L Dallas, Pennsylvania August 15 to August 21, 2003 The Back Mountain's Newspaper Since 1889 mie DALLAS POST SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF THE DALLAS & LAKE-LEHMAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS Vol. 114 No. 33 CALENDAR Hand-made quilt raffle 1s high- light of St. Paul’s festival. Pg 16. SPORTS Coach ‘Nark’ recalled fondly by friends, proteges. Pg 9. SCHOOL - - Sem program inspires summer reading. Pg 11. Clearcutting trees blamed for excessive runoff By ERIN YOUNGMAN Post Staff @oroiss BOROUGH — A resident of oodlawn Avenue said since clearcutting on Sago Street began, her property has be- come the route for vast amounts of muddy runoff. Amy Zeiss said a little runoff from Sago Street (which runs directly behind Wood- lawn) has always come through her back yard, run through a foot-wide ditch an then exited out the front. ; But for about the last month, around the same time the clearcutting began, the mi- nor runoff has turned into something alto- gether different. “The volume is unbelievable; it looks like there’s a river coming through our yard,” said Zeiss. On Tuesday, a day after the last heavy storm, remnants of the flow still remained, puddles and mud covering much of her once grassy yard. She said on Monday, she watched the water come down Sago Street, turn toward the township park and enter her property. The water then flowed out and flooded Woodlawn Avenue and Foster Street. “We never had muddy water like the mighty Mississippi coming through,” Zeiss remarked. She said the water was flowing about a foot deep. Leftover mud and water showed evidence of a flow approximately 50-feet wide at some points. She said she was sur- prised the water didn’t make its way into her basement, since it was up against the foundation. The developer of the Sago Street proper- ty, Tom Dombroski, has been found in vio- lation of the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law by the Luzerne County Conservation See RUNOFF, pg 8 Land owner cited for cut By ERIN YOUNGMAN Post Staff DALLAS TWP. — The Luzerne County Conservation Dis- trict has found the owner of clearcut land on Sago Street in vi- olation of four aspects of the Clean Streams Law. An inspection report filed August 7 details Tom Dombroski had land from Sago Street to an unnamed Toby’s Creek tribu- tary cleared without first gaining an approved Erosion and Sediment Control Plan. The report states he failed to protect a nearby stream. See CITED, pg 8 Burn ban vote put off for month By VICKI KEIPER Post Correspondent KINGSTON TWP. — Fire and wa- & dominated discussions at the ingston Township Supervisors work session Monday night. Residents filled the meeting room to express concerns over a proposed burning ban as well as problems with storm runoff in several neighborhoods near Dug Road. After listening to over a dozen opinions on the proposed burning ban, the supervisors voted 4-1 to table the topic until next month’s meeting. Supervisor Christopher Yankovich suggested more discussion before giv- ing the first reading and Supervisor John Versari agreed, stating that they want “to get it right.” The ordinance, which would ban pen fires except for campfires, cook- ¥o food, or agricultural use, will not be passed right away, said Supervisor Chairman Paul Sabol. Each reading must be voted on and published be- fore the creation of any bans, he said. Rosaria Shaver, whose petition . campaign against the ban garnered 350 signatures, gave each supervisor a copy of the petition before reading a letter explaining her stand on the is- sue. She said that she understood that many people don’t like burning but stated that burning “makes life con- venient.” Shaver pointed out that the See BURN BAN, pg 2 Culture clash POST PHOTO/CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK The old Huntsville met the new this weekend when a horse-drawn wagon and minivan reached the five corners intersection at Huntsville Reservoir. Story, more photos from Huntsville Days on page 4. Board, business manager clash on finances By TARA BENNINGER Post Correspondent LEHMAN TWP. — Tensions were high at the Lake-Lehman School ard meeting, as Angelo DeCesaris e again questioned Business Man- ager Kathleen Williams about the dis- trict’s financial status. In response, Williams simply told DeCesaris that she could not come up with his num- bers. “They are not my numbers, they are your numbers,” DeCesaris responded. Williams told the board she had mistakenly added a number when she Flash flood A deluge on Monday quickly filled streams and ponds, cre- ating problems on highways and in back yards. This was the scene near the intersection of Pioneer and Overbrook av- gues in Dal- . More pho- tos on page 8. POST PHOTO/ ERIN YOUNGMAN should have sub- tracted, and this made a $175,000 positive differ- ence. Trying to get to the bottom of the ee i Srl i ie “They are not my numbers, those num- they are your numbers.” worked on bers and she hadn't been in her office about numbers the past few meetings, and I'm voting based on those num- bers. I'd like to know, as a board mem- ber, what they really are.” Williams informed the board that Seabee Chris Ross delighted to be home By ERIN YOUNGMAN Post Staff TRUCKSVILLE — Christopher Ross finally made it home from war Wednesday, a bit the worse for wear but nevertheless happy to gingerly wrap his arms around sons Christo- pher, 6, and Jacob, 5. A crowd of family members, friends and co-workers greeted Ross, a Naval Reserve seabee, when he arrived at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Airport Wednesday evening. He had spent more than a month in a military hospi- tal after suffering life-threatening in- juries in an accident in Iraq. It has been a long journey home. Judi Ross said from the time two Navy officers knocked on her door at 1 a.m. one late June day until she flew to the hospital in Texas, all she could think about was getting herself to her husband as soon as possible. “I knew it was war, but honestly, I See ROSS, pg 3 16 Pages, 2 Sections Calendar Classified Crossword Editorials Obituaries CALL 675-5211 FOR HOME DELIVERY, Angelo DeCesaris i 3 week. School director “Mrs. Williams, 1 situation, DeCe- saris asked Williams, “Do you still an- ticipate a $400,000 operational deficit?” Williams's response was, “I don’t have those numbers and I didn’t bring those notes with me.” Williams also informed the board that she hadn’t would think that you'd be concerned about that since we canceled projects, waiting to decide based on the num- bers,” said DeCesaris, maintaining his composure. Board member Jim Mahon then spoke up. “There have been questions she could not have solid numbers to them until the September meeting. She said the problem for her is that there are still change orders coming through on the middle school con- struction project. “Maybe we need to bring in some- body who can look at our numbers, so See FINANCES, pg 2 NEWS OR ADVERTISING E-mail: dallaspost@leader.net By ERIN YOUNGMAN Post Staff DALLAS — A new resi- dent of the Ondish Hills de- velopment in Dallas Town- ship told the board of direc- tors Monday, he doesn’t think the walk to the closest bus stop is safe for students. Al Kornak said for his children and others from his development to get to their assigned bus stop on Roo- sevelt Street, they have to walk along the windy Dallas parent questions safety of bus stop Ondish Road that has no sidewalks. Kornak said visi- bility on the road is poor, es- pecially during inclement weather such as rain and or fog. : / “lI was just wondering if you guys think it’s a safe thing for the elementary school kids to walk along that road to catch the bus early in the morning and in inclement weather?” asked Kornak rhetorically. Kornak said although 45 See BUS STOP, pg 2 Please enclose this label with any address changes, and mail to The Dallas Post P.O. Box 366, Dallas, PA 18612-0366
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