4 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, February 28, 1990 Te DALI ASCP0ST ‘Good citizenship stops serious problem Thankfully no one has died because of an incorrect phone number that appears in the current Bell of Pennsylvania directory. Dialing the number, listed in the blue pages for the Kingston Township Police Department, gave the caller a mes- sage that the line had been disconnected without referring them to the correct number. Commonwealth Telephone Company, which supplies Back Mountain phone numbers to Bell, is to be commended for placing a referral message on the line almost immediately after learning of the problem. Calling the number, 696-3267, now ~ brings the message that it has indeed been disconnected, but also refers the caller to 696-1174, the proper number for the local police department. Kingston Township residents also owe a vote of thanks to Denise Cardell, who brought the situation to the attention of The Dallas Post. We then followed up with the telephone com- pany and the number was changed. It’s unlikely that Ms. Cardell’s experience, recounted in a letter to the editor on this page, was the only one with this number. But she went to the trouble to alert her neighbors to a potentially dangerous situation. The Post is proud to have been the conduit for her message. Fire codes and enforcement needed The disturbing fact that Dallas Township lacks a fire code that can be applied to structures in the community is probably a surprise to many residents who may have assumed that all communities have such ordinances. Hopefully public pres- sure and common sense will lead to their adoption quickly. Beyond developing regulations that meet modern firefight- ing needs and knowledge, it is important to establish a mecha- nism to see that they are actually followed. Dallas Township and other Back Mountain communities must schedule regular inspections of new construction to assure that what was presented to officials is what is actually being built. It would also be useful if spot inspections were conducted, especially at previously known violators of law. A person to perform these functions may seem a luxury for small communities, and it probably is. So why not share one? As in other areas, a zoning enforcement officer who works for several municipalities could provide the needed service at a reasonable cost. Hope for the best in water company sale We hope news that the Dallas Water Company and its affiliates are in the process of being sold will mean the utilities will come into the hands of an operator more forthcoming than the present one. One thing is for sure - they can’t be any less communicative than the present owners are. Water users deserve to know everything they possibly can about the supply and quality of this precious resource. For many Back Mountain residents, the only way they've found out about supply has been when the tap ran dry. For others, boil advisories give them a clue about the quality of their water or the condition of the pipes that supplies it. As the ownership change progresses, we hope to be able to report more to our readers than ever before about their water supplies. Ti: SDALLASC0ST 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 Charlot M. Denmon Reporter Peggy Young Advertising Acct. Exec. Olga Kostrobala Classified/typesetting Paul Rismiller pi Jean Hillard ~ Composition Office Manager MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION AND THE PENNSYLVANIA NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER'S ASSOCIATION Spring meltdown (Photo by Charlotte Bartizek) Letter Woman's harrowing tale points out need for 911 Editor: I would like to stress the impor- tance of having 911 in our area. Early last Saturday morning I was ‘awakened by a loud crash out front of my home. I live on the Dallas Highway near Back Mountain Music Store. I looked out the win- dow and saw a car flipped on its side. Right away I went to the phone to call the police. I dialed the number in the phone book for Kingston Township Police 696- 3267 only to get a recording saying this number was disconnected. In the meantime, out front is a per- son lying trapped inside his car. A few minutes later, while I was still trying to get through (I thought I dialed wrong) I noticed a volun- teer firefighter pull up and put on his flashing blue light. I was wor- ried because I could see what looked like gasoline pouring out of the car and was afraid the car might explode. I kept trying this number and then just dialed the operator and asked for the King- ston Township Police. After a couple minutes she told me | had to dial directory assis- tance. She kept repeating this to me and finally just said DIAL 1-555- 1212. I then dialed this number and asked for Kingston Township Police and they asked me “what city is that in?” I would say there was at least a fifteen minute time period by the time I then wrote down the number and got in touch with the police. Luckily, thanks to the volunteer worker the occupant of the car was pulled to safety while I was on the phone, and to my shock and hor- ror as | was watching this help- lessly from my window trying to get through to the police I find the occupant of that car flipped over was my daughter! She had been hit from behind by a drunk driver who literally drove over the roof of her car flipping it over. I can't explain the feelings I had when I realized it was my own daughter's life I had feared for in gt that trapped car while I was trying to get assistance. I really feel it is important a 911 number is in our area before a disaster like this happens to someone else's child and they can only sit by helplessly trying to get emergency service. We are indebted to that volunteer worker and want to thank him for his help. Denise Cardell Shavertown Only yesterday 60 Years Ago - Feb. 28, 1930 EQUIPMENT ORDERED FOR NEW NOXEN PLANT St. Therese's parish to entertain at Kaffe Klatsch March 4, at Swal- low Inn. $50,000 worth equpment was ordered for new clay products plant at Noxen. Cold snap hardens roads and aids automobile driving over the country roads. Shavertown Branch of Nesbitt Hospital Auxiliary plans St. Pat- rick's Day party in Dallas High School. Dallas High School girls defeat Larksville by a large score, 32-19. 50 Years Ago - Mar. 1, 1940 GOSS SCHOOL TO CLOSE SOON Public's failure to support fire- men may force volunteers to dis- band. College Misericordia to give exams for scholarships April 27. Old Goss School will be aban- doned as students prepare to move into new second floor addition to the Dallas Township School. Drawings are ready on first plans for Highway 92 which will skirt Dallas. Wed - Dorothy Henderson and Wellington Shaver. Six Dallas residents were se- lected to serve on juries at the Luzerne County Court House. Dallas Township team fights way to second place but Dallas Bor- ough's team seems to have the championship clinched. 40 Years Ago - Mar. 3, 1950 BEAUMONT HIGH WINS CHAMPIONSHIP Spectators are urged to wear costumes of the Gay 90's to the Easter Parade. Thieves broke into Kingston Township High School and took $484.60 from the safe. Back Mountain boys and girls observe National 4-H Week. Beaumont High School wins championship and will enter the PIAA District 12 playoffs. Nancy Hislop and Ray Daring to be married March 11. Wed - Arline Harloff and Jack Rogers. Engaged - Ruth Stookey and Carleton Rogers. 30 Years Ago - March 3, 1960 MARILYN ECK, HAROLD SMITH TO STATE BAND Dallas School Board will proba- bly appoint superintendent at Tuesday night meeting. Marilyn Eck and Harold Smith have been selected to participate in the state band at Sunbury High School March 10,11, and 12. Both are Westmoreland students. Parents and teachers at Dallas Borough School have a guidance workshop. Harveys Lake American Legion and Lions Clubs to sponsor an Easter Egg Hunt for all Back Mountain children. Westmoreland Mountaineers to play tonight at Bloomsburg in Class A of the 33rd Annual Tournament. Wed - Judith Ransom Kuchta and Karl William Reighter, Jr.; Mary Ann Emmanuel and Daniel A. Sigworth; Ann Marie Bilbow and William J. Watchulonis, Jr. Letters invited The Dallas Post encourages readers to share their opinions with the community by writing a letter to the editor. All letters for publication must be signed and include a telephone number so that we may verify their authenticity. 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. 20 Years Ago - Mar. 5, 1970 CALL BUILDING FOR JOINT POLICE FORCE Support in the Back Mountain rallies for joint police force. Huntsville Christian Church, oldest church in the Back Moun- tain, will dedicate its sanctuary Sunday at 2:30 p.m. The church was built in the spring of 1844. Fred Eck, president of the Back Mountain Library, questioned whether the people in the commu- nity were ready to support the library, at the annual meeting recently. Dallas cheerleaders: won the championship at Luzerne County Community College for the second consecutive year. Verdun Thomas was the girls advisor. Dallas Senior High cagers copped the Division B title last week by defeating the Lake- Lehman Knights 102-80. Mountaineer Bruce Griffith won the 91-pound class title in the District 2 tournament held last Saturday. Engaged - Sandra Lee Denmon and Spec. 4 Russell Simmons; Roxanne Sekera and Michael A. Stahl, Jr.; Sharon Lee Graham and Raymond R. Earl. . Wed - Mary Ann Ambrose and Charles David Malkemes. Anderson afield By JOHN M. ANDERSON In addition to no new taxes, President Bush promised to be “the environmental president” of the United States. Those who are deeply concerned about breathable air, potable water, and fertile soil are cautiously optimistic as well as anxious as they compare the Presi- dent's actions with his promises. It was discouraging to see him advocate oil drilling in the last pristine wildlife refuge in Alaska. And he retained many Reagan appointees in the public land agencies. He was painfully slow in responding to last year's oil spill from the Exxon Valdez in Prince William Sound. But last month he reversed a previously held position, and encouraged Congress to make the Environmental Protection Agency a Cabinet-level department. In my opinion, this is a step in the right direction, following his appointment early on of William Reilly as head of the EPA. And when John Turner became Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which had been essentially headless and emasculated for 8 years, some 17 million hunters, 47 million fishermen and 135 million outdoor enthusiasts who enjoyed wildlife in other ways heartily approved. You hear some concern that the Cabinet is getting too big. In the last 30 years, we've added Departments of Transportation, Educa- tion, Energy, and Veterans Affairs. Cabinet-level EFA shows Bush's commitment to environment Admittedly, Bill Reilly was already attending most Cabinet meet- ings, and most members of the environmental community looked to him rather than the Secretary of Interior, Manual Lujan, on natural resources issues. So one could argue that giving the EPA chairman a Cabinet post won't make much difference. On the other hand, this action tells the world that the U.S. is concerned about global warming, acid rain, ozone depletion, and the destruction of rain forests. This is overdue in view of Japan, Sweden, West Germany, Australia and Britain, all of whom have environ- mental agencies in their cabinets. Furthermore, Japan and Britain seem to manage very well with more than 20 cabinet seats. So with Bill Reilly as a capable member of our Cabinet, we should have enhanced visibility on the world scene. By clearing the way for making the EPA a Cabinet department, President Bush indicates how impor- tant the agency has become. Admittedly, many environmentalists would have been happier if Bush had led the effort to upgrade the EPA, rather than allowing others in his administration to leak the word that he would not block such a move. After all, this is the 20th anniversary of the EPA, which was born soon after the first Earth Day in April, 1970. Raising EPA to the Cabinet is a fitting 20th anniversary present. I suspect, however, that the President went about as far as he could go without incurring the wrath of very powerful industrial interests who control a lot of votes and a lot of purse strings. That he was and is very sensitive to pressure from these sources . was quite evident on February 5, 1990, in Washington. He cautioned an international gathering of scientists against seeking solutions to global warming that would “burden” major industries. Needless to say, the consensus among the scientists was one of disappointment. But the CEO of any major industry, if he keeps his job, must go for short term financial gain regardless of long term ecological cost. If, therefore, any progress is to be made in countering the insane destruction of our air, water, and soil, public opinion will have to assert itself. The enormous pressures that limit George Bush's options can only be met when and if the American people communicate with their representatives in Washington. Practically every poll shows the people understand the danger of further environmental degradation. But so far we haven't told our representatives to get with it or get out. Even politicians agree that when the voting public fully under- stands the issue, they will vote the right way. Let's hope observance of the 20th Earth Day, on April 22, will help overcome the ecological illiterates who force the President to waflle on his promise. John M. "Frosty" Anderson was Director of the Wildlife Department of the National Audubon Society from 1966 until his retirement in 1987. R 5
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers