4 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Friday, June 6, 2003 EDITORIALS Police grant cutoff was penny wise, pound foolish Sometimes — maybe more than sometimes — political rhetoric doesn’t square with reality. One clear example is in the elimination of community policing grants such as the one that made it possible for Kingston Township police offi- cers to devote more time to the federally-subsidized Meadow- crest development. The program, which cost a modest $30,000 annually, allowed the department to spend 60 addi- tional hours per month in and around Meadowcrest. In its five years of existence, officials credit the program with re- ducing crime and drug activity, and with helping to build a bond between children and adults who live in Meadowcrest and law enforcement officers. But an administration that projected itself as tough on crime discontinued funding for these types of programs, with the result that Meadowcrest and hundreds of neighborhoods like it are back where they started five years ago. It wouldn't be fair to say the recent standoff at a Meadowcrest apart- ment between police and alleged criminals wouldn't have oc- curred if funding had continued, but there's ample evidence that more frequent police patrols reduce crime, and that was the experience here. : : This is not a Democratic or Republican issue, it's simply another example of how the interaction between different levels of government can make it more difficult for local com- munities to manage their affairs. Whether it's Meadowcrest, which exists because of federal policy, or an expanded state highway system that creates more traffic, local municipali- ties must pick up the slack when shifting priorities turn the state and national attention in new directions. It would be nice to have a little more help when the stakes are so high. Yote-count delay is troublesome The delay in completing official counts from the May 20 primary election is unconscionable. More than two weeks af- ter the voting ended, the public still didn’t know if razor-thin leads were holding up in races they have a particular inter- est in. While there has been no reason to doubt the validity of the initial results, and the delay won't change the ultimate outcome, it is disconcerting that Luzerne County's electoral system is so outmoded that it takes this long to reach a con- clusion. And every day that passes without certified results fuels more questions about accuracy and accountability. There’s a saying that justice delayed is justice denied, and the same feeling must occur in candidates and voters who have been forced to live with uncertainty for so long. There has to be a better way to serve the public interest. Publisher’s Notebook Ron Bartizek I don’t think opponents of relaxed media ownership restric- tions understand the enormous benefits that await the pub- lic once television, radio, cable, newspapers and supermar- ket bulletin boards come under common ownership. This ac- tion, known as the Make American Safe For Giant Media Mo- nopolies Act (MASGMMA for short) aligns the interests of huge media conglomerates with those of .. other huge media conglomerates. But that’s okay, because, as the Chairman of the Federal Communications so eloquently said, his commis- sion was interested in “serving the American public,” at least the part of it that owns giant media conglomerates. Some naysayers may question his sincerity, but not me — I can clearly see advantages that will not only allow huge me- dia conglomerates to rake in gobs of cash, but that will make my life easier and save the government money to boot. The most immediate benefit will be elimination of fights over what to watch on television. Once the owner of all the sta- tions and the local cable provider “right sizes” the opera- tions, they'll all broadcast the same shows, putting an end to pitched battles over whether to tune in reruns of Home Im- provement, reruns of Seinfeld or reruns of Friends. And just in case you feel the need for more information about the show, the newspaper will surely have complete coverage of what's on, using space that is now devoted to listing all those competing channels. And won't it be a delight when you don’t have to waste time reading long, boring newspaper arti- cles about government stupidity and instead will be treated to items with the depth of a driveway puddle, just like local television news? : The potential health benefits may be less obvious, but they will be just as real, starting with a marked reduction in repetitive stress injuries to the hand and fingers. Why will this happen? you might ask. Simple — there will be no need for remote controls, thus eliminating the greatest cause of this trauma among men. This will contribute to lower costs for Medicare, saving the government so much money it will be able to give $1,000 tax refunds to everyone who doesn’t need them. inh I can’t wait. I never did get around to seeing Seinfeld when it was on the first time. The Dallas Post TIMES*LEADER unity Newspaper Group P.O. BOX 366, DAL A 18612 » 570-675-5211 Ronald Bartizek ErinY EDITOR/GENERAL MANAGER oungman REPORTER Kari L. Wachtel Claudia Blank ADVERTISING ACCT. EXEC. AD PRODUCTION MANAGER Darlene E. Sorber Terry Quinn PAGE DESIGN OFFICE MANAGER ongoing GirlSports The Girl Scouts of Penn's Woods Council will hold their first-ever Super Sunday Sports Spectacular, open to the public, on Sunday, June 8, from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., rain or shine, at the Girl Scouts’ Wilkes-Barre Service Center, 667 River St., Plains. The all-day, outdoor event will feature hourly demonstra- tions and interactive instruction from local sports personalities, college "athletes and businesses in support of the Girl Scouts’ initiative, promoting girls’ participation in sports and fitness in order to establish life-long patterns of physical activity and positive attitudes toward personal health. Players from the Wilkes-Barre Red Barons AAA Baseball team and the Grump, along with the Pioneers Football team and the Pony Express Dancers will talk to Scouts and fans about their athletic careers and sign auto- graphs. King's College lacrosse and soccer team members and coach Kathy Kerr will offer demonstrations that include hands-on participation for girls, with advice on technique and how to improve their games. Exhibitions from local experts will include martial arts in- struction by Gary Barnes, of’ Barnes NE Kenpo Karate Sys- tem; the basics of orienteering and backpacking by Quest Ad- venture Sports from Blooms- burg University; cheerleading routines by Wyoming Valley West JV Cheerleaders and their coach, Kathleen Giza; an inter- active fencing demonstration by Dynamic Demos; golf tips and technique by Susan Smith; and bike safety information from the Safe Kids Network. The program will kick off with sidewalk games and tug-of war contests will take place throughout the day. Hot dogs and drinks will be available. Girl Scout sports and adven- ture sessions will continue throughout the summer in the Girl Scout Penn’s Woods Council holding sports day Girl Scout Summer Camp Pro- grams 2003 at Camp Louise with soccer, canoeing, swim- ming, backpacking, rappelling, judo, kayaking, golf and more. Camp information and brochures will be available. Any troop that brings th completed spring registration will receive the Early Registra- tion pin for each member and special gift for the leader. The service center sales shop will be open for business with special discounts for the day. For more information about Girl Scout- ing, GirlSports or Girl Scout - Camp, contact the Girl Scouts of Penn's Woods Council at 829-2631 or 1-800-432-9786. Penn State Wilkes-Barre Summer Youth Program taking registration Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s Summer Youth Program offers children in Kindergarten through eighth grade an action- packed adventure this summer. The day camps have an overall focus on science and technology featuring hands-on activities, experiments, and projects geared to each grade level. New camps this year include computer animation, archeolo- gy, junior paramedics, babysit- ting, and junior master garden- er. Also available are sports camps including soccer (grades K-12), basketball and volleyball (grades 8-12). The Roving Reporter, a camp sponsored by the Times Leader, will show children how to create their own newspaper on a com- puter. They will learn interview skills, writing techniques, and how to scan photos for publica- tion. Students will take a field trip to the Times Leader where they will learn how a newspaper gets to print every day. Limited round trip bus service to the campus from Wilkes- Barre and Kingston is available. Students may purchase lunch daily in the cafeteria or may bring lunch from home. Whil | par a) § children attend camps, ents/guardians are welcome to use the campus library or the exercise/weight room in the Ath- letic Building. . For more information, or a complete brochure, call Lisa Lunderman at 675-9220 or email lal21@psu.edu. ONLY YESTERDAY 70 Years Ago - June 9, 1933 DALLAS BOROUGH TAX LEVY SLASHED 3 MILLS HERE Dallas borough council at a joint meeting voted to reduce the borough tax millage three mills for the coming fiscal year. This is the third reduction in millage of- fered by council during the past two years bna brings the total re- duction in millage for that period to seven mills. Inspectors were in Dallas checking up on places where beer . is for sale, ascertaining whether licenses had been granted and generally inspecting bar rooms, restaurants, stores and eating houses to see if they had the re- quired seating capacity and if bars were visible from the street as required by law. Some of the items you could buy at American Stores Co.: sauerkraut 2 cams 11¢; peas and carrots 3 cans 35¢; aple sauce 3 cans 25¢; Campbell's tomato _ juice 3 cans 15¢; Postum cereal can 19¢; gelatine 4 pkgs. 19¢. 60 Years Ago - June 4, 1943 RED CROSS OPENS FIRST SUR- GICAL DRESSING STATION Women of the Back Mountain will have an opportunity to share as a unit in the responsibility of making surgical dressings for the armed forces, when Wyoming valley Chapter American Red cross opens its first production center outside of Wyoming Val- ley at Irem Temple Country Club. A class of sixteen boy and girls were graduated from Lake- ton High School at their com- mencement exercises A.H. Howell, superintendent of the Wayne County Schools, was guest speaker. Because of the shortgage of gasoline, students of Dallas Borough schools students of Dallas Borough schools will have no picnic on the closing day of the term. In the past it has been custom for the stu- dents to hold a school picnic at Harveys Lake, but transporta- tion difficulties and other wartime necessities prevent it this year. 50 Years Ago - June 5, 1953 CIVIL DEFENSE FORWARDS $6,801 TOWARD PUMPER A check of $6,801, from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ahs been turned over to Dr. Henry M. Laing Fire company by Dallaas Borough council as a payment from Civil Defense toward the cojmpany’s recent purchase of a new fire engine. Because of a sharp increase in postal receipts brought about by increased volume of mail from Commonwealth Telephone Company, Natona and Blooms- burg Mills, Dallas Post office will become a first class office. Property owners in certain ar- eas of Machell Avenue and Church Street have been in- structed by Dallas Borough Council that will have to con- struct sidewalks in front of their properties. 40 Years Ago - June 6, 1963 LITTLE LEAGUE SEASON OPENS WITH CEREMONY Bleachers were jammed and the fences for the official open- ing ceremony of Back Mountain Baseball for Boys program. Over 300 boys representing twenty Little League and Teener teams were in uniform on the field. "With demonition of con- demned buildings along Memor- ial Highway proceeding ahead of schedule for contractor John Parrish, all abandoned homes under his control are expected to be razed soon. Garages will reamin for the present as stor- age buildings. Some items you could pur- chase at Gosart's Market: round steak,lb. 89¢; bacon Ib. 59¢; ground beef lb. 69¢; hot dogs lb. 59¢; paper plates 100 99¢; lawchairs $2.99. 30 Years Ago - June 7,1973 SERVICE AWARD TO MISERICORDIA For the second time in 12 years, College Misericordia re- ceived the Back Mountain Pro- tective Association’s Communi- ty Award as Congressman Daniel J. Flood made the award presentation in ceremonies at ’ the Irem Temple Country Club. Cadet Richard T. Reese of Dallas will graduate from West Point academy. Cadet Reese wil receive a Bachelor of Science degree and his commission as an infantry second lietuenant. Some of the items at Voitek: AM-FM clock radios $35; 8- track AM/FM changer compo- nent system $109; 25” total utomatic color, Mediterranean Console TV $449; 12” portable total automatic color TV $249. 20 Years Ago - June 8, 1983 OUR LADY OF VICTORY ANNOUNCES EXPANSION Dotty Martin, of Forty Fort, has been named Associate Edi- tor of the Dallas Post, as was recently announced by Rick Shannon, Associate Publisher and Editor. Reverend George A. Jeffrey, pastor, Our Lady of Victory Church, Harveys Lake, recently announced plans for the con- struction of a new parish com- munity center, including a rec- tory and renovating to the pre- sent church. Residents of Mt. Zion Road, Bodle Road and 8th Street will be dropped from Rural delivery Route 3 and will be required to use their actual house numbers form now on as well as an addi- tional line identifying Kingston Township. These new address procedures were planned as a permanent solution to the con- tinuing cycle of changing ad- dresses as rural delivery areas become too large for one @) carrier to handle.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers