8 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Thursday, January 23," 2003
EDITORIAL
Maybe this is one list
we’d rather not be on
Is the Back Mountain not an “A list” place? That seemed to
be the implication of the hopeful developer of a “big box”
store in Dallas Township when he met with Dallas Borough
officials last week.
The “five points” intersection at the center of Dallas could
be a sticking point in plans to build a large retail complex a
couple of miles away. That's because much of the traffic that
would carry customers to the township site must come by
way of Memorial Highway. The state Department of Trans-
portation (PennDOT) ranks the intersection like a failing stu-
dent, D on an A-F scale, and the ranking would certainly fall
to F if nothing is done in anticipation of the new stores. The
best way to preserve even the present inadequate level of
service is to make Lake Street one way toward Center Hill
Road, this freeing up one cycle of the traffic signals that now
control five entry points. While that might work — and other
people have made the same suggestion — it would create
other problems and would be little more than a band aid so-
lution once hundreds, perhaps thousands, of cars going to
and from a major retailer are added to the mix. And this
measure would do nothing to ease congestion on the way
back.
For whatever reason, perhaps because he’s desperate to
recoup an ill-considered investment, the would-be developer
chose to discredit the Back Mountain's allure to national re-
tailers as he attempted to browbeat the borough into accept-
ing his plan. He said mammoth firths also rank on a scale,
and “Dallas isn’t a top location for one of these places;” going
on to imply that we'd better just roll over and play dead if we
don’t want to left behind by such attractive alternatives as
Wilkes-Barre. ; :
There is a need for more retail outlets in the Back Moun-
tain, but the additions should be on a scale appropriate to
the landscape, transportation facilities and population.
Clearly, a Wal-Mart type store could not survive only on cus-
tomers who live here, and a significant increase in traffic
would be harmful to our quality of life. It would be more
troublesome to develop the land in Dallas Township into
smaller, more attractive stores, but that would be more in
keeping with the character of the place. A four-screen movie
theater, a modest clothing store and a specialty food Ce
would stand a great chance at success as anchors of a taste-
fully designed complex — and they would generate a more"
manageable volume of traffic. ; :
Such a development may not make the “A list” for opera-
tors of huge, charmless boxes bearing 10-foot neon signs,
but it would stand a good chance of success while detracting
less from the region’s charms.
Publisher’s Notebook
Ron Bartizek
+)
Just for this week, I'm rooting for the Oakland Raiders. It’s
not that I'm impressed by the team’s well-deserved reputa-
tion as bullies and bandits (They were penalized 14 times for
127 yards Sunday), or the tasteless black and silver pirate
outfits favored by their brain-dead fans. No, it's just that
they're old. In football terms, this is a collection of geezers
who should be spending most of their day in a hot tub sooth-
ing arthritic joints or trying to unscramble gray matter. In-
stead, theyre going to play for the Super Bowl champi-
onship. What a country!
This must be a real shock to commentators who swoon
over the new talent in the NATIONAL FOOTBALL
LEAGUE! While the playoffs featured Vick, McNabb and Mc-
Nair (No, that’s not a Philadelphia law firm), the final will
find Rich Gannon and Brad Johnson — seldom mentioned in
ithe same breath. as Montana and Namath — at the controls.
But the Raiders win the prize for most ageless wonders on
one team, particularly as receivers, with Jerry Rice, who.
must be about ready to collect Social Security, and Tim
‘Brown the primary targets.
How could this be? In a rebuttal to our youth-obsessed
culture, the veterans have put it to the whippersnappers but
good this time, and I'll revel in it as long as it lasts, which
may be the first quarter. This doesn’t mean that I'd like to
see the Rolling Stones perform at halftime, though. At least
the players wear helmets, so it’s not obvious how ridiculous-
ly out of place they are.
Letters are encouraged
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.
The Dallas Post
TIMESeLEADER
unity Newspaper Group
P.O. BOX 366, DALL A 18612 « 570-675-5211
Ronald Bartizek
GENERAL MANAGER
Kari L. Wachtel
ADVERTISING ACCT. EXEC.
Erin Youngman
REPORTER
Claudia Blank
AD PRODUCTION MANAGER
Darlene E. Sorber
Terry Quinn
OFFICE MANAGER
PAGE DESIGN
Red barn in the snowfield. Photo by Charlotte Bartizek.
New books added at Back Mountain Memorial Library
The Back Mountain Memorial
Library, 96 Huntsville Road, Dal-
las, announces the addition of
the following books to their collec-
tion.
FICTION
“Light in Shadow” by Jayne
Ann Krentz
“Forever” by Pete Hamill
“This Time Love” by Elizabeth
Lowell
“Making Things Better”
Anita Brookner
by
“Let's All Kill Constance” by
Ray Bradbury
“A Place Called Rainwater” by
Dorothy Garlock
“Whispers as Midnight”
Karen Robards
“Samaritan” by Richard Price
“As Meat Loves Salt” by Maria
McCann
by
NON-FICTION
“Everyday Grace: having hope,
finding forgiveness, and making
miracles” by Marianne
Williamson
“Mini Power Tool Handbook”
by Zachary Taylor
“Bartlett's Familiar Quota-
tions” by John Bartlett
REFERENCE
“Representative
Speeches 2001-2002”
American
AUDIOTAPES
“Four Blind Mice” by James
Patterson
“Quentins” by Maeve Binchy
“My Forbidden Face” by Latifa
“The Beach House” by James
Patterson
“Sunset in St. Tropez” by
Danielle Steel
SPECIAL DONATIONS
“Dumpy the Dump Truck” by
Julie Andrews Edwards and
Emma Walton Hamilton, gift g
Matthew and Emily Blaum
“Merry Christmas, Big Hungry
Bear!” by Audrey and Don Wood,
gift of Matthew and Emily Blaum
Arbor Day Foundation offers 10 free flowering trees
Ten free flowering trees will
be given to each person who
joins’ The National Arbor Day.
Foundation during January
2003.
The ten trees are two White
Flowering Dogwoods, two Flow-
ering Crabapples, two Golden-
raintrees, two Washington
Hawthorns, and two American
ONLY
YESTERDAY
70 Years Ago - January 27, 1933
STUDENTS GIVE BENEFIT
PROGRAM
A sizable crowd attended the
special program given at Himm-
ler Theatre by the Athletic Asso-
ciation of Dallas borough
schools to raise funds to com-
plete payments on the girls
showers in the high school
building. ;
A meeting was called for the
purpose of discussing a pro-
posed Building and Loan Associ-
ation for the District. Everyone
present was of the opinion that
a Building and Loan Associaiton
would be a benefit and is essen-
tial for the growth of this region.
At J. F. Besecker Co. , Dallas,
some prices of autos were: 1929
Ford Roadster, Rumble Seat,
$95; 1930 Ford Cabriolet, $225;
1931 Ford Tudor Sedan $265;
1931 DeLuxe Ford Runabout
$265.
ONLY YESTERDAY
is complied from the
back-issue files of
The Dallas Post
Redbuds.
The trees were selected for
planting in large or small
spaces together will produce a
combination of pink, white, and
yellow flowers. In addition they
provide winter berries and nest-
ing sites for songbirds.
The trees will be shipped
postpaid at the right time for
planting between February 1
and May 31 with enclosed
planting instructions. The six to
twelve inch ‘trees are guaran-
teed to grow or they will be re-
placed free of charge.
Members also receive a sub-
scription to the Foundation’s
bimonthly publication, Arbor
Day, and The Tree book with in-
formation about tree planting
and care.
To become a member of the
Foundation and to receive. the
free trees, send a $10 coritribu-
tion to Ten Free Flowering
Trees, National Arbor Day
Foundation, 100 Arbor Avenue,
Nebraska City, NE 68410, by
January 31.
o
* farm machines,
60 Years Ago - January 22, 1943
HOLDERS OF ‘C BOOKS
URGED TO SHARE RIDES
Holders of “C”. and “B: gasoline
rationing books for occupaitonal
driving’ to and from work are
urged by Fred M. Kiefer, chair-
man, Dallas War Price and Ra-
tioning Board, to take immediate
steps to join in some form of ride
sharing programs if they live
within reasonable distance of
bus lines and hope to retain
these books.
All sales of five critical used
have = been
placed under price control by
OPA, This action is designed to
relieve farmers from paying ex-
cesive prices resulting from
rapidly increasing demand.
Shad N. Goss, Dallas Town-
ship School Director, asumed
his new dutiesas Sergeant-At-
Arms at the State Capitol in
Harrisburg.
50 Years Ago -January 23, 1953
SCHOOLS PUT INAUGURAL
CEREMONIES ON T.V.
High school students through-
out the Back Mountain area had
an opportunity to see the Inau-
guration ceremonies , with all
high schools equipped with tele-
vision.
Four high school girls from
two of Back Mountain High
Schools will be signally honored
as soon as the elections deter-
mine which four will represent
Lehman-Jackson High School
and Lake-Noxen High School at
the coming YWCA’s Model UN
Assembly in Harrisburg.
Some of the movies that
played at the Himmler Theatre
were: “Plymouth Adventure”;,
with Spencer Tracey, Gene Tier-
ney; “Somebody Loves Me”, with
Betty Hutton, Ralph Meeker;
“Way of Gaucho”, with Rory Cal-
houn, Gene Tierney.
40) Years Ago - January 24, 1963
DAN FLOOD TO BE TOAST-
MASTER FOR AWARD DINNER
Congressman Daniel J. Flood,
was toastmaster of the Back
Mountain Protective Association
Dinner when it - presents its
Community Services Award to
Reverend Francis A. Kane, pas-
tor of the Gate of Heaven
church.
Seven of ten new fire phones
ordered . by Dallas. emergency
squads were installed. Three
more will be coming shortly. Un-
der the new system, a fire or
ambulance call will ring phones
in ten homes simutaneously.
Only fire chiefs will be able to
sound the central alarm from
their homes.
Marine Private. Charles A.
Piekanski, Dallas, completed re-
cruit training at the Marine
Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Is-
land, N.C.
30 Years Ago - January 25, 1973
DALLAS BORO BUDGET HIKES
SALARIES FOR POLICE
Dallas Borough
adopted a budget for
Council
1973
which holds the property tax
rate steady at nine mills an pro-
jects total expenditures of
$123,000. The budget included
sizeable raises for the borough's
police chief, Ray Titus, and pa-
trolmen Sev Newberry and
Ronald Dudick.
The sewer extension for the
Dallas Elementary temporary
building, a 500 foot line extend-
ing from Pear Tree Lane to Dal-
las School District property, has
been completed.Installation
costs are included in the Federal
grant for the building.
Some of the merchandise you
could get at Whitesell Bros. in
Dallas were: propane torch kit,
$7.77, G.E. steam & dry iron
$7.99; portable heater $9.99.
20 Years Ago - January 26, 1983
DAYTIME POLICE OFFICER
SOUGHT BY COMMUNITY
Jackson Township may have a
day time police officer in the fu-
ture. Chairman of supervisors,
Walter Zincavage said the board
has been interviewing applicants
for the post in hopes of finding a
suitable and capable person.
Nine Back Mountain police of-
ficers received training on the
use of the community's latest
deterrent to drunk driving, the
Toximeter 3000. The men took
12 hours of training on use and
another eight hours on mainte-
nance of the
breath tester.
John Robbins was elected
president of the Noxen Volunteer
computerized
Fire Company at its recent meet- °
ing.
Q: Where do you find the most Back Mountain news each week?
A: Only in The Dallas Post
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