L February 1 to February 7, 2004 SERVING T 4 HE COMMUNITIES OF THE DALLAS & LAKE-LEHMAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS Stores thrive with service with another rumored to be looming. That’s not the case, however, in much of the state. According to statistics compiled by the Na- tional Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), the number of independently owned drug stores has dropped 24 percent in Pennsylva- nia since 1997. In the same period, the number J Local pharmacies threat of national chains By ERIN YOUNGMAN Post Staff meet S. MOUNTAIN — As reamed into Fino’s Pharmacy in Dallas, Do- minic Fino pulled out a dusty, leather ledger dat- ed 1897. An onlooker read some of “Turpentine, epsom salt, aspirin...” “This building has been a pharmacy for well over 100 years. My father has had it for 40,” ex- plained Fino. Fino’s is one of five independently owned pharmacies in the Back Mountain whose owners say theyre thriving despite competition from three of the largest chains having come to town, of chain stores has increased 7 percent, mostly due to the proliferation of supermarkets and big- box chains like Wal-Mart and Target with in- customers store pharmacies. the items; Fino’s story is much like others in the area. The family bought the building and renamed the store in the early 1960s. But as far as anyone knows, and as much as the dusty yellowed ledger can substantiate, the little brick building on the corner of Main Street and Route 415 has always sold lotions, potions and remedies. See PHARMACIES, pg 3 « HR on JG 4 i i POST PHOTO/RON BARTIZEK Cook's Pharmacy clerk Sheree Senausky showed Joan Reilly of Tunkhannock where to sign for a pre- scription. Cook's and four other independent drug stores are holding their own in the face of chain- store competition. Checks on volunteers suggested By ERIN YOUNGMAN Post Staff DALLAS TWP. — As other schools in the county begin to re- Qi background checks on volun- teers, some school board members are saying Dallas should follow suit. The board currently approves nearly 200 unchecked volunteers each year to work with children at the district’s four schools. “I just think it’s proactive, not re- active,” said board member Debo- rah Morgantini about the need for the reviews. “We have to be very careful who comes in our schools anymore.” Morgantini, who is also a princi- pal in the Wyoming Valley School District, first brought up the need for background checks at a board meeting last November. She said &- idea drew no real response from other board members and was es- sentially “swept under the rug.” She argued background checks are a safety issue and as a principal of an elementary school, she re- quires volunteers there to undergo the reviews. “Whenever my school has had people come into the building on a fairly regular basis, we've had to be sure there’s not a criminal back- ground, bottom line it’s kids’ safe- Dallas currently requires all em- ployees and student teachers to un- dergo criminal and child abuse checks, but volunteers like those for recess and class activities, do not. District Superintendent Gil Grif- fiths said background checks are not currently required for volun- teers because they are always su- pervised by employees. Board Member Russell Bigus said he first became aware of Dal- las’ procedure when at the last board meeting he asked if the in- coming group of volunteers had @- clearances in order. See VOLUNTEERS, pg 2 Thar he blows Andrew Santora of Dallas, a member of Cub Scout pack 281, put some wind in the sails of the Bonhomme Richard during the pack’s annual Raingutter Regatta, held January 23. He was getting pre-race tips from Michael Tarminko, a pack leader: More photos and list of winners on page 3. FOR THE POST/CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK By ERIN YOUNGMAN Post Staff DALLAS TWP. — Dallas Middle School students struggling with math can now get some extra help. The school has started an after school re- medial math program. By doing so, the administration hopes to eliminate a more than 10 per- cent drop in standardized test scores that occurs between the time students leave the 5th grade and are tested again in grade 8. The remedial help is one of a number of changes the ad- ministration has made in an effort to stay ahead of federal No Child Left Be- hind legislation. “There is a sense of urgency that teachers, parents and students have got to get on board so that they (stu- dents) are successful,” said middle school Principal Anthony Martinelli. Program takes aim at math achievement According to Assistant Superinten- dent Dr. Michael Speziale, 2003 test scores showed 5th grade students scored 72 percent proficient in math, but by 8th grade, only 60 percent did. The number jumped back up by 11th grade, though, to 70 percent profi- cient. The two-day-a-week program is modelled after a similar course offered See MATH, pg 2 Penguin, not Tiger, could win By ERIN YOUNGMAN Post Staff HARVEYS LAKE — The lake’s pro- tective association is always looking for a good fundraiser, but ice golf? The group will hold its First Annual Ice Golf Tournament Sunday, February 8 on the lake. Proceeds will go towards as- sociation sponsored community projects. “I heard a saying from a guy one time,” said Mark Sobeck, the group’s president and one of the organizers behind the event; “There’s no poor weather, just poor clothing.” He and the other organizers are bet- ting golf enthusiasts will gladly strap on their boots, put on the extra layers and come out for what they say is the area’s y winter golf tournament. If people can sit at a football game in 8 degree weather for three or four hours, they can certainly play golf for an hour,” he suggested. The nine-hole event will take place on a part of the lake commonly called Grot- to Bay, a shallow several-acre inlet be- hind Grotto Pizza. The area is the best option because “that way, if someone falls in, they’ll only be up to their knees,” Sobeck joked. Some of the association’s members came up with the idea after a day of hit- ting balls on the ice eight years ago. “We thought ‘This would be a fun thing to do — to go out on the lake and have a golf tournament at a time of year when no one else is,” ” said Sobeck. Last September, seven and a half years later, the group decided to put the tour- nament together. With about 45 players signed up, the association is halfway to its goal of 90 participants. Two weekends ago, association mem- bers played a practice round. Sobeck said See ICE GOLF, pg 2 Members of the Harveys Lake Protective Association braved the cold to try out the several-acre ice golf course set up on Grotto Bay at the Lake. The Ice Golf Tournament is set for February 8. Pictured from left: Jim Sperling, Matt DePrimo, Pat Adonizio. Sewer system problems identified J Leaky manholes, broken pipes allow water in, pushing raw sewage out By ERIN YOUNGMAN Post Staff HARVEYS LAKE — Ongoing in- spections of the lake’s sanitary sew- er system have found 60 leaking manholes, said engineers working to repair the malfunctioning system. The finding is one of several iden- tified problems that appear to be sending groundwater into the sys- tem, contributing to raw sewage overflows. At its January meeting, Harveys Lake Borough Council approved a Corrective Action Plan aimed at fix- ing the system. The plan was sub- mitted by the borough’s engineering firm, Borton-Lawson. Doug Smith of Borton-Lawson said the leaking manholes are not in any particular section, but are spread throughout the borough. More could still be found in disre- pair when the balance of the bor- ough’s 600 are inspected. Smith said the Harveys Lake Mu- nicipal Authority plans to devote half its staff to fixing them, in hopes they’ll have all 60 repaired by the end of spring. “For them to do the repairs while taking care of the rest of the sewer system, that’s aggressive,” com- mented Smith. Inspections have also found evi- dence of broken piping. Ridge Av- enue is an area that has been identi- fied as needing what could be costly excavation and repairs. More sus- pected problem areas will be nar- rowed down when cameras are sent See SEWER, pg 2 V INSIDE THE PosT Jessica Duddy will take a close look at DC power brokers. Page 10 12 Pages, 1 Section Calendar Church Crossword Editorials Obituaries School ¥ How To Reach Us News: 675-5211 thepost@leader.net 15 N. Main St. Wilkes-Barre PA 18711 Advertising: 970-7102 Subscriptions and Delivery: 829-5000
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