4 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, November 3, 1999 EDITORIALS Old Shoe Game is too good to give up Something’s wrong when a statewide bureaucracy threatens local traditions. That's exactly what is is going on in high school football schedules, as the drive to crown a state champion has superseded the simple values that high school athletic con- tests can provide. Here's what's happening: The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA), which regulates high school sports, has come up with a scheme in which schools would only play those of similar size, regardless of geography. Since there aren't enough similar-size schools in this area to fill out a season close to home, there will be a “superconference” that will pit teams in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties against one another, and bring in Williamsport for good measure. While this may make perfect sense to a paper pusher in Mechanicsburg, it disrupts matchups that have been years — sometimes decades — in the making. It wouldn't be so awful if the new scheme only meant that teams would play most of their games against similar oppo- nents, but the demand that not a single game can vary from the plan may mean the loss of long-time rivalries that have brought communities together for decades. One of the best of these is the annual “Old Shoe” game between Dallas and Lake-Leh- man. If we're lucky, both schools will be in the same size class in coming years, and the game will go on without interruption. But Dallas is barely above the cutoff for Class AAA this year, and Lehman has been just below it but growing, so it wouldn't take much to throw a monkey wrench in this key Back Mountain event. Local coaches and school personnel aren't at all fond of the new arrangement, but had little choice other than going along when a majority of their counterparts did so. If they didn’t, they could have found themselves unable to schedule games at all. It certainly is an accomplishment when a local team wins a state championship, as Dallas did in 1993, but it doesn’t make sense for the PIAA to have the power to squeeze out games like the Old Shoe on the questionable grounds that such games aren't a fair test. Surely the hundreds of players who have strapped on pads for this contest over the years would dispute such a mindless contention. Publisher's notebook I never dreamed the day would come when I would consider folks in the Deep South ahead of the Northeast, but I was wrong. Voters in Alabama proved they have more common sense than northerners when they rejected a referendum to institute a state lottery. The pundits speculated that conserva- tive religious forces defeated the plan, but it really doesn’t matter - Alabamians have been spared the biggest shell game of our time, which has been foisted on an unsuspecting public by a majority of states. State lotteries began in New Hampshire, that bastion of tax- haters, who decided that gambling was a way to fill state coffers “voluntarily,” instead of by repressive levies. In principle, I suppose that has some logic, although practice often veers off in other directions from intentions. If that was all there was to it, maybe I wouldn't mind much, but state governments have gone far beyond calmly offering a game of chance to the public. We now have instant games, lotto games, keno games - a range that is more confusing than the menu in a Chinese restaurant. And it’s not just the games, it’s how they are presented. If any private business advertised the way the lotteries do, they'd be hauled into court in a New York minute. Commercials don’t just suggest we go out and buy a couple of tickets, they tell us this is the way to riches beyond our wildest dreams. And the promotion works. Arecent poll found that most people thought the lottery was a better way to get ahead than old-fashioned hard work and saving. You may have noticed, as I have, that most people lined up for tickets look as if they haven't been getting that far along, and therefore are most susceptible to the come-ons. It also seems that many of them are older, which is ironic given our state's constant reminders that the lottery “benefits older Pennsylva- nians.” Maybe the ticket buyers think it's a wash, they buy tickets and the money just comes back to them anyway. Sort of a “win-win” deal. Fat chance. By the time they pay out, compensate the stores that sell tickets, buy millions in adver- tising and run a bloated bureaucracy, only a small percentage of the money spent on tickets finds its way back to beneficial programs, which themselves have overhead costs. I'm not the biggest foe of government by any means, but if there ever was a program that delivers far less than it takes from our pockets, this is it. Even worse, we have trained a generation of citizens that get-rich-quick schemes not only sound attractive, they are endorsed by our leaders. What a message that is. You can send items to the Post by 3 dalpost@aol.com The Dallas Post Published Weekly By Bartsen Media, Inc. P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612 570-675-5211 Ronald A. Bartizek Charlotte E. Bartizek PUBLISHER ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER OFFICE MANAGER Gregory Culver ADVERTISING ACCT. EXEC Kasia McDonough REPORTER Ruth Proietto PRODUCTION MANAGER Olga Kostrobala CLASSIFIED/TYPESETTING Christine Pizzano OFFICE ASSISTANT PRINTED WITH a SOY INK], NEWSPAPER . ateof Dallas High Harvest time architecture. Photo by Charlotte Bartizek. LETTERS SPCA works to save pets, can use your help Editor: November 7-13, 1999, marks National Animal Shelter Appre- ciation Week, an event sponsored by The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) in recogni- tion of the lifesaving services pro- vided by animal shelters, like the SPCA of Luzerne County, across the country. Whether returning a lost cat to his owner, rescuing a dog roam- ing a busy street, or matching up a family with their new animal companion, the employees at the SPCA of Luzerne County work hard to make your community a better place for all its residents. In 1999, the HSUS and the SPCA of Luzerne County would like to especially recognize the important contributions of the staff and volunteers who give their time, skills and support to help animal shelters across the coun- try help our community’s needi- est animals. The SPCA of Luzerne County cared for over 8,000 ani- mals last year. We urge readers to take this opportunity to visit the SPCA of Luzerne County, ask about our programs, and learn about the many ways the public can assist us in helping the abused and homeless animals in our commu- nity. The SPCA is located at 524 E. Main Street, Plains Twp. Visit- ing/adoption hours are Monday through Friday from 11 til3and 5 til 7 and weekends from 11 til 3. For information on how to be- come a shelter volunteer call 825- 4111. Edward Gross Director of Development SPCA of Luzerne County MOVERS AND SHAKERS Dr. Brad Bryant Jr., D.C. has joined the staff of the Back Mt. Chiropractic Center. Dr. Bryant will be joining Dr. Santina Whited and Dr. Matthew Fornicola in their practice. He was born and raised in the Back Mountain and is a gradu- School. He com- pleted his educa- tion :at Life i University’s College of Chiroprac- tic, Atlanta, GA. Dr. Bryant may be reached Mon.-Fri., at the Back Mountain Chiropractic Center, 675-1190. (LX J Theodore B. Wampole, Jr., Sales Representative for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company in Dallas, has been granted the LUTC Fellow Designation. The LUTC Fellow is given to individuals who meet or exceed qualification standards deter- mined by the organizations that jointly sponsor the designation, LUTC and the National Associa- tion of Life Underwriters (NALU). The designation marks an agent's long-term commitment to professionalism on behalf of cli- ents, establishes the agent's com- petence and business experience, marks a commitment to NALU’s Code of Ethics and fosters addi- tional professional development. Wampole is a member of the Wyoming Valley Association of Life Underwriters and has been active in the profession for 16 years. He also serves the community as a member of the WB BPO Elks Lodge #109, Finance Committee Chair- man at Central United Methodist Church, Chairman of the City of Wilkes-Barre Fire Civil Service Commission, Tee Ball coach for North End Little League and as the President of the Killer Bees Athletic Club, a non-profit orga- nization dedicated to promoting amateur athletics in the Wilkes- Barrre area. He resides in the North End of Wilkes-Barre with his wife, Susan and their three children, Nicholas, Teddy III and Alexander. INTHE SERVICE June L. Curran, R.N. was re- cently honored as the 1999 recipi- ent of the Martha Everett Award at Penn State Geisinger Medical Cen- ter in Danville. The award is presented to an emergency room nurse who exem- plifies the attributes of caring, team work, dedication and clinical ex- cellence. June, a graduate of Dallas Se- nior High School and Robert Packer Hospital School of Nursing, resides in Danville with her husband, David M. Curran. Sheis the daugh- ter of Mr. and Mrs. William L. Tippett of Shavertown. Sean Kelly Xenakis, a 1991 graduate of Dallas High School, has been named an Assistant State Attorney for the Sixth Judicial Cir- cuit of Florida. Xenakis is working with State Attorney Bernie McCabe of Florida's Sixth Judicial Circuit covering both Pasco and Pinellas counties. Xenakis graduated fromn Florida State Unviersity in 1995, and received his Juris Doctor De- gree last May .from the Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg, FL. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Randall J. Xenakis of Dallas LEGISLATORS DIRECTORY Federal Officials Representative Paul E. Kanjorski (Democrat) Wilkes-Barre: 825-2200 Washington: (202) 225-6511 e-mail: paul.kanjorski@hr.house.gov # 400M, 7 N. Wilkes-Barre Blvd., Wilkes- Barre PA 18702 or 2353 Rayburn Building, Washington, DC 20515 Senator Arlen Specter (Republican) Wilkes-Barre: 826-6265 Washington: (202) 224-4254 e-mail: senator_specter @specter.senate.gov 116 South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 or 711 Hart Senate Office Bldg., Washington, DC 20510 (Sv Senator Rick Santorum (Republican) Scranton: 344-8799 Washington: (202) 224-6324 Fax: (202) 228-4991 e-mail: senator @ santorum.senate.gov 527 Linden St., Scranton, PA 18503 120 Russell Senate Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20510 State Officials State Senator Charles D. Lemmond (Republican) (717) 675-3931 e-mail: smurphy @pasen.gov 22 Dallas Shopping Ctr., Memorial Hwy., Dallas PA 18612-1231 State Representative George Hasay (8 (Republican) 287-7505 or 542-7345 or 474-2276 or 477-3752 144 North Mountain Boulevard, Mountaintop PA 18707 Hasay’s district encompasses: Harveys Lake, Lehman Township, Jackson Township, Lake Township, Franklin Township, Ross Township, and Dallas Township's north voting district. State Representative Phyllis Mundy (Democrat) 283-9622 or 655-3375 Suite 113, 400 Third Avenue, Kingston PA 18704 Mundy’s district encompasses: Dallas Borough, Dallas Township except for the north voting district, and Kingston Township. im ONLY YESTERDAY 70 Years Ago - Nov. 2, 1929 DALLAS POST SUBSCRIPTION AVAILABLE AT A COST OF $1 From an advertisement in The Dallas Post. This is your opportu- nity to get a real bargain. Send in your subscription at $1 now, read this newspaper for a full year and get a Lindsey Bread Knife abso- lutely free. The dedication of St. Therese’s Church will take place Nov. 3 at 10:30 a.m. Bishop Thomas C. O'Reilly D.D. of the Scranton Dio- cese will officiate. Rev. Francis Duffy of World War fame will { speak. 60 Years Ago - Nov. 3, 1939 TRUCKSVILLE LUNCHEON- ETTE READY FOR BUSINESS A new luncheonette and soda fountain at Main Street and Carverton Road, Trucksville will be opened by Harold Lloyd within the next 10 days. Equipment has been arriving daily and Mr. Lloyd { has been busy installing it. The establishment will be one of the most attractive in this section. The possibility of a milk strike among local dairymen loomed this week as farmers charged that the Milk Control Board had gone back on its promise to authorize an increase in prices by Nov. 1. This section has never had a milk strike. 50 Years Ago - Nov. 4, 1949 RURAL FREE DELIVERY SERVICE EXPANDED Postmaster Joseph Polacky has announced that 65 additional families will receive rural free de- livery service after Nov. 16 be- cause of an extension of R.F.D. Rte 3. Forty families will be ben- efited by improved mail service in the Maplewood Hts. section of Dallas Township and 25 families living along Rte. 309 between Goss Manor and the intersection with Memorial Highway at the Y will also receive rural delivery. Lehman Scotties copped the Back Mountain football champi- onship Saturday downing Dallas _ Township Redskins 7-0 before a large crowd on the Dallas grid- iron. This victory added to its 27- 7 win. over Kingston Township gives Lehman possession of the “Golden Football Shoe”, emblem- atic of the Back Mountain Cham- pionship. 40 Years Ago - Nov. 5, 1959 REPUBLICAN SUPPORT DECLINES SLIGHTLY The Back Mountain area with the exception of Lake Township stayed in the Republican column during Tuesday’s voting but the solid Republican majorities of former years waned as hundreds of Republicans dissatisfied with GOP party leadership, split their tickets and voted for the bi-parti- san Democratic county candi- dates. In Dallas Borough where Democrats mustered a last minute bipartisan slate for all Borough offices, the contest was hot with allregular Republican candidates winning while county candidates had a nip and tuck battle all the way. 30 Years Ago - Nov. 6, 1969 SHAVERTOWN POST OFFICE TO REMAIN OPEN Despite speculation to the con- trary, it appears Kingston Town- ship residents need not fear loss of their Shavertown Post Office. At least not for the present. Ru- mors began spreading when dis- covery was made the lease at the present facility was going to ex- pire in ‘71 culminating a 10 year agreement with Wyoming National Bank, owners of the property. A spokesman for Wyoming National Bank told The Post that he was not aware of any plans to move Shavertown Post Office from the presently occupied building on Memorial Highway at termination of the lease. 20 Years Ago - Nov. 1, 1979 ELECTION BATTLES HEAT UP The two headline contests in elections next Tuesday as far as Back Mountain residents are con- cerned are the county commis- sioners race involving local resi- dent Joseph “Red” Jones and the venomous Harveys Lake Council race which may be the most heated race in Luzerne County. Jones with his Republican running mate Frank Trinesewski of Wilkes-Barre faced down the Republic organi- zation to win the primary last May. © O >» » ow >
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers