——— ye ~ The Dallas Post . Li \. SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF THE DALLAS & LAKE-LEHMAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS Vol. 105 No. 1 Dallas, Pennsylvania Wednesday, January 5, 1994 Tupper sworn in as justice Moves office to Dallas Twp. By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff After District Magistrate James Tupper was sworn into office January 3, he didn't waste any time getting to work. He had to swear in municipal officials from Dallas Borough and Lehman and Kingston Townships at their annual reorganization meetings that night. His first hearing is January 5 at 10 am. “I've had two months to learn the entire operation,” he said. “It’s been worth the time to do it this way. It doesn’t feel so new.” After the November election and the sale of his business, Tup’s Beverage Barn in Dallas, Tupper was in the office every day, sitting in on hearings with retiring Dis- trict Magistrate Earl Gregory, learning the computer system and helping out with civil complaints while one of the secretaries was out on sick leave. He also discussed the cases with Gregory and visited other area magistrates to observe how they operate. “You soon develop your own individual style,” he said. “You have to be fair and honest in upholding the law, but you also must be compassionate.” The next few weeks will con- tinue more of his transition - he must attend a mandatory school for new incoming magistrates January 10-14. Then it will be time to take on his office’s high case load. To help, Tupper has leased new quarters for his office, in the Vil- lage Center in Dallas. Having larger quarters will be a definite plus, Tupper said. The staff moved the entire SS a POST PHOTO/GRACE R. DOVE “TO DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF MY OFFICE” — District Magistrate James Tupper was sworn in - See JUSTICE, pg 12 at the Luzerne County Courthouse January 3. Gregory gives last words of advice By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff All that it takes is a little com- mon sense. Be fair, be compassionate. Remember to keep your sense of humor. This was retiring District Mag- istrate Earl Gregory's final advice to his successor, District Magis- trate James Tupper, who was sworn in January 3. Gregory figured that he had heard an average of 4,500 cases every year for the past 20 years and signed his name hundreds of thousands of times. But being a district magistrate is more than making legal deci- sions, Gregory said. “This office alone does three- quarters of a million dollars in business every year,” he said. “We have to save everything. In many instances using the computer system is double work, because we still need to store paper copies of everything for three to seven years.” His wish list for Tupper: two more office workers and a second computer. Although the county picks up the tab for office supplies and equipment, Gregory said they still can be expensive. “They objected to my using carbonized paper so that I wouldn't have to sign my name so many times,” he said. “But the expense was worth the amount of time and work that it saved.” “At first it'll be tough for Tupper, but he'll learn the job by doing it. He'll do fine— he’s a sensible person.” Earl Gregory Retiring District Magistrate Running for re-election, which Tupper will have to do in four years, has also become expen- sive. “In the past I usually spent less than $270 on my campaign, but the lastone cost me about $7,000,” he said. “You have to do this every four years if you want to keep the job and retire from it.” A district magistrate’s life can be hectic, Gregory said. “There's a lot of stress, a lot of pressure. You're making decisions every day that will affect other people's lives, their income and their criminal records,” he said. “At first it'll be tough for Tupper, but he'll learn the job by doing it. He'll do fine - he's a sensible per- son.” Only the defendant truly knows how guilty he is, Gregory said. Occasionally they try to give the magistrate a “sob story” to try and beat the charges or pay lower fines. See GREGORY, pg 12 Shopping Center Season's 1st major storm brings By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff The year's first big snowstorm arrived nine hours later than origi- nally forecast, but it quickly made up for the delay, dumping two to three inches of snow an hour around midday Tuesday. The snowstorm closed area schools and some businesses; Meals on Wheels was cancelled. At 11:30 a.m. the storm had left at least six inches of the slick white stuff in Dallas Township, while the outlying areas got more. “Travel is highly discouraged” came over the police scanner as partofanannouncementat 11:30 from the Luzerne County Emer- gency Management Office. Firefighters from Lehman and Jackson townships battled slip- pery roads and poor visibility on their way to a house fire at the Koons’ farm on Sutton Lane. The house was fully involved, according to calls on the scanner. Scanner calls indicated that Kunkle had been asked to send a tanker after the Lake Silkworth Fire Company had been called to help out but couldn't get a tanker driver. : Harveys Lake was later called to send a tanker after Kunkle's truck couldn't get out due to havoc "I'm sort of on standby, waiting for a call from the supervisors, getting out my lists and keeping tabs on everything.” Gail Ide Lehman Twp. emergency services coordinator mechanical problems. Jackson Township alsosentan engine to Penn State's Lehman campus to refill the tankers, ac- cording to Jackson Township assistant police chief Jerry Leedock. “It's pretty hairy out there,” Leedock said. “Don’t go out un- less you have to.” He added that he had heard a call on his radio shortly before 11:30, requesting all Luzerne County emergency Management personnel to report to the court- house. “It's really coming down," said Lehman Township's emergency See STORM, pg 12 Jackson Twp. seeks funds to pave 2 roads By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff If a federal grant is approved, residents may see improvements to two Jackson Township roads. Newly-elected supervisor chair- man Walter Glogowskiannounced at the regular January 3 meeting that Smith's Pond and Bonkotown roads meet federal funding guide- lines for drainage, culverts and ditch work. “Bonkotown Road looks like they've been holding artillery practice out there,” he said. “It has some pretty deep craters.” Although Bonkotown Road is currently a private road, the town- ship can acquire it, then use the federal grant to bring it up to township standards, Glogowski said. Glogowski announced that under the newly enacted federal Cable Television Act, municipali- ties are allowed to regulate cable television rates within their boundaries. Interested municipalities must first form a local cable television commission to do business with the cable company. The supervisors requested that anyone interested in serving on such a commission contact them before the January 31 work ses- sion. In other business, the supervi- sors voted to: e Accept Sutton Farms Road and release developer Dale and Dale from its $10,000 bond, posted a year ago when corrective work began on the road to bring it up to township standards. e Accept the resignation ofJohn Trescavage from the Municipal Authority with regret. The supervisors requested that anyone interested in filling this vacant post contact township secretary Henry Zbiek. e Work with the Back Moun- tain Citizens’ Council on a free feasability study for a regional police force. Walter Glogowski was appointed as representative to the organization. Office moved to Dallas Back Mountain residents accustomed to going to the district mag- istrate’s office on Franklin Street in Shavertown won't find it there any more. Because it has outgrown its old quarters, the magistrate’s office has relocated to The Village Center next to the Back Mountain Dance Studio, behind the small shopping center on Route 415 opposite the former Daring’s Market. The new offices, twice the size of the old quarters, have a separate waiting room with a telephone for visitors, more space to store case files, a staff break room, a larger work area for the secretaries, a bigger courtroom and a room for attorneys to meet with their clients before hearings. Luzerne County pays for the office space, furnishings, equipment and staff, according to District Magistrate James Tupper. Although the location is different, the phone number is the same: 675-2338. The new mailing address is 63-D Gerald Ave., Dallas, PA 18612. HM Violence was the topic when Sen. Charles Lemmond met with Lake- Lehman students. Page 3 HW Lehman and Dallas matmen are looking forward to successful season. Page 9. EEE INDEX 12 Pages 1 Section Calendar................ 8 Classified........ 10-11 Crossword.............. 8 Editorials................ 4 Obituaries............. 10 School. .............0.. z SPONS.............. i. 9 CALL 675-5211 FOR HOME DELIVERY, NEWS OR ADVERTISING 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
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