all OST Vol. 102 No. 28 Dallas, PA Wednesday, July 17, 1991 35 Cents By RICH JOHNSON Staff Writer enacted recycling program. Chadwick July 15. One county official has spoken up to defend the Dallas Area Municipal Authority (DAMA) in the controversy over a recently ounty Recycling Coordinator Frank Chadwick said that DAMA's j¥ogram is nothing new to the Wyoming Valley. “Many local governments, especially the more urban ones, have set up a municipal garbage pickup program, so this is not a new thing,” said DAMA recently established a program under which residents of - Dallas Borough, Dallas Township and Kingston Township have * ‘their garbage and recyclables collected by Danella Environmental Technologies. However, some residents of these municipalities Recycling official defends DAMA along with local haulers are opposed to the program, saying it is not right to have a single hauler. These complaints have shocked Chadwick, who is also an assistant to the county planner. “I'm surprised at the firestorm of controversy directed at DAMA,” said Chadwick. “Act 101 mandates that Kingston Twp. and Dallas Twp. recycle and it seems like the officials are trying to find the best program to do that.” Chadwick said that there are many municipalities in Luzerne County which have already instituted mymicipal hauling and recycling programs. “On the surface the DAMA program doesn’t seem much different than some of the programs in places such as Avoca, Duryea or Pittston,” said Chadwick. See DEFENDS, pg. 2 Harveys Lake recycling program runs smoothly By! BCH JOHNSON Stal Writer ..-As the trash hauling program ‘¢et up by the Dallas Area Munici- | pal Authority (DAMA) continues to | draw criticism from some quar- ters, a similar program at Harveys Lake is running trouble-free. Municipal officials say there are many similarities between the recently established” DAMA pro- gr¢ jp and the one at Harveys Lake, whith has been going on for nearly seven years. “We are doing the exact same tk 7§€ as they are in Harveys Lake,” saivl Kingston Township Manager J effrey Box. At Harveys Lake, the most re- cent contract began in January with Solomon Container Service of Wilkes-Barre. The contract allows for garbage pickup while the bor- ough goes ahead with a weekly ‘recycling program. ~.DAMA has begun a program under which residents of Dallas Borough, Dallas Township and in gston Township have garbage ph, ‘cyclables collected by Dan- ellanvironmental Technologies. “This isn’t anything new, look at what they are doing in Wilkes- Barre and Kingston,” said Box. See RECYCLING, pg. 2 aL I LU A A Calendar................. 14 .Classified.......... 11-13 Editorials........ ent 4 Obituaries HARRIE 11 olice report............ 2 SCHOO). .cc..oivanniia 10 SPOHS......c...cifivian mas 9 AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE -Mon., July 22, 11 AM-5 PM, Irem Temple Country Club, Dallas. For appointments, 823-7161. Community Events BENEFIT BAKE SALE AND 'FLEA MARKET FOR GARY ‘SHAW - Thurs., Fri., July 18-19, ‘9 AM-8 PM, Sweet Valley Fire Hall. Kids pictures with a Ninja turtle, $3.00. FRANKLIN TWP. FIRE CO. BAZAAR - Thurs.-Sat., July 18- +20. Live entertainment, games, ‘homemade food. At the fire hall. SHAKESPEARE FOR CHILDREN - Fri., July 19, ‘College Misericordia. Call 674- * 6368 for info. "AS YOU LIKE IT" - July 18-21, Theatre-on-the-Green, College Misericordia, Dallas. Tickets ~ $7.00 and $3.00. 674-6285 or 674-6368. CALL 675-5211 FOR HOME DELIVERY, VERTISING Summer fun in the sun I was family day Sunday at Harveys Lake as sunny skies and temperatures near r80 drew plenty of visitors to the boat launch and other spots. {Poy Photo/Charlotte Bartizek) Honesty's her policy Woman finds, returns money bag with $900 By CHARLOT M. DENMON Staff Writer “It’s great to know there are still some honest people in the world,” said J.P. Gooch after he received a call from Dallas Township police that a woman had returned a lost money bag containing about $900 in checks and cash last week. Gooch; a student at Purdue University in Indiana, is living in one of the apartments at the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Campus this summer while he is employed by Southwestern Book Company of National Tennessee. After working in the area last Wednesday, Gooch finished his day and returned home, discovering, that he had lost his money bag containing $700 in checks and approximately $200 in cash. While sitting in his room worrying over the loss of the money, the phone rang. It was the police calling to tell ‘Gooch that someone had turned in ‘his lost bag to the township station and requested that he come and identify the bag and its contents. Gooch lost no time in getting to the station and immediately described his bag and its contents to the satisfaction of the police. Police told Gooch that a Mrs. Marsha Meade of Harveys Lake, a night waitress at The Pizza Hut in Dallas, was returning home from work when she found the bag near the exit of the Acme Parking lot. Mrs. Meade took the bag immedi- ately to the police department which contacted Gooch through his name on the checks. “I can't begin to tell you how thrilled I was to have the bag re- turned,” Gooch said. “I thought it was gone forever and all I had were visions of trying to replace the money” When contacted at Pizza Hut , Mrs. Meade explained that she found the bag but didn’t open it. “I knew it must have money in it because when I shook it I heard change rattle,” she said. “When I left work I went into the Post Office area to mail a letter. After leaving the Post Office, I went through the Acme lot and near the exit, I spot- ted the bag on the ground when mv. car lights hit it. I got out of the car and picked it up and I knew it must belong to someone who worked just as I do. I didn't hesi- tate but drove right to the police station. “When I saw the police open the bag and spread out all the checks and cash I was so glad that picked it up and took it to them. After they called and told. the owner of the bag it was in their possession I was ‘able to go home and have a good night's sleep without feeling guilty.” Gooch went to The Pizza Hut Thursday night tomeet Mrs. Meade and express his appreciation to her for returning his money. ‘Recycling protests continue as DAMA program goes on By CHARLOT M. DENMON Staff Writer’ Complaints about the Dallas Area Municipal Authority recycling and trash pickup program appear to be falling into a pattern. Dallas Area Municipal Author- ity (DAMA) Plant manager Tom Bagley estimated that about 40 people attended DAMA's meeting July 11, most to complain about the municipal trash and recyclable collection in Dallas Borough, Dal- las Township and Kingston Town- ship. “It seems to be the same people over and over with the same com- Neighbors plan suit over Commonwealth building By CHARLOT M. DENMON Staff Writer Dallas Township residents op- posed to Commonwealth Tele- phone Company's plan to construct ° a building and parking area on land that includes wetlanc they will appe the, township's decision that has allowed the Proj - ect to go ahead. The 43,000 square foot building and a parking area are to be ‘con- structedonan 11 1/2 acre tract of land across Route 309 from the company’s present complex. The property includes six acres of wetlands and company represen- LOST AND FOUND-J.P. Gooch, left, sits with Marsha Meade as she describes where she found his money bag. containing $900 and why she returned it by way of the police. Gooch also ex- pressed his appreciation to her by thanking her with a gift. (Post Photo/C. M. Denmon) ‘through the wetlands to get to the of the residents opposing the pro _-— plaints,” said Bagley. “Forty pecile complaining out of more than 17,000 residents being serviced doesn't seem to be many. “The people don’t seem to real- ize the benefits of the municipal hauling overall. The rates are bet- ter, services are better and some- time in the future we hope to make some adjustments in the program. It takes time to get the program off the ground and running smoothly? Bagley said. : Bagley also said that people way not know that the trash and recy- cling collection was put out for bid See PROTESTS, pg. 5 tatives say the building will be 5: constructed. on the other 5 1/ 2 acres. But they want to put a road ‘building and parking lot. : “The area in question is bebind my home,” said John Graham, one ect, “And most of it is mountai : The company plans to cut about 100 feet into the mountain only about 30 feet from a pond on my land. Such a project will destroyor, pollute the wetlands. “I talked to my lawyer last Fri- day and we will appeal as will some See SUIT, pg. 11 END OF AN ERA - This is all that remains of the wooden roller coaster at Hanson's Amusement Park at Harveys Lake. The coaster, which was an attraction at the park for nearly 50 years, was demolished July 10. Many residents have fond memories of the roller coaster hs the alnusemen park, Whig has been ¢ hous the amusementpark.” > Hanson's coaster takes its last ride By RICH JOHNSON Staff Writer The popular wooden roller coaster stood proudly for nearly 50 years at the Hanson’s Amusement Park at Harveys Lake. But it took demolition crews only a couple of minutes to bring the venerable ride to the ground on the afternoon of July 10. The coaster, which had been shut down since 1981, was finally demolished last week as the re- mains of the former amusement park continue to disappear. Asmall group of residents turned out to watch the coaster come down and they, like many others, have memories about the coaster and the park. “At one time this was the liveli- hood of Harveys Lake,” said resi- dent William Tramont. “When you talked about the lake you talked : ends” : Sod Hope Wargo) Who now Indeed, the park was a big at- traction in the Wyoming Valley and the wooden roller coaster was one of the reasons. The coaster was builtin the 1930's and stood nearly 68 feet tall. However, safety factors caused the ride to be shut down nearly a decade ago and since then the ride continued to deteriorate and had become an eye-sore to some. “I'm glad to see it finally come down," said resident Helen Kanow- sky. “I travel past this every day and wondered when it was going to fall over.” For most people who know of the amusement park, these last few years won't be what is remem- bered. Instead most treasure the memories of the park and roller coaster that was so much a part of their childhood. “We lived in Wilkes-Barre but we came up here on the week- lives in Forty-Fort. “Just like clock- work my friends and I would finda: way to come up and spend time at the park.” Wargo wasn't alone in coming fromoutside the Back Mountainto = | the park. Janice Bachus of Ply- mouth said she remembers com- ing out with her family. “The roller coaster was just one of the things that brought us out. I remember many good times at the park,” she said. Currently part of the former amusement attraction is mired in a controversy as the owner, Shirley Hanson, has proposed to build 166 townhouses on the land ifarezon- ing request is approved by the borough. So far, there has been strong opposition to the proposal as resi- dents cite concerns over potential | negative impact on the environ- 5 ment, traffic and schools. The borough council will make a deci- sion on the matter at a special meeting Agus 7. .
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