LJ
Dallas Post/Ed Campbell
By JOHN HOINSKI
Statf Writer
No battle in the history of the United States was
responsible for the slaughter of more human beings
than the Civil War. It tore apart a country and
families alike and had left a bitter feeling that still
exists in part today. And, 121 years later, it still
remains the most intriguing part of our heritage.
Saturday night a group of those so intrigued with
the Civil War met at Pickett’s Charge Restaurant,
Dallas. But this was no ordinary group. Clad in
self-made Confederate uniforms, the Second Vir-
ginia Company out of Clarks Summit met for their
annual dinner and awards presentation.
For the past five years the club, which is
comprised of approximately 25 members from the
Scranton area, has been getting together along with
their wives to honor not only their own comrades
but those who fought in the actual battle.
“This group has a real love of history,” Captain
John Larioni of Clarks Summit said. “We chose
Pickett’s Charge because it is the name of a
famous battle that took place in the war. So we
thought it would be appropriate to hold the dinner
here. Tonight, we’ll present awards such as Soldier
of the Year within the group and we’re also
celebrating the birthdays of Robert E. Lee and
‘Stonewall’ Jackson.” Xiudidsy i
But their devotion does not end there. Once a
month, all the members participate in a re-
enactment of the four-year battle in Hedgesville,
Va., where the club originates from, or wherever
they are scheduled. In fact they not only take part
but they also play the role of an individual who
fought in the actual battle.
roll call of the people of the town that actually
participated in the war,” Howard Lee of Moosic
said.
“Then in the re-enactment, each man represents
a person who fought in the war. For example, I
represented Wiliam Turner. He fought in the
Second Virginia Infantry and was in the Stonewall
Brigade undr Commander Jackson. But we also try
and find out everything about him, his occupation,
family, what his hobbies were and so on.
“It involves a lot of work and it is time-
consuming,” Lee continued. “In addition to the re-
enactments and research and travel, the club also
has work sessions where we work on uniforms and
other things. It’s funny to watch guys walk in with
their wives’ sewing machines, but we make our
own uniforms. We cut patterns and sew the
material and each member is responsible for the
upkeep of his uniform.”
But Lee says none of this would be possible
without the cooperation of the wives.
“The club could not function without the under-
standing from the wives,” Lee, an ex-Marine
continued. ‘But they realize we do this because of
our real love of history. They know we’re not out
guzzling beer all night.”
In addition to running their own newsletter and
various other drives, the group also has unusual
hiking expeditions in which they don’t use any
modern utensils. Instead, they ony use instruments
that were available during the Civil War era.
“It’s interesting to see how people use to live,”
Lee explained. ‘You can’t really appreciate it until
you actually do it. But we manage and it’s a lot of
fun.”
The overall experience has produced a family
type atmosphere among the members and their
wives and Lee says the bond is getting stronger all
the time.
“I’ve been here for five years and there has
never been an incident yet,” he said. “Everyone
gets along well with each other and there hasn’t
ever been anything close to a fight.”
Proof that history doesn’t always repeat itself.
No injuries were reported in a
one-car accident early Sunday
morning in Kingston Township.
Henry Eugene Banta, 26, of RD 1,
Box 267, Pittston, was reportedly
traveling west on Harris Hill Road
when his tire caught the edge of the
road, pulling him into the berm
vehicle had to be towed to Wesley’s
station. Banta received minor inju-
Guam will
The Territory of Guam has
received a $2.5 million grant from
the Veterans Administration to aid
in the establishment of a veterans
cemetery at Piti, Guam.
VA Administrator Harry N. Wal-
ters said the funds will provide for
site development costs and for the
construction of an administration
and maintenance building, chapel,
and other support facilities. The
planned 18-acre cemetery will pro-
vide space for 6,000 to 7,000 burials
over the next 20 years.
Guam is the first U.S. territory to
receive funds under the Veterans
Administration’s Cemetery Grants
program.
Beauty Talks
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Three vehicles were damaged
early Sunday morning when the
operator of a vehicle fell asleep at
the wheel and plowed into parked
cars.
According to police, Stanley Earl
Spencer, Box RD 7, Box 390, Shav-
ertown, was operating his 1976 Pon-
tiac Catalina on E. Franklin St.,
Shavertown, when he dozed off at
the wheel and struck two parked
cars owned by Fred Mihal.
Struck were a 1972 Chevy and a
1975 AMC. Spencer received minor
injuries but said he would see his
own physician.
Shaking off the speculation that
he was named to his new post
mainly because of his father’s influ-
ence as judge upon the other mem-
bers of the Luzerne County court en
bne, newly-appointed district attor-
ney Bernard A. Podcasy says he is
ready to accept the challenge as the
county’s top prosecutor and that he
is “ready to go.”
Podcasy was elected among a
swirl of controversy on January 7 to
fill the unexpired term of former
District Attorney Robert J. Gillespie
Jr. who resigned earlier to accept a
position with a local office of the
Philadelphia-based law firm of
Curran, Mylotte, David and Fitzpa-
trick.
In a scramble to fill the $64,000 a
year position, Podcasy, along with
First Assistant Joseph Giovannini
and assistants Lawrence Klemow
and Joseph Albert announced their
candidacy for the spot. Because of
Giovannini’s title and the fact that
both Klemow and Albert were
senior trial lawyers, it was felt that
Podcasy would be the longshot at
securing the post.
But on the third ballot, Podcasy
emerged the winner, receiving five
votes from the county’s seven
judges. Although his father, Judge
Bernard Podcasy, abstained in the
third ballot, reports circulated that
the judge knew beforehand of the
other judges’ selections and that his
son would receive the necessary
number of votes for the appoint-
ment.
Reportedly, Podcasy received
three votes (four being a majority)
on the first ballot from Judges
Arthur Dalessandro, Bernard Brom-
inski and Podcasy. But on the
second ballot, Judges Robert Houri-
gan and Gifford Cappellini, who
voted for Albert and Klemow
respectively the first time around,
changed their vote in favor of Pod-
casy. In an effort to get a unani-
mous decision, a third ballot was
taken. But Judge Chester Muroski
still voted his original selection of
Giovannini while = Podcasy
abstained.
Although the new DA did acknowl-
edge that his father was a factor, he
did not see it as the sole reason for
his victory.
“I’m not naive enough to say that
it wasn’t helpful,” Podcasy stated.
“Naturally, my father supported
my candidacy and told his reasons
to the other members on the panel.
But the other six judges hd to make
up their minds independently and
choice.”
As far as the fact that he was not
a senior trial lawyer is concerned,
the 37-year-old Podcasy, who has
been with the DA’s office for seven
years, said that is an-appointment
made by the previous district attor-
ney and that he didn’t feel he was
any less qualified even though he
did not have that title.
“That is a designation given by
the district attorney,’”” Podcasy
noted. “There are factors, such as
experience with the system, how
long they’ve been with the office
and so on. But I have handled major
cases, too — not the types that
Klemow and Albert have, but I’ve
had some important cases.”
Although the three who lost out
publicly wished their colleague well,
the bitterness of their defeats had
left them all contemplating about
leaving the office altogether.
Giovannini has already announced
that he will leave. As for Klemow,
the 41-year old attorney from Hazle-
ton who has been with the office for
10 years, still has not made a
decision.
‘He still hasn’t decided yet what
he will do,” Podcasy said. “But I
certainly hope he stays on. He's a
top guy and the reputation, the
experience and the knowledge he
brings to this office make him a
very valuable asset.”
The loss was also a crushing blow
to Albert. A'34-year old assistant
from Laflin who has been with the
DA’s office for eight years, he, too,
pondered leaving the office. But,
Podcasy persuaded him to stay on
as his first assistant.
Still, with the resignation of Giov-
Lehman
accepts
By CHARLOT M. DENMON
Staff Correspondent
Members of the Lake-Lehman
School Board at the regular meet-
ing, Tuesday, Jan. 14 approved a
motion to accept a $20,000 asbestos
grant-loan award from the Environ-
mental Protection Agency for the
removal of asbestos from the senior
high school.
The award is made possible under
the Commonwealth’s asbestos Haz-
ards Abatement Assistance pro-
gram. The total includes a grant of
$7,401 and the balance an interest-
free loan to be repaid in annual
installments of $5,000 annually,
according to Business Manager
Raymond Bowersox.
The Lake-Lehman School District
has spent more than $35,000 testing
and correcting the asbestos problem
during the past five years, following
an evaluation of the asbestos prob-
lem in 1979. According to Bowersox,
the asbestos insulation remaining in
the high school should be removed
and replaced by the end of the
summer of this year.
It was reported that final arrange-
ments have been completed for the
installation of the Commonwealth
Telephone Company’s switching
unit on the district’s property to the
satisfaction of all parties concerned
and that the papers have been
signed and returned to Common-
wealth Telphone Company.
The request of the school’s ski
club for a trip to Quebec, Feb. 9
through Feb. 13, was approved by
the board. Board members also
approved coaches for the 1986-1987
fall program as follows: Rich Gor-
gone, football, salary $2,950; Ed
Narkiewicz, cross country, $835;
Jean Lipski, field hockey, $1,410;
annini and the loss of Gillespie and
full-time asssistant district attorney
Bruce Anders, whom Gillespie took
with him, there are a number of
vacancies to be filled.
“Right now, I haven’t had an
opportunity to meet with anyone
who is interested in the vacancies.
I'm just settling in myself and
getting organized,”’ Podcasy
explained. “First, I want to meet
with Bob (Gillespie) to see what the
situation is with the office as far as
the different projects that we’re
working on.”
Podcasy’s term will expire in
January of 1988. .
— JOHN HOINSKI
Board
grant
Robert Rogeders, girls volleyball,
$895; Mike Sharok, golf, $970; and
Ray Dennis, soccer, at a salary to
be decided.
Director Martin Noon, community
relations chairman, presented
Edward F. Mark with a 10-year
Pennsylvania School Board Associa-
tion certificate for Mark’s tenure as
a school board member.
Director Bing O. Wolfe reported
that a summary of the pre-scholas-
tic aptitude testing done in October,
1985, indicates that students of the
district recorded the best perform-
ances since the 1981-82 school year,
and that the performance by ninth
grade students on their SRA tests
given in October, 1985, was above
the national average.
Dr. David Preston, district super-
intendent, reported the fifth install-
ment of the pre-school and four-
year-old program will take place
Jan. 22 through Jan. 24, at Lehman-
Jackson, Lake-Noxen and Ross,
respectively, beginning at 9 a.m.
The program will feature math
readiness and a computer program
and all district parents, grandpar-
ents and friends are welcome to
attend. Additional information is
available by contacting the elemen-
tary schools of the district.
A motion was approved to support
the efforts of the Lehman Township
supervisors in attempting ‘to
decrease the speed limit on Route
118, in the area of Lehman Center,
from 55 miles per hour to 40 miles
per hour.
Donna G. Barton, RD 3, Tunkhan-
nock, librarian, was approved for
the substitute list, pending receipt
of appropriate documentation rela-
tive to the State Police Criminal
Records Check and Certification.
Rt. 309, Dallas
675-6945
Mon. - Sat.
10 - 5
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