Vol. 96, No. 34
By JOHN F. KILDUFF
Staff writer
Construction of a new public restroom facility and
additional parking space at the Pennsylvania Fish
Commission’s Public Access Area next to Old Sandy
Bottom on Harveys Lake is underway. PFC officials
say completion of the project should be within six
weeks.
Current construction plans include a modern public
restroom facility capable of servicing five people at a
time with running water and a new layer of pavement
extending from the end of the old parking lot outward
to the edge of Lake Side Drive, directly across from the
Gulf service station.
The construction, said Eugene Smith, chief of con-
struction and maintenance at the PFC’s headquarters
for engineering and construction in Pleasant Gap,
Pennsylvania, is right on schedule and area fishermen
and boaters should be able to launch in mid October.
“The work is right on schedule and everything looks
good for October launching,” Smith said. “If we do not
run into any major problems with equipment or
weather we should finish up within six weeks.”
The new restroom facility will rest on a 14x25 foot
concrete foundation and will include three stalls and
two sinks in both the women and men’s sides. The
facilty will also have a small porch attached.
According to Smith, the restroom facility will be
connected to the Harveys Lake sewer system and will
be maintained by Harveys Lake borough.
Construction of the new parking area includes a new
surface coating of one inch of black-top over the entire
launch area. The new parking space, said Smith, has
been in demand for over ten years.
“The PFC and even Harveys Lake borough officials
new we needed additional parking at this launch for
over ten years,” said Smith. “This launch is one of only
three public boat launch areas on the entire lake. It
definitly needed to be expanded,” Smith said.
Smith said the construction of additional parking
space was also warrented by the ever increasing
growth of Harveys Lake recreation crowds.
“The number of people who fish, swim or boat on
Harveys Lake has been increasing dramatically over
the years,” Smith said. “You have more year-round
residents than you ever did before and many more
summer visitors.”
During construction the launch will be open sporadi-
cally and will be closed primarly on the days the new
blacktop is applied.
During the days the launch is closed, fishermen and
boaters can launch their boats through the Harveys
Lake borough access road located along side the
Lakeview Inn, accros from Old Noxen road.
Boaters using the borough’s access road, are asked
not to park along side the road but rather to park in
Hanson’s parking lot. A $1 parking fee will be assessed.
Sunset Marina will also boat launching for a $3
charge during the week and $5 on weekends.
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Dallas Post/John F. Kilduff
expand the parking lot.
some leads,” Shaver said.
Shaver also said Philade clphia Medical Examiner Dr. Reber
Catherman, discovered nothing which would indicate the man’s a
was suspicious.
Catherman was called in last week by Luzerne County Coroner Dr.
George Hudock to examine the “severly decomposed body.”
Catherman determined the body was a male, ately 50 to
60 years old, weighing between 130 and 160 pounds.
Shaver said the only thing unique about the body was a single
“cap” on one of only four teeth in the man’s lower jaw. The body had
no upper teeth and had grayish-brown hair.
The body was first discovered shortly before noon on Aug. 19 by two
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation bridge inspectors who
were conducting a routine inspection of the bridge.
Anyone with information can contact state police at 287-2185.
Although boating fatalities are down consider-
ably over this same ‘period last year, Pémsyh
vania Fish Commission (PFC) boating safety
specialists say many of this year’s fatalities
could have been prevented if the proper personal
flotation devices (PFDs) were worn.
In analyzing the 1985 boating fatality list,
which logged 12 killed as opposed to 20 at this
same time last year, commission officials deter-
mined that those killed were either not wearing
a PFD or did not have one readily available
aboard their boat.
“Generally speaking,” said PFC boating spe-
cialist Joe Green, ‘85 to 90 percent of the people
killed probably could have survived if they were
wearing a PFD.”
“Our studies indicate that those killed did not
have them (PFDs) on or readily available as
required by law,” said Greene from his Harris-
burg office Friday.
Greene said Pennsylvania law does not require
a boater to be wearing a PFD, but that one must
be available onboard the boat. PFDs strapped to
boat seats are considered illegal because they
are not ‘readily available’ in the event of an
emergency.
“The law says you do not have to be wearing a
PFD,” Greene said, “but we found that smaller
boats, which are less stable, are the ones which
usually run into problems.”
In addition to the problem of people not using
PFDs, Greene said many of the fatalities occur
quring what is considered the “non-traditional
bo ing Seas »” A
“We see a oi of poating Sotto happening
out of the traditional boating season,’’ Greene
said. “Prior to May and after September when
the water temperature drops, that is when the
cold water takes its toll on accident victims,”
said Greene.
“If a person falls or is knocked from his boat,”
said Greene, “the cold water during the so-called
non-traditional boating season causes people to
pass-out quicker.”
“That is exactly why,” said Greene, “when
conditions warrent it, people should be wearing
their PFD. It could save their life.”
By JOHN F. KILDUFF
Staff writer
The Harveys Lake Environmental Advis-
_ory Council (EVAC) held its first official
.. public meeting last Thursday night and it
9 became apparent after the meeting that
public awareness of water quality problems
and sufficient funding for clean-up work
are the main barriers it confronts.
The meeting introduced the new EVAC
{ members and opened with a statement of
i purpose read by EVAC secretary Georgine
Petroskas. He said ‘‘the Harveys Lake
Environmental Advisory Council was
formed on July 24 by the borough council
for the purpose of advising the local
government (Harveys Lake) on the preser-
vation, protection and conservation of the
territories within Harveys Lake.”
EVAC had met on six previous occas-
sions in special work sessions to organize
the 11-man council. Out of those work
sessions spawned an Education Committee,
relations committee and an ecological
study group.
The education committee, chaired by
advisor Joseph Moran, Harveys Lake, has
already . mailed more than 2,300 fund-
raising pamphlets to Harveys Lake prop-
erty owners.
EVAC treasurer Rachael Dziak reported
that the EVAC has $673.13 in its coffers.
Recent cost estimates of needed year-
round water quality testing at Harveys
Lake suggest funding levels between $40,-
000 to $60,000 a year are required.
The EVAC has looked into federal fund-
ing from the Clean Lakes Program (CLP),
administered by the Environmental Protec-
tion Agency. The application process for
CLP money is broken into two phases.
Phase one of the CLP, which was started
in 1981, requires the lake community to
institute a study of the suspected water
quality problem and to place the problem
lake on the CLP’s priority list.
Phase two then utilizes the CLP funds to
implement whatever water quality solution
plans which have been determined to clean-
up the lake water.
Harveys Lake is on the CLP priority list,
Scott said, but 1985 funding for the CLP
phase one stage is no longer available.
There are current legislative plans, accord-
ing to Scott, to possibly shift excess funds
available in the phase two stage to phase
one.
Scott said when the EVAC does apply for
the CLP phase one funding they (EVAC)
will already have completed the water
testing requirements based on EVAC advi-
sor Dr. Charles Reif’s academic studies on
Harveys Lake over the past decade.
Once the EVAC has properly applied for
the CLP funding through phase one, fund-
ing will be determined on a 70-30 percent
level, with the EVAC contributing 30 per-
cent. CLP phase two funding is a 50 -50
percent distribution.
Currently the federal goverment has
allocated $5 million for lake clean-up work.
Four years ago over $15 million was
available for clean-up of problem water-
ways.
“The problem today is the federal gov-
ernment,” said Dziak. ‘‘The environment is
not at the top of the list in Washington at
this time.”
The EVAC was created on July 24 of this
year following the cyano-bacteria bloom,
better known as the ‘‘anabaena bloom.”
DER issued a swimming advisory on July 2
due to high levels of the anabaena bacteria
which if swallowed could cause nausea and
was also reported to cause skin rashes.
According to the Harveys Lake question
and answer packet, mailed out last week to
property owners, Harveys Lake is not
polluted. The lake is showing signs of aging
facilitated by high levels of nitrates and
phosphates and a lower water level.
The excess nutrients enter the lake from
natural and man-made sources. Natural
nutrients come from atmospheric rainfall,
rainwater and ground water run-off. Man-
made nutrients come from agricultural
run-off,
seepage.
Another factor, according to the pam-
phlet, is the sewer system installed around
the lake. It is estimated that hundreds of
thousands of gallons of water are pumped
through the sewer system and into the
Dallas Area Municipal Authority for treat-
ment each day. This water source is
actually taken from the water supply of the
lake. The older septic tank systems (which
are not advocated now because of more
people living around the lake) would allow
the thousands of gallons of water to be
filtered out through the ground and eventu-
ally would supply Harveys Lake with a
fresh supply of water. i
lawn fertilizers and septic tank
This bypassing of sewer water, woe
with less rain-fall results in a lower Har-
veys lake water level. This allows the suns
rays to warm-up the lake water and
provides an ideal spawning condition for
cyano-bacteria like the ‘“anabaena bloom”
last month.
The 1985 Luzerne County Fall
Fair featuring singer Jeannie C.
Riley of “Harper Valley PTA” fame
kicks off tonight at 5 p.m. at the fair
grounds located along Route 118,
Lehman.
General Chairman Ray Hillman
anticipates a record crowd this year
as the fair gears up for five days of
fun and excitement beginning
tonight and ending with a spectacu-
lar fireworks display on Sunday,
Sept. 8.
The Luzerne County Transporta-
tion Authority has scheduled five
special departure locations from
Wilkes-Barre’s Public Square to the
Luzerne County Fall Fair Grounds
for Sept. 6, 7 and 8.
The special shuttle buses will
leave the Sheraton Crossgates and
will make four other boarding stops
between W-B and the fair grounds.
The fare will be 70¢ one-way.
Senior Citizen Cards, Fare Deal
Singer Jeannie C. Riley will per-
form two special shows tonight
scheduled for 7 and 9 p.m. In
addition, there will be hundreds of
commercial exhibitors, food conces-
sion stands and many exciting
amusement rides provided by S&S
Amusement company.
During the five fair days, which
officials anticipate a crowd of over
40,000 attending, there will also be
arts and crafts shows as well as live
entertainment from local rock
Tickets, Twenty Saver Tickets, Half
Fare Cards and Transfers will not
be accepted.
The schedule is as follows:
Departures:
Public Square
1:30, 3:30, 5:30, 6:30 p.m.
Kingston Corners
1:35, 3:35, 5:35, 6:45 p.m.
Main and Bennett Luzerne
1:45, 3:45, 5:45, 6:45p.m.
Lo
bands.
The main feature at this year’s
fall fair is the new livestock and
horse show ring. During the five-
day event, Chairman Hillman said
over 100 heads of livestock will be
presented in special award winning
contests. A number of horse shows
are also scheduled.
Entertainment chairman Monty
Evans of Dallas has secured five
days of live entertainment for those
planning to attend. On Sept. 7 the
Carverton Road
1:50, 3:50, 5:50, 6:50 p.m.
Shavertown Shopping Center
2,4,6,7p.m.
Dallas Shopping Center
2:10, 4:10, 6:10, 7:10 p.m.
Fair Ground
2:30, 4:30, 6:30, 7:30 p.m.
Departures times from the Fair
Grounds are scheduled for 2:30,
4:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30 p.m.
5
group ‘“Davis Street” will perform
and the well-known local rock group
the “Great Rock Scare” will per-
form three shows on fair’s last day,
Sept. 8.
Inside the Post
Calendar .............. 11
Classified ... 13, 14, 15
Commentary ......... 6
Cookbook ............ . 10]
Crossword ............. 3
Dear Aunt Patty .... 6
People ....... viiainnens 4
School .......... oe?
Sports...