Fa ee e - Lake-Lehman wrestler Sam Saylor sparred with his counterpart from Wyoming Valley West in last week's match. Saylor posted Dallas, Pennsylvania LL ll .., POST PHOTO/JIM PHILLIPS a major decision as the Black Knights took an easy 39-18 win. The Black Knights are undefeated so far this season. By JENNIFER JUDGE Post Correspondent BACK MOUNTAIN - Amie Tkaczyk wants to scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef. If she raises $4,000 by March. her wish will be realized. Amanda Young is also looking forward to the chance to go scuba diving as well as the opportunity to. look up some of her father's friends in Australia. The two Dallas Middle School students were selected for a pro- gram called the People to People Student Ambassador Program. The 50-year-old program sends American studerts abroad to meet with governm: iit officials and visit important national sites in Aus- tralia and New Zealand. Both students were first rec- ommended for the program and then selected through an inter- view process. Prospective students are interviewed by three members of a committee of past People to People Ambassadors. Amanda explains that the com- mittee looks for certain charac- teristics in the candidates. “You can't be toomuch of a picky eater,” she said. “You have to be able to wake up in the morning and you can't be really homesick.” The 21-day program takes place in the summer so as not to inter- fere with the students’ school schedules. There will a total of 40 high school students and 40 middle school students on the highly struciured trip. Cathy Tkaczyk, An... s mother, said the students selected come from all over New York, New Jersey, and See AMBASSADORS, pg 3 POST PHOTO/KYLIE SHAFFERKOETTER Louis Alar, known around the Shavertown fire hall as Luke, has been honored for heroism in Maryland. AMANDA YOUNG . Pair aim to be student ambassadors to Australia AMIE TKACZYK Award-winning firefighter learned skill in Shavertown By KYLIE SHAFFERKOETTER Post Staff SHAVERTOWN - Louis Alar has made the Shavertown Fire De- partment proud. The 27-year-old Back Mountain native won a bronze medal of honor for going above and beyond the. call of duty in firefighting. Although he now lives and works in Maryland, Alar visits the local station often and hasn't for- gotten where he learned the ba- sics of firefighting and friendship. Alar, whois affectionately called Luke, won the award after he and three other firemen ran into a burning building and pulled out the occupants. He is now a cap- tain in Maryland and acting bat- talion chief. Prior to moving to Maryland, he was captain in Shav- “It wasn't just whistles and bells for Ludece. He truly wants to help others.” John Turner Mentor to Louis Alar ertown for more than a year. As a mere eight year old, Alar could be found hanging around the fire station asking questions and fetching a wrench here and there for the firemen. The men didn't seem to mind, and the de- partment made him an honorary member, giving him a hat and patch. As one fireman put it, Alar See FIREFIGHTER, pg 3 Re TR 20 W197 Fblet dl idl Jeff 1 sated STA Sanualy 8 thru January 14, 1997 GREL | 50¢ x i ¥ bs ¥ Westmoreland parents unhappy with school vote By KYLIE SHAFFERKOETTER Post Staff DALLAS - The Dallas School Board is learning that it can't please everyone even some of the time. The board voted Monday to rescind its Dec. 17 decision to build anew K-5 elementary school on the administration site in Dal- las Township, instead putting the building back on the 100-acre main campus. The 5-to-4 vote had Maureen Banks, Reese Finn, Thom Russ and John Litz voting no to the campus site, while Jo- seph Kunec, James Richardson, John George, Ernest Ashbridge and Thomas Landon voted yes. Landon originally voted for the administration site, but switched his vote at Monday's meeting. “I walked the main campus with Gil Griffiths (assistant superinten- dent) who showed me all the sites that were available. That's why I Walk the main campus sites with board, architects Sunday, 1 p.m. changed my vote,” said Landon. The mixed crowd of more than 50 Westmoreland and Little League parents expressed differ- ent reactions after the vote, with Little League proponents pleased and Westmoreland parents dis- appointed. John George, property chair- person, made the motion because “so many people have approached me about the demolition cost of the old Dallas Township High School (estimated to cost any- where from $200,000 to $300,000),” he said. Both John Litz and Maureen See SCHOOL VOTE, pg 12 Lawsuit against asphalt company headed to trial Last-minute meeting may avert further action By JENNIFER JUDGE Post Correspondent JACKSON TWP. - Jackson Township's long-standing battle against American Asphalt will fi- nally find its way to court on Monday, January 13. Jackson Township alleges the asphalt com- pany has been mining 800 feet outside of the mining zone. The township has filed two cases against the operation, one in 1979 and one in 1982. The supervisors met with criti- cism from residents of the town- ship when Solicitor Blythe Evans announced a closed meeting scheduled for January 7 between the township supervisors and American Asphalt. John Phillip said, “They are in violation of a zoning law. There is nothing that can be given to Ameri- can Asphalt at a private meeting. I believe this is a ridiculous situ- ation when all that can happen at ameeting is intimidation and lies.” “They've raped and pillaged the community and they want to ne- gotiate. The meeting shouldn't be heard,” Ed Chesnovitch added. Evans explained that no action would be taken before it was dis- cussed with the citizens. Township supervisors John Wilkes Jr. and Walter Glogowski both felt that residents shouldn't be present at the meeting, accord- ing to Evans. Evans explained that the supervisors felt pessi- mistic about the upcoming meet- ing. “The meeting is not going to be long. There is very little they can offer,” he said. The 1997 budget for Jackson Township includes a taxrateof 17 mills. Wilkes opposes the budget, citing salaries he disagreed with, as well as donations to the fire and ambulance departments. Wilkes added that it was "nothing personal.” Donald Jones, township police chief, disputed his “reduction .of salary.” Three Jackson Township employees who were both sala- ried and part time will now be paid an hourly wage. Chief Jones, township secre- See JACKSON, pg 3 B School board had an offer for the old Dallas Twp. High School. Pg 12. Hl Slow start The Dallas girls' basketball team is short on experi- ence, but the coach thinks things will get better. Pg 9. 12 Pages 1 Section Calendar..............cincid 8 Classified............... 10-11 Crossword..........oas.uesn 8 Editonials............ 0a 4 Obituaries............... 2,10 School... hain Y SPOS... ..o5enses net buretons 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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