2 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday. Mav 24. 1989 hagabie et i aa Ti 6 The Dallas Post Wednesday, May 24, 1989 Tie SDALLASCPosT Dallas, PA From the capitol Here is a summary of important events that occurred on Capitol Hill recently from Rep. Scott Di- etterick, 120th Legislative District. = AUTO INSURANCE HEARING - The House Republican Insurance Task Force held a public hearing on the role which fraud and car + theft play in Pennsylvania's esca- lating auto insurance rates. Rep. Thomas P. Gannon (R-Delaware), task force chairman, said the panel is focusing on fraud and auto theft in the first of a series of hearings on the problems plaguing the cur- rent insurance system in the state. FOR BETTER OR WORSE - Husbands and wives should be permitted to testify against each other in certain criminal court ‘ ~~ cases under legislation unani- mously approved by the House this week. Sponsored by Rep. Lois S. Hagarty (R-Montgomery), the bill would permit spouses to de- cide if they want to testify in most criminal proceedings. Currently, spouses are not generally allowed to testify against each other. Penn- sylvania is one of only two states , which retains strict spousal privi- | lege laws. The measure was sent to the Senate for consideration. A day for honor and remembrance Monday is Memorial Day, the day on which we stop to honor our the brave men and women who have given their lives in the service of our country. Most of us will never face the prospect of death in battle. We can only imagine the courage it took for our fallen heroes to face ‘the enemy in war, knowing the ultimate price might be their lives. We owe them our eternal gratitude. In this era of new-found trust and good feeling between the earth’s most powerful nations, perhaps this Memorial Day marks a time when people are beginning to discover how to co- operate rather than fight. It would be a fitting tribute to those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom. ~ Even if you can’t attend one of the formal ceremonies marking the day, we hope you will take some time to recall the enormous price that others have paid to maintain our way of life, and to pray that mankind finds peaceful solutions to its A Everything's coming up tulips For the family of John Ennis on (naturally) Spring Street in Dallas, this season's offerings are quite CORDS. delightful. (Photo by Charlotte Bartizek) Only yesterday 50 Years Ago - May 26, 1939 MARATHON PLANNED FOR MERCHANTS DAY Dallas United Methodist Church ‘Opinion Municipal leaders face new challenges Congratulations to the winners in last week's primary elec- tions - and to the losers, too. By stepping forward to run for A scale model of the new Dallas Senior High School is to go on display as soon as a plastic pro- boctive display cover is designed or it. Why Pennsylvania needs a strong ethics law public office, they have shown that their concern with their communities is backed by action. The Back Mountain faces many challenges now, perhaps ~ more than it ever has before. Rapid residential development has strained the traditional mechanisms that deal with mu- nicipal needs. Completion of the Cross Valley Expressway in 1991 will add more pressure for commercial growth. Leaders today need to look beyond their own township or borough's boundaries for answers to problems. In the past year, the emergence of the Back Mountain Citizens’ Council and the Dallas Borough Preservation Asso- ciation have marked a new activism in area residents. Officials at all levels now recognize that their communities’ citizens want to participate in the decisions that will affect their lives and property. We trust that the interest of citizens and the concern of officials will mean a new era of responsive and progressive government in the region. School budgets leave little room for choice The Post’s story this week on the Dallas and Lake-Lehman school budgets illustrates how little breathing room boards and administrators have in allocating finances for the systems. That makes it doubly important that the public be kept abreast of the schools’ needs and the responses to them. When mandated programs, salaries and benefits are total- led, they make up 80 per cent or more of each system’s budget. That leaves less money than most educators and parents - would like for discretionary use in additional classes or activi- ties. It’s always easy for disgruntled taxpayers to decry tax increases. Perhaps if we all stay better informed about the budgetary needs and wants of the schools, we can help the boards to make the best possible use of the money available. The Dallas Post Published Weekly by Bartsen Media, Inc. P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612 Telephone: 717-675-5211 Ronald A. Bartizek: Charlotte E. Bartizek Editor and Publisher Associate Publisher - la to observe its 50th anniversary. 32, : Class of 1939 at Monroe Town- ship High School, Beaumont, will be graduated next Tuesday at 8 p.m. College Misericordia to gradu- ate its largest class of 59 members Tuesday, June 6, at Irem Temple. Marvin Elston retires as his sons, Walter and Ralph take over his farm. : Marian Weintz to wed Leonard Harvey June 1, at Meeker M.E. Church. Luzerne-Fernbrook marathon planned for Luzerne Merchants Day. 40 Years Ago - May 27, 1949 KIWANIS CELEBRATE 22ND ANNIVERSARY Dallas Kiwanis Club observes its 22nd anniversary. Dallas citizens join protest of the constant racket of diesel en- gines of LVRR trains. The new Acme Market an- nounces its fine new store coming to Church Street, Dallas. Himmler Theatre announces the film “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm” a special matinee Saturday. Hillside Farms sells prize bull ‘Anderson Jerome’ to Anderson Farms, Massachusetts. 30 Years Ago - May 28, 1959 EARL'S DRUG STORE SOLD IN TRUCKSVILLE Back Mountain High Schools will graduate 176 students this week, 99 from Westmoreland High School and 77 from Lake-Lehman. The Memorial Day parade will start at 9:30 a.m. from the Dad- dow-Isaacs American Legion Home Saturday. Harry Holak purchased the Earl's Drug Store, Trucksville, from Earl Henwood and will operate the 20 Years Ago - May 29, 1969 POST EDITOR RECEIVES PA NEWSPAPER HONOR Mrs. T.M. B. Hicks, long-time editor of The Dallas Post, received honors from the Pennsylvania Newspaper Publishers Association for her editorial “Because He Had A Dream”, on the death of Robert Kennedy. A proposal for integration of all water systems in the greater Back Mountain was put forth by Eu- gene Goffin, member of the King- ston Township Water Commission at a meeting last week. Goffin stated that the water systems are inadequate and with tremendous growth anticipated for this area, it stands to reason the present wa- ter supply will be taxed beyond its capacity. Thomas H. Jenkins was named to'the newly-created position as’ business manager of the Dallas School District. Robert Dolbear was named assistant principal. Engaged- Sharon E. Pudim and Lynn G. Johnson Jr., Pamela Sue Nafus and Todd Stephen Hilbert. 10 Years Ago - May 24, 1979 BRUNGES RECEIVES EAGLE SCOUT AWARD Dallas Borough Council is con- ducting a ‘fix-up’ program in the borough. Back Mountain Telecable Com- pany, newly purchased by Phoe- nix Corporation of Hershey, may raise its rates in order to expand its services and improve the qual- ity of reception for its customers. John Sgarlat of Harveys Lake takes title to second largest tract of land zoned for casino construc- tion. Sweet Valley Firemen plan Memorial Day Fair surprises. Malcolm Brunges receives the Eagle Scout Award in special cere- Some legislators say voters don’t really care about ethics in govern- ment. After all, no one ever writes ~ to them about it. More likely, high ethical standards with strict en- forcement are basic expectations which the public holds for govern- ment. Perhaps we need to refocus the ethics discussion. As economic consumers we constantly seek better quality products and de- mand quick access in the rharket- place. As our needs dictate we can upgrade quality, switch brands, purchase more, purchase less, or do without. Marketplace competi- tion creates quality standards measured in parts per million, or with tolerances in thousandths of an inch. with a global economy, the competition to produce the best products has heightened. Sadly, we demand much less accountability and responsiveness as political consumers than as economic consumers. Opportuni- ties for change only occur every two years through elections, and rarely in conjunction with critical government events. In 1988 one third of the legisla- tive races went uncontested, and during the past three general elec- tions only three incumbents were unseated. This is extremely ironic because government is the only service which we, as taxpayers, are required to purchase on pain of imprisonment and fines—regard- less of whether we individually need or are satisified with the quality, value, or selection of services. The absence of real competition creates a void in accountability and generates a genuine need for effective ethics laws to provide some quality control over government. Fortunately, the majority of our public servants are honest and hard working men and women. But, ‘all officials, no matter how visible or obscure, occasionally are pressured to provide favored treat- ment for some special interest, and their responses can have profound effects on the public. Unfortunately, it only taxes an unscrupulous few to wreak havoc on the system, potentially costing taxpayers enormous amounts of money, and endangering public health, safety and welfare. Sound ethics laws provide an added in- | centive to act in the public inter- est. The state ethics law is the citi- | zens' warranty for good govern- ment. It establishes minimum standards of conduct for public officials, and helps to create an environment which reflects the - standards of excellence most pub- lic officials demand of themselves. It is one of the few real quality control mechanisms protecting the ' public’ interest from corruption. Unless renewed by the legisla- ture before June 30, the State Ethics Commission will die. It is obviously difficult to write laws establishing ethical standards. However, our lawmakers have a moral obligation to develop stan- . dards which are comprehensive, | tough, void of loopholes, enforce- able, encourage full public partici- pation in the watch dog role, and fair. The public will not tolerate another massacre of the ethics law such as happened last November. Legislators must remember that the purpose of the state ethics law is to protect the public from cor- rupt public officials, not protect public officials from civic-minded citizens. r We will soon learn what caliber of ethical standards our legislators will apply to government officials. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking. Barry L. Kaufman > CW (iy Tami Britton Charlot M. Denmon pharmacy under the name : . . Advertising Acct. Exec. Reporter Trucksville Pharmacy. fonies. Jat Jrashevile Uniled Lette rs invited : ; Beaumont defeated Forkston ve The Dallas Post encourages readers to share their opinions with the Rob Zapotoski Jean Hillard Olga Kostrobala 19-2 Sunday for its fourth straight Back Mountain Kiwanis holds | community by writing a letter to the editor. All letters for publication must Composition Office Manager Classified/typesetting win. its annual rodeo. be signed and include a telephone number so that we may verify authen- Ben Franklin Store holds rib- bon-cutting at its grand reopening in its new location on Church Street. The Dallas Post asks: “What do you plan to do for Memorial Day?” ticity. We will not publish anonymous letters. Send letters to: The Dallas Post, P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612. Letters received by Noon on Monday may be included in that week's issue. Steve Skammer completes 5-1 pitching record for Villanova Uni- versity in his sophomore year. | MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION AND THE PENNSYLVANIA NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER'S ASSOCIATION ada TT, Sapa Come op ASU iter sam were . er Sr Te shia TT A A A 0 Tl TC I ES SRT ITI IT ARN NHB A NE ET TTR, a WW IT gl Edith Shaffer : John Ross Tracy Hunter Jason Nutche Andrew Denmon Janine Franklin : i homemaker Maintenance Student Student Food Supervisor Homemaker . : : Dales Dallas Dallas | Midway Manor Dallas Trucksville = | I'm looking forward to planting “I'm going to have a cookout “We're going to have a cookout “My brothers and I are going on “Nothing because I have to work “We are going out in the boaton : i some flowers and relaxing.” with my wife and children.” after we come home from thelake.” a picnic to Lake Jean with our Memorial Day.” the lake if the weather is nice.” { ; parents.”
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers