The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Thursday,May 9, 2002 Plan now for bright future The pressures of housing and commercial development are among the most critical issues facing Kingston Township, thinks Supervisor J. Carl Goodwin, so he is proposing that his town put more time and effort into planning for a future that preserves the esthetics and resources that have made the region such a desirable place to live and work. At the same time, he wants to see business districts thriving with activity, bringing more convenience, choice and jobs for the people who live here. These are not opposing concepts; a healthy community must contain a wide range of elements that address the needs and desires of an equally wide rage of people. There may be a demand for luxury houses, but the families who live in them want products and services close at hand. These are supplied by other people, who in turn need places to live and work, and the cycle goes on and on. This is not an issue just for Kingston Township, particularly since there are so many common borders in an area of more than a half dozen municipalities that vary widely in character, population density and political sophistication. While each township and borough has addressed zoning and growth is- sues within its boundaries, only a shared vision will assure that the region works as a whole, and that the limited inter- ests of one community don’t harm a neighbor. And, as fre- quent droughts have made clear, there's more at stake than leafy hillside vistas — the region’s viability depends on a reli- able supply of water for personal and business use, and that can be jeopardized by inappropriate development. More positively, we can work together to craft plans that make our region more than just a bedroom community for people who make their living elsewhere. We are logically seen as a single Back Mountain, and we will prosper or wither together, so we should plan together as well. An excuse to celebrate spring The winter just ended may have been the warmest on record, but it was still dréary and seemed to linger far too long. Now that we can safely say spring has arrived, there's a good opportunity to get out and enjoy it this weekend, at the Children’s Spring Festival, sponsored by the Back Mountain Business and Professional Association (BMBPA). This organization sponsored a hugely popular Easter Egg Hunt for several years, but a combination of an early holiday and scheduling difficulties forced its cancellation this time. Rather than wait another 12 months to put on a similar event, organizers decided to create this festival, incorporating all the fun, games and prizes that have been so popular each Easter. So, tear yourself away from yard work and spring cleaning this Saturday and make a stop at College Misericordia to cele- brate the new season with friends you know and some you haven't yet met. Publisher’s Notebook Ron Bartizek I'm a country boy by birth, accustomed to surroundings of fields and woods, streams and wild critters. But now I live in what is considered a fine suburb, where the goal of some homeowners seems to be to create an unnatural country land- scape unlike any I saw growing up. Oh, we had a lawn, but the presence of a few weeds and wildflowers didn't rouse my parents to embark on a panicked chemical attack against off- color grass. In our naivete, we actually thought dandelions and wild bluets quite attractive — silly us — and practiced a live and let live approach to lawn care. Besides, we were too busy fighting off the moles and woodchucks to worry about a few weeds. Now I know better, of course. Like neo-Nazis scowling at im- migrants to their Parisian slums, suburban lawn patrollers must be vigilant against broad-leaved pale green blades that might dilute the purity of their sod. Always ready to take im- mediate action against invaders, these weekend warriors are armed to the teeth with bottles and bags of toxins that would earn them a trip to the hoosecow if sent by mail to a neighbor. When they're not spreading targeted poison, they're cutting and trimming, sculpting a perfect green carpet that will begin deteriorating as soon as the last pass of the riding mower is complete. And then they start over again next week. You can probably guess that yard work isn’t my favorite pas- time. Not even close, when a verdant 18 holes tended by someone else is calling in the bright morning sun. I once had a boss who detested lawns even more than I; he suggested the perfect yard was concrete painted a nice shade of green. I wouldn't go that far — it would be mighty tough to stop a chip shot from rolling into the next county — but the principle is appealing. There's another option, which I've employed for a few years, which is to let a portion of our little half acre grow wild. Aside from the obvious benefit of reducing mowing time, this tactic can be pawned off as an attempt to let nature have a place in the neighborhood for butterflies and bunnies, free of biological weaponry or buzzing blades. It works for me, al- though I think my neighbors may be considering a midnight raid to bring us into compliance with modern American stan- dards of yard maintenance. The Dallas Post TIMESeLEADER unity Newspaper Group P.O. BOX 366, DALL A 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 Waiting for customers at Frances Slocum State Park. Photo by Ron Bartizek. = ES Tattered American flags are a disgrace Editor, Flags being flown around the valley are disrespectful in many communities. These flags appar- ently are being flown by non- Americans, as a true American would never fly such a disgrace- ful item on their property. Many of these so-called flags can be seen flying very proudly by these so-called Americans, on their homes and businesses. If you would like to take a historical tour of such deplorable flags you can drive around such areas as Memorial Highway in Shaver- town, on Eighth Street coming into the village of Orange, Lower Demunds Road close to Fern- brook, bottom of Eighth St. in West Wyoming, and Wyoming, store front on Market St., Kingston, a hospital in Wilkes Barre, also a volunteer fire com- pany. and yes, some private homes. All or many of the flags you see seem to have been flying MDA says thanks for ‘lock-up’ Editor, I would like to take this oppor- tunity to thank the Wyoming Valley community for their in- credible support during our Wyoming Valley “Most Wanted Lock-Up,” to benefit the Muscu- lar Dystrophy Association (MDA). The event held on March 14, 2002, pledged over $120,000! A special thanks goes out to our Lock-Up participants who gave their time, effort and contribu- tions for the services our local MDA families need. The success of this event would not have been possible without the support and spon- sorship of many local businesses Carol K Children’s library: “Donuts and Discussion”, a book discus- sion group for 10-, 11-, and 12- year-olds, will be formed again this summer at the library. It will meet every other week to discuss a variety of award-win- ning junior fiction novels and their themes of prejudice, home- lessness and crime and punish- ment — and to enjoy doughnuts and other refreshments. Janet Bauman will lead the group dis- cussion. To register, call the library at since the Civil War. It seems the owners, once they put a flag up, could care less — a few months later, it is torn, tattered, and weather beaten. Many flags are put up to keep up with the neighbors, much as a new car would be. However, once the .show and tell is over, they con- tinue to get a new car to keep up, but the heck with the flag. Flags should be flown to show your patriotism, not to keep up with the neighbors and make yourself look good in the neigh- borhood. If you.are an American, ~ cemeteries are filled with many spect it deserves. Jf not, then. ¥ “can have the right to fly the flag Westie 2 then treat your “flag with the re- take your weather beaten, torn, disrespected flag and leave; there are many countries you could live in that do not respect their flag. It took an attack on America to bring many flags out of the closet to be dusted off, and flown, and for many to go out and buy one just for show. and community leaders. I would like to thank the area business- es that generously donated food, vehicles, phones and flowers. A warm thanks to the Holiday Inn/TGI Friday's complex for hosting this incredible event. The Holiday Inn banquet room was superb and the complimen- tary appetizers were delicious. In addition, I would like to thank the members of the Stu- dent Council from the Wyoming Area High School, the Wilkes- Barre East Rotary Club, Knights of Columbus and the Wilkes- Barre Fire Fighters for lending a hand. It's been proven to me time and time again that the America is at war, our service- men and women put their lives on the line every day for Ameri- ca, so everyone can enjoy what this country has to offer. Flying a deplorable flag shows no re- spect for our military, America, and Old Glory. It's nice to see so many flags flying, but they should be flown with respect, or put them back in your closet. If America and its symbol of freedom is not your country, it's very simple to re- solve leave. Our national cemeteries and many private who. made the sacrifice, so you or maybe you might be flying a flag of a different color. Enjoy your next trip to Mec- Donald's; you earned it, or maybe someone earned it for you. Robert W. Kurtinitis Dallas support Wyoming Valley community cares enough to make a differ- ence. The dollars raised from this event translate into patient services that benefit families who live right here in our local community. Such programs as; support groups, MDA clinic at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, MDA summer Camps and assistance with wheelchair purchases, are just a few of the services MDA can provide be- cause of your generosity. Thank you for making a differ- ence in the fight against neuro- muscular disease. Michelle Sillaman Program Coordinator Children’s book discussion group forming 675-1182, starting on May 13. An organizational meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 21, from 4 to 4:45 p.m. to order reading materials and decide on meeting dates and times. Auction: The Kick-Off Dinner for the 56th Annual Auction will be held on Monday, June 3, at Pickett's Charge. Cocktails are scheduled from 6 to 7 p.m.; din- ner is at 7 p.m. The charge is $25 per person. Seating is limit- ed. Call or stop by the library for information. The auction is scheduled for July 4, 5, 6 and 7 on the library grounds. It will run from 6 to 11 p.m. daily. Volunteers are need- ed for the following booths: Odds and Ends, Sand Art, Near- ly Old, and Books. Also, help is needed to set up and clean up. Call the library to register your choice of how you'd like to help. Book review: The Monday morning group met on April 22 to discuss “Wish You Well,” by David Baldacci. This book is very different from his popular suspense novels, such as “Ab- solute Power” and “Total Con- trol.” It is the story of two chil- dren who go to live with their great-grandmother in the moun- tains of southwestern Virginia. While it is fictional, it was in- spired by the reminiscences of the author's mother and grand- mother who lived in those mountains. Discussion group members praised the poetic de- scriptions, the good definition of characters, and commented on the strength and wisdom of the great-grandmother in the story. The book was easy to read. In his latest novel, “Last Man Standing,” Baldacci has gone back to his suspense novel for- mat. We look forward to reading it. Aunt Jemima also sang at inter vals. id Army Private Richard A. Ide, ONLY YESTERDAY 70 Years Ago - May 6, 1932 DISCUSS PROGRESS ON BOROUGH PLANS Representatives of Shavertown Improvement association met and discussed plans for incor- poration as a borough. Dallas Township opened the 1932 Bi-County League sched- ule at Trucksville and won by the score of 14-2. At the Himmler Theatre some of the movies that played: Polly of the Circus with Marion Davies; The Fighting Fool with Tim McCoy, Corsair with Chester Morris, Tarzan The Ape Man with Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O'Sullivan. 60 Years Ago - May 8, 1942 DRAFT BOARD PREPARES TO INDUCT THIRD WAVE With the lists of the first and second Selective Service regis- trations nearly exhausted, offi- cials of Local Board No. 1 at Wyoming and Board No. 5 at Shickshinny prepared this weed to induct men from the Febru- ary 16 draft enrollment for mili- tary service. - Express bus service from Wilkes-Barre and the West Side to Harvey's Lake throughout the summer months was guaran- teed by officials of the Wilkes- Barre Railway Corporation. School teachers of this area had little trouble registering over 8000 individuals for sugar rationing, and had only 2,000 to sign up. 50 Years Ago - May 9, 1952 JTRS Hs Sa co ok Sk HARRIS HAYCOX SWORN TO DUTY WITH COUNCIL Harris Haycox was sworn in by Justice of the Peace James Besecker to fill the unexpired” four-year term of Timothy = LaBar, deceased, at Dallas Bor 8 ough Council meeting. 2 Fred Case, Noxen, will {ake £ over the mathematics depart ment at Lake- Noxen schools. in SS and baseball, according * “ai sion of the Joint School Board. Shavertown. 40 Years Ago -May 10, 1962 DALLAS SCHOOLS PROPOSED. BUDGET IS $1,139.750 hy Dallas School budget, tenta-d 4 tively set at $1,139.750 for the © school year 1962-63, late start. A number of residents registered protest against what: they termed extravagance, inf i the operation of the system. ; Aunt Jemima Pancake Festi-\} val at Dallas Senior High scnool@ was a success. They had every-& an energetic “Twist” son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred A. training at the U.S. Army Train-_ ing center at Fort Gordon. 30 Years Ago -May 18, 1972 MASSIVE CLEAN-UP SCHEDULED FOR AREA A massive volunteer clean-up of the Back Mountain area will take place when representatives of all the service clubs, women’s groups, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts join efforts to clean up the area. From Harveys Lake to Luzerne, from Shadey Side to Lehman. Three youths who served on the staff of the Dallas Post as newscarriers were: Scott Parkhurst, Robin Templin and John Bevevino. Their addition to the News Carrier Club brought the total membership to 15. Dallas Area Municipal Author- ity announced that the perma- nent main office of the authority had been opened in the control building at the treatment plant on old Route 309, opposite O’- Malia Laundry. See YESTERDAY, pg 7 L hs was’ thrashed out at executive ses-i} sion in advance of the regular Board meeting, resulting in a iM d § 3 SHES Fr. ® 7]
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers