"® 0 > The Dolls Post SI SAVAINCHIN | =H O1@1\V/ | \V IS INR NI SSNS | oi fl | = DALLAS SIAN (= EY PANN RSTO [O10] I BI ISH | 21 (03 BS Vol. 110 No. 23 Dallas, Pennsylvania 50 Cents June 9 thru June 15, 1999 Students feted at awards breakfast By KASIA McDONOUGH Post Staff DALLAS - Hillary Rodham Clinton, were she not so busy in New York these days, would have been impressed by the crowd as- sembled at the Dallas School Dis- trict Administration Building Fri- day morning for an awards break- fast honoring this year’s Students of the Month. Representatives from area busi- nesses, churches and civic orga- . nizations gathered along with State Senator Charles Lemmond, students, parents, and school administrators for the annual cel- ebration. “This group is evidence that it does take a community to raise a child,” said Sharon Bartolini, President of the Parent- Teacher-Student Organization (PTSO). The program began as a way to recognize students who have dis- tinguished themselves from their peers in any of four categories. The Student Achiever Award is presented to the student whodem- onstrates exceptional perfor- mance of a task and achieves his or her personal best. The School Spirit Award is presented to the See AWARDS, pg 3 Art for the auction's sake POST PHOTO/CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK Students at Sue Hand's Imagery in Dallas have been busy sprucing. .volunteers hand-paint images on furniture and other pieces that are up items that will be sold at the 53rd annual Back Mountain Memorial Library Auction, July 8-11. The students and other "nearly old." Above, from left, Helene Jayne, Sarah Williams, Ryan Tranell and Tara Dymond. Auction kickoff dinner photos on page 5. Back Mountain Trail's first mile of many is open ‘By KASIA McDONOUGH Post Staff LUZERNE - A peaceful walk in the woods is now possible thanks to the unwavering commitment of hundreds of volunteers who were rewarded with seeing the first mile of the new Back Mountain Trail opened Friday. Judy Rimple, President of the Anthracite Scenic Trails Associa- : tion (ASTA), thanked everyone who worked to make the trail a reality. “Our goal is to create links to destinations,” she said. “This trail marks the first section of a greenway that provides safe, sce- nic and continuous recreational opportunities to area residents and it would not be here today . without the hard work of so many people.” ASTA members worked for five years to secure design and blue- prints for trail construction and they raised in excess of $240,000 dollars in funding from local, state and federal sources. The Pennsyl- vania Conservation Corps was hired to assist with building the 10-foot-wide path and many vol- Friends, students, family gather to honor Bob Belles By KASIA McDONOUGH Post Staff HARVEYS LAKE - Bob Belles may have started out on the wrong foot, but in the end his 56-year association with education was remarkable. Now his name graces the school at which his teaching career began. Like most children, in the days before kindergarten caught on, Belles began school in the first grade. He was there for a day. “My mother found out I had gone to school in the back of a truck and she didn’t think that was proper,” said Belles. “She vowed 1 would not be returning to school and for two years, I didn’t.” Following a stab at teaching Bob on her own, Laura Belles relented. “My mother was home- standards which have distinguished our dist rict.” Lois Kopcha School board member schooling me, although she really didn’t know what she was doing,” he said. Belles attended first grade in the morning and second grade each afternoon in order to make up for lost time. Having learned an important lesson, his education proceeded smoothly from that point. "At- See BELLES, pg 12 unteers worked alongside them clearing debris, shoveling, rak- ing, and cutting weeds. “We had to remove tires, gasoline tanks, and trash when we first came in here,” said trail architect Chris Borton. “The work that has gone into this is just amazing.” Local government officials also joined the effort to make the trail areality. Tom Makowski, Luzerne County Commissioner, told the crowd assembled at the ribbon cutting ceremony that he thinks the greenway project will have a positive impact’ in the commu- nity. “We are committed to a new quality of life in the region and this is a big step in the right direction,” he said. Makowski also credits Rimple See TRAIL, pg 12 Bob Belles's arandchildirans’ Amanda, Todd and Bobby, were among many people who attended a ceremony at which the Lake- Noxen Elementary School was named for the long-time Lake- Lehman School District teacher and administrator. g ) POST PHOTO/KASIA McDONOUGH Judy Rimple, left, executive director of the Anthracite Scenic Trails Association, showed the trailhead sign for the Back Mountain Trail to State Rep. George Hasay and Lisa Baker, of the Governor's Northeast Region office. The first mile of trail opened officially Friday. Dallas sees extra $400,000 In budget By KASIA McDONOUGH Post Staff DALLAS - Good news was on the agenda at the Dallas School Board Committee of the Whole meeting June 7. Paul Melone, CPA, who is act- ing business manager, informed the board he is anticipating a positive budget variance of ap- proximately $400,000. “The money comes in the form of wind- falls,” he said. “The district is the beneficiary of fortuitous differen- tials.” The positive balance is from the budget for the 1999-2000 aca- demic year. It includes a higher than anticipated transportation subsidy, interest earned on a cer- See BUDGET, pg 2 District may place cops in schools The Dallas School District is currently investigating programs which would increase police in- volvement in the schools. “We are waiting to hear about a grant which would allow us to put an unarmed officer in the schools as ‘a fail-safe piece of our security protocol,” said Dr. Griffiths. “The officers would wear a Dallas blue shirt which indicates his or her name and police department, khaki pants and a badge.” The proposal, which aims to increase police presence in the Dallas schools, is conditional upon receipt of funding and the coop- eration of local police depart- ments. “Where policing is effec- tive is when kids have a respect for officers and gain a sense of security from their presence,” said, Dr. Griffiths. Maureen Banks, school board member, suggested the board con- sider inviting area police depart- ments to eat lunch at the Dallas schools on a regular basis. “It's a great idea that would build rela- tionships,” said Kingston Town- ship Police Officer Frank Ziegler. “I have seen some big, tough, rug- ged police officers who are abso- lutely terrified of little Kids, so something like that would be good for everyone involved and I think if you mention free food to a police officer you are guaranteed par- ticipation.” by Kasia McDonough HM Biker wedding Donna Bower, Joseph Roman, were married Saturday, then roared off the the reception on their Harley. Pg 3. HB Soccer scholars Dallas boosters hand out book scholarships. Sports. 20 Pages 2 Sections Calendar.........iicmisiis 8 Classified...........w. 10-11 Crossword... ik 8 Editorials........ccivieene 4 Obituaries........ccceeuuus 10 SCHOOL. =... ete ivenanis 7 SPOS... saat 9 POST PHOTO/KASIA McDONOUGH CALL 675-5211 FOR HOME DELIVERY, NEWS OR ADVERTISING E-mail: dalpost@aol.com 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
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers