4 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, April 15, 1992 Te DarrasPost Preserving the earth makes economic sense, too Whether by coincidence or design, Earth Day is celebrated within a few days of the opening of fishing season. That is appropriate since the protection of natural resources is not simply an esthetic value, it's also importan‘ to the security of our food supplies and consequently our survival. The outlook for the natural world has changed considerably since the first Earth Day in 1971, as has the attitude of many environmental activists. What may have seemed like un- founded fears, such as the depletion of the ozone layer, are now seen as brutal realities requiring action and not just protest. On the other hand, predicted worldwide famines caused by population growth have failed to materialize, although much of Africa and some other places still suffer greatly. It is interesting to note the alliance of hunting and fishing organizations and environmentalists on issues that affect wildlife. Both groups understand the importance of preserving the natural world, although perhaps for different reasons. ~ Wise observers have always known that the goals of a clean envircnment and a productive society mesh in the long run. If we took seriously our responsibility to be good stewards of the garth, we could develop new industries and technologies that would create jobs and products to be sold on the export market. But politicians and business executives with a short-term ‘mindset don't understand that relationship, and particularly in the United States have strangled much of the innovation that is needed to preserve the planet for future generations. One rieed look no further than the meeting of world leaders in Brazil for an example of our recalcitrance; while other nations are prepared to sign an agreement on environmental issues, our leaders maintain that all that is needed is more research. Studies and statistics aside, anyone who examines most environmental topics with a clear eye reaches the conclusion that conservation is more sensible than waste; cleailiness has value over filth; beauty is superior to ugliness. On this score, the majority of American citizens are far ahead of our present leaders, who see only short-term expenses where the rest of us envision long term value. Are some environmental concerns unreasonable? Certainly, but it'sfarbetterto err on the side of protection rather than that of abuse so that our children and grandchildren don't pay a heavier price for our inaction. Prison should draw water from reservoir 1oWhile'it' may be correct that the state prison in Chase draws its water from lurge underground rivers, it is difficult to understand why officials would resist using the Ceasetown Reservoir as the facility's primary water source. The prison is constructing a pipeline from the reservoir, but so far says it will be used only as a backup in case its wells run dry. Neighboring homeowners are understandably concerned that the prison’s use of 260,000 gallons of ground water daily will not only leave the prison short of water but will also drain their wells. State representatives Phyllis Mundy, George Hasay and Stanley Jarolin, and state senator Charles Lemmond agree, . Prison superintendent John Stepanik says that the prison’s wells tap into large underground aquifers that are more than sufficient to supply the prison without affecting other wells. But he admits the prison stopped using one well after it stopped producing enough water, and neighbors believe their dry wells in recent summers are because of the prison. + Since the prison will now have two water sources, why would it not make sense to first make use of the one that will not affect riearby homes? If there is.a good reason, no one has yet stated if. Until that case is made, it would seem prudent to rely first on the reservoir and seconuiy on the wells. LJ] # Do you agree? Disagree? ‘Editorials are the opinion of the management of The Dallas Post. We welcome your opinion on contemporary issues in the form of letters to the editor. If you don't write, the community may never hear your point of view. Send letters to: The Dallas Post, P,0. Box 366, Dallas, PA 18612. Please include your name, address and a daytime phone number so that we may verify atithenticity. The Post does not publish anonymous letters, but will consider withholding names when appropriate. We reserve the right to edit for length and grammar, but will call the author ifiwe think editing may change meaning. Cancer Society launches fund drive Liquid reflections Photo by Charlotte Bartizek Letters Dallas Taxpayer Forum thanks supporters Editor: We, the Dallas Taxpayer Forum, would like to thank all Dallas Taxpayers who supported us dur- ing the recent teachers negotia- ‘tions. This was a compromise con- tract. That is one in which both sides give up something for the benefit of the whole community. It was a demonstration of the effect citizens can have on their own fate. You, the taxpayers, are to be commended for upholding the principles of the forum - the right to have real influence on a decision that will affect all our lives. This agreement is a moral vic- tory for you, the Dallas taxpayers. It will set a precedent in our sur- rounding area and is a benchmark in our State of Pa. You can be proud of that. But, we are not stopping now. Our goals for the future include studying Act 195 and the Amend- ment to it-727, finding and evalu- ating a workable merit system and studying initiative and referendum. Taxpayers, we need your sup- port. Please come to meetings and sign up to serve on our commit- tees, Budget Committee Act 195 & 727 Committees Merit System Committee Initiative and Referendum Committee Unifying Surrounding Taxpyers Groups Committee. In order to keep our public in- formed, please send donations to: Dallas Taxpayers Forum, P.O. Box 312, Dallas, PA 18612. Charlotte Arbogast Dallas Township Dallas Taxpayers Forum A. Case for conservation « The American Cancer Society's Wyoming Valley Unit kicked off its “Dear Neighbor” fundraising cam- \paign this month. Dozens of resi- ‘dents have already volunteered to contact their neighbors during April for contributions to the American Cancer Society's cancer control programs. ' Through the spring campaign, the American Cancer Society ex- pects to recruit over 35 thousand volunteers statewide toraise a total of over $10 million. Local residents will receive personalized letters over the next few weeks from their local “Dear Neighbor” volunteer. For more informa- tion, call the Wyoming Valley Unit of the American Cancer Society at 825-7763 or call 1-800-ACS-2345. Ronald A. Bartizek Editor and Publisher Tie SOALLASC0ST Published Weekly by Bartsen Media, Inc. P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612 Telephone: 717-675-5211 Peggy Young Eric Foster Advertising Acct. Exec. Reporter Grace R. Dove Paul Rismiller Reporter Olga Kostrobala Production Manager ¢ Classified/typesetting Jean Hillard Office Manager MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION AND THE PENNSYLVANIA NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER'S ASSOCIATION Charlotte E. Bartizek Associate Publisher Animal poaching happens right here By ALENE N. CASE When most of us think of poach- ing, we picture elephants being butchered for their precious ivory or leopards being skinned for fancy coats, Or perhaps we remember stories of Japanese or Norwegian fishermen continuing to kill whales in defiance of the international laws protecting these marine mammals. Yes, there are many animals in almost all parts of this earth that are in danger of being extermi- nated by humans. Unfortunately, this is not a problem confined to them. The United States may be a leader in passing legislation pro- tecting wildlife, but we have too many people who willfully disre- gard or actively disobey these laws. Last Septemer the National Geographic magazine published “A Shameful Harvest,” exposing the 200 million dollar annual trade in illegal wildlife in this country. Violations range from selling clams dug in polluted bays to killing griz- zly bears for their gallbladders. Often people are caught exceeding the bag or creel limits or hunting and fishing out of season. Others deal in organized-crime-type smuggling rings. Altogether, wild- life officials estimate that the ille- gal kill is equal to the legal Kill. Appalled at what this article said, I decided to find out what the local situation was. A conversation with two officers of the PA Game Commmission confirmed that poaching is a problem here, too. They indicated that the two main motivations behind such behavior are “opportunity and self-gratifi- cation.” (Notice that money may not be the root of this evil.) Since deer are large and abundant, the opportunity to kill them is greater than for other wildlife. Therefore, the illegal taking of deer is the most frequent local problem. However, there have been many cases of endangered species being killed in Pennsylvania. Eagles (both bald and golden), ospreys, and other raptors are birds that poach- ers often target. Owning such a trophy is apparently worth the risk of being fined $5,000. But, these officers were heartened by the public outcry when a reintroduced bald eagle was killed out Route 118 in 1988. Perhaps if people would speak out more frequently against poaching, the persons involved would get the message that such activities are not “cool.” The wildlife codes (these laws are similar in all 50 states and the Provinces of Canada) were insti- tuted to prevent the wholesale slaughter of game which had been the rule ever since the Europeans colonized this continent. The demise of the passenger pigeon and the curlew has been well docu- mented. But, did you know that the white bear-now the polar bear- once ranged at least as far south as the Gulf of St. Lawrence and possibly to the Delaware? Or, have you ever heard of an eastern buf- falo that was the largest of its kind? By 1700 all of those magnifi- cent beasts had been exterminated east of the Appalachian Moun- tains. Farley Mowat, the author of Never Cry Wolf, details these and many other disappearances in his book Sea of Slaughter. Mowat implicates greed, opportunity, and “an insatiable lust for booty” as reasons for the carnage. By the beginning of this cen- tury, serious hunters were notic- ing the decline of migratory birds and devising their own codes of sportsmanship. Aldo Leopold's father loved to hunt and fish. Yet, his personal code included such progressive notions as not hunt- ing on Sundays, setting bag limits for certain species, refusing tohunt waterfowl in the springtime, and teaching his sons that they “did not need to kill game to have an exciting afternoon in the swamp or field." There are several actions that citizens can take to reduce the illegal taking of wildlife. First, we need to let our friends and ac- quaintances know that poaching is not acceptable. Peer pressure could be as effective here as itis in combatting drug use. Increased penalties which went into effect five years ago have now slowed the rate of such crimes in Pennsylva- nia. Second, all of us can refuse to purchase items which might have been made from parts of an endan- gered or threatened animal. That includes ivory carvings (unless you can be sure the carving is actually made of tagua instead), furs, feath- ers, certain leathers and exotic pets. Finally, we need to lobby con- gress toreauthorize and strengthen the Endangered Species Act. The bill number in the House of Repre- sentatives is H.R. 4045. You can get updated information by calling Gina DeFerrari at (202) 226-3533. Only yesterday 60 Years Ago - Apr. 15, 1932 GIRL SCOUTS COLLECT CLOTHING FOR NEEDY Girl Scouts from every troop in; Wyoming Valley are collecting] clothing from their friends to swell: the Community Clothing Exchange | which will open on Public Square to clothe the needy of our commu- nity. p Clarence A. Boston, of Noxen! was named cashier of Wyoming, National Bank, Tunkhannock fol- | lowing the consolidation of Tan-: ners Bank of Noxen with that insti- | tution. : “The Champ” featuring Jackie: Cooper and Wallace Beery, now | playing at the Himmler Theatre. 50 Years Ago - Apr. 17, 1942 SCRAP METAL NEEDED FOR WAR EFFORT All scrap metal and other waste | materials which can be scoured! from attics, cellars and garages + from homes in the Dallas Area wc be collected by volunteer Defensé" Workers as the “Salvage for Vic-. tory” campaign gets underway. s | Members of the general comr-' mittee for the Second Annual All Back Mt. Memorial Day Obser- vance and Horse Show at Lehman met this week to lay the ground- work for what promises to be one of the best programs ever staged in this area. ne Wed - Anastasia Kozemchak to. Edward Dunn; Charlotte Mintzer to Rev. Daniel Davis. 40 Years Ago - Apr. 18, 1952 _ UKRAINIAN REFUGEES; AT HILLSIDE FARMS Trout season opening in a pour- ing rain attracted a capacity crowd to Harveys Lake for a chance at the. newly stocked fishing grounds. Mrs. A.D. Hutchison and Mary Weir, chairmen for the Annual" Dinner, Back Mountain Memorial Library Auction scheduled for May 12, at Irem Country Club, named their ticket and decoration com-’ mittees. Howard Risley in charge ofthe program will be toastmaster. A Ukrainian couple Alex and Fenia Schipolow and daughter, captured by the German Army ay” held in a work camp in Munici have been at Hillside Farm since! September. Arrangements we a made by the Presbyterian chur’ ] group which sponsors Displace? Persons. ; Engaged - Emily Kistler to Hi-. lory Moss of England. Ti pie 30 Years Ago - Apr. 13, 1962 | i PROF. CLAUDE CIRAUT | PUBLISHES BOOK Altar and Rosary and Holy Name Society, Gate of Heaven Church are planning a spring outdoor garden project on the church grounds. Cooperating with the committee are Huntsville Nurse J Joseph Mazer, Hill-the-Florist,’ Keller Gardens and many other growers. ; Prof. K. Claude Ciraut as pro- fessor at College Misericordia re- cently published his new book “The American College Girl" as seen by him as her teacher, traveler, and Research Fellow at Harvard where he became acquainted with stu- dents from Radcliffe, Wesley, Smith and Mt. Holyoke. Dallas A & P will hold a two hour meat cutting demonstration May 8, for Back Mountain Homemaker Holiday at Shavertown Methodist’ Church where equipment and power apparatus will be set up’'in advance. Destruction of rural mailboxes in Dallas Township havereached a stage where Chief of Police Frank Lange will call on U.S. Postal Ip" spectors to help apprehend th vandals. To wed, Donna Lee Garinger to James Schappert Jr. “3 20 Years Ago - Apr. 20, 1972 LAKE-LEHMAN v NEGOTIATIONS ARE = AT AN IMPASSE New Centurion Chapter of Jay-: cees opened at the Dallas Instifu-~, tion comprised of 208 regulars and! associate members, approximately: one third of the total population, with Paul Yuknavich inducted as’ president. Contract negotiations between; Lake-Lehman Board of Education and Lake-Lehman Education As-| sociation are at an impasse and; both parties agreed to seek the: assistance of a state mediator at, the next bargaining session. | Lake-Lehman Knights prize: winning symphonic band under; the baton of director John Mil-| lauskas are practicing for their annual concert to be held Friday, and Saturday at Lake-Lehman! High School auditorium. § 3 Dallas Senior High School] opened its track season with two: home meets against Coughlin and, Wyoming Valley West. The Moun-| taineers lost both contests but are: still out to defend their record of! five straight District II, Class B championships. > « a ) y H
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers