A | page 13 anticoke 154 _— Old Lotwan school polos ¥ page 8 Vol. 100 No. 43 "A Centennial Edition" Dallas, PA Wednesday, November 1, 1989 35 Cents By CHARLOT M. DENMON Staff Writer 4 Questions about understaffing “and overcrowding at Chase prison have become more urgent in the face of last week's uprising at a prison in Camp Hill. The members of the Citizens Advisory Committee to the State Correctional Institution, Dallas, are concerned that the institution is functioning at 90 percent of its required staffing level and that in excess of one million dollars in overtime has been paid by the Department of Corrections to make up for the shortage in personnel. +. State Representatives and Sen. Charles Lemmond have also ex- pressed concern that the State Correctional Institution at Dallas hasbeen functioning at 90 percent personnel rather than 100 per- cent. Rep. Stanley J. Jarolin wrote to Commissioner of the Department of Corrections David S. Owens, Jr. DER to help find HL water contaminants Lo a Hh SX pn - ay SCOTT A. DAVIS ost Staff The state Department of Envi- ronmental Resources has been called in to study well water con- tamination problems that have gripped Harveys Lake since May. Stanley Lehman, supervisor for DER's Bureau of Water Quality, was at the lake Monday to gather contamination readings from homes in Warden Place. “He went over the area getting a lay of the land,” commented War- den Place resident William Mann. _ Mann was the first resident to i iscover bacteria contamination in “his drinking water. Tests found over eighty times the legal limit of contamination in his well water in May. The reading had remained at the same level throughout the summer. Since Mann's discovery, he has urged many other lake residents to have their water tested. Several returned similar readings. According to Mann, who accom- panied Lehman during his tour of the area, Lehman spent about two hours gathering household con- tamination readings and taking water samples. Mann said DER is considering calling a geologist into the area to further study the problem. DER _could not be reached for comment &y presstime. Mann said Lehman told him DER may try to dye test the area in search of contamination sources. The Harveys Lake Sewer Authority attempted dye testing during the summer, but was unable to find the source of contamination of the wells. Lake-Lehman Queen “Unlike the sewer authority,” Mann pointed out Monday, “DER will have the water samples tested to check for minute traces of dye.” The sewer authority used only visual inspection to screen the water samples while performing their dye tests. Mann said DER explained the testing procedure to him. He ex- plained DER would accomplish the tests by injecting traceable dye into the land and other possible sources of contamination in the Warden Place area. DER will then take eight hour samples of water from various wells and send the samples to Harrisburg. Once in Harrisburg, the samples will go through tests to determine if any minute traces of the dye are pres- ent. If a sample has dye traces, DER could determine locations were the contamination is seeping into the drinking wells. Mann said the DER representa- tive asked him to prepare a map of Warden Place showing the loca- tion of homes, their contamination readings if any, and the depth of their wells. “They are concentrat- ing on First, Second, Orchard, and Kitchen streets first,” Mann said. “I feel DER is moving in the correct direction.” Mann said he believes DER has recently become involved in the lake's water problem because of letters he sent to various govern- mental bodies, including one letter sent to Governor Robert Casey, explaining the situation at the lake. “DER has been sharing excel- lent cooperation,” Mann said. “This is something we have not seen in the past.” Stacy Chamberlain, left, 1988 Homecoming Queen crowns Denise Thompson, this year's Homecoming Queen during the ceremonies ~ before Saturday's game. Denise is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. ~ Donald Thompson, RD 5, Shavertown. (Photo by C.M. Denmon) stating that he believed it would be more cost effective and more prac- tical to hire additional personnel. He also questioned whether staff members working overtime might cause undue fatigue. The citizens in the local area expressed their concern about the staffing when they were informed that the facility is currently oper- ating with about 334 guards and more than 1900 inmates with no plans to hire additional correc- tional guards. ~ On behalf of the citizens, Pat Rusiloski of the Citizens Advisory Committee expressed their con- cerns that the Department of Cor- rections would rather spend in excess of one million dollars for overtime rather than hire more guards. She also questioned whether additional hours of over- time would not be tiring for correc- tional officers, after working a regular shift. Rusiloski expressed these con- cerns after local citizens learned Ghosts and goblins on parade ; The annual Dallas Kiwanis Halloween parade was held last week and dozens of Back Mountain creatures turned out. Costume winners on page 9. (Photo by Charlotte Bartizek) No solutions yet to Oak Hill water woes By CHARLOT M. DENMON Staff Writer The residents of the Oak Hill development say they have had a continuing problem with the quan- tity and quality of water provided them by the National Utility Com- pany since 1988 and in September of that year, filed a request with the Public Utility Commission to reject the request of the company to increase their rates by 24.65 percent in October, 1988. In February, 1989, the PUC finally approved a rate increase of 14.45 percent. Since that time, however, residents say there has been little, if any change and the problem with the water has con- tinued. As a result, the customers of Oak Hill Water Company, as the National Utilities subsidiary com- pany is designated, held a meeting August 31, 1989, which was at- tended by Rep. Scott Dietterick. Following a lengthy discussion on the subject, Rep. Dietterick agreed to contact Commissioner Bill Shane, chairman of the PUC and inform him of the residents problems and requests. The customers of the company in Oak Hill were interested in knowing whether the rate increase might be rescinded since nothing has been improved in the last year. They also wanted to know whether or not the company was complying with the PUC's ruling to reorganize and file a comprehensive plan to improve and protect water quality. Consumer Advocate David Barschin reply explained that there is no question that the PUC can set a reduced level of rates for the future based on inadequate serv- See OAK HILL, pg 3 As part of the celebration of its 100th publishing year, The Dallas Post will host a reception at its office in the 309-415 Plaza tomorrow (Thursday) from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Housed in the office are the computer systems used to produce the newspaper and Public invited to Post reception general offices. A demonstration of the computers and of newspaper layout will be given. Light refreshments will be served, and each person attending will receive a complimentary copy of The Post's 100th Anniversary Edition. All are welcome. through a correspondence from Owens that after receiving their letter about the personnel ques- tion, he discussed the staffing needs of the Dallas institution with Superintendent Joseph Ryan, as well as taking another look at staff- ing levels around the state. Owens told the Representatives and Senator Lemmond that Ryan assured him all essential posts were staffed by assigned officers or by officers working on an overtime basis and he requested that the citizens be assured that the secu- rity needs of the Dallas institution were being met on a day to day. basis. Superintendent Ryan said Monday that he was in agreement with Commissioner Owens. “We have a rotating list of volun- tary substitute correctional offi- cers, who will come in and work a shift or shifts when we need them * and then do not work again until See PRISON, pg 2 Few contests in By CHARLOT M. DENMON Staff Writer With the general election less than a week away, there are few spirited contests in the local municipalities. In a few of the boroughs and townships there is some compeittion for auditor or judge of election but even for these positions there is generally no opposition. : In Dallas Township there is no opposition for Frank Wagner, candidate on the Republican bal- lot for supervisor, nor for Leonard Kozick, Republican candidate for tax collector. In Dallas Borough, the candi- dates running for mayor and coun- cil "have no opposition on ‘the Democrat ballot. Harveys Lake Borough has a full slate of candidates on both the Republican and Democrat ballots and it promises to be the most spirited contest in the region. On the Republican ballot, can- didate for mayor is William Purcell; candidate for Tax Collector is Carolyn Scull; candidates for coun- cil (4) are Boyd Barber, Robert Albee, Joseph Kolesar and Ron Edwards; candidate for judge of election is Carol Edwards. Calendar....... 16 Classified.13-15 Editorials. ...... 4 Obituaries...... i On the Democrat ballot, candi- date for mayor is Joseph Boyle; candidate for tax collector is Terry Jones; candidates for council (4) are William Wilson, Joseph Mis- cavage, Edward Kelly and Rich Boice; candidate for judge of elec- tion is Sandra Dobrowolski. There is also competition in Region 3 of the Lake-Lehman School District where there are three candidates on the ballot for the two seats which will be vacant in December. On the Republican ballot the two candidates are Marty McMahon and Joseph ‘Red’ Jones; on the Democrat ballot the candi- dates are Marty McMahon and Eleanor Miller. The winners in the general election will be decided by the total number of votes. | bo In Lake Township, incumbent Fred Wisniewski is the candidate for supervisor on the Democrat ballot, and Alan Updyke is the Sandidate on the Republican bal- ot. In most of the municipalities, the contest or lack of contests, are being accepted quietly by the vot- ers and with the exception of those mentioned above, there appearsto be very little interest in the Novem- ber election. Police Report............. 2 Religious Services......9 School... .......d ue, 11 Spors................% 12-13 Coming up: BACK MOUNTAIN WATER COMMISSION - Thurs., Nov. 2, 8 PM, Kingston Twp. Municipal Bldg. DALLAS TWP. SUPERVISORS - Tues, Nov. 7, 8 PM, Dallas Twp. Bldg, Route 309 FRANKLN TWP. PLANNING COMMISSION - Mon., Nov. 6, 6:30 PM FRANKLIN TWP. SUPERVISORS - Mon., Nov. 6, 8 PM JACKSON TWP. SUPERVISORS - Mon., Nov. 6, 7:30 PM, Jackson Twp. Fire Hall KINGSTON TWP. SUPERVISORS - Municipal Bldg. Wed., Nov. 8, 8 PM, Kingston Twp. KINGSTON TWP. ZONING BOARD - Mon., Nov. 6, 8 PM, Kingston Twp. Municipal Bldg. -- { Prison boss says 90% staff is enough at Dallas Tuesday's elections %. Gt 3 § § Hi
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers