4 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, January 28, 1998 [EDITORIALS v Be *Y Phosphate ban a positive step for Harveys Lake “The Harveys Lake Borough Council has taken a courageous, progressive step to help preserve the lake by unanimously adopting an ordinance that bans use of fertilizers containing phosphorus. Proponents of the measure, especially members of the Environmental Advisory Committee (EVAC) were dis- heartened when it was tabled at a meeting last July, just as they thought it would be adopted. Francis Kopko, then bor- ough council president, said at the time that the ordinance would have been unenforceable because it lacked details, * in¢luding specific penalties for violation. ~The. council certainly took care of that in the final draft; violators face daily fines of up to $1,000 if they use improper fertilizer. Equally important, though, council members recog- nize that they need the informed cooperation of borough residents to really make the stricture work, and are planning to send an explanatory pamphlet to every home owner. The pamphlet will lay out the reasons for the ban, and will ask that property owners sign a statement that they have read and understood its terms. A restriction like this is unlikely to gain universal favor. There are people who believe they have the right to do anything they care to with their own land, even if their actions harm other property. That kind of recklessness will harm the lake and everyone who lives near it or uses it for recreation, and can’t be tolerated. As councilman George Andrews said, “Our greatest asset at the borough is the lake itself.” The council has taken a worthwhile stride to enhance that asset. National Utilities finally gets the message National Utilities has proved it is not entirely without com- passion or common sense. The company, which has left a legacy of poor service and low water quality behind in many communities, finally acknowledged that water flowing in the Midway Manor subdivision came from a break in its lines, and has begun work to make repairs. ; This is, of course, the result people who have lived with the leak had expected long ago, but the company tried lamely to attribute the gushing water to a newly sprung spring. Whether shamed by a story in last week's Post or suddenly seeing the light, National Utilities decided to let go of that excuse and showed up late last week to track down the source of the problem. Now neighbors must keep up the pressure, so'to speak, to see that the company follows through and restores their land to the condition it was before the backhoe started digging. If taking responsibility for its service has been National Utilities’ worst fault, failing to finish work properly is surely second. Publisher's notebook Call me a bleeding-heart liberal if you like, but I'm glad Theodore Kaczynski isn’t going to the electric chair. I know he killed three people and injured more than a dozen, and that his actions are unforgivable. Still, I can’t help but feel some pity for this highly intelligent man with the flawed psyche. Kaczynski's brainpower actually may have contributed to his reign of terror, since people of high intelligence are able to mask their psychological disturbances. Of course, living in a remote cabin, he didn't have to do that often or for long periods of time. Instead he kept his own company, creating in his twisted mind an evil empire of technology and planning how to . strike out against it, in the process killing and maiming innocent bystanders to his imagined giruggle for mankind's future. One real tragedy of this sorry saga is that someone who had the capacity to do so much good slipped through the cracks and became a killer. It’s likely that had Kaczynski’s illness been diagnosed and treated he could have lived a relatively regular life and contributed to science or education. In principle, I am opposed to capital punishment; I believe the act of taking a human life demeans us and much prefer that life in prison without any chance of parole be the greatest punishment. There is also the chance that an innocent person could be killed, as some surely have. But I hold no illusions about rehabilitation of ruthless killers — I'm in the lock the door and throw away the key camp, no matter how well they behave behind bars. A Real Hometown Paper you can feel good about The Dallas Post 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 Kylie Shafferkoetter REPORTER Jessica Appolo ADVERTISING ACCT. EXEC Olga Kostrobala CLASSIFIED/TYPESETTING Ruth Proietto *. PRODUCTION MANAGER Jill Gruver OFFICE MANAGER 2) PRINTED WITH NIN a SOY INK ATION NEWSPAPER NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION Fir nit Take heart, spring is just around the corner. Photo by Charlotte Bartizek. LETTERS i S.PC.A. sponsors 'Prevent A Litter' Month Editor: In an effort to decrease the number of puppies and kittens that flood animal shelters each spring, the SPCA of Luzerne County is joining The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and animal shelters around the country in proclaim- ing February 1998 as “Be a P.A.L.—Prevent A Litter” Month. The goal of the event is to focus nationwide attention on the seri- ous problem of pet overpopula- tion and to encourage pet owners to be sure that their canine and feline friends are spayed or neu- tered in February, before many unsterilized animals breed in the Spring. “There are more dogs, cats, puppies and kittens in our com- munity than there are lifelong, loving homes,” says Edward Library news PY Nancy Kozemchak The Book Club of the Back Mountain Memorial Library held a luncheon meeting at Pickett’s Charge on Monday, January 19. Mary Lou Swingle, secretary, read the previous months minutes and the treasurer reported a balance in the bank account of $723.99 with a total of 124 members to begin the 1998 membership cam- paign. The dues remains $15.00 for a double membership and $10.00 for a single and entitles the members to borrow two books from the book club shelf each time they visit the library. Mary Panaway announced the new books added to the book club Gross, SPCA Director of Develop- ment. Gross noted that in 1997, 7,932 dogs, cats, puppies and kittens were relinquished to the SPCA of Luzerne County. “The only way to reduce this number of unwanted pets is through respon- sible, committed pet ownership, and that must include spaying and neutering pets to prevent the births of puppies and kittens for whom there are no homes.” The statistics are staggering: One female cat and her offspring can possibly produce 420,000 kit- tens in seven years! In just six years, one female dog and her offspring can possible produce 67.000 puppies! Thosg puppies and kittens who do find homes will need caring owners dedicated to 15 to 20 years of pet ownership. Owning a pet is a big responsibil- ity, and animal shelters across the nation are full of pets who were given up by owners who did not realize the amount of time, money and commitment they re- quired. On Tues., Feb. 24 the SPCA of Luzerne County in conjunction with The Doris Day Animal League and HSUS will spoonsor Spay Day USA at their shelter in Plains Twp. several local veterinarians have offered to provide free spay and neuter services to a limited num- ber of pets adopted from the SPCA on this day. : Make your resolution now to “Be a P.A.L.” and "Prevent A Lit- ter” in February 1998. For more information, contact the SPCA of Luzerne County, 524 E. Main Street, Plains Twp., at 825-4111. Edward Gross Director of Development SPCA of Luzerne County Book Club in full swing shelf for January. The next meet- ing will be held on Monday, Feb. 16 at 1:30. Guests are invited to attend. The library has two new stu- dent pages, Alycia Roberts and Tracy Malkemes, Dallas and Tunkhannock students. They + work after school and on Satur- days to check book cards and pockets in the books for acces- sion number matches. They check the books on the carts for match- ing numbers and then shelve the books. New books at the library: "Charming, Billy” by Alice McDermott tells of Billy Lynch who one summer years ago fell in love with a beautiful young Irish woman who had come to America to work for a wealthy family from Park Avenue. Billy wanted to marry Eva, even gave her a ring; she went back to Ireland to care for relatives, prom- ising to return; however, she died of pneumonia. “Come The Spring” by Julie Garwood continues the Clayborne legend as the author weaves to- gether a magnificent tale with a touching new love story. Adam, Douglas and Travis are each hap- pily married, and their beloved Mama Rose is overjoyed with the ladies who have joined the family. However, their restlessness lies with the brother, Cole, wondering which side of the law he will land. “The God of Small Things” by Arundhate Roy takes place in the state of Kerala, on the southern- most tip of India; a skyblue Ply- mouth with chrome tailfins is stranded on the highway amid a Marxist workers’ demonstration. The year is 1969. Inside the car sit two-egg twins Rahel and Esthappen, so begins the tale. “The Prince and the Prosecu- tor” by Peter J. Heck is a Mark Twain mystery. This mystery, rich in humor and historical detail is praised as as thoroughly enjoyable mystery. The author solves the mysteries in a delightful manner. + | Q. Where do you find the most Back Mountain news and photos each week? A. Only in The Dallas Post (OF HI ¢ YESTERDAY 60 Years Ago - Feb. 4, 1938 : NEW SAFETY DEPOSIT BOXES AT FIRST NAT'L. IN DALLAS One hundred new safety des posit boxes have been purchased by First National Bank of Dallas. tobe installed in its modern vault: The bank which needed only 20 safety deposit boxes two decades. ago, has had to add year by year until it now has more than 310... The building occupied by thé. Shavertown Post Office was sold yesterday by Wilkes-Barre Deposit and Savings Bank to Frederick J: Eck of Shavertown. The building, is a two story frame structure near the Shavertown street car: station. Brace’s gas station; Jackson's store and the post of-| fice quarters occupying the first floor and there are apartments on the second floor. The sale is an-, other evidence of new real estate’ activity in Shavertown. Eck’s building is only a stone throw from the site upon which Dan Shaver is building a new $15,000 theatre which will be opened int April. 50 Years Ago - Feb. 6, 1948 FERNBROOK PARK SOLD TO MAKE WAY FOR OFFSET Purchase of 17 acres of ground in the Fernbrook Park area, in* cluding Fernbrook Park from Wilkes-Barre Railway Corp. for the erection of a giant new textile plant employing between 450-500 persons with annual payroll of more than $1,000,000 was con- firmed this week by Robert Bair, Asst. Treasurer of Bloomsburg Mills. The building will be a one story construction entirely under one roof and completely air condi- tioned. You could get - Center cut pork chops 65¢ 1b.; steak, 75¢ lb.; po- tatoes, full peck 61¢; lettuce, 21g. hds. 19¢; bread, 1g. loaf, 13¢. 40 Years Ago - Jan. 31, 1958 POLICE SOLVE MYSTERY ABOUT A STORE ROBBERY Interrogation yesterday by State and local police of seven Back Mountain teenagers has solved the mystery of Dallas Hardware & Supply Co. robbery Sun. Jan 5 as well as the brief dissappearance of several autos in the agea. Act- ing on a tip that two Dallas Bor- - ough boys both 14 were seen car- rying a loaded .38 calibre pistol at Dallas basketball games and in Dixon’s and Evan's Restaurants. Chief Russell Honeywell invetigated and uncovered a nest of home talent gangsters with their own headquarters in a well- equipped cabin in Shavertown. Though none of the five Kingston Township boys were involved with the Dallas robbery, all are impli- cated in other escapades which police are investigating. ‘ Shavertown stayed in the run- ning for top honors at its easy 68- 40 win over East Dallas. Ernie Widmann was the big noise as he collected 26 points. Bob Hontz and Bill Oney also chipped in with 25 between them for the winners. Dick Clemow led the losers with 11; 30 Years Ago - Feb. 8, 1968 U.G.I. TO SPONSOR L-L BAND ON TRIP TO D.C. U.G.I. is staking Lake- Lehmid Band to bus transportation’ to Washington. According to Dick Demmy, vice president and man- ager, arrangements are being made for four Martz buses to leave the high school April 5 at 7 a..m. to return after the Cherry Blos- som Festival and Parade the fol- lowing day. Soldiers and Sailors Memorid] Hospital, Wellsboro has an* nounced the appoinment of Ralph C. Antrim Jr. as Assistant Admin- istrator. A resident of Dallas and a graduate of Dallas High School, ’ - the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Antrim of Oak Hill, is a retired L{. Colonel, Regular Army July 1967 after 22 years of service. 20 Years Ago - Feb. 2, 1978 1 STATE REP. CRITICIZES ~~ | PENNDOT'S SERVICE | ‘There's no question in my mind that PennDOT’s overall road main- tenance program is sub-standard” said Rep. Frank O'Connell Tues- day afternoon in a telephone con- versation. “I also agree that there is not proper drainage along many of the state’s highways. But there is no way that can be corrected until warm weather.” Road work during the past week has been intolerable and PennDOT has come under heavy criticism. 0 4
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers