6 THE DALLAS POST/Wednesday, Mar 988 Tie SDALLASCPoST A Publication of Pennaprint, Inc. DEBBY HIGGINS Editor DAVID F. CONNER General Manager 3 the sale of bonds, A ATA Sls | M0 ti TR NC: 5 ia iL En “ EE LB Cr 2 A Er 7 EI EAT FE ; : 5 i ORE = : . . SER % RL : i " § ga Br Sg a, = a . De — \ cs AT " Harveys Lake Off the top BY DEBBY HIGGINS Post Editor “Hello, spring!” What a perfect time of the year for putting those bone-chilling, winter days behind us so we can make way ~ for the bouncy newness of warmer weather. In today’s Dallas Post, we salute spring with some special pages devoted to spring ideas that are sure to make for enjoyable reading. Our staff has put together some nifty, little articles about travel, fashion, gardening, and sports to bring a breath of fresh air to our readers. We hope you enjoy our celebration to welcome spring. Now on to a synopsis of some newsworthy items. Hey, Back Mountain! Some turn-out for our little Amber Nicely. ; ~ What a show of community support. A well-deserved pat on the back for the organizers from InterMetro, Inc. You folks know how to get a job done. Maybe one of our Democratic presidential candidates would be interested in your expertise in putting on a terrific performance??? This writer thinks Amber and her family is much more deserving, though. The power of the people is truly amazing. Just look what can happen when communities band together for some good cause. Let’s take that same spirit and determination and use it to support other issues and causes. “United we stand’ worked for this country’s builders and it still rings true. 1988 has no room for people who are unwilling to fight for what they feel is right. Strength in numbers, united in cause can move mountains. A fellow employe has had some problems obtaining car insurance. Through no fault of her own, her premiums have jumped to a whopping $3,000 a year! What in the world is going on, here? Are insurance companies out to bankrupt average Americans who only want to drive cars so they can go to work to" earn a living? If this employe doesn’t get coverage, she’ll be forced to quit her job because she won’t be able to drive. What a “catch 22”. It sure stinks, to boot. PennVest question on ballot in April Primary | BY REP. CARMEL SIRIANNI Special to The Post In addition to scores of candidates, all voters in the April 26 Primary Election will be asked to vote on the following question: Do you favor the incurring of indebtedness by the Common- wealth of $300 million for use as loans to acquire, repair, construct, reconstruct, rehabilitate, extend, expand and improve water supply and sewage treatment systems? This referendum represents a funding source for the recently enacted PENNVEST program. All registered voters may partici- pate in this referendum while only registered Republicans or Democrats may vote on candidates on the primary ballot. _ The Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority--PENN- VEST-- is seen by supporters as a giant step toward addressing the problem of deteriorated and insufficient infrastructure in the state. This act will provide financial assistance, in part through to municipalities for drinking water and wastewater projects. Improved water and sewer systems are vital to the quality of life and economic development in the commonwealth. In addition to the bond sale, other provisions of the act include: --establishment of the authority and its 13-member board of directors; _setting of criteria for obtaining funding assistance and factors to be used by the board in assigning project priorities. --a requirement for the Department of Environmental Resources to develop a statewide Comprehensive Water Facilities Plan; --transfer of the Water Facilities Loan Board, its functions and unencumbered funds to the authority; --establishment of a program to assist projects serving smaller systems; --issuance of both grants and loans by the authority, and the setting of interest rates on such loans; There is some fine tuning to be done insofar as PENNVEST is concerned but the measure can provide substantial benefits to Pennsylvanians if the program is administered properly. Local government officials who have questions concerning eligible criteria or application procedures should direct their questions to Mark Leevan, Department of Environmental Resources, 9th Floor, Fulton Building, P.O. Box 2063, Harrisburg, PA 17120. The telephone number is (717) 787-8137. Northeast PA is very special part of state BY HOWARD J. GROSSMAN Special to The Post In one part of America, there is the conventional split which is characterized by rural, sub- urban and urban. On the other side of America is a vast expanse of land which cannot necessarily be placed among the familiar characterizations which are defined by the pre- vious words. Neither urban in character nor rural in nature and not having reached the stage of suburbanization, these land areas are speckled config- urations in Pennsylvania and other parts of the nation. They demand our attention, because they represent areas being transformed from rural settings to a more developed character, yet not fitting the above termi- nology. For example, within North- eastern Pennsylvania, the Pocono Mountains, or at least a significant portion of what con- stitutes this wonderful resource, fits the above description. It is another side of America, a side which is a painted portrait of village and town life undergoing tremen- dous development strains within a mixed land use corner- stone without the streets and sidewalks of urban life and suburbia, yet losing the once rural tones of agricultural and Frauds come in all sorts of packages BY ANDY ROONEY Special to The Post Anyone who claims he can predict the future, tell you what someone else thinks or ‘name a card in a shuffled deck is either 1) lying, 2) fooling, you or 3) working with a stacked deck. Anyone who tells you he has spoken with God or can com- municate with someone who has died is 1) crazy, 2) a dreamer or 3) a con artist. I don’t want to beat around the bush with this. ,The stars having nothing to do with our lives, astrology is a fraud and no one acquires information except through the normal senses we all possess. Do I make my position clear? Why am I bringing this up? In a recent New York Times there was a full-page ad for a book called “We Don’t Die.” It infuriated me. It’s about a so- called ‘psychic’ named George Anderson who, according to the ad, has proved we don’t die. “Scientists have documented George’s Power without being able to explain it,’ the ad reads. ‘But, for the people who receive the messages George transmits from the other side, farm like settings. It is here where new population is set- tling, where new residents are forming a base tone which falls outside the spectrum of tradi- tional sociological analysis, yet represents an exciting and fas- cinating part of the American scene. It contains the seeds of new lifestyles, new forms of land .development such as second home developments and time share units and a new political relationship which could have untold impacts on this and future geneations. The changing nature of the other side of America has not been examined in any depth in the United States. In Pennsyl- vania, little attention has been placed upon the changes which are occurring and how manage- ment strategies may be needed to cope with new development in one part of the state and lack of development in another part. Major attention is being placed upon the economic sig- nificance and differentials in various geographic regions of the Commonwealth, however, development management strategies from a land use viewpoint have not been given high priority in Pennsylvania nor have they been given high priority from a national per- spective. From the viewpoint of a new classification of develop- ment change outside of the i Rooney no explanation is necessary.” The publisher undoubtedly will sell a lot of copies of the book. The book will sell for the same reason Pat Robertson’s 700 Club took in $400 million a year. There are a lot of stupid people. One of the endearing charac- teristics of human beings is that they assume there is an answer to every question if they can only find it. They just know there is a solution to every problem. When someone comes along with what he claims is an answer to such a terrifying questions as ‘‘What happens to us after we die?” realm of urban, suburban and rural, there has been little assessment given to the mean- ing of this part of the American scene, yet in real growth terms, much of the action in the 1990’s on into the 21st Cen- tury will be forthcoming in this cluster of American develop- ment. The Back Mountain area of Luzerne County, in part, may be considered the other side of ‘America. That part which is fully developed may be charac- terized as suburban, however much of the Back Mountain is undergoing a transition in its life cycle and is currently diffi- cult to characterize. Like other areas of Pennsylvania it includes many municipalities but should be viewed as a unit in which groups of local gov- ernments conceivably could provide services to residents more efficiently than a single government. Even more impor- tantly, some type of develop- ment management strategy covering the Back Mountain would be an appropriate step to cope with the continuing growth expected in this part of the County. The point behind raising the spectre of the other side of America is to call attention to a trend and to suggest that steps be undertaken to fit this land development trend into the vocabulary of citizens and offi- cials alike. In some respects, the Economic Development Council of Northeastern Penn- sylvania is attempting to do this through the formation of a Land Development Task Force which is examining the changes occurring in Northeastern Pennsylvania especially in the Pocono Mountains and assess- ing the meaning of growth which is rapidly crossing the boundary lines of the region. However, this is only a small slice of the other side of Amer- ica, and there is a need to examine other areas within the United States which may bg undergoing similar changes in which do not fit the traditional definition of urban, suburban, and rural. Thus, Northeastern Pennsylvania offers leadership direction in noticing changes before they become avalanches and providing opportunities for an examination of the signifi- cance of transitional change which could be a model for other parts of the nation expe- riencing similar trends a undergoing a resurgance ® development opportunity. Only time will tell whether this, in fact, is the case, however, rec- ognition that a trend is in the making is the first signal of placing attention on an impor- tant and critical topic for the betterment of the nation, the state, and the region. + L there are going to be millions of people, desperate for an answer, who accept it without questioning it or thinking. People like Anderson and all the fake faith-healing preach- ers, the astrologists, fortune tellers and the operators who claim to possess extrasensory perception do a disservice to everyone by leading people away from using their best hope for a good life, their brains. If we all go to heaven when we die and can talk to our dead relatives before we do, through George Anderson, why bother with Medicare? If our happi- ness depends on the stars, on luck and on prayer, there really isn’t much sense in our making an effort. If, on the other hand, there is no life-hereafter and what hap- pens to us here on earth depends on how hard and how intelligently we work for what we want, a lot of people get nervous. They're worried about not being good enough to be a success at it. so they grab onto someone who makes life seem easier for them...someone like George Anderson who has magic powers to communicate with the dead and know, in advance, what’s going to happen to us. Precognition is the word ust for the ability to know about a event that did take place. George Anderson says it hap- pens to him all the time. Read another paragraph from the ad. ‘‘George told one woman subject that he felt pain behind his ear and was sure it was related to her son. The woman replied that her son had no ear problems, but George insisted. Several weeks later, the woman’s son was shot anf killed by a bullet that entered? his skull-directly behind the ear.’ It is unclear to me wha. obligation there is on the part’ of a reputable publisher not to issue irresponsible trash. ‘We Don’t Die’’ is irresponsible trash and it will make big money. If G.P. Putnam’s Sons had not published it some other publisher certainly would have. G.P. Putnam’s Sons published my last book and I think it’s the last book of mine it’s going to publish. #4 I figure that if Putnam’ doesn’t publish my next book someone else will. I suspect that if the people at Putnam’s talked at all to George Ander- son, they already know this. Letters to The Post To the Editor: Thank you to our friends: Our home was recently destroyed by fire at Harveys Lake. At this time we wish to give our heartfelt thanks to the many people who have been so kind to us. First of all, thank you to the brave men and women from the volunteer fire departments of Trucksville, Shavertown, Dallas, Kunkle, Idetown and Harveys Lake, who so valiantly fought to save our home, as it was done with caring and love. Thank you, Brenda Davis, for your ever-ready coffee. Thank you, Bob Jones, for coming all the way from Panama to fight our fire. (Sorry about your ring! and, Larry West, Sorry about your scanner!) Thank you to all our friends and neighbors for being there and reaching out, not only with their arms and tears, but with love and offers of help. Thank you to the lovely ladies of the American Red Cross. Thank you to Billy and Judy Davis, for understanding and providing a night at the circus. And last, but certainly mst least, thank you to a vel special friend - John Lerch, Assistant Chief of Police of Harveys Lake. God’s Special Blessings on ‘some of His most special people. ~ Sincerely, Ron, Isla & Ronni Spock SD HOSS ANTHONY DiVERONICA SUSAN DWINCHICK Anthony DiVeronica, 5 Susan Dwinchick, 6 Dallas “A big Easter basket, with a big chocolate bunny, chocolate eggs and the one’s on T.V. that open up with candy inside.” T-ball set in a big basket.” ALAS “Candy, a candy rabbit and a EMILY KONNICK Emily Konnick, 4 Lehman “A horse.” DAVID DWINCHICK David Dwinchick, 14 months Dallas, ‘““A big chocolate Easter bunny.” The Post asks: “What do you want the Easter Bunny to bring you? CHRISTOPHER KONJNICK Christopher Konnick, 4 Lehman “A car with a big tire on the back, a ‘big foot’.” AARON O’NEIL Aaron O’Neil, 7 Dallas “A stuffed rabbit, an Easter basket with jelly beans and a big chocolate bunny.” i ZS A
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers