Win $1.0 000 Vol. 106 No. 49 Dallas, Pennsylvania 50¢ December 6 thru 11, 1995 New stores to employ 100 L By RONALD BARTIZEK Post Staff An economic mini-boom has struck the Back Mountain recently, with several new businesses opening and offering a variety of job opportunities. While none of the jobs would support a family living in Woodridge, there are now or soon will be dozens of full and part time positions that didn’t exist a couple of months ago. Coming only months after Native Tex- tiles closed its plant here, eliminating about 100 jobs that averaged $9 per hour, the new positions are a welcome boost to the local economy. The Orloski's Quik Mart complex along Route 309 in Dallas added more than 40 jobs in its convenience store, bank office and car wash. The convenience store employs 12 people, while the car wash has jobs for just over 20, said Jerry See, NEW JOBS, pg 10 / Jobs in the Back Mountain Plants holding their own By RONALD BARTIZEK Post Staff As new service jobs mushroom in the Back Mountain, long-established manu- facturers are struggling to hold their own — and succeeding. Between them, Offset Paperback, Energy Converters (ENCON) and Payne Precision Color employ about 900 people, most of them residents of the immediate area. Sue Gauntlett, co-owner of Payne Precision Color and head of the art de- partment there, said the firm provides 60 to 70 full-time jobs. That's down from a high of 120 several years ago, partly because new technology has eliminated some hand work. “We've been, like every- one else, watching the number of people and the cost of benefits,” she said. Com- petition and technological change have accelerated in recent years. See, PLANTS, pg 10 Witness * SAYS rig driver , asleep By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff LEHMAN - The federally- funded cleanup of a gasoline spill in Lehman Township is zeroing in on the source of gasoline addi- tives which have contaminated #® nearly 20 private wells clustered around Lehman Corners. “We're getting pure gasoline in the treatment plant now instead of just additives,” said site coordi- nator Richard Fetzer of the Envi- ronmental Protection Agency, which is picking up the tab for the cleanup through the Superfund. “We're closing in on the main pool of the spill.” 5, When geological and seismic studies are completed next week, the team will have a better idea of the exact location of the main pool of gasoline and will be able to drill five more wells to get at it, Fetzer See RIG DRIVER, pg Supervisors By ANN POEPPERLING Post Correspondent JACKSON TWP. - The supervi- sors passed a motion Monday night authorizing township so- licitor Blythe Evans to start the transfer of Kraynak Road from a township road to a private road. 7) In a letter to the supervisors, , township residents John and Elizabeth Shubilla asked to take over Kraynak Road, a 300-foot dead end stretch off of Shouldue Road near the State Correctional Institution at Dallas. They are the only residents living on that road, according to township secretary Henry Zbiek. He believes that it's a good idea to dispose of the road since vehicles 9 going onto Kraynak Road and s\// GN oN \ \ fm rz > v Dallas High School art students wielded brushes for their annual holiday window painting project at various stores in the area. Claire Morris, teacher, kept a close eye on Jessica Kozemko at Mellon Bank. More photos on page 10. POST PHOTO/CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK XE Wy A turning around in the Shubilla driveway to get back out are a nuisance to the residents and because it is a tough road for township plows to get in and out. In November, Zbiek sent a let- ter informing the Shubillas the cost would be approximately $2,000 to $2,500 to liquidate Kraynak Road to a private road. They responded asking the town- ship to please proceed with the sale, agreeing to “pay all fees in- volved.” Supervisor chairman Walter Glogowski said that “as long as the Shubilla family would assume all costs and fees involved and that the proper easements are provided to a nearby cemetery and any adjoining property,” he would have no problem with the plan. A motion was then passed authorizing the township solici- tor to go ahead with the transfer action but not to finalize it until all necessary conditions have been met. Jackson Township resident Mr. John Filip expressed concern over a portion of roadway in front of his property on 1401 Huntsville Road, describing it as a “dangerous, blind S curve,” adding that there is at least one accident a month” at that spot. He explained that he obtained quotes to have the bank and trees removed at his expense and then contacted PennDOT, who main- tains the state owned road. However, much to his chagrin, PennDOT responded, wanting Filip to do the engineering and okay making Kraynak Road private obtain a permit at his expense as well. Filip then requested the super- visors to intercede on his behalf with PennDOT, authorizing him permission toremove the obstruc- tion, which also impedes vision from his driveway. Jackson Township police chief Donald Jones also agreed that it is a dangerous area and feels that since Filip is volunteering to have it removed at his expense he shouldn't have to pay PennDOT for a permit as well. Glogowski then asked chief Jones to send a letter to PennDOT asking them to expedite granting Filip a permit. In other business, supervisor See KRAYNAK ROAD, pg 18 North Pole sees first real Santa campaign By Rudolph ‘Red’ Nose (This is the second of a four-part children’s story, The Dallas Post's Christmas present to our young readers.) The whole North Pole was talk- ing about Snark and his decision to challenge Santa in the election. Nobody gave him the least chance to win. “Santa can't be beaten,” said Blithe. “He's too jolly. He's... well, he's Santa.” “Idon't know,” Jovial answered. “Snark is smart. He's probably the smartest elf in the whole North Pole. And I have to wonder if Santa's kind of lost his edge. After all, he hasn't had any opposition at the polls since the beginning of time.” “Don't tell me you think Snark has any hope of winning!” Blithe said, shocked. “Why, that's... that's... that's treason!” “Oh, it's nothing of the kind,” Jovial said. “Remember, it was Santa himselfwho set up the whole election system. I remember it as if it was yesterday. ‘If I am ever unfit to be Santa,’ he said, ‘I want to make sure my elves can vote me out of office.” “But is he unfit?” Blithe asked. “He's the same now as he's ever been. Fat. Jolly. Kind. He still laughs and his belly shakes. He still has those red cheeks and that smile that could melt the Crinch'’s heart. If it's not broken, don't fix it, I say.” While the elves talked about his candidacy for Santa, Snark was busy doing things. He asked Santa for a leave of absence from his toy-making duties and Santa, who remembered he had set up the election process long ago and wanted to be fair, gave it to him with full pay. Snark went right towork on his campaign. He made signs. He See SANTA, pg 18 Gasoline cleanup will go into '96 By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff TRUCKSVILLE - One witness to a trailer truck accident Satur- day on Route 309 says the rig's driver appeared to be asleep even after the truck rolled down an embankment. “It was frightening,” said Joyce Gebhardt, who was driving the third car in line on Carverton Road for the light to change. “It hap- pened all in slow motion, like in a " movie. I saw the first car in line move very quickly out of the truck's way. Then the car behind him started to turn right onto the highway, but suddenly stopped when the driver saw the truck coming. It barely missed his car.” She said she didn't see any red brake lights on the tractor-trailer at all during the accident, even when it began to slide down the creek bank. “I watched its back end go up See GASOLINE, pg. 12 Cop hit by car home, hurting By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff DALLAS - Dallas Borough patrolman Ronald Chupas, who was struck by a mini-van while on duty November 27, has been re- leased from the hospital, accord- ing to police chief Jack Fowler. “I called him Sunday, but he was still in too much pain to talk to me,” Fowler said. “He said he has severe pain from his injuries - lots of damage to the muscles in his neck and back.” Chupas was hit by a '96 Chrys- ler mini-van operated by Dallas resident Richard Vinnacombe shortly before 7 a.m. while trying to shoot a wounded deer on Huntsville Road. The impact spun Chupas around and threw him seven feet. Vinnacombe left the scene of the accident and turned himself in to police seven hours later. See COP HOME, pg 2 Hl A merrye tyme The annual Madrigal Dinner was held last weekend. Photos, pg 3. Hl Good girls Local teams are ready for the high school basketball season. Pg 13. 20 Pages 2 Sections Calendar.................c. 20 Classified...............18-19 Crossword................i 20 Editonials...............i. 4 Obiuaries......cinviin 18 School... 16-17 SPOMS....coivnvsistiesns 13-15 CALL 675-5211 FOR HOME DELIVERY, NEWS OR ADVERTISING Please enclose this label with any address changes, The Dallas Post MAILING LABEL- and mail to The Dallas Post, P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612-0366
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