J
HE
BRIGHTON BINDERY CO
HOX 334
BRIGHTON, 1A
Vol. 96, No. 39
25 Cents
It's official!
By JOHN F. KILDUFF
Staff Writer
A spokesman for the Pennsylvania Department of
Corrections, Tuesday morning, confirmed that one of
the two suspected AIDS inmates at the State Correc-
tional Institute at Dallas (SCID) has a lesser form of
AIDS known as Aids Related Complex (ARC) and the
other inmate is AIDS free.
Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Press Sec-
retary Ken Robinson said the AIDS-free inmate,
however, will remain in isolation until medical author-
ities can determine if he poses a threat to other
inmates after being in isolation with the ARC prisoner.
ARC, according to Robinson, is ‘‘one step” below the
severity of the AIDS virus which has killed over 7,000
people since 1981.
Robinson also stated that last Friday SCID medical
officials found a third inmate who tested ‘positive’
during the initial HTLV3 AIDS virus exam. The third
inmate is’ now in isolation in the SCID medical
infirmary.
Robinson expressed caution, however, stating an
inmate with ARC only stands a five to 10 percent
chance of actually having AIDS, according to the
Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, GA.
The initial screening test known as the “H.T.L.V.3
Screening Test”is used to determine the antibody level
within a patient’s immune system. H.T.L.V.3 is
believed to be the AIDS virus.
Since the issue of AIDS, inmates being housed at
SCID became known two weeks ago, rumors of mass-
testing for AIDS have been floating about.
According to Robinson, there are no current plans to
conduct a mass-testing program for AIDS within
Pennsylvania’s 10 correctional facilities. In fact, said
Robinson, the mass-testing procedure is something the
medical community does not want. :
“Most medical authorities feel that mass-testing is
not a good idea,” said Robinson. ‘The problem is that
even though you can give all inmates a screening test,
the results can be very misleading.”
Robinson said only one to three percent of all people
given an initial AIDS screening test actually are found
to be stricken with the malady after further testing.
“In fact,” said Robinson, “97 percent of all sus-
pected AIDS victims/are later found not to have AIDS
even though they test positive in the initial screening.
“We (Department of Corrections) are trying to keep
from stigmatizing inmates with this AIDS thing,”
Robinson added. ‘If prisoners suspected of having
AIDS are later found not to have the disease, then it
becomes hard to mainstream them back into the
prison population (due to the stigma of AIDS).”
The two inmates suspected of having AIDS are
currently in isolation at SCID. Robinson said the
isolation is actually for the good of the patient, not
necessarily for the other inmates.
“Those two inmates are kept in isolation because if
they actually have the AIDS disease then their
immune systems will be susceptible to most ailments
common to a prison,” said Robinson. ‘They are not in
isolation because they have AIDS. Again they have not
yet been confirmed.”
Currently, Pennsylvania’s 10 Correctional Institutes,
housing over 14,000 inmates, have three confirmed
AIDS victims. All three AIDS inmates are being
housed at the Camp Hill prison.
According to Robinson, the first step in testing a
suspected AIDS inmate is the H.T.L.V.3 Screening
Test, which was administered to the two SCID inmates
three weeks ago.
The H.T.L.V.3 test determines if there there are any
antibodies present in the blood stream. A high number
of antibodies in the blood stream indicates that the
body is fighting off some type of virus or bacteria,
That virus or bacteria could be, but not necessarily,
the H.T.L.V.3 virus.
The second step in determining if an inmate has
AIDS is a series of complicated test administered by
an immunologist. This testing usually confirms
whether or not an inmate actually has AIDS.
Robinson also said that there has been a great deal
of misinformation about the cause of death of an
inmate suspected of having AIDS last month at Camp
Hill. 5
“That inmated did not die of AIDS,” Robinson said.
“He died from a series of ailments such as stroke,
heat attack and hypertension.”
Robinson said the inmate was suspected of having
AIDS after the screening test but that no followup test
was taken to confirm the AIDS diagnosis.
“We do not even know if he had AIDS,” said
Robinson. “This whole issue (death of an AIDS victim
in a Pennsylvania prison) has been blown out of
proportion and I am glad to get a chance to straighten
it out.”
Robinson said the news media should be very
careful when disseminating information about AIDS.
“Many of the headlines in your area,” said Robin-
son, “scared the hell out of people. That is exactly
what we are not trying to do. We need a concerted
effort between the media and accurate information on
our part to properly inform the citizens what is going
on.”
Test results on the two SCID inmates should be out
by next week.
Staft Wiiter
A Pennsylvania Department of
Health physician said Friday after-
noon there is “no single set of
symptoms” related to the Killer,
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syn-
drome (AIDS).
Dr. Ernie Witte of the Depart-
ment’s Division of Epidemeology
said people looking for a recogniza-
ble set of symptoms will be frus-
trated to know that each patient has
the potential to show different
symptoms.
“Currently, the medical commu-
nity has come up with no single set
of symptoms for AIDS,” said Witte,
a Department of Health physician
for the past 33 years.
“An AIDS victim’s symptoms will
be determined by the type of infec-
tion the body picks up,” Witte
explained. “What we are talking
about,” ‘said Witte, ‘is a virus
which knocks out your body’s defen-
ses.”
Witte said, for example, that one
AIDS patient might show a series of
unknown skin rashes while another
AIDS patient might have swollen
glands. The AIDS symptoms tend to
vary greatly depending on the
patient’s age and condition of
health, Witte said.
Witte did say there are a few
“common’’ symptoms associated
with known AIDS victims. Those
being rapid weight loss, rapid
aging, severe depression and night
sweats. :
Since 1981 there have been over
14,000 ‘confirmed AIDS victims
across the United States and half
that amount (7,000) have died from
the ailment.
The virus, which the medical
community believes causes AIDS, is
called the H.T.L.V.3 virus. Cur-
rently, testing for the AIDS virus
involves an H.T.L.V.3 Screening
test.
The H.T.L.V.3 Screening Test,
according to Witte, is designed to
measure the ‘‘antibody’’ level
within a person’s immune system.
By CHARLOT M. DENMON
Staff Correspondent
“A Master Piece in Progress,”
was the first song Jeff Steinberg
sang for the congregation and
friends at New Community Life
Church in Orange, Sunday, Oct. 6.
I'm a masterpiece in progress,
Steinberg said to the audience, fol-
lowing his first selection. He
described every human as a mas-
terpiece of God, everyone different
but everyone a masterpiece of the
Lord. z
There is no such word as ‘handi-
cap’ in young Steinberg’s vocabu-
lary. God changes lives, faith is
beautiful, he said, and standing
before the group, Sunday morning,
Steinberg’s message surmounted his
handicaps.
The young man, 4 feet, six inches
tall, born with no arms and
deformed legs, exuded personality.
His musical talent, his tremendous
sense of humor, his charm over-
comes all.
“Jeff Steinberg in Concert’ was
brought to the Back Mountain area
last Sunday through the cooperation
of the ‘Glory Barn’, or New Life
Community Church. Steinberg, who
has toured through Colorado, South
Dakota, Michigan, Indiana, New
York, New Jersey, Connecticut;
sang on national telethons with Pat
Boone and Donna Mills, sings in as
many as three concerts a day
before persons of all ages, is an
inspiration to witness.
Wherever he appears, he leaves a
strong impact on his audience
through his concerts. His philosophy
is that it is time to fell youth and
adults that they are not worthless,
but that they have the makings of
greatness. He touches all people
with his vocal selections and his
presentations.
Born in Philadelphia, Aug. 18,
1951, with no arms, two deformed
legs and other complications, there
was little hope of his living. Jeff's
grandmother was the first of the
family to see him. She called his
father to come from work to the
hospital. His father’s first thoughts
were of Jeff's mother. He decided
no one was to tell her of her son’s
condition.
Jeff’s mother did not know about
it until Jeff was five months old.
She didn’t see him until he was 22
months of age and that was in a
Children’s Welfare Center. His
father came to visit every week,
and finally, Jeff’s mother came, too.
Later, Jeff was admitted to the
Shriner’s Hospital for which he has
the utmost praise. The first thing
they did was correct his legs as
much as possible. They straightened
his right leg by breaking it and
doing surgery. He went through a
long period of rehabilitation, but he
knew he would never be any taller
than 4 ft. 6 inches in height. He still
has no arms, but through miracles
of modern medical science has the
use a hook where he should nor-
mally have a right arm and hand.
Jeff was at Shriners Hospital for a
long period of time. He learned to
write with his feet and to feed
himself with his feet. The doctors
and nurses were like his family. His
parents came to visit him on
Sunday aternoons, but they visited
from the lawn while he was inside
on the porch. The year before he
¥
i
f
Antibodies help fight off bacteria
and any other viruses attacking the
body. :
“The H.'('.L.V.3 testis not a diag-
nostic test,” Witte explained. “It is
presence of antibodies. If a person
takes a H.T.L.V.3 Screening Test
and comes up positive (meaning
high level of antibodies in his
system), it does not mean that he or
she has AIDS. All it means is that
the body is creating antibodies to
fight off some type of virus or
infection. It does not necessarily
have to be the AIDS virus.”
known methods of contracting AIDS
are anal sexual contact, oral con-
tact with an infected patient (fella-
tio), contaminated needles often
used by drug users and blood trans-
fusions.
Of the above mention methods of
contraction, blood transfusions, said
Witte, have seen the most dramatic
decrease in passing the AIDS virus
onto other patients. >
JEFF STEINBERG
left the hospital that visiting rule
was changed but a “two hour visit a
week from your parents is not
much,” he said. When he left the
hospital, Jeff went home with his
parents and sisters, but he was
there for only nine months.
“My mother could see only trag-
edy in my future, she didn’t know
how to cope,” said Jeff. When he
was nine years old, he was admitted
to the Good Shepherd Home for the
(See JEFF, page 12)
Wl
Dallas Post/Ed Campbell
By JOHN F. KILDUFF
Staff Writer
Most Americans spend a large
portion of their lives attending some
type of school in preparation to
enter society and become a produc-
tive citizen.
You begin with pre-school. Then,
you have grade school followed by
high school and even college for
those who are fortunate enough to
be able to afford it.
The idea behind America’s educa-
tional system is to get an education,
get a job and contribute to society
as a hard-working taxpayer.
A federally funded program offer-
ing low-interest home rehabilitation
loans to certain Dallas Township
residents has not been utilized by
township residents, it was learned
during last week’s Dallas Township
Board of Supervisors meeting.
The program, called the Home
Rehabilitation Loan Assistance Pro-
gram, offered through the Office of
Community Development of Luz-
erne County, has set aside funds for
low interest loans for people living
in “target areas.”
Dallas Township areas are the
Roushey Plot, a portion of Fern-
brook, and certain parcels of land
within the Kunkle area.
Dallas Township Supervisor
Frank Wagner said the main reason
area residents are not utilizing the
program is due to the many regula-
tions and restriction related to the
program.
Said Wagner of the loan program,
“Many of these people just make
too much money according to the
federal government, so they cannot
use the program. We need some of
the financial restrictions eased if we
(Dallas Township) are going to take
advantage of the program.”
The Home Rehabilitation Loan
Assistance Program offers a variety
of loans for both home repairs and
property improvements.
For instance, a homeowner with a
family of four can qualify for a
three percent loan if he earns no
more than $11,250 per year. Home-
owners can also qualify for five,
seven and nine percent loans if their
family incomes are no more than
$18,000, $22,500 and $27,000 respec-
tively.
With these guidelines, up to $10,-
000 may be loaned to qualified
homeowners.
The loan money, according to a
spokesperson for the Luzerne
County Office of Community Devel-
(See TOWNSHIP, page 12)
There is a Back Mountain ‘‘resi-
dent” who is well on his way to
becoming a contributing member of
society. He recently earned his
Associates of Applied Science
degree from Luzerne County Com-
munity College. He became a self-
computer whiz.
He even recently wrote a com-
puter program called “The Pre-
GED Testing Program’ designed to
instruct students in all facets of the
high school equivelency testing pro-
gram. 7
This student also has received
scores of job offers from major
corporations with a starting salary
of $24,000. Sounds like a success
story waiting to happen doesn’t it?
Inside The Post
alendar ...... 18,20,23
assified ..... 21,22,23 |
Commentary sessaesas 6
rossword. ............. 2
pituaries ............. 4
People ............. 10,11}
Police Blotter ........ 4
0
s .....13,14,15,16