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The Back Mountain's Newspaper Since 1889
LLAS POST
THE WINNERS ARE
See page 3 for the results
5\ of Pizza Wars.
Dallas, Pennsylvania February 13 to February 19, 2003
United We Stand
Vol. 114 No. 6 50 Cents
SCHOOL
Wyecallis students meet
reading challenge. Pg 12.
SPORTS
Mountaineers take two
from Black Knights. Pg 9.
Ra AR
i rome
POST PHOTO/ERIN. YOUNGMAN
Bob Jones, who owns the Sunoco gas station on Route 118 in Lehman, stood with the security camera he purchased when he found out the
Lehman Township police department would probably be cut.
Shift in police coverage brings concerns
By ERIN YOUNGMAN
Post Staff
LEHMAN TWP. — The state
police started covering Lehman
Township five nights a week
since February 1. One business
owner in the area says two rob-
beries in the last six months
have him concerned that the
state police won't be able to offer
the same level of service as the
local department.
“Some days we could respond and it could
take two minutes.
Another day it could take 30 minutes.”
Trooper Tom Kelly
Community Relations Officer, State Police Troop P, Wyoming
Due to what they say are bud-
get constraints, the Lehman
Township Board of Supervisors
cut the police department back
Family-owned businesses
help other families in need
By SANDY PEOPLES
Post Correspondent
Local businesses have stepped
up to support one of the region’s
oldest service organizations.
“When the Family Service As-
sociation of Wyoming Valley
SAWYV) put out the call for do-
tions, many of the family-
owned businesses in the Back
Mountain responded with gen-
erosity and enthusiasm,” said
Catherine Gourley, publicity
chairperson for their Mardi Gras
benefit dinner dance and silent
auction.
This is the first time this event
has been held, and the associa-
tion hopes to raise awareness of
the work it does and also raise
$10,000 to support its pro-
grams, Gourley said.
To date, the merchants of the
Back Mountain have donated
more than $6,000 in gifts to the
silent auction portion of the
evening. Donors include Valen-
tine’s Jewelry, the Blue Hy-
drangea Gift Shoppe, Outra-
geous, Hillside Farms Dairy,
Back Mountain Feed and Seed,
Rave’s Garden Center, Thomas’
Market, Humphrey's Shoe Store
and Children’s Apparel, Hoss’s
Garden Hut, Cook’s Pharmacy,
Salon Nouveau, and Sew Fine
brics and Draperies. In keep-
with the spirit of family,
ost of the items are family ori-
ented such as a vacation, a trav-
el case, toys, games, furniture,
Family Service Association
of Wyoming Valley
Mardi Gras Benefit Dinner
.Dance and Silent Auction
Sat., March 1 at 6:30 p.m.
Waterfront Banquet Center
River St., Plains.
$50 per person
Reservations by Feb. 21
Call 823-5144, ext. 320
an ice cream party, an Adiron-
dack throw, garden tools, and
gift certificates.
“As a member of the Junior
League, 1 was a volunteer at
Family Services years ago,” said
Elva Valentine of Valentine's
Jewelry in Dallas. “I'm happy to
be involved once again to help
with their important work.”
The Family Service Associa-
tion of Wyoming Valley, a non-
profit organization, has respond-
ed to the needs of families in
Luzerne and Wyoming counties
since its founding in 1896.
Through the leadership of its
current Executive Director, Dr.
Dennis Gourley of Dallas, the
association provides free prima-
ry information and referral re-
source assistance through their
24 hour Help Line, and have an-
swered more than 1.4 million
calls during the last 30 years.
The Help Line provides access
to community social services
See FAMILY SERVICE, pg 3
by one full-time position. Start-
ing January 1, the police depart-
ment began using state police
coverage two nights a week. The
Century mark
coverage is expected to stay at
five nights a week, indefinitely.
“We got robbed twice in two
weeks; were very concerned,
very concerned,” said Bob
Jones, the owner of the Sunoco
gas station on Route 118, about
the cutbacks. He said he is wor-
ried about how safe his business
is.
See LEHMAN POLICE, pg 8
POST PHOTO/RON BARTIZEK
Referee Dwight Barbacci raised Perry Coolbaugh’s arm in victo-
ry Saturday. It was Coolbaugh’s 100th win as a member of the
Dallas High School team; he is the first to reach the milestone in
the history of the program. Additional photo on sports page.
More openness In
elementary school
planning called for
A Dallas considers
realignment’ of
Wycallis, Dallas El
By ERIN YOUNGMAN
Post Staff
DALLAS — Possible realign-
ment of the grade schools in the
Dallas School District was the
concern of several parents at
Monday night's school board
meeting. One parent said confir-
mation of a task force looking
into the possibility left him won-
dering if changes were already
decided.
Demetrius Fannick, parent of
a child who attends Wycallis El-
ementary, said rumors about
More Harve
found to lac
Staff reports
HARVEYS LAKE — Borough
officials are sorting out the im-
pact of Sunday’s disclosure that
three former part-time police of-
ficers were not certified to work
in the borough.
The three were state-trained
and once certified as police offi-
cers in other municipalities,
Mayor Richard Boice said, but
not certified as Harveys Lake of-
ficers.
Boice said he didn’t think any
arrests or criminal proceedings
would be endangered by the dis-
covery, but needs to check with
county prosecutors to be sure.
He didn’t minimize the impor-
tance of local certification,
though, saying the matter “is
very important, without a
doubt.”
Driver in
fatal crash
fined $114
By ERIN YOUNGMAN
Post Staff
KINGSTON TWP. — A red
light violation was recently filed
against Steven Kepic in the De-
cember 6 accident that left one
person dead and another hospi-
talized for over a month.
According District Justice
James Tupper, Kepic pled guilty
and paid a fine of $114 on Jan-
uary 27. ;
Edward Kupstas, 81, of Dal-
las, was killed when Kepic, 45,
ran the red light at the intersec-
tion of Route 309 and West
Franklin St. striking the vehicle
carrying Kupstas and his wife
Lillian. Edward Kupstas was
pronounced dead at the scene
by the county coroner. Lillian
Kupstas was flown to Commu-
nity Medical Center, Scranton,
where, according to her family,
she was hospitalized for nearly a
month. She was released from
the John Heinz Institute in
Wilkes-Barre last week.
James Balavage, police chief
for Kingston Township, said the
red light violation was filed fol-
lowing investigations conducted
by both the state police and
Luzerne County District Attor-
See FATAL CRASH, pg 3
the possible rearrangement of
what grades are taught in which
buildings have been circulating,
possibly since Wyecallis was
built. “Now it actually seems like
if there’s a task force, this is
something that is seriously be-
ing considered,” he said.
Fannick asked about the sta-
tus of the reorganization, if it
was to the point of voting on, or
if it is still being considered.
“Were concerned and don't
know who to address,” said Fan-
nick.
“The parent advisory board
has not made their report to the
board so we're in limbo as much
as you,” responded Ernest Ash-
bridge, board president.
Gilbert Griffiths, Superinten-
See ELEMENTARIES, pg 3
s Lake cops
credentials
According to Pennsylvania
law, a police officer must be-
come recertified every time he
takes a job with a new depart-
ment — a matter of the officer
mailing a form to the state's Mu-
nicipal Police Officers’ Education
and Training Commission.
The commission's 15-person
staff keeps track of all of the
commonwealth’s police officers
from their Hershey office, mak-
ing sure each officer is properly
certified and up to date on CPR,
first aid and other training. The
initial training sessions, which
take 14 to 16 weeks to complete,
are free. Each department sets
its own policy on whether the of-
ficer is paid for his time. ;
When first taking the training,
the officer completes a form that
includes his or her Social Secu-
See HL COPS, pg 8
16 Pages, 2 Sections
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