1
By JOHN HOINSK!
Staff Writer
Residents of the Back Mountain
morning at Cape Canaveral.
nauts on a space mission.
Mountain.
area joined an when I'heard it.
extremely careful.”
regard to each mission.
many lives at stake.
Still, there were other opinions.
(See TRAGEDY, page 2)
i
Killing
being
probed
By JOHN HOINSKI
Staff Writer
Authorities investigating last
week’s shooting death of a 19-year-
old Dallas Township youth say it
may be another two weeks before
they can proceed any further to
determine the manner of death.
Henry 'C. Tuck IV, Box 65 A,
Country Club Road, RD 5, died last
Friday as a result of a shotgun blast
to the back at close range. The gun
was aliegedly fired by his 15-year-
only other person in the house at the
time. Police are still trying to estab-
lish whether the incident was acci-
dental or not and have not yet
released any deta’: of tlic mishap.
“We know how he was killed, but
now. we’re trying to determine the
manner,” Dallas Township Police
Chief Carl Miers said. “We talked to
his (Tuck’s) father and brother
(Andrew), and we also want to talk
to another individual who appeared
at the scene later.” Miers did not
say who the third individuals.
Luzerne County Coroner Dr.
George E. Hudock Jr. had planned
to meet yesterday with investigat-
ing authorities, but the case has
been| forwared to ballistics. Now,
Hudock says it wili probably be
about \two weeks before anything
further will develop as to whether
the shooting was accidental or not.
The incident first came to light
Friday morning when authorities
said they received a phone call at
9:53 a.m. from Andrew Tuck who
informed them of the shooting.
When they arrived, police said
they found Tuck’s body lying on its
side in the hallway of the one-story
home.
Tuck's father, Henry Tuck Jr., of
59 East 42nd St., Dallas, said
Andrew told him he accidentally
shot his brother with a gun he
borrowed from a friend. ‘He said,
‘the gun just slipped,” the elder
Tuck stated.
According to investigators, Tuck
was killed with a Savage over-under
20-gauge shotgun. -
Luzerne County District Attorney
Bernard Podcasy stated no charges
would be filed against the youth at
this time and, as is the procedure of
the DA’s office with all shootings, it
will be listed as suspicious.
Tuck was pronounced dead at his
home late Friday morning by Chief
Deputy Coroner Joseph M. Shaver
who ruled that he had died of a
close-range shotgun blast to the left
back.
Tuck was born in Wilkes-Barre,
the son of Henry C. Tuck Jr. of
Dallas and the former Janet L.
®
He was a 1985 graduate of Dalas
High School where he was a writer
for the school newspaper. Tuck was
also a drummer for the local rock
band ‘Ragged Edge,” and was
employed by the Mercy Center at
College Misericordia.
Memorial services were held
Monday from the Shavertown
United Methodist Church.
gS
Non.
Plans made
for special
Gate of Heaven School, Dallas, is
currently making final preparations
for its celebration of Catholic
Schools Week. This year the theme
is “Rainbow of Excellence.” On
Monday, Senator Charles Lemmond
will officially open the week of
festivities. His address to students,
faculty, and staff will be accompan-
ied by a release of balloons. Parents
are invited to visit the school on
Tuesday. That evening, the sixth,
seventh, and eighth grade will
exhibit projects at the Science Fair.
The following day has been declared
“Teacher Appreciation Day.” To
show appreciation of faculty mem-
bers, students from grades 1 to 8
will perform in a talent show.
Thursday is ‘“‘Student Appreciation
Day’’ with students dressing in
vibrant colors of the rainbow. A
delicious lunch will be served, and a
movie will be shown to entertain the
children. Sports Night will also be
held in the gym to commemorate
the special day. Catholic Schools
Week Mass will be offered on
Friday at 9 a.m. Shortly thereafter,
sixth,
students will participate in a
Summit meeting. Highlight of the
afternoon will be a Reading Assem-
bly. Sr. Davida, principal, will also
announce the winner of the girls’
free throw contest that was con-
ducted throughout the week. Culmi-
nating the week of activities is a
dance from 7 to 10 p.m. in the
school gym featuring disc jockey
Ron Reino.
The Gate of Heaven PTG is spon-
soring a ‘‘Mardi Gras” dance, Sat-
urday, Feb. 8 (9 pm. to 1 a.m.)
with music and fun by Terry
A group of Pro-Life activists from
the Back Mountain area joined
forces with thousands of other anti-
abortion demonstrators in Washing-
ton last week in an attempt to
overturn a landmark decision to
legalize abortion.
The law, which was passed by the
Supreme Court in 1973, has since
been so vigorously opposed by Pro-
Life advocates that marchers from
annually on January 22 at the
nation’s capitol in an effort to have
the bill rescinded.
Last Wednesday, 36 members
from the Back Mountain joined in
that effort as they left from the
Gate of Heaven elementary school
and College Misericordia early that
morning. The group departed at 6
a.m. and arrived in Washington at
noon on the elipse of the White
(See LIFERS, page 2)
Campaign started
Dallas Post/Ed Campbell
25 Cents
By JOHN HOINSKI
Staff Writer
Chuck Davis is a proudly pro-
fessed born-again Christian who has
found new life in Jesus Christ. And
last week he nearly got a chance to
meet Him.
Davis, a Dallas resident, was the
on-duty salesman who was recently
held up by an armed gunman at the
Dallas Auto Sales building on the
Luzerne/Dallas Memorial Highway.
Indeed, the experience was such a
harrowing ordeal that it left him
made his maker proud.
“The Lord is the rock of my
salvation,” Davis said. ‘‘And last
night, He was with me. That’s when
you find out if you're saved or you
ain’t saved. It just wasn’t my time.
But when he pulled that gun on me I
thought, ‘Wow! Lord, Jesus, I'm
coming home. !’”’
The incident = occurred last
Wednesday night between 6:15 and
6:45 when Davis was siting in the
office.
“I was inside watching TV when
this guy walked in and said he
wanted to’see the Chevette that was
on the lot,” Davis explained. “So we
throughout February.
Commonwealth Telephone Com-
pany union employees voted
recently to accept a new three year
labor agreement. The union employ-
ees, represented by the Communica-
tions Workers of America, have
been working under an extension of
the old agreement since its expira-
tion on November 30, 1985.
“We are very pleased with the
contract ratification,” said Jack H.
Thomas, executive vice president of
Commonwealth Telephone Enter-
prises Telephone Group. ‘This new
agreement will provide Common-
wealth with the flexibility to meet
the demands of a changing commu-
nications environment. The eco-
nomic settlement is well within the
negotiation patterns occuring in our
industry today.”
The contract, which was ratified
by a 215 or 68 vote, overcomes
many of the stumbling blocks pre-
venting acceptance of a contract
offer presented December 6. The
terms of the new agreement
include:
— A 4 percent increase each year
of the three year contract retroac-
tive to December 1, 1985;
— Cross training for cross-utiliza-
tion of certain craft positions; /
— Several upgraded job positions;
plan which allows for retirement at
age 55 with 15 years of service;
— An increase in the evening and
night shift differential payment
from $.35 per hour to $.70 per hour;
— An increase in the major medi-
cal lifetime coverage maximum for
$500,000 - $600,000;
— Orthodontia coverage has been
added to the group dental plan;
— Elimination of the $5 deductible
for in-patient hospital care, as well
as other improvements to the health
insurance plans;
— Employee cost sharing of
health care expenses by contribut-
ing 3, 4 and 5 percent in each of the
next three years, respectively,
toward the insurance premium each
year of the contract;
3
— A modification to the contract-
ing provision which allows Com-
monwealth to contract work for
short term pole and cable mainte-
nance projects within its franchised
area;
— The ability of the company to
make promotions, demotions and
transfers by seniority and relative
qualifications and or skills.
The company and the union
utilization of craft employees from
Commonwealth Communications
within the telephone company’s
franchised territories. Common-
wealth Communications provides
business communications systems
and services throughout the mid-
Atlantic region.
Due to significantly increasing
medical insurance costs, the com-
pany and the union agreed to form a
health care cost containment com-
mittee comprised of management
and labor representatives. This
committee will explore ways to
combat this cost which is currently
rising at twice the rate of inflation.
walked down to the car. I got in and
started it up and the next thing I
knew he was holding a gun over me.
It looked like a .38 or a .357, but I'm
not sure.
“Then he said, ‘Give me all your -
-- money.’ I said, ‘I don’t have any
money,” and he said, ‘All you guys
have money. Give me it.”
The robber then looked through
Davis’ wallet and eventually made
off with $550 the auto salesman did
have in his money clip from a sale
he had: made earlier. The usual
procedure is to deposit the money,
but since the bank was closed,
Davis planned to take it there the
next morning.
“After he took the money he said,
‘I ought to blow your --- head off,””’
Davis continued. ‘But then he just
took off. I knew this wasn’t any
time to play hero. Then I called the
owner (of the automobile dealer-
ship) and the Dallas police.
Police ‘said the -suspeet is any-
where. frum 387 to 6°02 &#f tall. he
has sandy hair and was wearing
blue jeans, a gray sweater and a ski
cap. He reportedly fled on foot
through a cemetery and wooded
area.
Another
AIDS case
at SCID
For the second time in the past
three months a prisoner at the State
Correctional Institute at Dallas has
been tested positive for Acquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
The inmate, who has not en
identified, is currently being treated
at the Wilkes-Barre General Hospi-
tal where he has been upgraded
from serious to fair condition. He
has been a patient there since Jan.
17.
It marks the second time in the
last three months that a confirmed
case of AIDS has been diagnosed at
the Chase facility. The first
reported illness occurred in Novem-
ber. That inmate later died in
December.
The disease, for which there is no
known cure, attacks the body’s
immune system, leaving it vulnera-
ble to a number of infections. It is
usually associated with people who
engage in homosexual activities or
who are intravenous drug users.
According to Thomas Figmick,
administrative assistant to the
superintendent at the prison, the
inmate had been incarcerated at
Dallas since October, 1985. It is
believed he caught the disease
before he came to Chase.
Prior to his transfer to the hospi-
tal, he had been isolated in the
prison’s infirmary for about a week.
A while back it was believed that
the institution would house patients
from all over the state with AIDS or
ARC (Aids related Complex). But
Chase officials said inmates with
the disease will continue to be
treated at prison’s throughout the
state rather than at one institution.
— JOHN HOINSKI
Inside The Post
Calendar .............. 16
Classified ..... ... 13,14
Commentary
Cookbook ............... 7
Obituaries ............. 2
People .................. 8
School .............. 11,12
Sports ................ 9,10