2 @ Vol. 108 No. 45 The Back Mountain's Dallas, Pennsylvania Parents plan protest to drug-test plan By KYLIE SHAFFERKOETTER Post Staff DALLAS - The next meeting of the Dallas School Board may be a lively one, with parents planning to argue against a proposed drug testing policy that board members firmly sup- port. At its meeting Monday, Nov. 10at 7 p.m., the board plans to hold a second reading on two proposed drug policies for the high school and vote on them. The first allows the district to use dogs to sniff out drugs in lockers and students’ cars. The other allows the district to re- quire that all athletes submit to random drug testing. The dis- trict may only legally test PIAA athletes. Some parents of athletes think it’s discriminatory to single them out. Bonnie Saba, whose 16-year-old son plays football, basketball and base- ball at the high school, has no problem with the testing as long See DRUG TEST, pg 8 Dallas players surrounded head coach Ted Jackson as Melissa Saxon, president of Dallas Rotary, presented the Old Shoe trophy at the conclusion of Saturday's game. The Mountaineers beat Lake-Lehman 20-12 in a hard-fought 50th Old Shoe game. Both teams now head into district playoffs. More photos, highlights, playoff preview on page 9. School district workers could be sporting new duds By KYLIE SHAFFERKOETTER Post Staff DALLAS - Dallas School Dis- trict custodians, housekeepers and maintenance staff might be given a spiffy new look. At the regular school board meeting Monday night, the®board dis- cussed uniform service for the staff. “Uniforms will make the dis- trict staff stand out a bit so people know who to get help from if they ever needed it,” said Mark Kraynak, supervisor of buildings and grounds, who is in charge of the project. Staff would be given a blue uniform with a district logo on the front. The district is in the pro- cess of determining if a uniform service or a uniform allowance would be the best option. “It would cost $2,500 for five uniforms per employee,” said Gil Griffiths, superintendent, if the district went with a service. “If the Volunteers bring cheer, help to veterans at medical center By KYLIE SHAFFER KOETTER Post Staff BACK MOUNTAIN - With smil- ing eyes and kind words Diane Bowman greets a fellow veteran and cancer survivor whom she hasn’t seen in a while. The dash- ing fellow in his Phantom of the Opera costume is ready for Hal- loween. : “I'm glad to see you, I've been praying toseeyou,” she said reach- ing for his hand. They chat for a few moments and the bond they share through experience is quite evident. They are not at the Veterans of America Hospital (VA) in Wilkes- Barre because they are receiving DO x = medical care or because they are getting paid to be there. “We're all here because we want to be here,” said Bowman of Dallas. They are volunteers who spend a little time each week to help make the lives of veterans a lot better. “Nurses and doctors are too busy and don’t have the time to stop and talk, but we do,” said Bowman who served the Navy for two and a half years during the Vietnam War. Most of the volunteers at the VA have specific reasons for being there. Raymond Smith of Shaver- town served the Air Force for 24 years, four of them during the See VOLUNTEERS, pg 8 workers work for six months and ‘quits, we can trade in their uni- form for a new set.” Maureen Banks, board mem- ber, said she agrees with the pro- posal. “I like the idea of the logo. If you walk up there (at the schools), you don’t know who's who,” she said. “Especially at sporting events.” In other business, the board had Richard Williams, architect from Kinsman Construction, give an evaluation of the Dallas El- ementary playground. The play- ground was built in 1987 by the PTO and other volunteers. Williams listed a variety of items that need to be addressed on the playground. He mentioned joints on the circular slide, a protruding bolt and a step that needs to be replaced near the rope bridge. The board asked Williams if anything could be done to stop splinters from the Southern Yel- See SCHOOL BOARD, pg 8 ; i i POST PHOTO/KYLIE SHAFFERKOETTER Chelsea Scharding-Taras, a volunteer, and Paul from Dunmore, a veteran, take a break from a party at the VA Medical Center. S =I EAA INCRE | =NO{@1\V|\VISIN IRR I=ISHO] oil ig | = DALLAS SR WAN = ES [VV ANN BS 01 5 [010 IE BI ISH B21 [03 BS 50¢ November 5 thru November 11, 1997 Local comm center could stay open for non-emergencies By KYLIE SHAFFERKOETTER Post Staff BACK MOUNTAIN - The Back Mountain Communications Cen- ter (BMCC) and the municipali- ties it serves are struggling to define their role after a state court judge turned down their appeal to remain a primary 911 call site. The BMCC board met last week to discuss their options after Com- monwealth Court judge Warren G. Morgan ruled against a lawsuit requesting the $1.25 per phone line charge currently going to the countywide system instead be paid to the local center. Jeff Box, BMCC board trea- surer, said the meeting was som- ber as board members discussed what to do next. “We discussed whether or not to appeal. There was no final decision on that,” he said. “There are too many questions yet unanswered in terms of level of service, future costs if any and frequency,” said Box of why the board will meet once more with the county. Box said the board will look intowhether communities can and ~ will fund and maintain the comm center that has been in service since 1986. : Maintaining the comm center See COMM CENTER, pg 3° Baseball field may be added to township land By JESSICA APPOLO Post Staff JACKSON TWP. Township may get a new baseball field if the township’s request for a state grant proves successful. Supervisors chairman Walter Glogowski explained the township’s intention to apply for a recreation parks grant to help fi- nance a baseball field to share space with the current soccer field, which is located behind the mu- nicipal building. Construction of the field is es- timated to cost $19,500, and when finished it would enable the com- munity to host baseball and soc- cer at the “multi-purpose” field. The grant could supply half of the projected cost and would require the township to supply the other half. “The entire application pro- cess takes about 11 to 16 months and is one of many proposed com- munity projects in line for allotted fund monies,” said Glogowski. A member of Back Mountain Baseball Inc. attended Monday night's meeting to offer support and volunteer services to help complete the grant application. willmeetat 10:45a.m. - Jackson: ‘services at L American Legion will hol 1, at the Memorial in Dallas. Th 4! the Memorial. Commander Jack Goo Glogowski urged supporters to gather written recommendations from businesses and organiza- tions in favor of the proposal. A spokesman appeared on be- - half of the Back Mountain Soccer organization to request a break- down of estimated costs and con- struction plans in order to help organize donations for needed materials and funds for the project. In an ongoing issue, John Phillips questioned the long stand- ing lawsuits with American As- phalt. Two suits currently exist, both about zoned blasting areas near residential communities. The “first lawsuit was heard last week, and a decision is anticipated. The second lawsuit still pending a pre- liminary injunction. Thomas Jenkins appeared ‘on his own behalf in defense of his: right to replace a pool liner with- out applying for a building per- mit. Jenkins received notice of a violation of zoning ordinances and was urged to comply with the fee schedule and permit application for the replacement of the in- See JACKSON, pg.3 HW Scary parade Dallas Elementary stu- dents — and teachers — dress up and have some fun. Pg 3 HM Jr. champions Dallas wears conference football and soccer crowns. Pg 10. 14 Pages 2 Sections Calendar:............i5 14 Classified.............. 12-13 Crossword................ 14 Editonials.........cocoveeses 4 Obituaries........c.ccu... 12 SCHOOL ......coirmritiracsis 11 SONS... civ heed 9-10 CALL 675-5211 FOR HOME DELIVERY, 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 NEWS OR ADVERTISING |
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