Vol. 104 No. 46 Dallas, Pennsylvania SISEAVAN CRE = | =Re{0]\V,|\V 18] \ BEI =ISH®] mi lo | = B VAN 8 BARC g Wal =H =e RON Re] u [0 [eID IS) § =i (0F BS Wednesday, November 17, 1993 ) OD lo Firefighter union donations don't aid Back Mountain By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff Back Mountain firefighters are asking residents receiving telephone solicitations from firemen's benefit groups to check with their local fire station before making donations. A recent telephone solicitation cam- paign by the Luzerne County Paid Fire- fighters’ Local 840 has nothing to do with the Back Mountain Firefighters’ Associa- tion, according to its president Jack Dod- son. According to a copy of a letter from Local 840, it is selling tickets to a holiday variety show performed by a Florida entertain- ment and promotional group toraise money for the local. Although Local 840’s letter urges resi- dents to contact their local fire stations to be sure of the telephone solicitors’ validity, Dodson said that none of the money that it raises benefits Back Mountain fire companies or firefighters. “They're telling people on the phone that these funds help reimburse the Back Mountain fire companies for gasoline and oil when they respond to calls in the valley as part of the mutual aid agreement,” Dodson said. : “This is not true. We aren't reimbursed or paid at all. We're all- volunteer, non- profit organizations and don't get paid for our work.” : The letter also states: “Local 840 is the only organization that represents firefight- ers in the Luzerne County area.” Not so, Dodson said. The Back Moun- tain Firefighters’ Association is made up of 16 area all-volunteer fire and ambulance companies. Local 840 has nothing to do with it. George Thomasak, Local 840’s first vice- president and engineer for the Edwardsville Fire Company, said that his organization represents paid firefighters only. “We're mostly drivers in fire stations in Plains, Edwardsville, Larksville, Jenkins Township, Kingston and Plymouth,” he said. “We sent letters and free tickets to fire chiefs all over the valley. We're not out to hurt the volunteer organizations — we have to live with them. We've done a lot for the Back Mountain, assisting on calls “and lending cascade systems to refill their air packs at fires.” Thomasak also said that he didn’t know who had told Back Mountain residents that Local 840 is the only organization representing firefighters in Luzerne County. “They shouldn't be telling people that,” he said. “Telephone solicitors who deviate from what they're supposed to say are let go.” : Tomasak said that the Back Mountain “sgoing Sickler By GRACE R. DOVE Firefighter's Association did not ask Local 840 to refrain from soliciting in the Back Mountain, although area firefighters say that the association had contacted the local and made that request. Unlike Back Mountain fire companies, where all of the money raised goes directly to providing emergency services, only a small percentage of the money raised by Local 840 ever reaches the group, Dodson said. “Before you donate to a firefighters’ group, check with you local fire station to see that your money will directly benefit your local firefighters,” he said. “We're the ones who take care of you.” Lehman Township cuts police costs the $40,000 left over from 1993, to trial Faces 6 sexual abuse charges By GRACE R. DOVE . Post Staff Gregory. Seven charges against Douglas Sickler, 38, of Harveys Lake, ac- cused of sexually abusing a child, were bound over to Luzerne County criminal court at a pre- liminary hearing November 10 before District Magistrate Earl Post Staff will mean $153,105 for road pav- ing, repairs and maintenance. The Lehman Township super- Road repairs and street paving visors approved the $493,605 preliminary 1994 budget with no tax increase at their regular meet- ing November 15. The present 14-mill tax rate is the highest allowed by law for second-class townships, accord- ing to treasurer Alvin Cragle. Municipal tax rates are deter- mined by the state based on size and population. According to the draft budget, the township expects to end 1993 with $15,000 cash on hand and $40,000 carried over from un- used Liquid Fuels Tax money for road work. An additional $10,000 is ex- pected in earned income tax next year, a six percent increase, bring- are expected to cost $110,000, while $23,105 has been desig- nated for equipment and repairs. Snow removal has been budgeted at $20,000. Planned major equipment pur- chases are a new police cruiser to replace the one destroyed in an accident and a new plow truck. A total of $61,000 has been earmarked for police salaries, a decrease of $5,900 or eight per- cent from 1993. Chief William Goodwin will become a part-time assistant chief until his retire- ment, having been replaced by Howard Kocher, formerly a ser-- al geant, Part-time patrolman Sev Newberry has been promoted to full-time, while patrolman Wil- liam Purcell has retired for health Arrested October 25, Sickler will be tried on two felony counts ofinvoluntary deviate sexual inter- course, one felony count of statu- tory rape, two misdemeanor counts of indecent assault, one misdemeanor count of endanger- ing the welfare of children and See SICKLER, pg 14 POST PHOTO/GRACE R. DOVE TO STAND TRIAL - Harveys Lake resident Donald Sickler, accused of sexually abusing a child, is escorted back to the Luzerne County Prison by Harveys Lake assistant chief Ronald Spock after his preliminary hearing before District Magistrate Earl Gregory November 10. ing in $160,000. road work in 1994, which Harveys The township expects to re- ceive $111,605 from the state for bined with $1,500 in interest and reasons. The budget is available for public inspection by appointment at treasurer Alvin Cragle’s home. coml- Lake zoning fight awaits decision Dallas High students stock food pantry By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff .-. Dallas High School seniors were ecstatic after collecting more than 1,400 cans of food on the first day of their drive to fill the Back Mountain Food Pantry. With a goal of 4,000 cans of food, itwas 1,461 down and 2,539 to go. Coordinated by sociology teacher Jay Pope's classes, the food drive has been organized by homerooms, with a goal of 1,000 cans of food per class. “We have spent a lot of time working with homeroom repre- sentatives, making and putting up posters and motivating the students,” said steering commit- tee member Abby Russin, who had arrived at school at 7:30 a.m. Monday to finish preparations for the first day of the drive. “It was unbelieveable — some kids brought in huge boxes packed with food. If the rest of the drive is - like this, we'll run out of boxes by the end of the week. It's really exciting seeing the people in school being so generous.” Steering committee members said that the senior class had exceeded its goal already, but would continue to bring in food items until the end of the week. Some families had donated entire case lots of food. ‘And the movement has spread to the Westmoreland Elementary School, where students are also donating food items to help out. Donations from both schools will be picked up and delivered to the Food Pantry Friday, Novem- ber 19. Steering committee members talked with the students in the cafeteria during each lunch pe- riod, urging them to help out. “It’s a pleasant surprise to see everyone getting together,” said senior John Thompson. “We've made a good start. I'd like to see this happen at Dallas more of- ten.” “The seniors really got into it,” Russin said. “We wanted to let the underclassmen know that it's a good thing to do. It’s really impor- tant for young people to show that they care about others who aren't as privileged as we are.” Volunteers Walter Meade and George Gaylord, who work year round packing the grocery orders for the Back Mountain Food Pan- try, were pleasantly surprised by the students’ enthusiasm. “I can’t believe this - it's really great!” Meade said. “Usually we run low on supplies during the summer and have to go out and buy them, but with a good 4,000 items coming in, it may carry us Who to call if you through right into early next fall.” “I'm not too sure what we're going todowith 4,000 cans,” joked Rev. Charles Naugle, pastor of Trucksville United Methodist Church, which coordinates the Food Pantry. The food drive had grown from discussions in sociology classes, Pope said. Originally organized by the student council, the food drive was taken over by the sociology classes as a service project. “This class has really embraced this food drive, like no other class here before,” Pope said. The top homerooms in each class are competing for special prizes. The top senior homeroom will be treated to breakfast cooked by need food, page 2 principal Frank Galicki and as- sistant principal David Bieri, while top junior, sophomore and fresh- man homerooms will have pizza parties. “I heard that Mr. Galicki and Mr. Bieri put on a good spread,” committee members joked. “At least that's what they told us.” Steering committee members are Michelle Siglin, Jessica Kerr, Lynn Hill, Becki Roan, Drew Bishop, Abby Russin, Eric Werner, Jeff Krehely and Kara Edwards. Other food drive-related activi- ties are Back to School night November 18, when parents of high school students have been asked to bring food donations with them, and a dance November 19 to collect more food items. POST PHOTO/GRACE R. DOVE THE FIRST WAVE — Members of the steering committee for the Dallas High School's food collection to benefit the Back Mountain Food Pantry, Abby Russin, Becki Roan, Drew Bishop and Lynn Hill, check out the many items donated the first day of the drive. By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff Harveys Lake businessman James Drury says that Mark Sopp, owner of Creative Rooms, is oper- ating a manufacturing business in a commercial zone, where manufactuing isn’t allowed. Sopp says that he isn’t manu- facturing, only “assembling,” and that his operation is legal under the borough's zoning code. This war of words came to a head at a hearing November 11 before the Harveys Lake zoning hearing board. Represented by attorney Frank J. Aritz, Drury appealed borough codes enforcement officer Paul Grimes’ June 29 decision that Sopp’s operation conforms to the borough codes. Creative Rooms is located next door to Drury’s business, a deli and restaurant on Route 415 ina commercial zone, where retail, service and recreational uses are permitted under the zoning code. The building and property where both businesses are located is owned by Joseph Paglienite, owner of Grotto Pizza. Both Drury and Sopp rent space from him. Although attorney Frank Hagen, representing Sopp, ob- jected to Drury’s appeal because he said that the borough code prohibits appeals from tenants, permitting them only with the landlord's consent, zoning hear- ing board solicitor Susan Maza said that the hearing would con- tinue, after she reviewed the sec- tion which Hagen cited. Drury’s appeal is based on the 1993 zoning ordinance’s defini- tion of light industry: “A use en- gaged in the manufacture, pre- dominantly from previously pre- See ZONING, pg 14 BW 75th Armistice Day observed New plaque added to Dallas Honor Roll, page 3 BE New column "As | Was Saying" will present wide range of topics, often from a senior perspective, page 5. EE NDEX 14 Pages 1 Section Calendar.............. 11 Classified........ 12-13 Crossword............ 11 Editorials................ 4 CALL 675-5211 FOR HOME DELIVERY, NEWS OR ADVERTISING ges, The Dallas Post MAILING LABEL- Please enclose this label with any address chan and mail to The Dallas Post, P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612-0366
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