) | aiuture tm The Post Sunday, March 21, 2004 3 continued from page 1) out, who else would be bet- ter qualified to answer ques tions about what students need than someone who recently graduated from the district? “Politics are my first love,” he said. In high school he ac- quired the nickname “Senator” from friends that said he would make a fantastic politician. He hadn't made it to college yet when he made the decision to run for a seat and his interest doesn’t stop at the board. “I do hang out with my friends and everything, but I do make it a point to go to the board meetings.” Todd Buckley, 19 Potential Dallas School Board candidate “I can envision myself as a senator or as governor — I am someone who listens to what people have to say.” A sense of obligation has also guided his decision to run for office, saying it’s time for him to give something back to the community that has given him so much. : Buckley does not worry that his goals are forcing him to miss out on other more age-ap- propriate activities. He says he still has time to pursue his oth- er interests, going out on Fri- Ab sences day and Saturday nights with friends, playing golf and snow- mobiling with his father. “It’s just like anything else. You know when you want to do something, you have to give 110 percent.” As the days since he lost his first bid turn into weeks, and ~ the weeks into months, he sees his opportunities to learn, grow and become an even stronger candidate, multiply. “So do I think I'll be better prepared next time? Absolutely.” Young school directors unusual A spokesperson for the Penn- sylvania School Boards Associa- tion (PSBA) said although it is uncommon for people under | age 25 to run for school board, it does happen. According to PSBA statistics, only .2 percent , of all board members are under 25 years old. In the 25- to 29- year-old category, that number rises just slightly to .8 percent with the bulk of all board mem- bers between the ages of 45 and 54 The four requirements to run for the position are listed on the association’s website at www.psba.org. They are: - Must be a resident of the dis- trict. - Must be a resident of the state. - Must be at least 18 years old. - Must be of good moral charac- ter. \ (continued from page 1) Last year, the Lake-Lehman Middle Level Building and the district's three elementary schools missed the cutoff, al- | the middle level was pr rounded up to 95 percent. venth and eighth grade class- - es were moved to the renovated junior/senior high school this year. The 95 percent level is not easy to achieve, said James Mc- Govern, Assistant Principal at Dallas High School. “Not many schools fall in that category,” he said last week. iki McGovern estimates that Dallas is hovering right around 95 percent, and has improved over last year. That success has come through a focus on track- ing student attendance and pling with individuals, as fil as using historical records 0 spot problem days. One of those is the last day before winter vacation. McGov- ern said last year the school scheduled special programs and activities that led students to attend school rather than start vacation early, and atten- dance was normal. “You've got to make these kids excited about education,” he said, not simply expect them to come to school. School policy does not man- date a call to the home of ab- sent students, but it does re- quire a parental excuse within 72 hours. If that is not received, the day is considered an unex- cused absence. With 40 to 50 students ab- sent on any particular day, Mc- Govern said there is not enough staff time to call every absent student’s home. Lake-Lehman does not call the homes of absent students, er, unless it appears there is lhronic problem. But warning letters are sent once a student has three unexcused absences, and even too many excused ab- sences may result in withdraw- al from class. Bob Roberts, Superinten- dent, said more than 600 warn- ing letters have been sent this year to parents whose children have missed five or more days. Under state guidelines, accu- mulating more than three unex- cused absences leaves open the possibility that the student’s family becomes liable for fines of $25 to $300 plus court costs. Lake-Lehman sends formal no- tices to homes of students with three missed days, Dallas does not. “We'd rather call them per- sonally,” McGovern said. Roberts said more than 16 “You've got to make these kids excited about education.” James McGovern Assistant Principal Fines Scouting fun night Cub Scout Troop 232, Gate of Heaven, held its annual - Pinewood Derby and Raingutter Regatta in the school gym- nasium. Cub Scouts and Webelos engaged in friendly compe- tition that included racing balsa wood model boats and cars, and the “frog race” for younger troop members. : Clockwise from top:Eric Wojciechowski, Webelos 2, blew his Sea Dog home for a victory; Eric Stamer tried to get his frog . going in the frog race; Anthony Huntington tried hard to keep his frog in line at the Gate of Heaven Scout tournament. i By DAVID WEISS For The Post LEHMAN TWP. — Snow and poor tires on a vehicle caused a three-vehicle wreck _ that killed a couple and left an- other person injured on state Route 118 Tuesday morning, * officials said. Killed in the wreck were + Francis Wivell and his wife, ; Barbara, of West Pittston, said . Luzerne County Deputy Coro- + ner Dan Hughes. Police Chief Howard Kocher "said the Wivells were west- #8 bound in a Suzuki Samurai i AA A aR rp FOR THE POST/CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK (continued from page 1) . failed,” Swithers said last Dallas High School excused absences for a full-year class or eight for a half-year class can bring withdrawal without credit. And after reach- ing 16 excused absences; a stu- : dent must present proof from a doctor or other authority that it was ‘necessary to be ‘out of | school. But the district tries to work with families, offering an ap- peal process through which parents can explain excess ab- sences. “If you have 16 days of mom- my/daddy excuses and 16 days with a doctor’s excuse, you're fine,” said Roberts. While there are state laws that apply to truancy, McGov- ern said each district establish- es its own policies. “We try to use common sense,” he said, in . ; Dirt road an age when many factors may affect student attendance. For example, the district “strongly encourages” families to take vacations when school is out, but sometimes parents cannot get time off that match- es the school calendar. “You try to find a compro- mise,” he said, “but sometimes it just can’t happen.” Both schools try to turn un- | avoidable vacations into learn- ing experiences, by reviewing educational aspects before the student leaves, or asking for a report when they return. Dallas students showing chronic absence are referred to the home and school visitor, Norm Swithers. He tries to work with the student and fam- ily before taking any legal ac- tion, but sometimes there is no response. Truancy cases are sent to District Justice James Tupper, who is frustrated that the law punishes parents, but lets stu- dents off the hook. “There’s no teeth in in it for students,” he said. But the consequences for parents can be serious. Tupper is awaiting a March 25 dead- line, after which two mothers can be sentenced to five-days in jail for the truancy of their chil- dren. He said they, like many parents, did not show up for hearings or respond to judge- ments sent to their homes. o - week. “You don’t want to take a hard stance when there are is- sues we should be helping with.” Swithers tries to call the ‘, home when a student is out for two or more consecutive days. He finds that in some cases, parents aren't aware the stu- + dent skipped school. And some- times, he says, parents haven't ‘bothered to let the school know the family is on vacation. But occasionally it’s obvious the student or his family aren’t taking school seriously. Swith- ers has had cases in which he talked to a student on Monday, and they took Tuesday and Wednesday off. Then he knows he has a problem. “When we get up around 10 . or 12 days and there’s no rea- + son for it,” referral to the mag- istrate may be in order. But when the driver lost control of the vehicle after 10 a.m. It is unclear which of the two was driving the vehicle. The vehicle crossed into the i eastbound lane, where it was ¢ struck in the side by another fs vehiclee The Samurai then crossed back into the west- 4." bound lane where it was struck by a single-axle truck driven by “ 40-year-old Donald McCue Jr. : of Harveys Lake, Kocher said. . The truck was travelling be- I{| Two die in 3-car crash | blamed on snowstorm hind the Samurai. Hughes said Francis Wivell, 51, was pronounced dead at the scene. His 45-year-old wife was taken to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital where she was pro- nounced dead at 11:45 a.m. The highway was shut down for three hours. Both died of multiple trau- matic injuries, Hughes said. Kocher said Thursday the driver of the third vehicle, Lar- ry Lanning, 39, of Shadybrook Lane, Dallas, was treated and released at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Hospital. McCue was not injured, Kocher said. The weather played a large role in the wreck. The ‘chief said snow began falling around 9 a.m. and its in- tensity quickly increased, mak- ing for treacherous road condi- tions. He said the Samurai also had bad tires. The Wivells were wearing seat belts, but their small SUV was crushed when it collided with the larger truck. This article appeared in orig- inal form in the Times Leader. 2 | {7 ANS FOR THE POST/MADALYN RUGGIERO ‘ Lehman Township volunteer firefighters Ron Wenrich and ) % George Sabaluski stood near at the scene of a crash that that doesn’t happen often, per- : killed two people Tuesday morning. Slain pharmacist’s wife haps 10 times a year, he said. If found guilty, parents are subject to a fine of $25 to $300, : plus court costs of about $100, said District Justice James Tup- per. In extreme cases, a five-day jail sentence can be imposed. ploy a similar position, in part because of the expense, since a . Home and School Visitor must |, be certified and paid like a ~ teacher. Right now, a secretary i in the - junior/senior school office spends about half her time on attendance, said | Bob Roberts, superintendent. The school had a full-time at- - tendance officer until a few : years ago, and Roberts would like to see the position reinstat- © ed, particularly with the em- TT ; phasis placed on attendance un- ' der the No Child Left Behind . act. i = (continued from page 1) Raintree Road, a dead end «+ with four houses along it, got the treatment. What's left is a portion of Glendalough Road : that runs from Raintree back to the entrance of the develop- ment, completing a loop. Wagner said the township has nearly 10 miles of dirt roads, and would like to pave them all, because they are more costly to maintain than paved roads. But existing paved roads may need more attention this year due to damage caused by a deep frost. That's what “ happened last year, too, delay- ing more paving for Glen- dalough. Jackie Heffron’s family lives next door to the Kuczuras, and she also is angry that the road hasn’t been paved. “I've had company that’s got- ten stuck,” she said. Heffron was encouraged when the paving started. “We thought the following year they would finish it,” she said. But it's been more than two years and nothing has happened. When residents complain to the township, a crew throws down a stone and gravel mix- . ture, but that quickly sinks be- “We will do it gradually, but ’ 2 - connection with two of the we're not going to By TERRIE MORGAN- BESECKER For The Post An attorney for Kimberly Kerkowski said she believes au- high *- 4 orities filed a federal firearms a charge against : her March 12 in hopes of pressuring her into providing information about other cases under in- vestigation. Jane Acri said the weapon involved, a 9 mm semi- automatic pistol, was formerly Kimberly Kerkowski ‘ owned by Kerkowski’s hus- band, Michael. The body of Michael Kerkowski and four * others were unearthed in June . at the Kingston Township prop- - erty of Hugo Selenski, who has go into debt for it.” , Frank Wagner ; Vice Chairman Dallas Twp. Supervisors low the mushy surface. “We dug that (portion) up a couple of times,” Wagner said. “But they really don’t have to go through there.” That's be- cause the upper part of the loop is either paved, or is very . firm gravel. Some municipalities have used county grant funds to im- prove roads, whether dirt or paved. But Wagner said those grants can be used only in low = and moderate income neigh- borhoods. “There are no county funds for this,” he said at the March 16 meeting of supervisors. “You don’t get county funds for a road in front of $250,000 ° homes.” ; At that meeting, Phil Walter, chairman said there are a lot of other dirt roads that need paving before Glendalough. Dog license sales 2004 dog licenses are now available at the following locations: ¢ Dallas Twp. — Hoof-in-Paw-n-Jeans, 675-4800. e Kunkle — Pet Care Associates, 675-1621. Licenses also will be sold at the Treasurer’s Office in the uzerne County Courthouse, Wilkes-Barre. To obtain licenses by mail, send your name, address, telephone number, date of birth (if 65 of older), the dog’s name, color, breed TW, and gender. The mailing address is: Luzerne County Treasurer, Courthouse, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711. Return postage is not neces sary. The regular rates are $8 for males and females; $6 for neutered males or spayed females. The rates for senior citizens with disabil- :: ities are $6 for males and females; $4 for neutered males or spayed females. If you are applying for a license that requires the dog son with the disability, you must provide proof of age or disability ¢ o the county treasurer or agent. EO a | RU Rok we a ey Ni ES i 4 it A A FA a BR RA Rar 1 pb Ad i ao oi ii Be i i a GH "4 been charged with homicide in deaths. Acri said she doesn’t think prosecutors believe Kimberly Kerkowski has information - about Michael's death. But the swift action in her firearms ~ case — it’s scheduled for trial in May — makes her believe authorities think she has infor- mation that would be useful to them in some case. What that case is remains a mystery. “I think they're just trying to pressure her for any informa- ~ tion she might have whatsoev- « er,” Acri said. “I'm really not sure what theyre looking for. It’s basically a fishing expedi- tion.” Kerkowski was indicted March 9 on a charge of selling the 9 mm pistol to a known faces firearms charges Lake-Lehman does not em- . drug user. The indictment does not name the drug dealer. But court papers accompanying the indictment say the case is relat- ed to a case against a Leo “Kil- lah” Smith. In February, Carey Bartoo, Kimberly Kerkowski’s cousin and Selenski’s ex-girlfriend, was indicted on a weapons charge in her alleged role in a Dallas Township burglary in which 19 firearms were stolen. Authori- ties say two of those firearms were sold to a Leo “Killah” Smith and several of his associ- ates. The firearms were among eight weapons recovered from Smith’s Pugh Street home in Edwardsville during a raid on May 8, 2003, according to the indictment in the Bartoo case. Acri said the U.S. Attorney’s Office has not revealed name of the drug dealer to whom it al- leges Kerkowski sold the pistol. Prosecutors won't provide that detail until later, when attor- neys engage in pre-trial infor- mation gathering known as dis- covery. Regardless of who the person is, Acri said Kerkowski main- tains she did not sell the weapon and has no knowledge of any other case that would help prosecutors. “I'm sure if she had any infor- mation she would be more than willing to cooperate with feder- al authorities. She maintains her innocence and has no infor- mation related to this case,” Acri said. Kerkowski was released from the Luzerne County Correc- tional Facility on her own re- cognizance. If You Want Perfection... Try Our Sicilian Style Pizza, | Our Wings & Ot ER EIRIGIS Eat [ERECT Sat. 12:30 p.m. - Midnight; gi Rati 3 do it All Pizza Perfect 16 CARVERTON RD., TRUCKSVILLE owner be a senior citizen (at 65 at the time of purchase), or a per- Mon. 4-10 p.m.; Tues, Wed, Thurs, 4-11 pa; Fri 11 a.m; - Midnight Sun. 2 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. BAL i SS tt a ied {: LIAS SES ea NEES EE iy a a RR Aina
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers