Vol. 99, No. 34
Wednesday,
August 31, 1988
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Not racing
These herefords spotted on Hilderbrant Road in Dallas
stated that they would be spectators only for this Sunday's
triathalon. (Photo by Charlotte Bartizek)
Lehman supervisors debate raising building fees
The Lehman Township Super-
rs held a special meeting last
«4iday, and discussed ways to
adjust building permit fees and
zoning regulations to reflect both
or ‘considerations and develop-
t concerns in the Township.
Supervisor Doug Ide proposed
drafting an ordinance for building
permit fee schedules based on
square footage rather than charg-
ing a flat rate as is the current
practice. Ide stated that a flat rate
charge may not reflect costs asso-
ciated with reviewing development
applications such as zoning and
planning commission hearing fees,
paper work, and other costs.
The current fee for a building
Frit is $30. This applies to
Schools open
September 7
Schools throughout the Back
Mountain will open Wednesday,
September 7 with the familiar
brightyellow buses traveling roads
throughout the area transporting
their young passengers to class.
Dallas Junior and Senior High
School students must be in their
& #ussrooms by 8 a.m. and dis-
imissal time is 3 p.m.
Sophomores will report to the
gymnasium for assignment to their
homerooms while juniors and
seniors will report to homerooms
to which they were previously
assigned.
Students in the junior high will
report to assigned areas where
they will receive their homeroom
numbers. Alphabetical listing
generally controls homeroom as-
signments.
All buses will run on schedule
according to times and stops
published through the various
media.
Parents of the elementary stu-
dents have been informed in ad-
vance of their assigned schools
with all students to be in class by
9 a.m. and dismissed at 4 p.m.
m?/All new students have received
information in advance when they
registered for class.
Dallas kindergarten classes are
half day with some students as-
signed to morning sessions and
some to afternoon sessions.
At Lake-Lehman information
has been sent to all students reg-
istering in the district for the first
time.
Junior and senior high school
classes begin at 8 a.m. and dis-
missal times vary from 3:05 to
3:10 p.m. elementary classes begin
at 8:15 a.m. and dismissal time is
the same as junior and senior
high school.
Lake-Lehman School District
kindergarten classes run full day
sessions. The first day of school,
kindergarten students wear color
coded tags. The color of the tag
matches the color card in the
See School, pg 3
‘
schools, churches and public
buildings. Building permit fees
for private homes are currently
based on the private party's esti-
mate of the worth of the home.
Zoning Officer Barbara Sims
said “Most people that apply for
building permits are honest and
give the correct estimate of the
value of the home, but Ido know of
several that are incorrect.”
A resident present at the meet-
ing questioned if the township
would make a profit by hiking
building permit fees. Supervisors
agreed that the goal of increasing
fees was not to make a profit, but
cover costs associated with re-
viewing subdivision applications.
“The current $30 fee charged to
schools and other public build-
ings doesn't even began to cover
the cost of surveyor reports, phone
calls and other expenses,” Sims
said.
Sims mentioned that there
might be a more reasonable
method of basing building permit
fees for public structures other
than the projected cost of the
building. Officials present did not
reach an agreement on the best
method for revising permit fees,
but all agreed that upgrading fees
to reflect costs was neccessary.
“I think the rate schedule should
take the building category into
consideration. A proposed ordi-
nance for revision of fees should
take into account administrative
costs and cover those,” said
Lehman Township resident Rob
Lewis.
Other items discussed at
5 J riday’ s meeting included zoning
regulations for commerical pur-
poses. Concerns mentioned in-
cluded: current setback rules in
the business district which do not
require sideyard variances; and
possible simplification of the cur-
rent sign ordinance.The Solicitor
said that he would review town-
ship ordinances to see how best to
approach zoning changes.
It was agreed to further dis-
cussing revision of building per-
mit fees and zoning regulations at
the next Supervisor's meeting.
FLOOD BABY GROWS UP—DeeDee Mazur, right, born at College Misericordia in 1972, was one
of the guests at a Sweet 16 party on the campus Saturday. With her, left to right; her mother,
Linda, sister Amy and father, Nick. (Photo by Charlot M. Denmon)
‘Food babies’ feted at Misericordia
BY CHARLOT M. DENMON
Staff Writer
It was an exciting day last Sat-
urday when families, Nesbitt Hos-
pital employees and staff of Col-
lege Misericordia reunited to cele-
brate the births of 52 16-year-
olds, who were born at the college
during the flood of 1972 caused by
Hurricane Agnes.
In spite of the devastation
caused by the flood, the families
who attended the party, August
27, had many happy memories
and some interesting incidents to
recall.
While many of the babies born
on the College Misericordia cam-
pus during the 1972 disaster have
moved away from the local area,
approximately 25 of the now 16-
year-olds and their families were
able to celebrate the event . They
renewed friendships, enjoyed the
# Ir
picnic and stayed for the open-air
performance of Shakespeare's “A
Midsummer Night's Dream.”
For those not familiar with the
1972 disaster, the Susquehanna
River overflowed its banks and as
the waters continued to rise, the
officials of Nesbitt Memorial Hos-
pital contacted Sr.Miriam Teresa
O'Donnell, president of the college
at that time, and received immedi-
ate approval to move an emer-
gency hospital into the college's
facilities.
Within a few hors, Nesbitt
Memorial Hospital had established
a 100-bed hospital at the College.
It was complete with a cardiac care
unit, intensive care unit, operat-
ing room, emergency treatment
room, x-ray department and an
obstetrics center.
During the time the hospital
center remained on the college
campus, more than 4,000 persons
“
were treated in the emergency room
and released. Fifty two newborns,
21 children, 57 persons under 64
years and 101 over 65 years were
admitted.
Miss Thelma DeWitt was direc-
tor of nursing at that time. She
recalled that the tore up bed sheets
to make a huge white cross on the
campus so the helicopters brining
in patients and doctors would
know where to land.
Ms. Dorothy Tribus, obstetrics
nurse at Nesbitt Hospital at the
time, had a newborn, premature
baby in the hospital at the time. In
order to save that baby, she
wrapped it in plastic and carried it
with her to the college. Saturday
afternoon, Ms. Tribus was anx-
iously awaiting that teenager's
arrival for he had sent in a reser-
vation.
Among the persons on campus,
See Flood, pg 3
Lake,
Local racers will
By CHARLOT M. DENMON
Staff Writer
Race Director Jerry Kowalski
wants this year's 7th Annual
Greater Wilkes-Barre Triathlon to
be the greatest ever.
“We want the race to be ‘the
event’, said Jerry. “It's going tobe a
triathlon that creates a memory, a
race that the triathletes will want
to bring their families to, a triath-
lon that’s really fun for everyone.”
Indeed, this year’s event is
more than just a race. The event
will be the Triathlon Federation/
USA National Championship for
the international course distance.
A record field of more than
2,000 triathletes from throughout
the United States, Canada, New
Zealand, and Australia is expected
for the event which begins with the
starter’'s gun at 8 a.m., Sunday,
September 4.
There will be professional
athletes competing for $33,500 in
prize money as well as amateurs
competing for age group national
championships.
This year's race will have such
professionals as Scott Molina, 1986
champion and former Triathlete of
the Year; Mike Pigg, 1987 cham-
pion, currently ranked number one
male triathlete; Liz Bulman, 1986
champion; Colleen Cantion, 1987
champion; former Ironman cham-
pion and early founder of the sport,
Scott Tinsley; Canadian-born
twins, Sylviane and Patricia Pun-
tous, who have won many interna-
tional events, and also some great
teams such as Saucony Triathlon
Team, Pioneer Electronics Triath-
lon Team, National Triathlon Train-
ing Center Team and Team Fox-
catcher participating. r
Spectators will also be able to
cheer for their favorite local ama-
teur triathletes for among the
amateur entrants are approxi-
mately 40 Back Mountain residents
representing Trucksville, Shaver-
town, Dallas, Kunkle, Harveys
Sweet Valley, Lehman,
Carverton, Hunlock Creek and Or-
ange.
Both male and female triath-
letes are among those entered from
the Back Mountain such as the
Kavanaugh family, who have en-
tered for years; Andrea Isaac, Bert
and Jeanie Kormiel, Wayne Devine,
Dr. J.J. Kowalski, Dwight Cum-
mins, and John and Jennifer
Wartella to name just a few.
Dwight Cummins of Kunkle
join pros in
triathlon Sunday
has been participating since 1983,
and this year his goal is to finish in
the top third. He will run in the
male 30 to 34 years age group
division.
“Last week I ran in a long i
distance race in Emmaus and I
also did the near-sprint in Tioga,:
Cummins said. “Originally, I en-
tered because it was a challenge to
do it. Now I enter for the enjoy-
ment. My goal the first year was to
finish and I did. Now my goal is to
break the top 100.” :
Cummins said he trains by
running about 50 miles daily, which
is his strong point. He trains some
every day, sometimes biking about
120 miles and swimming three or
four. He never ran in a marathon.
It takes Cummins about two
or three days to get back to normal
after a race.
“In 1983, my wife and | were a
team but with a family there wasn’t
enough time for both of us to train,
so now I do the triathlon alone. The
local race is a good event because
you are able to compare yourself
with some of the best triathletes,”
Cummins concluded.
John Wartella and his daugh-
ter, Jennifer, of Haddonfield Hills,
are a father-daughter entry in this
year’s triathlon. Jennifer ran in
1987, when she was encouraged
by a friend, and she finished, the.
race which was her goal.”
She is a member of the Dallas i
High School field hockey squad
and now that hockey practice has
started, Jennifer's training sched-
ule varies. After practice she swims
or sometimes runs as well. She
usually bike rides with her dad
after his work day.
“This is my first time in a tri-
athlon,” said John Wartella. “I ran
the New York Marathon and when
I was in the Marines, I ran the
Washington Marathon. Then I
began to have leg problems and
started to gain weight so I quit.
“This year I decided to enter
the Triathlon and I have been train-
ing by swimming at the YMCA in
the morning before going to work,
bike about 25 to 32 miles several
times weekly but running is my
strongest event. Saturday, I usu-
ally combine the events—bike, run
or swim, combining different ones
each time.
“My goal this year is two-fold—
finish and to beat my daughter by
at least one second. Next year I'll
try to improve my time,” Wartella
said. He will run in the male 35 to
See Race, pg 2
Arson hearing may be put off
A preliminary hearing for arson
suspect John Tibus has been sched-
uled to take place before District
Justice Earl Gregory at 10:00
Wednesday, August 31, but may be
postponed if the owner of the barn
that was burned, Robert Steiner, is
unable to attend. Tibus will be
represented by public defender
John Blum. :
A former volunteer with the
Trucksville Fire Department, 29
year old John Tibus was arrested
last week in connection with an
arson fire which destroyed his
neighbor’s barn in Kingston Town-
ship.
Tibus was arraigned last
Monday, August 22, before Justice
Gregory. He faces charges of
arson, endangering persons and
property and criminal mischief.
Gregory set his bail at $100,000
and ordered Tibus imprisoned at
the Luzerne County Correctional
Facility.
Tibus, who worked as a janitor at
ENCON, Inc in Dallas, was
escorted by state police from his
workplace the morning of August
22 to Wyoming Police Barracks
where he was arrested on charges
of arson.
Tibus admitted setting the August
14 fire that caused $100,000 in dam-
ages to his neighbor Robert Stei-
ner’s barn on Mt. Olivet Road in
Kingston Township, according to
police.
The day of his arrest Tibus
admitted to setting several other
fires in Kingston Township, Dallas,
Franklin Township and other Luz-
~ erne County areas. According to
state police the possibility of Tibus
being involved in other arson cases
will be investigated, but he is cur-
rently only charged in connection
with one fire.
According to police records,
Tibus admitted to setting the fire in
order to get even with Steiner
whose daughter hit Tibus’ car.
Tibus claimed Steiner would not
take responsibilty for fixing the car
so he set the fire in retaliation.
Tibus claimed he returned to the
scene at 2:30 a.m., one half hour
after starting the blaze, and helped
police direct traffic.
Trucksville Fire Chief William
Eck could not confirm Tibus’ pres-
ence at the scene, but said Tibus
appeared at the fire station later
that morning.
Inside |
The Post
Calendar........12
Classified........11
Editorials..........4
Obituaries......2
People.......7,8,9
Police News.......2
Property Transfers..2
Religious Services..9
: Sports......... 10
Yu