| 4 TheDallasPost Dallas, PA Wednesday, April 1, 1992. EE Tip ALLAS~ [OST B () H il 40 - Another traffic Ta E death, still no lights : ‘Pardon us if we sound like a broken record, but isn't it time I something was done about traffic control on Route 309? And IA we’ re not complaining that local officials aren't trying; it’s just IY that the state seems to ignore the death and destruction that ~ take place here with unsettling regularity. a" As if to reinforce the point that most of the increased traffic oh doesn't begin or end here, neither the latest victim of a fatal eo: accident nor the occupants of the car that collided with his were o/ from the Back Mountain. Like so many others, that collision f occurred in Shavertown, a few hundred yards south of the blic Center Street intersection. 52 State Representative Phyllis Mundy has added her voice to | those calling on the state Department of Transportation NI PennDOT) to take responsibility for safety on this highway, ‘0 which she aptly characterized as a “mini-interstate.” It has ; become even more so since being connected directly with I Interstate 81 last fall, and this summer promises to be the bt Bites on record as trucks and vacationers vie for position. \e © We understand that the state must be careful in allotting Wr scarce funds; it’s hard to understand, though, how a deathtrap like this one isn’t on the top of the priority list. 2 Health care reform b- 3 g 4 Perhaps no issue has excited the public imagination in the 9) fst 20 years as much as has the possibility of basic health care { yeing made available to every person in the United States. On the face of it, the debate is over how such a plan can be p implemented But there are still formidable forces working against access to health care for all. C . There are so many good arguments in favor of universal health care that it is sometimes hard to understand why it has "¢ taken so long for the American public and its leaders to begin pA 2 Serious discussion about it. Some will recall that Harry man proposed such a plan in the early 1950's; but was re] _ rebuffed, and the idea never surfaced again until recently. ; 4 To borrow a phrase, you don't have to be a brain surgeon to - See that our present system — under which the very poor and he ver rich are assured access while everyone else must ». choose between health care and other necessities — is not only ensive, it damages our society in subtle, but important, D ) ways. A few are: Sil MB COST — Opponents of a national health care scheme argue that involving the government always means less for P- ‘more, But the experience of every other advanced nation tells ® B > ‘us just the opposite, and not only because there's plenty of P< _ medical care is freely available because preventing disease is «more efficient than treating it. The value of pre-natal care alone ‘should be obvious to anyone who cares to examine the issue ith unbiased eyes. Awell-planned health care system that in- “cludes regular checkups and promotes healthy behavior will bring the greatest savings. BM FREEDOM — Because affordable health insurance is now almost universally connected to a job, many Americans pass “up important career opportunities when they mean either “losing insurance coverage, or having to pass a physical exam 'to get it at their new company. As anyone who has suffered an L «illness knows, it is very expensive to switch insurance carriers, [ ‘provided you can get coverage at all. . HB FEAR — Ours is the only modern nation in which citizens can lose everything they own if they become ill. Like the risk of _ nuclear war, that nagging fear quietly pummels our subcon- sscious with the vision of having nothing to show for a lifetime sof effort, and worse, impoverishing the children we so lovingly ‘brought into the world and raised. This is perhaps the saddest ‘commentary on a misguided interpretation of our national spirit that says independence is always more important than compassion. l. Americans expend an inordinate amount of time, energy and | money on health care, and as long as we do our citizens and our | Pn Cr. EE es Sse ation cannot claim to enjoy a high standard of living. As we tapproach the 21st century, it's time to free ourselves from the \puritanical notion that in a wealthy, civilized society illness is a penalty for which an individual and his family must be made to pay. Cherry blossoms will ah up our day What a wonderful idea it was to plant cherry trees alongside oute 415 as it approaches Harveys Lake. The spring blossoms ell soon see there will brighten the day for everyone who travels this road. The trees also will be a reminder that there's more to the | stewardship of a municipal government than balancing the quid fuels fund checkbook. We hope more citizens, supervi- pa councilmen and other officials will recognize that making community more attractive enhances the experience of living i 5 waste in our free market system. We all will save money when there. Te SDALLASCPoST 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 Peggy Young Advertising Acct. Exec. Grace R. Dove Reporter Jean Hillard Office Manager MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION Eric Foster Reporter rn 2 Paul Rismiller Production Manager Olga Kostrobala Classified/typesetting AND THE PENNSYLVANIA NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER'S ASSOCIATION RR EL RR RT EEE EE | | i North from Valley View Road Photo by Charlotte Bartizek A. Case for conservation The magic life of mangrove trees By ALENE N. CASE Perhaps you took the family toa warmer clime this winter, or per- haps you plan a trip to the Keys over Easter break. If so, you may be acquainted with a type of vege- tation which I have only read about in books and tried to imagine. To the south and west of Florida there is an area called the Ten Thousand Islands. These islands are not only covered with mangrove forests, they were created (and are still being created) by mangrove trees! One author has predicted that eventually the entire area will be- come low-lying land attached to the peninsula of Florida. But, let's not get ahead of our- selves. What exactly is a man- grove? First, we need to under- stand what it is not.- Mangrove does not refer to a specific family of trees such as pines or maples. There are three different families represented in the mangrove for- ests in the Caribbean and as many as eight families world-wide. Within those, there are many species. The term mangrove denotes a lifestyle rather than a genetic rela- tionship. This lifestyle is one of the most difficult that any plant could have. They must live in salty water that changes level with the tides. They are buffeted by hurricanes. And they grow in mud that con- tains little or no oxygen. The ways in which these diverse plants have adapted to this extreme environ- ment make then truly amazing. Mangrove forests occur only in tropical climates where there is a heavy cloud cover. High rainfall amounts and a lack of ice are important factors in their distri- bution. Mangroves line much of the coast in the tropics, including along estuaries where fresh water from rivers enter the sea. Wide ranges in salt content present another stress to many of these plants. Like desert plants, trees that live in salt water must prevent dehydration. Therefore, all man: groves have very waxy leaves tc help them retain water. Some alsc have special membranes to keey salt out of their root cells. Re searcher’s surmise that living in ¢ cloud area also helps because less water evaporates in such steamy environs. The roots of mangroves have evolved unique responses to the lack of oxygen they experience. Some have hollow tubes through which air is pumped down into the mud. Others have roots that dangle down from the trunk and branches and “breathe” above the water level. Still other species have complex root systems that not only take in oxygen but also stabilize the tree as the tides move up and down, in and out. The red mangrove of Flor- ida looks much like a house built up on stilts because its roots hold the tree above the high tide level. One special adaptation sepa- rates mangroves from all other trees: they retain their seeds until full germination, The “baby trees” get water and nutrients from the parent plant until they are about 6-12 inches long. At the time they arereleased. they have small leaves and a long arrow-shaped root. if the tide is out, the small tree hits the soft mud and begins to grow on its own in the shadow of the “mother”. If the tide is high, the small tree floats on the water until it lands on a suitable spot and begins to grow. They can float for as long as a year and still be viable. The ability to colonize new ar- eas, the extensive root systems, and the heavy leaves all contribute to the mangroves’ usefulness in holding and creating new soil. The roots tend to trap sand and other debris which would otherwise be washed out to the deeper ocean. As much as 3-5 tons of leaves may fall in an acre of mangrove swamp in one year. These leaves contrib- ute to the soil as well as feeding a wide diversity of other organisms. After the mangroves have built up the soil, other species of trees move into the area. These very special swamps are at risk in most parts of the world because they happen to be very inhospitable places for humans. Other animals, however, call them home. And some of these animals are quite important to us. I am thinking particularly of the shrimp which most of us enjoy eating at Library news Library will sponsor art auction May 15 By NANCY KOZEMCHAK The Back Mountain Memorial Library has announced a special Kick Off event for the 46th annual library auction. An art exhibition and art auction will be held at the Irem Temple Country Club in Dallas on Friday, May 15. The preview will be 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. and the auction will be held at 8:30. Admission is $12.50 per person and advance ticket pur- chases are preferred. Tickets will be available at the library. The eventincludes hors d'oeuvres, wine and cheese. There will be a door prize given also. The program will feature art in all media including works by art- ists such as Delacroix, Neiman, Chagall, B. Wood, Miro, Boulanger and many others. All proceeds will benefit the Back Mountain Memo- rial Library. This is the major kick off celebration for the 46th annual auction to be held Thursday, Fri- day, Saturday and Sunday, July 9, 10, 11 and 12. General chairman is Connie Scott. The book booth will be chaired by Bennie Matchett and her com- mittee and the library will accept donations of books for the booth, with the exception of text books, at any time when the library is open. The Odds and Ends booth will again be chaired by Sybil Pelton, Mary George and Jean Grimes with the Women of Dallas Kiwanis and they will gladly receive donations for the booth, also delivered to the library. A celebrity auction will be held as an added feature with many special items to be auctioned ofl. New books at the library: “Box Socials" by W.P. Kinsella is set in the small towns, ball fields, barns and bedrooms of Alberta, Canada . and populated by some of the quirkiest, rowdiest, hottest- blooded folks in [iction. The story paints a brilliantly comic, full-color portrait of North American life in the 1940's, It is the story of how Truckbox Al McClintock, a small- town greaser whose claim to fame was hitting a baseball clean across the Pembina River, almost got a tryout with the genuine St. Louis Cardinals. The book is full of the crackle of down-honie folk tales. It is donated by Back Mountain Bridge Club. “Trial By Fire" by Harold Coyle is donated by the Dallas Federated Women's Club. The book combines military strategy, mastery of mod- ern military technology, a surefire sense of political and diplomatic reality with a hefty dose of good old-fashioned storytelling. In this masterly and superbly paced new novel, the United States is caught by surprise as a Mexican revolu- tion suddently destabilizes the almost 2000 mile-long undefended border between the two countries. While the controversial invasion is debated, the United States Army must win quickly what could be- come a long, bloody war. This is a compelling novel. Be ER Lc AN i Only = yesterday = 60 Years Ago - Apr. 1, 1932 AREA IS BURIED AFTER A SNOW STORM : One of the worst snow storms this area has experienced in years continued on Monday night desto- rying communication lines and paralyzing traffic for two days. In his efforts to get an educa- tional square deal for rural schools and boys and girls on the farms, Dr. James N. Rule, State Superin- tendent of Public Instruction is making a tour of the State obtain- ing first hand information on ac- tual conditions in the outlying school districts. Dr.John J. Casey is aspiring for a seat in Congress as a successor to his father the late Hon. John JJ. Casey, who served six terms in the House of Representative, 12th District. “Pardon Us", with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy now playing at the Himmler Theatre. : 50 Years Ago - Apr. 3, 1942 in SUSPECTED SPY '- QUESTIONED J Tei Takahashi, Japanese house- boy of Mrs. John Conyngham, Hayfield Farms was taken into custody by 2 FBI men on suspicion of spy activity. A thorough search of his living quarters at Hayfield revealed a short-wave radio, pow- erful camera, maps and pictures of the Wyoming Valley. All these were confiscated by the G-Men. Mr. and Mrs. S.H. Poad' of Demunds Road, received word that their son Lt. Keats Poad has beén reported missing in action since March 3 in the Far Eastern ! atre. a Boys' basketball team, second year champions of the Back Moun- tain League and the girls tedm a close second in the fight for cham- pionships will be guests of honor at the annual banquet in the bor- ough high school Wednesday night. 40 Years Ago - Apr. 4, 1952 RICHARD DISQUE BREAKS GROUND FOR NEW FUNERAL HOME Harris S. Haycox was unani- mously elected to fill the terme f the late Timothy LaBar at’ meeting of Dallas Borough Cout- cil held at the Library Annex. Donors who regularly appea | the Dallas Borough, ‘School answer to the appeal ‘of Red Cross for blood, are urged to bring an- otherrespective donor on Wednes- da Dallas Rotary Club named Clar- ence Swire of Sweet Valley, Stu- deat of the Month at Lake- Noxen School. Richard Disque has broken ground for his funeral home, on Memorial Highway at Center Hill Road. It is hoped the structure will be completed by the middle of summer. £2 v) 30 Years Ago - Apr. 5, 1962 © BACK MOUNTAIN : LUMBER OPENS Mrs. Donald Meade, Trucksville, was Giant Market's lucky winner Thursday, taking home $300 in groceries in the five minute shop- ping spree. Dallas Lions will visit every home in the Dallas Area selling light bulbs at discount prices. Every cent of profit will go toward a worth- while community project. » Wyoming National Bank and Back Mountain Lumber and Coal held Grand Openings when they moved into their new buildings on Main Highway, Shavertown, di- rectly across from the Back Moun- tain Shopping Center. Wed - Wilma Mae Weidner to Willard R. Lansberry. = Prize winning Lake-Lehmbi Band will hold their spring concert April 13 andl4 in the Lehman gymnasium. John Miliaskas is band director. 20 Years Ago - Apr. 6, 1972 HL MAYOR SQUASHES MOVE TO ABOLISH : PLANNING COMMISSION A move to abolish the Harveys Lake Planning Commission has been thwarted, if only temporarily by Mayor William J. Connolly's veto of two ordinances which had heen approved unanimously by the community's borough council last month. Dr. Mahmoud Fahmy, Dallas, will head a six-week seminar in Egypt this summer for the Wilkes College Education Department. The 15 persons who will partici- pate in the seminar are represen- tatives of state colleges and uni- versities. Engaged - Former math teacher at Dallas Junior High School Charlene Jaye Ripa to Francis James Arruda. School children are no longer required to have Smallpox vacci- nation in Pennsylvania schools, the state's medical society said this week because more children have been dying from complica- tioas from the vaccine than from the disease itself. TE ok Ww FEA | | | a, Et pap NN
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers