Sid believe that this
has hurt their business. They do
understand, however, that in the
larger communities where there are
so many establishments that a
happy hour can help bring in more
people but they also believe that the
people will usually drink one or two
drinks unless they are habitual
drinkers.
District Magistrate Leonard
Harvey said that he has never been
to a happy hour but that he has
never heard of anyone becoming
intoxicated. He believes the bar
owner, in most cases, realizes that
he and the bartender are responsi-
ble for the serving intoxicated
people.
He doesn’t believe price would
change the owner’s understanding
of his responsiblility.
Harvey believes that the bar or
tavern owner should be allowed to
control prices as he desires. :
Under PLCB regulations no estab-
lishment is allowed to charge less
than the cost of the beverage to
him® So
Herbert Dreher, member of the
Doddow-Isaacs American Legion,
said he doesn’t know too much
about the happy hour. He does
believe that most persons who
would drink to excess are those who
would not stop irregardless of the
price. :
The heavy drinker usually doesn’t
care about price, in Dreher’s opi-
noin, and if he does he can always
find a cheaper bar, or join a private
club where the drinks are cheaper
all of the time.
He said at one time the Legion
tried a happy hour but it didn’t do a
thing for business. People drank as
didn’t increase business at all, in
Dreher’s opinion. :
If the opinion of these persons
holds true of other Back Mountain
residents, happy hour does not
appear to be a problem in this area.
BOX 336
BRIGHTON,
Vol. 96, No. 4
IA
By JOAN KINGSBURY
In conjunction with Worldwide Marriage Encounter-
sproposal to have the Sunday before Valentine’s Day
designated Worldwide Marriage Day, the Dallas Post
has searched for the longest married couples in this
area.
Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Elston, Overbrook Road,
Dallas and Mr. and Mrs. Willard Cornell, Meeker, are
the winners. Both couples have been married for 61
years.
The Elstons were married on June 19, 1924, on the
lawn of their home.
Mrs, a2lstan is7the former Ruby Bulferd, dasshier of
the late B. Frank and Ellen Duckworth Bulford of
Dallas. The Bulfords were early settlers in Dallas. The
Elston property on Overbrook Road has been in the
Bulford family since 1848. Their home, the old family
homestead was constructed in 1889. Mrs. Elston was
born and raised in that home. Her husband was born in
Lehman Center, son of the late George and Etta DeLay
Elston. He is retired from the Luzerne County Road
and Bridge Department.
The Elstons have two children, Harold of Dallas and
Nancy Schimmel of State College. They have six
grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
Mr. and Mrs. Cornell were married June 12, 1924 at
the home of her parents, the late Harvey and Jennie
Naugle. Mrs. Cornell is the former Emma Naugle of
Pikes Creek.
Mr. Cornell is the son of the late Daniel and Mary
Cornell of Meeker. He is a farmer and owner of Willard
Cornell Trucking and Excavating. The Cornells have
lived in Meeker ever since they were married.
The Cornelis are the parents‘of5éven childrerl: Ruth
Valick of Meeker; Dorothy Antabin of California;
Harold,Ralph, and Francis Cornell all of Meeker;
Kenneth of Dallas and Janet Veccaria of Los Angeles,
Calif.
They have 22 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchil-
dren.
By CHARLOT M. DENMON
The 17-year-old youth charged
with running down Kingston Town-
ship Police Officer Ralph Seltzer
Jan. 27, on Lower Demunds Road,
Dallas, remains committed to the
Luzerne County Juvenile Detention
Center, waiting a hearing in the
Luzerne County Juvenile Court.
The youth, originally charged
with aggravated assault and reck-
lessly endangering the life of the
police officer by Pennsylvania State
Trooper Carl Allen, had additional
charges filed against him by Allen
last week.
In a statement made Monday,
Allen said he had filed charges of
violating the drug, devices and cos-
metic act, and the possession of an
instrument of crime.
The youth will remain in the
Juvenile Detention Center until the
Juvenile Court schedules a date for
a hearing, which according to Luz-
erne District Attorney Robert Gil-
lespie must be held within 10-12
days from the date of the juvenile’s
arrest.
If convicted, the judge of juvenile
court has three options. The youth
may be sentenced to prison, certi-
fied to adult court, or placed on
Put your
the paper
- The Dallas Post offers you the
opportunity to show your sweet-
heart how much you love him or
her by advertising your feelings
in its February 13th edition.
The Post is featuring a special
classified Valentine Greeting sec-
tion in the February 13th edition.
For just $1, you get five lines of
copy to tell your sweetheart how
much you love them.
It’s simple to do, too. Just fill
out the coupon that appears in
today’s paper or write your name
and address on a piece of paper
with your five-line Valentine
Greeting ad. Attach $1 and mail
it to The Dallas Post, P.O. Box
366, Dallas, Pa., 18612. ;
v BT #
probation.
The juvenile operator reportedly
ran down Officer Seltzer when he
tried to run a road block set up by
Seltzer by driving around the Kings-
ton Township cruiser. The youth
struck Seltzer, who, according to
police, was dragged under the
youth’s vehicle. The youth was then
stopped by Dallas Police Officers
Jack Fowler and Doug Lamoreux.
According to the State Police
report, Fowler originally signalled
the driver to stop because of a
registration violation. The 17-year-
old operator failed to stop so the
vehicle was chased by the Dallas
Borough Police cruiser. It pro-
ceeded through New Goss Manor
and down Fairground Road to
Lower Demunds Road where Dallas
Township and Kingston Township
Police joined the chase. Seltzer used
the Kingston Township police
cruiser to set up a road block and
was trying to get away from the
cruiser when he was struck down.
Seltzer, who underwent extensive
surgery, is now out of intensive
care.He told The Dallas Post he had
no broken bones nor internal inju-
ries.
“I had some seriously torn mus-
cles in my leg which were corrected
with surgery and I had to have
many skin grafts. I also had innu-
merable contusions and abrasions,
and due to the skin grafts I am flat
on my back and able to use only one
arm.”
When asked about the incident
Seltzer said everything happened so
suddenly he didn’t actually know
exactly how it all happened except
that he was walking from the front
to the side of the police cruiser.
Despite his injuries, Seltzer said
that he intends to return to his
position with the Kingston Township
as soon as he is well enough to do
SO.
Kingston Township Police Chief
Paul Sabol said that he would be
happy to have Seltzer return to his
department. ;
“He came out of the police acad-
emy with a 98 percent average. How
much more can you ask for,” said
Sabol. “He is very caring about
people and is very conscientious
about his responsibility. Everybody
likes him. He is a very fortunate
young man that his injuries were
not more critical than they are.”
Chief Sabol stated that there is a
lot more to the entire incident than
can be revealed at the present time.
He explained that the case is in the
hands of the State Police, who are
continuing with the investigation.
By CATHY FLOWER
Special to The Dallas Post
John Kasko of Shavertown has been named the new
band director ‘at Crestwood High School in Mountain-
top.
Kasko cormhes to his new position with an strong
musical background. He was assistant band director at
Hanover Area and studied in Atlanta where he worked
with a 100-member band at Briarcliff High School.
Kasko also attended Wilkes College where he per-
formed in the college band. He served in the Marine
Corps.
State champion Lake-Lehman band was the setting
for John’s first involvement with band when he played
the tuba during his high school years.
Kasko is sensitive to the disruption caused by the
recent teacher’s strike and the adjustment band
members must make to a new director. -
He also notes that the band has no band period
during the school day and members must stay after
school to practice.
This, however, does not deter Kasko from holding
high hopes of success in working with the band -as a
group for both the spring concert and field routines.
Getting to know the band members and working with
them as individuals is one of the keys to future success,
Kasko says.
In this respect, he said he would like to pass on the
“caring, incredible attitude of my band director at
Lehman, John Miliauskas.”
When John isn’t putting in time with the band, he
enjoys photography. What began as a hobby has
become quite lucrative for John who has done profes-
sional fashion photography work for Loreal and Frito
Lay.
Pen though he has had some pretty enticing offers
to use his photography talents on a full-time basis,
Kosko remains too dedicated to the band to consider
them.
age.
By CHARLOT M. DENMON
Are police chases necessary? Local law
enforcement officers say there is no definite
answer.
The recent chase by Back Mountain police
officers which resulted in serious injury to
Kingston Township policeman Ralph Seltzer,
coupled with an apparent increase in the
number of local chases, has raised that
question in the minds of many Back Mountain
residents.
The recent high speed chase in the Scranton
area of a Farview inmate who escaped while
being treated at a city hospital resulted in
damage to numerous cars, as well as posing
the possibilty of serious injury to other
motorists and bystanders.
More recently there was the story of the
former Berwick resident, now living in New
York, who was arrested following a high sped
chase through several communities in Luz-
erne and Wyoming counties.
In both incidents, the drivers of the pursued
cars were under the age of 21. The driver of
the car who sjruck Seltzer was 17 years of
Seltzer was injured when he used his car to
set up a blockade to stop the pursued car. He
left his car to move out of the way and when
the youth driving the pursued car tried to run
the blockade, he reportedly struck Seltzer,
who was dragged under the youth’s car for
about 100 feet.
According to Dallas Township Police Chief
Carl Miers, the youth was signalled to pull
over because of a registration violation. The
juvenile failed to do so and instead began
speeding.
When the youth failed to pull over, the
officer alerted all Back Mountain community
enforcement officers.
Miers stated there are pros and cons
regarding chasing violators.
“It’s strictly a judgment decision,” said
Miers. “A split second decision and each
pursuit is different. You can’t put them into
certain categories. Traffic conditions,
weather, the kind of violation, behavior of the
individual all enter into the officer’s decision
whether or not to pursue.”
Miers said that in most cases, officers give
citation. “Why doesn’t the individual stop
when an officer puts on the red lights
signalling him to pull over?” asked Miers. He
explained that the Sunday incident involving
Seltzer wasn’t a high speed chase. Miers
checked the distance and indications were
that the juvenile had slowed down to approxi-
mately 25 mph. At the site of the road block,
one could see a distance of 963 feet. At night
with the lights flashing, the driver could see
farther.
The ideal situation, according to Miers,
would be to have car manufacturers install a
device on police cars to stop the car being
chased. The problem with that, however, is
that the device would stop all cars in the
vicinity of the pursued car.
The Dallas township Police Department has
a policy that unless it is a felony, an officer
gives chase to only 20 miles above the speed
limit.
Miers stated that Act 120 of the police code
stipulates mandatory training and his depart-
ment also conducts in-training programs but
unfortunately they do not have the facilities
for overall pursuit cases. He said each pursuit
category.
Kingston Township Police Chief Paul Sabol
said the question about police chases is a
difficult one to answer. He said it is difficult
to say it’s right all of the time.
chased Sunday night had no business on the
road without legal registration. If the juvenile
or his passengers had been hurt, the police
would have been criticized. Now they are
criticized because an officer was injured.
“Every circumstance is different,” said
Sabol. “In the case of apparent driving under
the influence, it’s best to follow slowly until
the officer can get the violator off the road.”
Sabol believes there should be a mandatory
continuing education program across the
state for every police officer.
“The oficer doesn’t have an hour to decide
whether to chase a violator. He has to decide
in a split second,” said Sabol. ‘‘Another
solution since so many juvenile drivers panic
so quickly and take off instead of pulling
over, may be to raise the age to obtain a
license. Maybe they are not old enough to
drive. A vehicle can be more dangerous than
a glass of beer.” >
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