SSS $Y i EB roe 8 The Dallas Post SR Go WG § FS 6 1 | Wi Dallas, PA EE WW Pi [re PI IS SY 6 Se I YY han Wednesday, January 22, 1992 _ Victim (continued from page 1) gory at the hospital. Olszewski obtained special per- mission for the bedside arraign- ment. “Normally the suspect is transported to the magistrate's office, but special exceptions can ‘be made for this type of situation,” Olszewski said. Schwartz, 29, was listed Tues- day afternoon in critical but stable condition at Wilkes-Barre General ‘Hospital, according to a hospital spokesman. Police determined that Schwartz had used a.380 caliber semi-auto- “matic handgun in both Friday's shooting and in Monday's suicide ‘attempt. The district attorney's “office is still investigating where ‘Schwartz obtained the gun, ‘whether or not it was registered ‘and if he had a permit to carry it. > Snow brin @ | By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff _ Now that the arctic express has finally brought the Back Mountain some snow and frigid weather, cross-country skiers and families going sleigh riding have headed for area parks for some eagerly antici- ‘pated outdoor fun. Any available snow-covered hill seemed to attract kids sliding on | everything from a flexible plastic sheet toan old tire tube, as squeals, shoutsand laughter combined with the soft crunch of boots on snow in the biting air. . Cross-country skiers can usu- td ally find a variety of trails and open spaces with sufficient snowin area parks. “Cross-country or nordic skiing is a great family sport and a wonderful way to enjoy the woods ‘in winter,” commented Rave’s Ski Loft sales associate Cindy Parris. “I've met lots of wildlife while out ~ on my skis.” . Cross-country skiing is less expensive, safer and more acces- sible than its more well-publicized cousin, explained Holly Brace, | manager of Rave'’s. “Cross-coun- . tryskiing's techniques, equipment | and conditions are very different | from what's needed for downhill skiing.” “Cross-country skiers don’t have to contend with long lift lines or crowded slopes,” Cindy continued. “I feel that it's safer than downhill because I've seen fewer leg injuries ! incross-countryskiing. The skier’s . foot can flex more during a fall, avoiding broken ankles and legs. 1K In comparison, the downhill skier’s entire foot, encased in a heavy, rigid boot, is securely clamped to the ski, limiting its flexibility dur- ing a fall.” Police had contiscated a similar handgun from Schwartz after he was arrested in May. Schwartz, a 1981 graduate of Dallas High School, had recently moved home after having been briefly incarcerated for violating the April, 1991 Protection From Abuse order obtained by Van Leuven. Pensylvania State Trooper Ben- jamin Grevera and Dallas Town- ship Police Chief Carl Miers are the prosecuting officers investigating the case, assisted by Lieutenant Joseph Marut, head of the Crimi- nal Division of the Pennsylvania State Police Wyoming Barracks. According to Chief Miers, Schwartz’ name, description and a warning that he was armed and dangerous had been entered into the National Criminal Information Center Friday night as part of a nationwide police alert. The NCIC shares information by computer on criminals with law enforcement officials throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. If Schwartz had not been appre- hended and had done anything to attract the attention of police, such as being stopped for a traffic viola- tion, Miers said, police would have routinely run a computerized check on his identity. The computer would automatically inform the police that Schwartz had been wanted in Pennsylvania in con- nection with a homicide. “We have had excellent coop- eration between all of the depart- ments and personnel who assisted usin this case,” Miers commented. s out x-country skiers And, because they take less abuse, cross-country skis tend to last longer, according to Sean O'Shea, owner of Country Ski and Sport in Wilkes-Barre. Cross-country skiing provides excellent full-body exercise, involv- ing all of the body’s major muscle groups. The kick-glide movement tones the lower body, while pres- sure on the poles strengthens the shoulders, chest and arm muscles. Combined with proper breathing, it offers an excellent aerobic work- out. A beginning cross-country skier needs to master five easy tech- niques: stopping and turning, as well as traveling uphill, downhill and on flat terrain. The basic kick-glide used in skating works well on skis for flat travel. A cross-country skier will use the same snowplowing tech- niques for turning and stopping as are used in downhill skiing. Many skiers like to travel both uphill and downhill diagonally rather than straight up or down. The skis’ textured undersides grip the snow for better traction. More adventur- ous skiers like to crouch down into the “tuck” position for a quick glide straight downhill. Cross-country skiing doesn't require special slopes or groomed trails. Skiers can goon any surface that has at least four inches of snow—a groomed trail, in the woods and local parks or even in one’s own back yard. Country Ski's O'Shea recom- mends that beginning skiers rent their equipment until deciding whether or not cross-country skiing is really for them. Rentals are available on a daily, weekend or longer basis from most stores that sell ski equipment. At Country Ski, | SALE | you'll find both at CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES 651 WYOMING AVE. KINGSTON i} MON.-SAT. 10 - 5/ THURS. 10 - 8 or Sail di’ When your eyes are working ~ the way they should be, they're - both looking directly at an object with the same intensity and precision. If this is not the case, ~ then there may be a problem in the muscles of one or both eyes. Each eye has six muscles that control movement and position. They must be in good working condition to give you proper eye coordination. If there'sa weakness or defect in any one of these muscles, your eyes are not getting the help they need to see well. : Your vision won'tbe as clear as it should be. You'll probably be putting extra strain on the weak Dr. Curtis Goodwin Optometrist | EYE COORDINATION muscles to try to bring them into line. This can cause headaches, fatigue, and sometimes double vision. It also affects your depth perception - your ability to judge the distance of objects. Tobe in good health, you should beable to control all of your muscle movements, including the muscles of your eyes. If you've noticed any weakness in your vision, it's time to have an eye examination. kkk Dr. Curtis Goodwin 170 N. Memorial Highway Shavertown, PA 18708 (717) 675-3627 » a one-day rental costs $7.00 and a special three-day weekend pack- age, allowing a renter to pick up equipment on Friday and return it Monday, costs $14.00. Purchasing a cross-country outfit will thin the pocketbook less than buying downhill equipment. “Basic equipment will run $100 to $110,” says O'Shea. “And better equipment isn’t that much more, about $150." The pleasure of getting very close to wildlife enhances cross-country skiing's value as good exercise. Somehow the sound of skis whis- pering across the snow does not frighten deer and other winter wildlife. Some cross-country skiers carry a small camera in their daypacks to take advantage of opportunities for unusual and breathtaking photos. Both Frances Slocum State Park and Moon Lake Park offer a variety of trails and open fields for skiers to get a good aerobic workout and enjoy the beautiful winter scenery. Although neither park has groomed trails, they provide an excellent opportunity for both the recrea- tional skier and the athlete on skis. For more consistent snow, many enthusiasts go to Lake Jean in Rickett’s Glen Park, where the higher elevation tends to produce More Snow. Don't forget to bring along a camera! Protection from Not a guard, but they can help By ERIC FOSTER Post Staff A protection from abuse order didn’t stop Stephen G. Schwartz from allegedly shooting to death his ex-girlfriend Deborah Van Leuven. Neither did an arrest after he tried to run her vehicle off of the road in May, 1991. While a protection from abuse order can't stop someone determined to hurt you, local experts say ‘the order can help stop abuse. “I think that they are better than nothing,” says Ellen Harris, director of the Domestic Violence Service Center. “It gives a message to the victim - yes the court will do what it can. It gives a message to the abuser - you can't continue to do this.” Carol Lavery, director of the Victims Resource Center said that the protection from abuse order is likely to deter abusers who for some reason feel that what they are doing is justified, and those abusers who are afraid of going to jail. “When you have the person who doesn't care, it doesn’t help,” says Lavery. “For some people, noth- ing in the world is going to stop them.” What the order doesn’t do, says Harris, is “supply a bodyguard.” “Its a piece of paper, that's all it is,” says Harris. “The only way it can be enforced is if it is violated. If someone wants to hurt you, the law won't prevent him from hurting you.” Friends and family of the murdered woman have stated that Schwartz abused Van Leuven on many occassions and threatened to harm her family. Pennsylvania was the first state to pass protec- tion from abuse laws in 1976. In 1986, the probable cause law passed, which allows police to determine whether or not to arrest an abuser without the per- mission of the victim or assurances that the victim will prosecute. However Harris and Lavery say that some police departments are still reluctant to use the probable cause law, and arrest abusers unless the victim says they will press charges. However, area police officers say that if the victim chooses not to testify, it's nearly impossible to prosecute domestic is cases in court. The police officers add that many women violate protec- tion from abuse orders by seeing the abuser again. What can a woman do to prevent abuse? “Get out” says Harris. “Unfortunately, that's a double-edged sword. Leaving can be the most dangerous time. Of all the women murdered in this country by family abuse orders: members, more than half were murdered as they were leaving the relationship.” And says Harris, it is overwhelmingly women who are the victims of domestic violence, 95% to 98% of such victims nationwide. Luzerne County Legal Services gave assistance to over 500 people seeking protection from abuse orders last year, Harris said. “Most cases of domestic violence involve the abusive person's need to maintain powerand control over the victim,” says Harris. “That's why we see the violence escalate when she tries to leave. The] abusive person will become more violent as they ry] to reassert their power.” When children are involved, as in the case ot Deborah Van Leuven, it becomes more difficult for - women to avoid their abuser. “If someone has abused his wife, he still has parental rights,” says Harris. “Every time she has take that child somewhere to meet the other parent, she's at risk.” Van Leuven was dropping off her daughter at Schwartz's home for visitation when she was shot to death. One thing women can do is look for warning signs of a potential abuser at the start of a relationship, says Harris. Warning signs include: » e Jealousy of relationships with other people. % An attempt to isolate you from you friends and family. : A desire to know where you are every minute. e Cruelty to animals. * Someone who may have been abused as a child. * Someone who abuses drugs and alcohol. * And if he blames you for everything that goes wrong in his life. “None of these are absolute, but they can give an indication,” says Harris. Harris points out that while drug and alcohol abuse can be a contributing factor to domestic violence, it is not the cause. “I think the community would like to believe that if we solved drug and alcohol problems we would solve the abuse problem. But that's not the case. The injuries may be more serious, the abuse may be more frequent, but we have many cases where drugs and alcohol are not involved.” : If someone is interested in getting a protection from abuse order, they can call the Domestic Violence Service Center at 823-7312, or Luzerne County Legal Services for more information. “It certainly seems not to have worked in this case - but it can work,” says Harris. Jacobs Brothers The Jacobs Brothers of music. Since 1962 the group has will sing at First Dillsburg, will appear at First Assembly of God Church, 340 Carverton Road, Trucksville on traveled millions of miles, produced numerous record albums, and Friday, Jan. 24, Assembly of God on Jan. 24 La the SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risks to Your Health. © The American Tobacco Co. 1991. The Jacobs Brothers are tal- ented young men dedicated to hosted many international i Presently the Jacobs Brothers?’ weekly television program aired on more than 30 stations in adiditio to Sattelite TV 7 p.m. Gospel through Le AE
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers