Dm a fez - 4 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, October 13, 1993 Et Ss 2 Ea The Dallas Post County rewards pal, and you foot the bill The hiring last week of former Sunday Independent editor | Jim Torbik by the Luzerne County commissioners was an | outrageous misuse of official power. Besides that, it was a | waste of the taxpayers’ (yours, not the commissioners’) money. At a time when most county residents are tightening their | belts another notch, the commissioners voted unanimously to | stick a thumb in the voters’ collective eye and pay Torbik the ! astronomical rate of $45 per hour to be the mouthpiece for the ' county on a dike-raising project along the Susquehanna River. “In case you don’t have a calculator handy, that works out to $93,600 a year based on a 40-hour week. Oh, but he’ll be paid for a maximum of 20 hours weekly, presumably so he can have time to pick up some spending money on the side. That means «for a half-time job, Torbik will be paid three times the average “annual wage in the county he’ll be working for. “ There's nothing tobe said against Torbik; he’s probably a fine »fellow and a competent public relations person. He's obviously talso well-connected since the county didn't see fit to advertise ithis plum position, or to interview anyone else for it. That’s too ‘bad; we could recommend several people who could do the job «just as well and would willingly work for half the pay, or less. ¥ Just what a public relations expert will actually do for 20 “hours a week is hard to fathom. It’s not like a nuclear waste dump is being built, and the work will be quite obvious to tanyone who cares to look. But that’s clearly beside the point “when the county is spending your money to take care of one of «the commissioners’ pals. Heck, who wouldn't pay a friend $45 fan hour as long as it was someone else’s money? IT INI] > EEA EE ad Competition for public office healthy + The smallest town in the Back Mountain may provide the liveliest political race this fall, as Franklin Township voters repare to choose between two candidates to replace outgoing “supervisor Andrew Prebola. 3 Democrat Joseph O'Donnell, a newcomer to the township sand also to local politics, faces off with Republican William Miller, who defeated Prebola hands down in their party's May “primary. Whether you agree with either or neither, it’s good to see a contested race for office because the wisest direction often comes from the ferment of competing ideas and goals. Harveys Lake borough and both school boards also have a bit .of competition on the ballot; otherwise the incumbents or unopposed candidates will breeze to victory. Those officials are to be commended for their public service, but it’s possible the communities have missed out on a good idea or two because of the lack of competition. HEE ERE Environmental honors well deserved And the honors keep rolling in! The Dallas Area Municipal Authority (DAMA) and Dallas Post environmental columnist Alene Case each were presented with a Wilkes University En- vironmental Partnership Award last week. The awards recog- nize their work to raise awareness of environmental issues, and to do something about them. Alene Case approached The Post a couple of years ago expressing her desire to write about the subject she loves so dearly. After recovering from shock when told how much we could afford to pay her, she signed on and has produced a bi- weekly column on a wide range of topics. A recession economy has stifled her hope that other papers would take up the col- umn, but she has continued to turn out readable and informa- tive articles that are sure to eventually gain wider notice. Alene has done much more, including working with organizations to obtain grant funds and traveling to Eastern Europe to assist environmentalists there. DAMA was honored primarily for its program that disposes of old lead automobile batteries and waste motor oil. Both have . been notoriously difficult to recycle, but the local program has | taken in about 500 batteries and 2,700 gallons of oil, in the | process eliminating damage to the environment that lead, acid and oil would otherwise cause. We add our congratulations to the already prestigious hon- 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 a contrasting point of view. Send letters to: The Dallas Post, P.O. Box 366, Dallas, PA 18612. Please include your name, address and a daytime phone number so that we may verify authenticity. We do not publish anonymous letters, but will consider withholding the name in exceptional circumstances. We reserve the right to edit for length and grammar. The Dallas Post 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 Grace R. Dove Advertising Acct. Exec. Reporter Paul Rismiller Production Manager Olga Kostrobala ” Classified/typesettin Jill Urbanas yosseiing Office Manager MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION AND THE PENNSYLVANIA NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER'S ASSOCIATION | HAVE Jusr™ oie CURE &1 WONT EVEN TOUCH YA, A UTILE BLOODLETTING ITS NOTHING WON'T CURE, Guest column October 19 is National Mammography Day By RICHARD S. HOLLIS, M.D., President The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists October 19 is National Mam- mography Day, a good time to review when you should have a mammogram. A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast used by doctors to detect breast cancer early, before it has spread. Mammography can reveal the presence of small can- cers up to two years before they can be felt by you or your physi- cian. With early diagnosis and treatment, you have up to a 90 percent chance of surviving breast cancer. Since mammography is not 100 percent accurate, how- ever, it is also very important to practice monthly breast self ex- amination. Since the risk of breast cancer increases with age, all women who have reached middle age should add mammograms to a health routine that includes monthly breast self-exams and annual physician breast exams. If you are -age 50 or-older, you should have a mammogram each year. If you are between the ages of 40 and 49, you are urged to have a mammogram every one to two years. You may have heard about some studies that question the need for regular mammograms for women in the 40 to 49 age group. These studies are under review by medical groups, but until there is more conclusive evidence, most physicians continue to urge women from their 40s to have periodic mammograms. Most states now require insur- ance companies to cover or par- tially cover the cost of a mammo- gram, which is generally between $100 and $125. Ask your insur- ance carrier about your policy. The majority of states also pro- vide some coverage under Medi- caid, while Medicare covers mammograms every two years for women over 65. A mammography can be ob- tained when your doctor orders the test for you at a nearby hospi- tal, clinic, or special mammogra- phy center. Some physicians have the mammography 1 units in their own offices. Check that the X-ray equipment is used only for mam- mography and that it is certified by the American College of Radi- ology. During the procedure, the doctor or a technician will ask you to remove your clothes from the waist up and will position you in front of the X-ray machine. Two smooth plates will be placed around one of your breasts to flatten it so the greatest amount of tissue can be examined. Some- times the pressure of the plates causes brief discomfort. After the X-ray, the procedure is repeated on the other breast. Some women are concerned about the risk of radiation from mammograms. The equipment and techniques used today are quite safe, exposing you to a very low dose of radiation. Talk to your physician about any concerns you have, and re- member to have a regular mam- mogram. It could save your life. Single, free copies of “Mammog- raphy” (APO76) are available by sending a stamped, self-ad- dressed, business size envelope along with the name of the booklet to: The American College of Obste- tricians and Gynecologists Re- source Center, 409 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20024. Free breast cancer screenings Oct. 18-22 The Northeast Regional Cancer Institute is sponsoring free breast cancer screenings at its six member hospitals from October 16 through October 22. Presented in cooperation with the American Cancer Society, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Chap- ter of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and area medical societies, the breast ex- aminations are avialable by ap- pointment only. They will be conducted by surgeons, internal medicine and family practice specialists, and other physicians at Mercy Hospital's Cancer Cen- ter of Wyoming Valley; Scranton’s Mercy Hospitak Moss Tylor Hos- pital, and Community Medical Center, Pocono Medical Center, East Stroudsburg; Pocono Medi- cal Center, East Stroudsburg and Marian Community Hospital, Carbondale. The screenings are open at no cost for all women age 20 and older. Women will receive a com- plete clincial breast examinan- tion by a physician. If a lump is detected, or any other abnormal- ity is found, or if the woman is age 40 or older and has not had a screening mammogram, she will be referred for mammography. Representatives from the Komen Breast Cancer Foundation will be available at each screening site to discuss financial aid for screen- ing mammograms for women who require such assistance. Breast cancer is the second major cause of cancer death in women. Only lung cancer Kills more women. The five-year survival rate for localized breast cancer is approxi- mately 93%. If the breast cancer is not invasive (in situ), the sur- vival rate approaches 100%. However, if the cancer rate has spread regionally, the survival rate is 71%. For women with distant metastases, the survival rate is only 18%. Early detection is the key to saving lives from breast cancer. All women over age 20 should practice breast self examination monthly, between the ages of 20 and 40 and should have a clinical physical breast examination a minimum ofevery 3years. Women should have a mammogram every 1 to 2 years between the ages of 40 and 49. Asymptomatic women age 50 and over should have a mammogram annually. For information on times and locations of the breast cancer screenings at each hospital, and to make appointments, call The Northeast Regional Cancer Insti- tute at 341-6224 or 1-800-424- 6724. Library news Library's Book Club has 220 members By NANCY KOZEMCHAK The Book Club of the Back Mountain Memorial Library held its first meeting of the season on Monday, Sept. 20. Treasurer, Elin Northrup, reported there are now 220 members in the 1993 Book Club. The listing of the recent book club selections was passed around to the members. A total amount of $1,047.50 has been received in dues from members for the purchase of the books for the Book Club shelf. Each of the members present gave a book review of a recent book they had read, which made for a very inter- sting program. Refreshments were served, with Dot Sweitzer and Margaret McGivern pouring cof- fee and tea. The next meeting will be held on Monday, Oct. 18 at 1:30 in the reference room at the library. Laura Frank, educational con- sultant for Discovery Toys, will be at the library on Tuesday, Octo- ber 26 from 10:30 to 12 and Wednesday, from 9:30 to 3:00 to take orders for the items. She will be demonstrating educational toys, books and games for chil- dren. Parents of the story hour children are invited to choose some items for purchase as well as members of the community dur- ing the hours scheduled. All proceeds from the sales will bene- fit the children’s room at the li- brary. Visa/MC accepted. New books at the library: “Still Life with Books” by Simon Lane is a novel of a doomed love affair. The voice of its young English author, Simon Lane, is fresh and hilarious, as welcome an addition to the post modern landscape as Jay Mclnerny or Martin Amis. Aldous Radice, bon vivant and hypochondriac, meets, loses, then recovers his one and only love, the beautiful, mysterious Egyptian, Azadina. The city is Paris, City of Light. The time is today, yester- day, tomorrow and they weave their timeless lovers’ concerns with the Parisian world. “A Dangerous Fortune” by Ken Follett is a breath-taking tale set amid the wealth and decadence of Victorian England. In 1866, trag- edy strikes at the exclusive Windfield School. A young stu- dentdrowns in a mysterious acci- dent involving a small circle of boys. The drowning and its after- math initiate a spiraling circle of treachery that will span three decades and entwine many lives. The story portrays a family splin- tered by lust yet bound inexora- bly by a shared legacy; and brings men and women sweeping toward a perilous climax. “Virtual Light’ by William Gi- bson tells us our world is poised on a technological brink. The Industrial Age has died away; before us lies the global promise of the challenging new Age of In- formation. So far, only a very few writers have made that new world their own. Perhaps the finest of all—and the only one to com- mand widespread media and criti- cal attention—is William Gibson. A look into our very near future brings it into sharp and darkly comic focus. Q: Where do you find the most Back Mountain news each week? A: Only in The Dallas Post | { i | 1] 1} | ! t [|] i | { } | i ! i | | | | f | ! f | | | | | | ] | | | | | \ } | i | | | ! | | | | | | | | | | | 1] | | | | | | | Only yesterday 60 Years Ago - Oct. 20, 1933 SHORT STRIKE ENDS AT NOXEN TANNERY Two hundred and seventy five employees of J.K. Mosser Tan- ning Co., Noxen who had been out on strike since Saturday because company officials refused to force five employees to join the Tan- ners’ Union, returned to their duties following a conference at- tended by arbitrator Davis of U.S. Dept. of Labor and Industry, company officials and members of the tanner’s grieving commit- tee. State officers and Luzerne County officials of I1.O.O.F. will participate tomorrow in the dedi- cation of a plot of ground in Fern Knoll Burial Park here as a memorial to Odd Fellowship. You could get - Waldorf toilet paper, 4 rolls, 15¢; rice, 2 1bs., 9¢; Fig Bars, 3 lbs., 25¢; smoked bacon, 14¢ Ib. 50 Years Ago - Oct. 15, 1943 OBSERVATION POST STOPS 24-HOUR DUTY Paul Shaver, Chief Observer of the Dallas Observation Post re- ceived a telegram from Col. L.C. Cragie notifying him that until further notice the Dallas Obser- vation Post would discontinue 24 hour continuous duty. The post, organized since the attack on Pearl Harbor, has been manned 24 hours a day. The third annual All Back Mountain Halloween Parade and Block Party sponsored by the PTAs of Dallas Borough, and Dallas Township in cooperation with school authorities of Lehman and Kingston Townships will be held in Dallas Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. Dallas Township's undefeated Big Red 11 defeated Exeter High School 12-7. Kingston Township's Orange and Black gridders went down to defeat 13-7 at Wyoming Seminary Stadium, Saturday. 40 Years Ago - Oct. 16, 1953 K.T. BOND ISSUE TO FUND TRAFFIC LIGHT The kindergarten question was raised at Wednesday's meeting of Lehman-Jackson-Ross Joint school board and the supervising principal, Lester Squire was in- : structed to meet with Mrs. Jon- athan Valentine and others of her committee who are interested in the possibility. At a special meeting Monday night, Kingston Township Super- visors approved the sale of a $9,500 Bond Issue to Dallas Branch Miners National Bank at its bid of 3 1/2% interest. From funds received, Supervisors will pay $2,500 for recently installed traffic lights at the intersection of Carverton Road and Memorial Highway and also pay for a new loader for the Street Department and complete purchase of David Thomas dwelling along Snake Creek. “Stalag 17” with William Holden and Don Taylor now playing at Himmler Theatre. 30 Years Ago - Oct. 17, 1963 AMERICAN LEGION HONORS REV. YOST Daddow Isaacs Post, American Legion staged its annual Ameri- canism Night Friday at the Legion Home on Memorial Highway, combining installation of officers with awarding of the Community Service plaque to Rev. Robert DeWitt Yost. Polio oral vaccine for Type II will be given October 27 at the same stations which operated for administration of Type, Sept. 15. Residents are reminded that if they missed getting Type I immu- nization, they still need Types II and III and that for full protection they should get Type I from their family doctor. The immunization is for three different kinds of polio. Blood Donor Day Friday at Shavertown YMCA Building net- ted 112 pints forthe blood bank. 20 Years Ago - Oct. 18, 1 973 SEWER SYSTEM AT LAKE TOPS $4 MILLION Dallas Post, a Greenstreet News Co. publication, has been selected 2nd in the nation in the National Newspapers Association's 1973 Better Newspaper Award. The award was given for the newspa- per's coverage of the 1972 flood. ] i Pm hSN Cost of construction of Harveys Lake sewerage system will be slightly below the $5,460,275 estimated by Harveys Lake Mu- nicipal Authority engineers. Bids were opened Oct. 15 at a Harveys Lake Municipal Authority meet- ing. Combined low bids totaled just over $4,996,000. You could get - Sirloin steak $1.38 1b.; Clorox Bleach, 1/2 gal. 29¢; Duncan Hines cake mixes 3 - 18 1/2 oz. pkgs, 89¢; Diet Rite, 8 pk., 16 oz. bots, 59¢ + deposit.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers