» B ed I mE PRECTREE A SE $ Vol. 104 No. 31 Dallas, PA Police bust 45 at lake concert By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff Area police made numerous arrests Sunday, August 1, at the “Def Leppard” concert at the Bud Light Amphitheatre at Harveys Lake, acting on complaints of narcotics use and sale during concerts at the facility. Uncercover agents from the Mid-Valley Drug Task Force, working in conjunction with the Harveys Lake Police Department, the Luzerne County District At- torney’s office, the Office of the Attorney General and several other Back Mountain police depart- ments, arrested and charged 22 people before District Magistrate Fred Pierantoni with various drug offenses, including possession of marijuana and drug paraphenalia. Allbut one suspect, arrested in the amphitheatre's parking lot ana surrounding areas, were released on their own recognizance on $5,000 bail, task force president John Thomas said. Jeffrey Sheehan, 26, of Hazle- ton, was sent to the Luzerne County Prison after police learned that he was a parole violator, Thomas said. itn In addition, the state Liquor Control Board's enforcement di- vision arrested 14 people for underage drinking, while Harveys Lake police arrested six persons for disorderly conduct, two people for public drunkenness and one person for criminal mischief, according to records at District Magistrate Earl Gregory's office. “The police agencies would like to thank the Harveys Lake police department, borough administra- tors, the concert’s sponsors and concert security personnel for helping us to make this event drug-free,” Thomas said. “The Mid-Valley Drug Task Force will continue to monitor all activities in its jurisdiction tomake sure that they are drug-free, Thomas said. : Neighbors fed up with trash-strewn cottage site By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff For the last three months, neighbors have been complaining to the Lehman Township supervi- sors about the unsanitary condi- tions on Michael Rayes’ property on Cease Terrace, Lake Silkworth, which they say is a health hazard. Rayes says that they're trying to drive him out, and he's ready to leave. “I hate to even go outside,” said Linda Dorrance, who lives across the street from Rayes. “It smells awful, especially on hot days. I can't sitout on my lawn swing any more.” Dorrance says that Rayes has accumulated a large collection of television sets, assorted junk and smelly garbage in his yard. Rayes’ home on Cease Terrace has no electricity, septic system or run- ning water. A Job Johnny sits in the back yard. “We can hear a loud ‘squish’ every time he empties the bucket that he uses for a toilet out the front door,” Dorrance said. “We have seen him and his friends relieving themselves in the yard and the middle of the road in full public view. My grandchildren are exposed to this every time that they visit me.” She added that on hot days she must close her windows so that the stench from Rayes' yard doesn't come into her house. Having a ball at McDonald's Kerrie Kotch of Noxen was among the first to try out the new playground at McDonald's restaurant in Shavertown. Eager youngsters watched for about two weeks for the completely renovated playground to open, which it finally did July 27. POST PHOTO/CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK Dry conditions create fire hazard By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff It really isn't a drought. It's a paucity of rainfall. That's what meterologist David Solano of the National Weather Service at the Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton International airport is calling a dry spell which has plagued the area since May 1, resulting in a rainfall deficit of more than seven inches. The warm, breezy days have taken their toll on area wood- lands, which have become very dry, according to area fire chiefs. “We have been very lucky to have only three or four small brush fires so far,” said Dallas Fire Chief Bob Besecker. “The brush fire situation is serious.” Stubborn brush fires in west- ern Wyoming Valley several weeks ago spread very quickly and bur- rowed into the ground as they consumed dead roots, said Fran- klin Township assistant fire chief . Howard Jones. Fortunately that hasn't hap- pened in the Back Mountain yet, but it could if dry conditions per- sist, Jones said. “The best prevention is not to burn anything for any reason and to be very careful if you're smok- ing outdoors,” Besecker said. The dry spell has also begun to dry up area creeks. Since fire- fighters often use water from creeks, they have had to rely more on ponds, which so far aren't too low, Besecker said. Although the dry conditions are already as bad as they were in 1991, Solano said that the March See FIRE HAZARD, pg 5 HOTO/GRACE R. DOVE BLESS THIS MESS - Neighbors of Lake Silkworth resident Michael Rayes have been complaining to the Lehman Township supervisors for the past three months about the accumulation of garbage and human waste on Rayes’ property. “We worked hard to improve our property. Now we couldn't even give it away,” she said. “He is now dumping on a nearby vacant lot which he doesn't own. This is attracting rats and other illegal dumpers. It's gotten worse over the past three years.” Dorrance, who has lived on Cease Terrace for 18 years and takes pride in her small, immacu- late home, recently showed a reporter the mess in Rayes' vard which her familv must see and smell every day. Rayes' Job Johnny, door open, stood alongside his cottage. A camper with an extension cord running to the house and two blue plastic tarps making an improvised roof sat in Rayes’ front yard in front of the house, not far from twoold, dirty recliner chairs, several television consoles, a baby's crib filled with clothes, a motorcycle, manv stuffed tovs. i musty clothes hanging on the line in the rain and several empty beer cases. It smelled like a combination of a sewage treatment plant and a full garbage truck that had been left to bake in the sun for several days, with occasional whiffs of stale beer added for good meas- ure. The cleanest thing in the yard See COTTAGE, pg 14 The Dallas Post SIS EV IN CRE =Nele\V\VIS BN I=CHe] =i Ne | = BANE WRC FY WN =S R= VEN ES el s [ee] DISTRICTS Fund cuts peril to heat grants By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff Unless the state restores the money earmarked for heating assistance cut from its recently passed budget, families on low or fixed incomes may find it harder to pay their heating bills this coming winter. Elimination of the state's $10 million share of the federally-funded Low Income Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP) could result in 105,000 households across the state being dropped from the $80.5 million program, which services 13,500 families in Luzerne County. “It's too early to know how the funding cuts will affect us,” said Luzerne County Public Assistance Office’s executive director Nick Volpetti. “We're still hoping for a last-minute reprieve.” Last year, the average heating grant was $212, based on the family's income, rent and the type of heating fuel used, Volpetti said. Basically, the Public Assistance Office will have two alternatives if the hoped-for funding doesn't come through: either shorten the application time or make it more difficult to qualify for help. Jackson may become star - By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff If the accepted high bidder comes through with the money, Jackson Township's old police cruiser could end its days as a movie star. Liberty Motors of Jersey City, NJ, buyer of cars for sale or for use in the movies, bid $2,592 for the white 1990 Chevrolet Caprice cruiser, which has more than 125,000 miles on it. “The car's in good shape,” said police chief Don Jones. “It's com- pletely rust-free, with a lot of new body parts.” | The audience at the August 2 supervisors meeting chuckled, recallng several accidents which accounted for all those new parts. Liberty Motors has 30 days to confirm the sale, send the town- ship a cashier's check for the bid amount and remove the car. Jones reported that he has written to the Luzerne County Road and Bridge Department, requesting an inspection and possible resurfacing of Chase and Hillside Roads, which he said are in “deplorable condition.” Jones said that he is concerned that the roads’ many potholes will make them unsafe for school buses to travel when school opens. In other business, the supervi- sors: e Signed a letter to Mrs. Pat Rusiloski, president of the SCID for this year is planned to be six weeks, from December 6 until January 14, 1994. ihe “That really doesn't solve much because we'll probably still get the same number ofapplications,” Volpetti said. See FUND CUTS, pg 14 cruiser (State Correctional Institution at Dallas) Citizens’ Council, inform- ing her that the supervisors are not in favor of prison officials al- lowing prisoners with life sen- tences to work outside of the fence. The supervisors recommended that prison officials not resume this practice, which they feel is unsafe for township residents due to the high rate of escapes re- ported eleven years ago, when lifers last worked as “trusties” outside the fence. Township secretary Henry Zbiek will send copies of the letter to Senator Charles Lemmond, representatives George Hasay, Stanley Jarolin and Phyllis Mundy, SCID superintendent John Stepanik, Department of Corrections executive deputy commissioner Reid and operations director Jacob Bliek. e Appointed Gary Cadwalader = as part-time road foreman, re- placing the late Jack Bombick, to work on call as needed at the rate of $9.88 per hour, with no vaca- tion and no benefits. Bombick suffered a fatal heart attack this spring while attempting to un- block a clogged drainage ditch. e Commended road crew member Harty Spencer, who worked many extra hours as substitute road foreman. The supervisors gave Spencer an ex- tra week's paid vacation as com-' See CRUISER, pg 14 y BARONS Win 4 tickets to the Red Barons See page 7 for details on puzzle contest EE NDEX I 14 Pages 1 Section Calendar.............. 10 Classified........ 12-°13 Crossword............ 10 Editorials................ 4 Obituaries. ............ 11 Schoo)...........il. 8 SPOS. vases arinins 9 CALL 675-5211 FOR HOME DELIVERY, NEWS OR ADVERTISING our Red Barons crossword The Dallas Post MAILING LABEL- Please enclose this label with any address changes, and mail to The Dallas Post, P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612-0366 The shortened application time . Me a ® A ae aa nasa wa
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