5
Fire aftermath
a
Dallas Post/Ed Campbe
Boarding
(Continued from page 1)
Cross home is different from tradi-
tional boarding homes in that it
provides basic health care for per-
sons who do not require constant
medical attention and are not bed-
ridden.
“This (Cross Guest Home) was a
life-long dream of mine and my
husband’s,” Cross said. Her hus-
band, Victor, died one year before
the Cross Guest Home was opened.
Cross said routine fire drills, coor-
dinated with the Sweet Valley Vol-
unteer Fire Company, are routinely
conducted at her guest home. The
home also has smoke alarms and
ceiling heat censors in each room as
well as a fire alarm system and fire
~ exstinguishers. The Cross home cur-
rently has four fire escapes. The
front of the building is equipped
with two steel fire doors and the
back exit has one steel door. Both
sides of the home also have steel
fire escape doors.
“I have never tried to beat a law
required by the state since I have
been licensed,” Cross said. ‘‘I want
this home to be safe and it will
continue to be a safe place to live.”
Cross has been active in the
health care since the 1960’s when
she completed a American Red
Cross home nursing course and was
later employed by Valley Crest hos-
pital in Wilkes-Barre. From 1972 to
1978, Cross worked for the Rural
Health Agency and for the Commit-
tee for Economic Growth (CEG) of
Northeastern Pennsylvania, where
Cross says she became aware of the
need for quality boarding home
facilities.
“I think they (the state) need to
clamp down on some of these
homes,” Cross said. “While I was
out in the field for CEG, I saw some
really bad boarding homes. I even
discovered one boarding home that
had residents living in the attic of
the building.”
Cross said that the best construc-
tion of a boarding home is the
‘‘single-story’’ building because
staff members can easily monitor
the residents 24-hour-a-day. The
Cross home has at least one staff
member on duty all day and night,
as required by state regulations.
“They (staff members) are on
duty 24 hours-a-day,” Cross said.
“The residents are checked every
hour by a member of our staff. The
staff member opens the individual
bedroom doors and ‘looks in on
them,’’ Cross said.
Cross said that the 24-hour staff-
ing is important and the residents
deserve it because ‘these people
are paying for this kind of care and
they expect it, along with some
tender loving care.”
When asked if she was worried
about a fire similar to the one at the
Thomas Guest Home, Cross “No, I
do not feel that at all. We are very
well staffed and trained. Everybody
knows what to do.”
Staff members at the Cross Home
are trained in Red Cross first aid,
shock treatment and CPR.
— JOHN F. KILDUFF
Advisory
(Continued from page 1)
Joe Moran. All are residents of
Harveys Lake. i
“This EAC ordinance has been
established for protection, conserva-
tion and management of Harveys
Lake,” borough solicitor Thomas
0’Connor said Wednesday.
The new EAC council members
will not receive a salary for the
testing and studying of Harveys
Lake, O'Connor said. But they will
receive expense money for services
provided while working for the
EAC.
Harveys Lake Borough Council
approved the EAC by a 7-0 vote.
Councilman Bill Gallager motioned
to form the EAC and councilman
Arnold West seconded prior to the
unanimous vote.
Council resident Richard Boice
said the EAC has been appointed
with dedicated people and that Har-
veys Lake Council will assist EAC
in making the lake studies success-
ful.
“I can foresee a dedicated effort
from the people sitting on the bor-
ough council and the EAC,” Boice
aid. “And we will ‘(Harveys Lake
cil) do everything we can to
ice continued by saying the
AC was established to do long-
term studies to determine what
causes the algae to form in the lake.
According to borough officials,
funding for the EAC will largely
come from state grants and private
contributions. Harveys Lake coun-
cil, said councilman Ray Jones, will
consider some funding for EAC next
year.
“We will probably get funding for
EAC from DER and whatever other
grants that are available,” said
Jones. “The monies are out there. It
is just a question of looking for
them.”
Jones said Harveys Lake Solicitor
O’Connor will be working closely
with the EAC in an effort to coordi-
nate the application and paper-work
process for state grants.
When asked how the funding will
be procurred for EAC studies fol-
lowing state Representative George
Hasay’s comment on July 12 that
the $2,000 of state money for the
copper sulfate was one-time fund-
ing, Jones said, ‘There are little
loopholes to get through. The
monies are out there, you just have
to find them.”
Jones said the EAC and its find-
ings will be closely followed by
borough council, regardless of the
solutions they (EAC) may request
in order to aleviate future water
quality problems in Pennsylvania’s
largest natural lake.
“Based on their (EAC) findings,
we (Harveys Lake council) would
stand behind them,” said Jones.
“We expect a very good working
relationship.”
DER officially lifted the swim-
ming advisory at the lake on
Monday July 22. Anabaena algal
levels at four testing spots on the
lake were well below the 500 parts
per millileter, which DER says con-
stitutes a swimming advisory.
The swimming advisory was
issued by DER two days before the
Fourth of July weekend, causing
many residents and businessmen to
complain to borough officials. The
EAC concept was spawned one
week later when borough officials,
Pennsylvania Fish Commission offi-
cials and DER held an emergency
meeting to discuss plans to apply
copper sulfate to the algae problem.
Ecoscience Company of Moscow
applied over 2,200 pounds of Copper
Sulfate on Tuesday July 16. Ecosci-
ence officials and DER say that
over 90 percent of the anabaena
algae have been killed.
“It should stay clear and clean for
the rest of the year,” said Jones.
“However, there is no guarantee;
there never was.”
Lake
(Continued from page 1)
tion, they have scheduled to
increase parking space by extend-
ing the parking lot towards Lake-
side Drive where a grass section
now exists. The project is expected
to take six weeks to complete.
“We (PFC) have known that we
needed to expand the parking at the
boat launch for over 10 years,”
~ Smith said. ‘‘Coincidentally, Har-
~ veys Lake Borough, through its
Water Authority and the Protective
Association, has applied pressure to
construct a public sanitary facility
at the launch,” said Smith.
Smith said the restroom facility
will have running water and it will
be connected to the Harveys Lake
sewer system. The restroom, Smith
said, will include three stalls and
4-H programs
This year, nearly 135 youth
between the ages of 8 and 19 belong
to one of the nine 4-H horse clubs in
Luzerne County. It takes the assist-
ance of many to conduct a success-
ful horse program including mem-
bers, leaders, parents, community
minded citizens, and the Extension
agent.
The 4-H horse program is admin-
istered by the Cooperative Exten-
“« ig ef . Ho
two sinks in both the women and
mens’ sides. The facility will also
have a small porch attached.
During construction, Smith said
the launch will be open sporadically
and will be closed primarily on the
days they apply the new blacktop.
Currently, the PFC and Harveys
Lake Borough officials are working
out an agreement as to who will be
responsible for maintaining the rest-
room area. Smith said construction
will begin when an agreement is
reached.
Harveys Lake Borough council-
man Ray Jones said that, during
construction, fishermen and boaters
may launch their boats through the
borough access road located along
side the Lakeview Inn, across from
attract many
sion Service of the Pennsylvania
State University. The Pennsylvania
Cooperative Extension Service
offers educational programs and
materials without regard to race,
color, sex, religion, national origin,
handicap, or age as provided by
law.
The primary reason for carrying
out a horse and pony program is to
develop skills in horse management.
corey
Fe gla
Lf
Old Noxen Road.
Jones did say, however, that those
using the borough access area will
have to park in the Hansons’ park-
ing lot for a $1 charge.
Sunset Marina, Jones said, will
also allow boat launching for a $3
charge during the week and $5 on
weekends.
— JOHN F. KILDUFF
MALTBY DRUG STORE
326 HUGHES ST.
SWOYERSVILLE, PA.
287-7724
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_ “We care about your health.”
Smell
(Continued from page 1)
atmospheric inversion,” Bagley said. ‘Our plant is
encircled by mountains which makes it difficult for the
winds to carry it (odor) away.”
Atmospheric inversion is a natural process whereby
on a clear day the suns’ rays shine down on the earth
surface, warming the ground. The warm earth surface
causes warm air to rise up into the atmosphere. This
process is repeated while the sun is shining, causing
what are known as convection currents. These cur-
rents continually move warm surface air upward,
allowing cooler air to move in which will again be
heated by the suns’ rays. A circular air current is
created.
This current of air usually will carry away any
odors emanating from the DAMA plant. However,
during early morning and evening hours when the
suns’ rays are not as hot, the odors are actually
trapped between the mountain ranges which encircle
the DAMA plant because the convection currents are
not moving as rapidly.
DAMA was built in May, 1972 for an estimated $11.5
million. It is considered a secondary treatment plant
capable of eliminating up to 90 percent of the
pollutants associated with raw sewage waste water.
The three municipalities which use DAMA are con-
nected by more than 65 miles of collection system
piping.
Bagley said DAMA currently receives over 1.2
million gallons of waste water a day and that
biological communities (bacteria) break-down and
feed on the organic material in the waste water.
Only one percent of the waste water received makes
up the organic waste. The other 99 percent is sewer
waste water.
“One percent of the waste we receive is causing the
problem at plants like this,” Bagley said. “Only a
very small amount creates the largest impact.”
DAMA receives its sewage by way of a gravity
retrieval system. There are no pumps used to flush the
sewage to the DAMA plant. The raw sewage flows
through a series of smaller pipes and into a large 30-
inch pipe which feeds DAMA.
“DAMA is located on one of the lowest points in the
Back Mountain,” Bagley said. ‘‘This saves us from
having to pump sewage to the plant.”
Bagley said DAMA’s customers are hooked up to a
very sophisticated collection system which directs the
sewage of some 4,000 Equivalent Dwelling Units
(hook-ups) to the plant for the following biological
treatment process.
Raw sewage enters DAMA through a ‘‘screening
room’’ which removes large pieces of debris and cloth.
The screening room protects the plant equipment from
damage. After the raw sewage flows through the
screening room it enters the (Biological Contact
Tank” where communities of bacteria (which thrive
on organic material in sewage) are mixed together
with the raw sewage.
Store owner
|
The biological contact tank nurtures the growth of
more bacteria by converting the organic matter in the
sewage into carbon dioxide which releases into the air.
This process creates what is known as activated |
sludge. The activated sludge is actually large com-
munities of bacteria feeding on the organic matter in
the sewage.
The activated sludge is then channeled from the
contact tanks into a clarification tank where the
bacteria (which are heavier than water) settles to the
bottom of the tank. The sewage waste water in the
clarification tank spills over and is funneled into a
chlorine disinfection tank. After the chlorine treat-
ment, the water is released into Toby’s creek, which
runs through Luzerne.
“Before we release the chlorine-treated water in
Toby’s creek we must make sure that the level of
chlorine is strong enough to kill the bacteria and mild
enough so we do not kill fish,” Bagley said.
The activated sludge which settled on the bottom of
the clarification tank is them drawn through a
pumping system and put into stabilization tankswhere
the bacteria futher digest the organic matter in the
raw sewage.
After this process the activated sludge is returned to
the contact tank in step one, where new raw sewage
and the larger community of bacteria meet in a
continual process.
“Essentially what this plant does,” Bagley said, ‘‘is
allows biological communities (bacteria) to constantly
feed on the sewage.”
During this process, DAMA creates a large amount
of excess bacteria known as sludge waste which is
moved into a thickening tank where the concentrated
bacteria grows and feeds on organic matter rapidly.
The sludge waste, also known as biological sludge, is
then pumped into aerobic digestion tanks where the
bio-sludge is mixed and aerated for several weeks.
This sludge is then stored and later pressed into
sludge cake by the use of DAMA’s belt filter press.
The $500,000 sludge cake process makes the shipping
and disposal of the sludge much more econoical by
pressing and thereby eliminating the majority of
water weight in the sludge.
DAMA then ships nearly 100 percent of the sludge
cake to the Manzoni Brothers Farm in Jackson
Township where the sludge is used as a fertilizing
agent. The use of the Manzoni farm is monitored by
DER to be certain that the sludge cake (which is now
a rich fertilizer) is not misused.
DAMA employs five people including manager
Bagley and they receive most of their operating
budget from the $151 annual sewer treatment bill.
“This is a very sophisticated and well-run opera-
tion,” Bagley said. “It is time we get credit for what
we do instead of always getting complaints.”
Dallas Post/Ed Campbell
Trans Am, the apple of his eye.
By KATHY SUDA
Staff Correspondent
If you believe in quality, selection, and low prices in
caring for your car, there’s a new automotive acces-
sory store in Dallas that you should take note of.
Eire Automotive Accessories, located at 38 Main St.,
is a five week old business that stocks quality
merchandise to beautify the exterior and interior of
your car. Owner-operator John Newell says he studies
a product before he buys it to sell at Eire’s. He also
tries to stock only American-made products unless the
technology of a foreign-made product is far greater.
Newell says he tries to stock his shelves with
merchandise that he would like to buy for his car. By
doing All this, Newell is a consumer protection agent
of sorts.
Although Eire’s (pronounced eye-er) is open now,
Newell said Eire’s will be stocked and set up the way
he wants in about three months. Eventually, Newell
said, Eire’s will have products with a K-Mart price,
A&A Auto store selection and the older American Auto
Store’s quality. By: “buying right,” Newell hopes .to
achieve this. Newell buys from several different
vendors and watches prices carefully.
Among the quality product’s Eire has are the
Mother’s line of car waxes and polishes, Edelbrock
speed parts, Wagner head lamps and Canadian-made
Astra louvers. If it’s interior beauty you're concerned
with, Eires orders custom made Delfast car mats in 23
different colors and 3 styles.
Newell said the name Eire is Gaelic for Ireland. The
store itself sports the colors of the Irish flag.
Eire’s is located next to the Hearthstone Pub and is
open daily from 10 to 8 and Saturdays, 9 to 6.
Organizers of the Pennsylvania
Bike Ride Against Cancer are look-
ing for bicyclists to participate in a
six-day ride through the picturesque
countryside of our state.
Riders will begin in Allentown on
Sunday, August 4 and travel 500
miles together by bicycle before
returning to the city on Frieay, Aug.
9. Overnight lodging, dinner and
® Sweet Rolls
breakfasts will be provided free of
charge to the riders, thanks to
volunteers along the way who are
supporting this effort. Participants
will be responsible for soliciting
pledges for the A.C.S. before the
ride begins.
The United Methodist Church.
55 Main St., Luzerne
Wilkes-Barre, will provide overnight
housing on August 7 and the
Y.M.C.A. facilities will be available
for showers for the cyclists.
To raise funds and to enjoy the
company of bicyclists on this scenic
ride, call the A.C.S. office, 825-7763
for an application.
OUTLET
ARNOLD'S THRIFT
BREAD & ROLLS
AT
DISCOUNT PRICES
283-2985
® a
Ww