BINDERY £0 HREGHTON BPEIGHTOM. 1a bs aVol. 96, No. 29 25 Cents Grand | Prize y winner Ruth Ann Selenski, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Selenski Sr, was the recipient of brand new 10-speed Schwinn bicycle, the rand prize in a recent fund-raising drive ponsored by The Dallas Post and the Back ountain Little League Organization. Ruth Ann, who plays softball in the Back ountain Little League, sold the most sub- criptions to The Dallas Post (above 10) uring the two-week period the drive was Ronald Selenski Sr., tion manager, conducted, thus entitling her to the grand" rize. i Pp The Dallas Post also donated $2 to Back Mountain Baseball, Inc. for every Subscrip- tion sold by a Back Mountain Little Leaguer during the fund drive. Ruth Ann, who reportedly went to one house no fewer than 17 times to make a sale, was elated when told she was the grand prize winner. She would like to thank all those who Dallas Post/Ed Campbell Jean Brutko, circula- Ruth Selenski, Ruth Ann's purchased a subscription to The Dallas Post for making it possible for her to win the bicycle. Management of The Dallas Post would alsa like to thank the officials of Back Mountain Baseball, Inc. for their cooperation in thi drive: Staff members of The Post would lik to thank all those who purchased subscrip tions during this drive. eo Cleven named named By JOHN F. KILDUFF Staff Writer In a move designed to anticipate possible future anabaena algae blooms at Harveys Lake, Borough Council last Wednesday night appointed seven members and four advisors to an Environmental Advisory Council (EAC). The EAC, which will act as an independent agency, will periodi- cally take water samples from Har- veys Lake on a year-round basis and will make determinations as to what solutions are available if an . algae bloom should reoccur. The EAC will report its findings to the Harveys Lake Borough Council which will make all final decisions on lake treatments. EAC appointments are as follows: Robert Albee of Harveys Lake, Chairman, three-year term; Rachael Dziak of Harveys Lake, Treasurer, thrce year-term; Geor- gine Petroskos of Harveys Lake, Secretary, two-year term; and Ron Debalko of Harveys Lake, liason between EAC and the borough coun- cil for a term of two years. Appointed for one-year terms were Lorraine Scott, Jar 4 Saigge and Michael Snell all ST VeYs Lake, "ae roint” F @ special advig wr. iaarles Reif of Noxeil, i wall: Known expert on lake . studies; Joanne Jones, reportedly knowledgeable in the area of pro- curring state and federal grants; and businessmen Bruce Hansors and By JOHN F. KILDUFF Staff Writer By DOTTY MARTIN Editor and JOHN F. KILDUFF Staff Writer The cause of a fire that claimed the lives of eight people and injured 12 others at the Thomas Guest Home in Sweet Valley last Tuesday has been determined to have been arson. The announcement of investi- gation findings into the cause of the tragic blaze was made yesterday afternoon’ by Luzerne County Dis- trict Attorney Robert Gillespie. The eighth victim of the fire, 59- year-old Elizabeth Stania, passed away Tuesday in Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, from burns sus- tained in the fire. According to District Attorney Gillespie, several points of origin of the fire were discovered throughout the Thomas Guest Home. And, in at least two points, a flammable sub- stance was found, according to the District Attorney’s report. Gillespie reported that a relative of one of the fire victims expressed some concern at the time of the fire, explaining that the victim had been treated for suicidal tendencies. The victim, a woman, was allegedly responsible for an arson fire in Wilkes-Barre early this year. The district attorney’s office, how- ever, 18 rot releasing the frtdtvid- ual's name, pending further investi- gation. He explained his office is seeking a court order to review mental health records of the individ- ual and is still conducting tests to determine what substance was used in the fire. Sweet Valley Fire Chief Bob Walsh reported to The Dallas Post on Monday that officials were awaiting the results of tests taken on electrical wiring and other elec- tric equipment removed from the two-story structure last week. “We are sure it (the fire) started in the front of the building,” Walsh said Monday. “We believe it stems from the sitting and television room area.” According to Walsh, he and other fire department personnel as well as ambulance crews, had been con- cerned with this type of tragedy in boarding homes for many months prior to the July 23 blaze. “I have been concerned about the boarding homes and their safety for some time,” Walsh said. “I was afraid of the problems that might occur in trying to get the people out (in the event of a fire),”” Walsh said. Walsh said that through training and visits to the boarding homes in the area, many lives were saved during the Thomas blaze. “We probably would have lost a ot more penple if it was not for the tremendous. job the firemen and ambulance ‘erews did at the fire,” Walsh said. In the tragic aftermath of last Tuesday's fire which killed seven people, injured 13 and destroyed the Thomas Guest Home in Sweet Valley, many questions have been raised about the safety and the degree of care provided for resi- dents of d boarding homé. According to Alberta Cross, owner and manager of Cross’s Mountain View Boarding Home located only 100 yards away from the Thomas fire scene on Main Street in Sweet Valley, residents of her boarding Dallas Post/John Kilduff (See ADVISORY, page 10) ih atmosphere. | el chemicals into the (See SMELL, page 10) home receive round the clock moni- toring by staff members and the facility is completely safe. “I think my place (Cross boarding home) is the best in Northeastern Pennsylvania,’”’ the 65-year-old Cross said. “I wanted my house inspected and I wrote and told the state that when I applied to open,” she said. The Cross Guest Home opened its doors in December, 1978 as a per- sonal care boarding home. The (See BOARDING, page 10) Remodeling planned at Harveys Lake The Pennsylvania Fish Commis- sion’s Public Access Area next to Old Sandy Bottom Beach on Har- veys Lake has been scheduled for the construction of a new public restroom facility and additional parking space, The Dallas Post learned Monday. Eugene Smith, chief of construc- tion and maintenance at the Penn- sylvania Fish Commission’s head- quarters for engineering and construction projects in Pleasant Gap, Pa., told The Post that a 14 X 25 foot concrete restroom capable of servicing five people at a time will be built some time in late August or early September. Along with the restroom facility, boat launch and parking areas with one inch of new pavement. In addi- (See LAKE, page 10) Inside The Post Calendar .. 14,15 Classified . 16.17,13,19 Commentary ......... 6 Cookbook ............... 7 Crossword ............. 2 Dear Aunt Patty .... 9 Obituaries .......... wd 9 2 svscsson People ........... eri 8, Police Blotter ........ School .................. 13 Sports i.............11,12
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers