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Vol. 111, No. 30
Dallas, Pennsylvania
e Dallas Post
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50 Cents
July 26 thru August 1, 2000
For a change, National Utilities customers get good news
By BILL GOODMAN
Post Staff
LEHMAN - Joseph Pagoda, who lives
in the Oak Hill development in Lehman
Township, has finally found some satis-
faction with the service of National Utili-
ties Inc. (NUI).
“Service has definitely improved,” he
said. For many years, the water company
" *HL Borough
~ snags grants
_ Jor drainage,
trail study
By ELAINE SLABINSKI
Post Correspondent
HARVEYS LAKE - Councilman Daniel
Hanson announced that the borough
would be receiving the $38,100 balance
of a Growing Greener Grant totalling over
$80,000 for repairs to Old Sandy Bottom
and Sandy Beach Creek as well as the
resolution of drainage problems behind
the Municipal Authority building. Hanson
is currently preparing to apply for the fall,
2000 series of Growing Greener Grant
funds for road surface improvements and
better drainage in Hemlock Gardens.
Additional funds are coming to the
borough in the form of a $226,000 Penn-
@1vania Department of Transportation
Grant. These monies will support a fea-
sibility study to explore the possible con-
struction of a walking, biking and roller
blading trail around the lake, looking at
recreation as well as safety issues.
Millie Monk and her husband, Bill,
who live in Hemlock Gardens, volun-
teered to work as a team to help identify
sources of financial assistance such as
grant programs. Council members unani-
mously accepted their offer.
Joe Shonis complained that his neigh-
bor has erected a dock right against his
property line ignoring the required 10
foot setback. “It’s anillegal dock,” Shonis
said. “There is no (borough) permit, only
a DEP permit.” George Andrews, Council
President, asked if the dock was floating
or permanent. Shonis responded, “There
are pins in the water to keep it stationary
‘and it is permanently anchored there.”
He told council members that this
situation has been in existence for more
than a year and he is very frustrated. He
See GRANTS, pg 8
failed to respond to customer complaints
of poor quality and service, and was slow
to complete repairs.
“We haven't had any problems dealing
with them in the last year and a half,”
said Pagoda.
NUI does work with customers, Pa-
goda said. For example, if a customer
wants to flush out their system because
of poor water quality, they can keep track
of their meter readings and the company
will reimburse them for the water used.
Service has improved, but the water
quality at Oak Hills hasn't, Pagoda says.
He uses the water to bathe and wash
clothes with, but not to drink. “We buy
bottled water,” he said. “It’s not what I
expected from country water.”
NUI's latest water report lists all the
contaminants as at or below levels estab-
- lished for safe drinking water. That doesn’t
sway Pagoda.
“It doesn’t matter what the reports
say. I'm still not drinking the water,”
Pagoda said. Most of the test results are
from 1997 and 1998; only one if from
1999. Slight levels of most substances
were recorded. Two samples, lead and
beta/photon emitters, tested at about
half the allowable level. The federal Envi-
POST PHOTO/JIM PHILLIPS
Kasey Corbett ran to congratulate her teammates on the Back Mountain Major League Girls Softball team after they won the
District 16 championship. The team bounced back from its first loss to beat Nanticoke for the title. Gathered on the mound,
from left: Cassie Snider, Sofie Grossman, Sara Brown, Sara Swepston, Joanna Williamson, and Sheree Horvath. More
photos on sports page.
By M.B. GILLIGAN
Post Correspondent
KINGSTON TWP. - Weekends at
Frances Slocum State Park in Kingston
Township are filled with typical sum-
mertime activities like swimming,
boating and fishing, but they also
include many educational opportuni-
ties.
“We offer programs every Friday
and Saturday evening and on Satur-
day afternoons,” said Kathy Kelchner,
Park Naturalist. “We also have a
program on Sunday afternoon during
holiday weekends like Memorial Day.”
This past Saturday afternoon a pro-
gram about spiders was held for 3 to
5-year-olds, but more than a few older
children enjoyed the activities, also.
“We were looking for something to
do so we came out for the show,” said
Anne Schwartz of Forty Fort, who
brought her sons Ryan and Jonathan.
Other visitors have discovered the
program in the past, and return for
more.
“We came out here last year for a
few of the programs,” said Christine
Mash of Nanticoke. Her children,
Peter, Katie and Mary, really enjoyed
making the Name Tag Necklaces com-
plete with spider web stamps and
beads.
~ “Use your eyes now and look at
these dandy spiders,” instructed
POST PHOTO/M.B. GILLIGAN
Kathy Kelchner, naturalist at Frances Slocum State Park, helped Peter Mash,
Jeffery Thomas and Nicole Ann Kell look at spiders they had captured.
Kids learn all about creepy crawlies at Frances Slocum park
Kelchner after each child captured a
spider in a clear plastic viewing box.
“Wow, see that big spider,” she pointed
out.
While the children learned that spi-
ders have two body parts, eight legs
and use fangs to inject poison into
their victims, they enjoyed activities
including web-weaving and attempts
to get their “bug” through the giant
web.
“I hate spiders but my 3-year-old
brother Daniel made me come,” said
Casey Ball of Berwick who was camp-
ing for the week with her parents and
her grandmother. “I guess I learned
some things,” she added.
Her grandmother, Patricia Quick,
enjoyed the spider show also.
“We come up every summer and
have seen lots of programs. We've
seen the bears, the coyotes and the
Indians. I'm sure that we'll be back
tonight for the bee show,” added Quick.
Parents credit the quality of in-
struction for the success of the pro-
grams.
“I just think that Kathy Kelchner is
terrific. She is so full of enthusiasm
and loves to share her information
with the children,” said Nancy Munster
who was at the program with Bailey
Moran of Swoyersville. “I work at
Children and Youth Services and we
See PARK, pg 3
ronmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets a
goal for drinking water of no measurable
amount of the substances.
NUI serves 650 customers in four ar-
eas in Luzerne county. United Water,
which serves 3,000 customers in Dallas
and Shavertown, tests for more than 140
substances, and treats the water with
See WATER, pg 8
Youthful
rockers oft
to fast start
A ninefoldpunch members
take their music seriously
By BILL GOODMAN
Post Staff
DALLAS - For many kids with musical
interest and a bit of courage, garage and
basement bands are a part of life. Par-
ents buy them guitars and drums, and
the instruments are played for a few
months and thrown into the hallway
closet. But Jerry and Jon Taylor, age 14,
Matt Rattigan, age 14 (all of Dallas) and
Chris Blaker, age 15 of Plymouth have
moved their music out of the basement
and into the local limelight. ;
The Taylor twins developed an interest
in music because of their father. “I
watched my dad play guitar when we
went camping,” said Jerry. Jerry eventu-
ally wanted to play six-string guitar, and
his brother Jon wanted a bass guitar to
keep even.
Jerry Taylor met Rattigan in Cub
Scouts, and they disliked each other.
But later the two played on a Back Moun-
tain all-star baseball team, and became
friends. Along with Jon Taylor, they've
been playing together for three years.
After working with several different drum-
mers they met Blaker through a mutual
friend, and this ninefoldpunch lineup
has been stable for the past nine months.
The band describes themselves as a
mix of pop, punk, and a more recent style
called “emo,” but they play melodic, if
sometimes noisy, heavy pop with a strong
emotional undercurrent. Because of their
See BAND, pg 8
14 Pages, 2 Sections
Calendar.......cc.ovee 14
Classified............. 12-13
Crossword............. 14
EdRorials...... cians 4
Obituaries.................. 2
SCHOOL. i. cisviinuicesuees 11
SPONS.......consienmn 9-10
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