4 i=) FRNTER WITH ‘| =2|SOYINK]| 4 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, January 14, 1998 ~ N Energy choice may bring more confusion than savings Is it possible to be too free? That has to be one question raised by the rush to “customer choice” in utilities, a change that has just begun but already raises concerns about the wisdom of leaving all matters economic to the free market. In theory, consumers benefit when they can force energy ‘suppliers to compete for their loyalty. The companies, the ‘thought goes, will do all they can to earn our business by trimming fat from their operations, and passing the savings along to us, the people who ultimately decide if they succeed or fail. That's the mantra of the markets, and it works pretty well most of the time. But there can be pitfalls to blind adherence to market theory. In the case of energy choice, the 50 suppliers now licensed in Pennsylvania are free to pick and choose among customers, and the result is that only three of them care to pursue residential accounts in the Back Mountain and other areas served by UGI Utilities. All 50, though, are courting big industrial and commercial users, because that’s where the real money is. Thus, residential customers may have more choice, but not nearly as much as commercial accounts, and they'll . surely pay higher rates. Then there's the issue of how much time a family or individual can devote to picking an electricity supplier. Busi- nesses using thousands or millions of kilowatt hours each month will direct staffers to the task, since the net savings will pay the cost of investigation many times over. It's harder to rationalize the time a busy parent will have to shoehorn in around a full schedule of work and family activities, and the potential reward is much less. Just as with long-distance phone rates and air fares, the savings will depend on one’s ability to research and negotiate charges, since electricity suppliers will be free to adjust rates depending on competitive conditions. Thus you could find yourself paying more or less for power than your neighbors. Most troubling is the paradigm shift that is taking place. Particularly in the case of public utilities, rates had been set in a way that small customers paid less than their usage volume perhaps “earned.” In effect, they were somewhat subsidized by large users. That practice was a major factor in assuring that nearly every home in America has a phone, heat and other necessities of modern life. Now, the individual customer is an ‘annoyance to many producers, someone whose business is ‘hardly worth having, and who must pay for the privilege of the ‘service. Watch closely in coming years, and you are likely to see ‘the Post Office taking the same tack. There will be arguments that it is socialistic to manipulate ‘market forces so that services remain affordable, as though ‘capitalism is a religion. It ain't so; a healthy society requires that we do what is practical to spread benefits as widely as possible, or we end up with an economic caste system that ultimately leads to decline. Even the inventor of modern management, Peter Drucker, recognized that unconstrained ‘capitalism was destructive to the overall community. For now, though, the large questions wait in the wings. The .more practical concern is choosing an energy supplier as intelligently and quickly as possible, and then fending off sales .pitchies from others who may promise more than they can ‘deliver, or who lure customers with eye-catching offers that ‘aren’t sustainable. Caveat Emptor. ft % | Publisher's notebook fo soio + i) © "If this is what El Nino does to our weather, I'm all for it! But -my enthusiasm for warm, snowless winters is tempered by sympathy for our brothers and sisters in northern New York -and New England and eastern Canada, who are suffering -through the most horrendous ice storms in memory. Actually, -we're the ones who are supposed to get ice instead of snow, and ‘they’ re usually buried in the white stuff by now. I'll bet they “never wished so hard for snow. “Iwas proud of my fellow New Englanders, the Maineiacs who ‘were interviewed on the news the other night, but reporters ‘based in New York and Washington were noticeably disap- pointed in them. True to their stoic heritage, they didn’t cry or -whine about their plight, just picked up and carried on with life. .Of course, many are experienced wood burners, as I once was, “and know how to cope when modern conveniences take a hiatus. * Among other issues, the chaos caused by falling poles, wires -and towers adds weight to arguments for underground utili- “ties, or evanescent ones. A story in last Sunday’s New York Times mentioned that in “undeveloped” nations, like South Seas islands, everyone uses wireless phones and the natural "beauty will never be despoiled by rows of telephone poles. Instead I guess they'll have to fight ugly towers on every hilltop, still less unsightly than a pole every half block. Do you agree? Disagree? Editorials are the opinion of the management of The Dallas Post, and are ~ written by the editor unless otherwise indicated. We welcome your opinion on - contemporary issues in the form of letters to the editor. If you don't write, the . community may never hear a contrasting point of view. Send or bring letters to: The Dallas Post, 607 Main Rd., Dallas PA 18612. Please include your name, “address and a daytime phone number so that we may verify authenticity. a The Dallas Post Published Weekly By Bartsen Media, Inc. P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612 717-675-5211 Charlotte E. Bartizek ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Ronald A. Bartizek PUBLISHER Jessica Appolo ADVERTISING ACCT. EXEC Kylie Shafferkoetter REPORTER Ruth Proietto PRODUCTION MANAGER Olga Kostrobala CLASSIFIED/TYPESETTING ¢ Jill Gruver EB OFFICE MANAGER MEMOCR vd I) \] INI” S SR NATIONAL NEWSPAPER E W/SPA P ASSOCIATION INEWSPAPER Are you ready for this? Photo by Charlotte Bartizek. LETTERS et There are still good, honest people around Editor: There really are good and hon- est people in the world today! I found out first-hand a few days before Christmas. I had stopped at the “Y” in Wilkes-Barre to get a gift certificate for my grand- daughter. When I took my check book out of my purse, a bank envelope with money ‘in it that had been saved for other Christ- mas gifts, an amount that I really could not afford to lose, fell out on the floor. A Case for consgayation Alene N. Case The sun is in and out of the clouds this morning. The ther- mometer reads 54 degrees Fahr- enheit. And a bright red cardinal sings from the top of our neigh- bors’ apple tree. We were awak- ened by rumbles of thunder at about six o'clock. Everyone won- ders whether the calendar flipped to March or April when we turned to 1998. I was planning to write a heavy philosophical column to set us all on the right road in the New Year. However, the natural wonder and beauty of the earth intervened to make me stop and watch the fog, as it were. Yes, on Wednesday my husband and I thoroughly en- joyed sitting on the levee in Wilkes- Barre watching the fog move above the Susquehanna River. Cold water from snowmelt in New York and northern counties’ of Penn- sylvania was flowing downstream under layers of much warmer air. This contrast of temperatures coupled with the high humidity was the perfect prescription for the formation of fog. “The ideal has many names, and beauty is but one of them,” said Somerset Maugham. I won- der if he were sitting on a cold rock discovering that fog moves in waves when he wrote that. As Mike and I looked long enough at this blanket of fog, we realized that it was not static. It was moving, and that movement was quite similar to waves upon the Some time later, | became aware that the envelope was missing. I retraced my steps to the “Y”...saying “only a miracle”... Well, God was merciful to me, and granted me a Christmas miracle. I would like the whole world to know the same “Charlie Sims” (from Plymouth). Charlie picked up the envelope and turned it in at the desk at the “Y”. He, as well as the girls at the desk, could have easily taken ad- vantage of the situation, but they did not! Instead, the girls, I did not get their names, refused any “reward”, handed me my enve- lope and wished us “Merry Christ- mas”. I can’t thank Charlie and the girls enough for their goodness and their honesty...and all the others out there who truly do prac- tice their Christian Faith! Our Lord's abundant blessisngs on them all! Marilyn O'Connell Dallas. Easing into the new year sea except that it was in slow motion. We would see some of these waves actually break against the levee wall and sometimes spill over it in a stream. Once a large wave rounded the bend below us and moved upstream toward the Market Street bridge. We are sure that some movement was with the current and some was against the flow. We think there may have been some effect of the bridge and other irregularities - natural and constructed - on these differences in flow. I wonder how many peovks saw the fog from one of the bridges or from one of the many office and apartment buildings that over- look the river and thought it was simply a pretty blanket. One had to really stop everything else that one was doing to see the many wonderful changes that were hap- pening right before ones eyes. Have you taken time to stop and watch the fog lately? Cross-country skiing is another way to relax and let the beauty and wonder of the natural world sink into your conseiotisness. | had the opportunity to ski through fields near my sister's house in New York state after the big snow at the end of December. It was amazing how quiet it was. No one passed on the road at the end of her lane. It was just me and a few birds. Such solitude is very diffi- cult to come by in our neighbor- hood. I crave it and I will cherish those moments for a long time. On our way home from New York on New Years Day, we wit- nessed another of the wonders of the natural world. This time we did not need to stop to enjoy it. We saw one of the most colorful and protracted sunsets I can remem- ber in Pennsylvania. The sun was setting in a clear western sky when the rest of the sky was covered by thick low clouds. Since the ground was also blanketed with snow, the colors reflected not only off the clouds but all around us. As the weather warmed and the snow melted, growing things have caught my eye as well. The rye grass cover crop we planted too late in the fall has sprouted and is up about an inch! By the time the next cold wave hits, it will be large enough to do the job for which we planted it - holding the soil in the gardens until spring. And last night my husband pointed out the luminescent li- chens glowing on the rocks and walls just up the street from our house. [ probably would have simply driven by assuming that it was water glistening as the head- lights passed. It is good to have an observant companion. My son just came in and re- counted his experience whistling to - and with - several tufted titm- ice on his morning walk with our dog. Apparently the birds were as curious “about this strange hu- man as he was about their gather- ing to communicate with him. Again, in order to fully appreciate the wonder of the moment, he had to slow down and pay attention. So as we look forward to this new year, let's resolve to make room in our schedules for the wonders of nature. As many people have correctly pointed out, we cannot effectively protect that which we do not understand or appreciate. And the first step toward this understanding and appreciation is simply to stop and look or listen. Slow-moving waves in the fog reminded me of this fundamental truth. Step outside and discover something for your- self. And, have a very wonder-full 1998! ONLY YESTERDAY 60 Years Ago - Jan. 21, 1938 SIX MAJOR HIGHWAY RPOJECTS COME TO DALLAS Six major highway projects in the Dallas section will be included in the 1938/39 road program which will be approved by direc- tors of the Wyoming Valley Motor Club at its annual meeting next week, Norman Johnstone, secre- tary of the club promised yester- day. Inclusion of the highways on the club’s program means that they will receive preference in rec- ommendation to the State Higa way Dept. Kingston Township won, a nightclub and a gas station and Courtdale won a laundry in a boundary dispute which ended this week. As a result of a new survey it was decided that Blazes Club Piedmont and George Prater’s gas station are in Kingston Township and the new O’Malia Laundry is in Courtdale. Attor- ney A. Turner, solicitor for Kingston Township was instructed this week to make proper adjust- ments in assessments. 50 Years Ago - Jan. 23, 1948 WAR FILMS TO BE SHOWN AT - IDETOWN UM CHURCH Captured Japanese Army films showing the fall of the Philippines as well as official U.S. War Dept. films of the war in the Pacific-will be shown by Lt. J.H. Yerba, U.S. Army Recruiting Service at the monthly meeting of the Men's Bible Class of Idetown Methodist Church House Friday. The League leading Dallas Bor- ough quintet defeated Harter on the home floor Tuesday by a score of 52-39. This makes three suc- cessive League wins for the fast stepping Borough boys. You could get - Rolled veal roast, 59¢ Ib.; rib roast, 59¢ Ib.; carrots, 2 1g. bnchs. 15¢; 1g. eggs, 65¢ doz.; Ivory soap, lg. bar, 19¢; bread, 1g. loaf, 12¢. 40 Years Ago - Jan. 17, 1958 SERVICE CLUBS HELP SCHOOL WITH VOCATION Dallas Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs have been planning a uni- fied effort to strengthen the voca- tional program in the Back Moun- tain Secondary Schools. Discus- sions have resulted with supe€r- vising principals of the area as well as principals from other school districts where vocational programs have been successful over many years. The Dallas Kiwanis is taking charge of lighting for the Dallas Skating Rink contributing its ser- vices to a worthwhile civics and social project. Dr. Henry M. Laing Fire Co. pumped for over a day to fill the rink getting 60,000 gallons from Toby's Creek. 30 Years Ago - Jan. 25, 1968 NEW SEWAGE SYSTEM COMES TO AREA Presentation of the Municipal Authority’s tentative plans *for a sewage system to serve the more densely populated areas of Dallas Borough, Dallas Township and Kingston Township municipali- ties, brought out a variety of ques- . tions Thursday evening. Cost of the sewage system to the individual homeowners de- pends upon front footage with owners of corner lots up against it. One of the highlights of the recent Dallas Community Ambu- lance meeting was announced that a memorial fund for William Wright is being established with the entire community which he served, priviliged to contribute. The fund will be used to buy some special piece of equipment. 20, Years Ago - Jan. 19, 1978. END OF TAX PAID TRASH PICKUP AT HARVEYS LAKE | “If we had good garbage collec- tion service, the two mill increase might have been worth it, but we don't,” says Harveys Lake Bor- ough Council President Robert DeRemer on the subject of the upending June 1 end of tax paid garbage pickup in the borough. R. Tattersall garbage collector |, under contract agrees having resi- dents make their own private ar- rangements for service will be better. But he maintains that any omissions his service made were made for reasons of safety during bad weather. Beginning in 1978 and thereaf- ter residents of Kingston Town- ship will be paying 1 1/2% in- come tax, 1% will go exclusively to the township with the other 1/2% to the school district. ola > oe o @ @ 2 @ 5 @ > ? eo 9 @
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers