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aVol. 96, No. 29
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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