I TC The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Thursday,May 2, 2002 EDITORIAL Time to make Rt. 118 safer Last week's tragic death toll along and near Route 118 in Ross and Fairmount townships was an unwelcome reminder of how dangerous that stretch of roadway can be. The three fatalities — which bring to 13 the total over the past eight years — should also be a clarion call for the state to take whatever measures are available to improve safety for the thousands of people who travel the highway each day. Nearly everyone agrees that the main cause of accidents along 118 is excessive speed, or excessive desire to speed that leads to reckless passing on the two-lane roadway as it winds through forest and field. Instead of throwing up their hands in despair, the Pennsylvania Department of Trans- portation (PennDOT) needs to look hard at how drivers can be convinced to drive more slowly and carefully. Something as simple as signs that warn of the road's horrible tally of death and injury might persuade motorists to lighten up on the gas pedal and pay more attention to the roadsides and intersections. Better enforcement of speed limits would also help, al- though it’s difficult to know exactly where the greatest bene- fit could be gained. But a concerted effort might leave an im- pression that would linger in drivers’ minds: certainly any- thing is worth a try when this many lives are being lost. Other tactics may offer promise, and State Rep. George Hasay has asked PennDOT to step up efforts to stem the pace of accidents. So far, the response has been tepid at best, and that’s not good enough. Colleges add spice to Back Mountain life The announcement that College Misericordia will host a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize as its commencement speak- er is a reminder of the important role colleges and universi- ties play in a community's life. David Trimble, who was awarded the Nobel in 1998 for his efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Northern Ireland, will undoubtedly offer a stimulating address when he speaks to the Class of 2002. In so doing, he will help people who live quietly in our part of the world understand what it can be like to be sur- rounded by violent conflict and blatant prejudice. Exposure to international speakers is just one of the bene- fits we enjoy because of the institutions of higher learning in our midst. There are many others, from access to libraries and meeting rooms to easy availability of continuing educa- tion classes. In fact, the mere presence of these institutions provides points of view and perspectives that would be unex- pressed or otherwise hidden, making us all a little poorer in mind and spirit. It's a shame that the political leadership in Northeastern Pennsylvania hasn't recognized and capitalized on the ener- gy and imagination that enfuse college campuses, qualities that could be extended off their grounds to stimulate both the local economy and our quality of life. Publisher’s Notebook Ron Bartizek Nature takes many forms past the outlet of the Huntsville Reservoir. Photo by Ron Bartizek. New books added to Back Mountain Library collection The Back Mountain Memorial Library, 96 Huntsville Road, Dal- las, announces the addition of the following books to their collec- tion. FICTION “Sea Glass” by Anita Shreve “A Kiss Remembered” by San- dra Brown “Reunion in Death” by J.D. Robb “Star Light, Star Bright” by Katherine Stone “The Soul Thief” by Cecelia Holland “A Nasty Bit of Rough” by David Feherty “The Apprentice Lover” by Jay Parini “Daddy's Little Girl” by Mary Higgins Clark I have been following with great interest the attempt by nine states to impose real penalties on Microsoft for abuse of its monopoly status. The attorneys general of these states weren't satisfied with the imperceptible slap on Microsoft's wrist applied by the federal courts and are pursuing a stiffer remedy than simply asking Bill Gates to make nice, at least in public. He has gotten that message, judging by press re- ports of his most recent testimony, which noted fleeting jokes and an occasional smile as he described the high-tech winter that would ensue should the slightest limitations be placed on his software empire. Maybe I'm so interested because I work on a Mac, which PC purists refer to as toys. That doesn’t bother me, since Ap- ple users seem to have lots more fun and much spend less time fuming about the bloated code that defines MS soft- ware, starting with Windows itself. Here at our little bastion of publishing we use a word processing program that occu- pies an infinitesimal amount of hard disk space and uses 650k (not M) of random access memory. The folks in Red- mond probably wouldn't believe such a program — which is now 14 years old — provides all the services a typical user could desire. Speaking of slim programs, I don’t understand why BG hasn’t been indicted for perjury. After spending two days ex- plaining why it would be impractical if not impossible to strip Explorer and other auxiliary features out of Windows, the Sultan of Seattle was forced to admit that Microsoft sells just such a version to selected customers, but doesn’t talk about it unless forced to. I guess when the guy who dominates an entire industry lies under oath it’s not the same as if you and I were to mislead the court. I don’t know how much longer we computer rebels can hold out against a company not satisfied with 95 percent market share and a government that seems to believe in the world according to Microsoft. I just hope my little beige box isn't soon stuffed to the gills with ponderous programs that shock my fingertips each time I try to use Netscape or Word- perfect. The Dallas Post TIMESeLEADER Cgmmunity Newspaper Group P.O. BOX 366, DALL 18612 * 570-675-5211 Ronald Bartizek GENERAL MANAGER William J. Dunn Jr. ADVERTISING ACCT. EXEC. Timothy J. Raub REPORTER Ruth Proietto AD PRODUCTION MANAGER Darlene Sorber Terry Quinn OFFICE MANAGER PAGE DESIGN ONLY YESTERDAY 70 Years Ago - April 29, 1932 CAMPAIGN AGAINST DIPTHERIA OPENS Through the cooperation of the local school a toxin-antitox- en campaign will be carried on during the next few weeks. Sim- iliar clinics being held through- out the United States have had favorable results toward the elimination of dipetheria among school children. Some of the items you could buy at American Stores Co. sere: 1 can peas. 10¢; soup, 2 cans, 10¢; spaghetti, 2 cans, 10¢; pre- seerves, 12 oz. jar, 12¢; eggs, carton, 21¢; chicken noodle din- ner, jar 39¢. The ancient game of quoits will come into the Back Moun- tain. A permanent league was formed of teams from Harveys Lake, Idetown, Dallas, Kunkle, Noxen, and Beaumont. 60 Years Ago - May 1, 1942 TEACHERS WILL REGISTER 2,500 BACK MOUNTAIN FAMILIES FOR RATIONING Local schools will run on half- “City of Bones” by Michael Connelly “The Short Forever” by Stuart Woods “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Julia Spencer-Fleming “Learning to Fly” by April Hen- ry “Girl's Poker Night” by Jill A. Davis “Century's Boswell Son” by Robert NON-FICTION “Danny Boy” by Malachy Mc- Court “No Turning Back” by Estelle B. Freedman e Next Philip J enkins day schedules and over 100 teachers and volunteer clerks will work in order to register this region’s 2,500 families for sugar rationing. Registration will take place at Dallas Borough, Dallas Township and Lehman Town- ship High schools. A roaring brush firs endan- gered three homes in Fernbrook for several hours and was extin- guished by the Dallas and Shavertown fire companies and a number of school children. The children were the first to discover the fire and beat the burning brush until the firemen arrived. Herbert Lundy, Dallas Town- ship tax collector and partner in the Lundy Electric Company of Wilkes-Barre, purchased the Main street building owned by John L. Sullivan for an amount reported to less than $10,000. 50 Years Ago -May 2, 1952 BACK MOUNTAIN FIRE COM- PANIES BATTLE BLAZE Three Back Mountain fire companies, Shavertown, Dallas and trucksville, worked together to hold a fire in the Burton Roberts home, Roushey street, from spreading to the entire building. The entire rear was gutted with an estimated dam- age of $5,000. T/Sgt. Herbert R. Williams, son of Mr. and . Mrs. ‘Herbert Williams, Trucksville, recently re- ceived an appointment as in- structor in ROTC at Williams College Massachusetts, to han- dle Air Corps tactics. At the Dallas Outdoor The- MYSTERY “You've Got Murder” by Donna Andrews LARGE PRINT NON-FICTION “Taliban: militant Islam, oil, and fundamentalism in Central Asia” by Ahmed Rashid LARGE PRINT FICTION “Murder in Havana” by Mar- garet Truman AUDIOTAPES “Sea Glass” by Anita Shreve “Widow's Walk” by Robert B. Parker “Small Wonder: Barbara Kingsolver essays” by YOUNG ADULT “Bronx Masquerade” by Nikki atre, some movies that played: “Apointment With Danger” with Alan Ladd, Phyliss Calvert; “New Mexico” with lew Ayres, Marilyn Maxwell, Andy Devine’ “Joan of Arc” starring Ingrid Bergman; “Daughter Of The West” with Martha Vickers, Philllip Reed. 40 Years Ago -May 3, 1962 KINDERGARTEN TO START IN FALL AT LAKE-LEHMAN Lake-Lehman joint schools will offer kindergarten courses starting in September, one unit at each of two main school in the jointure, Lehman Elemen- tary and Lake Elementary. Transportation will fall on the parents, who will be asked to make thrir own arrangements. Aunt Jemima will recieve her official welcome at Back Moun- tain Shopping Center, where members of Kiwanis Club will extend greetings, hand her the key to the commmunity, and es- cort her to other points on her way to the Library Auction Din- ner, at the Irem Temple Country Club. Cadet Captain James R. Ed- wards, Shavertown, has been named a Distinguished Military Student by the Professor of Mili- tary Science at Lafayette College. 30 Years Ago -May 11, 1972 ELBY’S COMES TO TOWN In spite of inclement weather, a large crowd of interested and hungry patrons were on hand at the opening of the new Elby's Restaurant. The restaurant is lo- Grimes “A Gift from Zeus” by William Steig “Hurricanes” by Kris Hirschmann “What My Mother Know” by Sonya Sones Sd “Strong Women and Men Beat Arthritis” by Miriam E. Nelson “Love, Greg and Lauren” byl Greg Manning “Understanding Yourself: Its so darn easy” by Guido D. Bo- riosi, M.D. “Remembering Jesus: Christ- 5% ian community, scripture and | the moral life” by Allen Verhey SCIENCE FICTION “Star Wars Episode I: of the CLones” by R.A. Salvatore i cated at the Routes 309 and 415, Dallas. inersection of" The Dallas Junior Woman's % CLub has joined with the Girl Scouts in aproject during the. month of May-"Clean-up, Paint- . up, Fix-up Month”- in the Back Mountain. The area chosen is a sectin along the Dallas Highway between Sutliffs Furniture and agway Seed Co., where they will plant flowers. Sister Ann Horgan, RSM, E mathematics instructor at Col- lege Misericordia had been named to succeed retiring Dean of Women, Sister May Joerl Magill, RSM. 20 Years Ago - April 28 , 1982 SEM SPONSORS 10-KILO RUN The Wyoming 10-kilometer run, other Alumni Day festivities. Run over a very flat 6.2 mile course from the school’s Kingston campus to the Lower Seminary & ALumni Association sponsored a along with School in Forty Fort and back, the race was open to the general public. The Dallas Senior High started a program of inviting parents to participate in a scheduled stu- dent-parent session on the Guidance Informational System Computer. Al Lipko Proprietor of Ye Old Clock Shoppe, Dallas has been named director of the Better Business Bureau of Northeast- ern Pennsylvania, from a one- year to two-year term. Letters, columns and editorials The Dallas Post attempts to publish opinions on a variety of topics in many forms. Editorials, which are the opinion of the managment of The Post, appear on the editorial page and are written by the editor unless other- wise indicated. Any artwork represents the opinion of the cartoonist, and columns are the opinion of the author. Letters to the editor are welcome and will be published, subject to the following guidelines: * Letters should not exceed 500 words. * No writer may have more than one letter published during a 30-day period, except as a reply to another letter. * Letters must be signed and include the writer's home town,and a telephone number for verification. * Names will be withheld only if there exists a clear threat to the writer. * The Post retains the right to accept or reject any letter, and to edit letters for grammar and spelling, as well as to eliminate any libel, slander or objectionable wording. In addition to letters, we welcome longer pieces that may run as columns. The author or subject's relevance to the Back Mountain will be the prime consideration when selecting material for publication.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers