4 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, August 23, 2000 EDITORIALS ‘Water reports could promote more 'confidence’ Bread may the staff of life, but water is the most essential element to our health and well-being. Since that's the case, it might be sensible for government agencies to tighten testing requirements for drinking water. The companies that supply water recently mailed reports on the quality of their product to users. Euphemistically called Consumer Confidence Reports, they list the amount of a number of compounds and elements that are found in drinking water, some of which have scary names such as arsenic. The reports are required by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and collected and organized by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). While compa- nies have tested water for years, only since 1996 have they had to tell customers the results as long as they fell within accepted guidelines. We have no quarrel with the process to this point. However, the frequency of testing, or rather the infrequency, is reason to think we can do better. For example, the test results for wells used by United Water, which serves much of the Back Mountain, showed traces of a radioactive compound that were nearly half the maximum allowable level for drinking water. That doesn’t sound like anything to worry about, but the test results were from 1996, so one might wonder if the level has changed in four years. Similarly, the water in the Oak Hill section of Lehman, measured by National Utilities, showed a level of lead nearly half the maximum allowed, but the test is from 1998. Both substances are considered to be naturally occurring. : The excuse is offered that testing is expensive, and requiring annual tests would bankrupt small water companies. That seems highly unlikely; even if the procedures are costly, the expense is spread over a number of customers who are already paying dearly for service. Besides, water companies are public utilities and can recover necessary expenses as long as they can justify them. : : It probably doesn’t make sense to test annually for every substance, but it would seem some of these could bear closer scrutiny. Publisher's notebook Watching Tiger Woods overcome pulled drives and a stub- born opponent in last weekend's PGA championship, I began to wonder, what ever happened to rooting for the underdog? I caught some of the television coverage Saturday, and the end of the tournament Sunday, and was struck both days by the lopsided commentary about Tiger compared to the “what’s his name” challengers. It was worst Saturday, when Scott Dunlap, who trailed by only a stroke after two rounds, matched Tiger's 70, but was treated like the invisible man in most press reports. On Sunday, Bob May played his heart out to tie for the lead in regulation, and the announcers finally accepted that the tournament was a real horse race, until Ken Venturi, the “most-respected golf analyst,” pre-announced May's defeat as his birdie putt appeared to slide off to the side of the 18th hole. Boy was he surprised when the ball snuck back to the left and fell into the cup! Television is not alone in this conspiracy to root for proven winners. “Tiger leaves Golden Bear awestruck,” read a huge headline in Friday's Citizens’ Voice. The fact that Dunlap had matched Tiger's opening round score wasn't mentioned until the end of the fourth paragraph. Saturday’s Associated Press report in The Times Leader followed the same format, mention- ing Dunlap, who dropped only a shot to Woods in Friday's round, at the very end of the fourth paragraph, then granting him two more sentences in the entire article. The writer described Tiger's 67 as “near flawless,” even though it was a stroke higher than both his and Dunlap’s Thursday round. Let me say right now that I feel privileged to live in the “Tiger Woods era.” At age 24, he holds the scoring record in every one of the four men’s major tournaments, and I'm in awe of the power, control and poise he displays both on and off the course. Still, I'm troubled that a sea change of sorts seems to have occurred in a society that was once energized by the image of the noble, victorious underdog. I suspect the media has a lot to do with this, since it’s commonly believed in television network executive suites that to retain interest, sports contests must be reduced to their simplest form — two famous players going head to head. Well, they got that kind of game last weekend, except one of the players wasn’t a household name, and no one was bashful about stating their disappointment. Maybe it’s not the networks’ fault, after all. Maybe enough of us have become well off that we no longer feel any kinship with the underdog, and ascribe virtue and honor to the haves, while losers — defined as those who finish second or worse — are simply getting what they deserve. I guess there won't be a “Rocky 5.” Your news is welcome The Dallas Post welcomes submissions about Back Mountain people and events. To have the greatest likelihood of publication, items should be received at our office no later than the Friday prior to each issue. Items will be accepted Mondays, although much of the paper is already assembled by that time. Send or bring items to: The Dallas Post, 607 Main Road, P.O. Box 366, Dallas, PA 18612. Our normal business hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Dallas Post Published Weekly By Bartsen Media, Inc. P.O. Box 366, Dallas PA 18612 570-675-5211 Charlotte E. Bartizek ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER OFFICE MANAGER Ronald A. Bartizek PUBLISHER Ken Brocious ADVERTISING ACCT. EXEC Bill Goodman REPORTER Joanna Cease OFFICE/TYPIST/CLASSIFIEDS Ruth Proietto PRODUCTION MANAGER vd PRINTED WITH PENNSYLVANIA SOY INK > INEWSPAPER Summer blooms. Photo by Charlotte Bartizek. The economic Howard Grossman Community Development Banking is a new initiative to en- hance economic growth in Penn- sylvania. Community Develop- ment Bank funding has been pro- vided by the Commonwealth over the last two years and is designed to assist business people who may have difficulty finding finan- cial resources elsewhere. The Pennsylvania Appalachian Capi- tal Alliance (PAACA) was founded in 1998 to provide this type of financing to 52 of the Commonwealth's 67 counties. In Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Economic Development Coun- cil of Northeastern Pennsylvania (EDCNP) has been actively in- volved in PAACA and is providing technical support to the small business community to encour- age ways by which financing can be provided to applicants desiring to startabusiness and who qualify under the rules provided for this type of financing. EDCNP staff act as field representatives for { Small business loan help PAACA and work with applicants by recommending courses of ac- tion to train and educate poten- tial business people and direct them to appropriate resources for this purpose. Specific lending criteria exists for loans between $2,500 and $10,000, loans between $10,001 -$25,000, and loans from $25,001 to $50,000. Most loans would fall in the $2,500 to $25,000 cat- egory. Those individuals who wish to start-up a business are required to attend seminars prior to mak- ing an application with respect to the following categories: * How to start a business * Developing a business plan * Debt financing With respect to post-lending education, borrowers should re- ceive training in the following: * Cash flow management * Reading financial statements * Pricing strategies * Marketing The Board of Directors of PAACA includes three from each of the 52 county, substate re- gions. In Northeastern Pennsyl- vania a representative from EDCNP, the Commission for Eco- nomic Opportunity in Luzerne County, and PNC Bank serve on the Board. The PAACA office is located in Harrisburg with a small staff devoted to helping potential applicants. Thus, a partnership exists between the regional eco- nomic development organization serving Northeastern Pennsylva- nia and the state group which is in the process of receiving fund- ing from a variety of sources to be able to continue to provide loan monies. Three projects have al- ready been approved in the state with the first having been ap- proved for a business startup in Monroe County. More are ex- pected over the next several months. The eligibility criteria limits potential applicants to certain geographic areas that are low in- come or have other factors or char- acteristics that impede the ability to be economically competitive. Those who would like to know more about the possible use of Community Development Bank- ing should contact the Economic Development Council of North- eastern Pennsylvania, 1151 Oak Street, Pittston, PA 18640. Tele- phone: (570)655-5581, Fax: (570)654-5137, E-mail: info@edcnp.org, Internet: www.edcnp.org. Howard J. Grossman is Execu- tive Director of the Economic De- velopment Council of Northeast- ern Pennsylvania. He lives in Dal- las. LEGISLATORS DIRECTORY Federal Officials Representative Paul E. Kanjorski (Democrat) State Officials State Senator Charles D. Lemmond (Republican) 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 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 ; (717) 675-3931 e-mail: smurphy@pasen.gov 22 Dallas Shopping Ctr., Memorial Hwy., Dal- las PA 18612-1231 State Representative George Hasay (Republican) 287-7505 or 542-7345 or 474-2276 or 477- 3752 119S. Mountain Blvd., Mountaintop PA 18707 Hasay’s district encompasses: Harveys Lake, Lehman Township, Jackson Township, Lake Township, Franklin Township, Ross Town- ship, and Dallas Township's north voting dis- trict. State Representative Phyllis Mundy (Democrat) 283-9622 or 655-3375 | Suite 113, 400 Third Avenue, Kingston PA 18704 Mundy’s district encompasses: Dallas Bor- ough, Dallas Township except for the north voting district, and Kingston Township. ONLY YESTERDAY 70 Years Ago - Aug. 22, 1930 PRISONS ADD TO PAYROLL . 1,083 prisoners were on the June payrolls of the states pris- ons which included the Eastern and Western state penitentiaries, the new Western State Peniten- tiary at Rockview and the Penn- sylvania Industrial Reformatory at Huntington. Increased work in the gardens, the canneries and the nurseries during the summer months added a number of men to the payrolls. The cannery at the new Western State Peniten- tiary operated for 16 days during" the month of June with a produc- tion of over 8,000 cans of veg- etables, according to a report by Harry E. Andrews, superinten- dent of prison industries of the State Department of Welfare. 60 Years Ago - Aug. 23, 1940 WATER PIPELINE SEVERED A four-inch pipeline that car- ried water from the main part of @ Dallas to the Brooklyn section was severed by workmen who were clearing the way for the new high- way, leaving residents without water all day. The workmen also tore out the bridge usually used by the Laing Fire Company when answering calls in the central part of Dallas, making it necessary for fire equipment to make a round- , about detour when responding to ¢ alarms. A pile of snow, estimated to be 30 years old was uncovered in a culm bank in Plymouth by a crew of men working for Myers Con- struction Company. The men were excavating in the bank when they struck the layer of snow about a foot thick. While most of the residents in the area were swel- tering in the heat, the workmen ¢ enjoyed a snowball fight. 50 Years Ago - Aug. 25, 1950 DONAHUE'S PROVES A HIT Although having been open only a week, Donahue's Lunch Room, located on the former premises of Bowman's Restaurant, had al- ready established itself as a good g place to get a cup of coffee while waiting for the bus. You could get: cantaloupes, 19¢ each; Lucky Leaf apple sauce, 2 17 oz. cans, 25¢; large California oranges, 39¢;doz. 40 Years Ago - Aug. 25, 1960 BOY INJURED BY BULLET A ten year old boy narrowly escaped serious injury when he hit a live revolver bullet with a hammer. The boy, who was looking through a box of nails from the cellar, was putting the finishing touches on a covered wagon in his back yard. Seeing the bullet, and thinking it was from a toy gun, he upended it with his left hand and hit it with a hammer. The bullet passed through his left arm, causing him to be admitted to General Hospital for treatment. The child's mother stated that nobody in the household had a gun, and that the appearance of the bullet was a mystery. 30 Years Ago - Aug. 27, 1970 WORKERS END STRIKE Anew contract agreed upon by Natona's workers and the plant's ‘management, ended a strike that ¢ involved 280 workers and lasted from May 22 to August 20. The new two year contract gave the employees a 20¢ per hour in- crease during the first year, and again, during the second year. In addition to the pay increases, sev- eral benefits were included in the settlement, employees now had 9 holidays a year instead of 7, and membership in Blue Cross and Blue Shield programs would be paid for by the company. 20 Years Ago - Aug. 21, 1980 FIRE CO. RECEIVES $2,500 The Daniel C. Roberts Fire Com- pany Auxiliary presented a check for $2,500 to the firemen for the purchase of their new ambulance, a 1980 Ford Modular Type 3. The auxiliary women raised the money through various projects during the year including a bike-a-thon, a haunted house, bake sales, a car wash and a lasagne dinner. Send The Post to a friend It makes a great gift Call 675-5211 for details
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers