4 The Post Sunday, May 23, 2004 OUR OPINION Good business is good for the Back Mountain \ \ Jrats good for General Motors is good for America.” That arrogant statement, uttered 50 years ago by a former chairman of the industrial giant, has been challenged time and again since, and not just by Ford fanatics. But while it now is painfully obvious that individual and cor- porate goals frequently conflict, there is a grain of truth in Charlie Wilson's famous quote; a healthy business sector can underpin a nation’s prosperity and thus the satisfaction of its citizens in unseen as well as obvious ways. The same holds true on a smaller scale here in the Back Mountain. Our material success does not depend on a GM or Enron — thank goodness — but our diverse business com- munity is a critical contributor to our comfort, convenience and progress. We are fortunate to have attracted and sustained businesses that seek not only to make a profit, but to invest in the community that sustains Ge i STS hi them. That commitment takes many forms, from sponsoring a Little League team, to support- ing fund drives that help neighbors struck by tragedy, to sim- ply retaining employees when more ruthless enterprises would cast them off for short-term gain. That is not to say we should make shopping plans solely on the basis of the size or location of stores and offices. We should demand — and local businesses strive to provide — quality, selection and service that earns our trade. But we should also keep in mind the easily overlooked benefits that derive from a vibrant commercial segment, and be conscious of what would be jeopardized if too much of our spending was to leave the area. You are invited to view a sampling of the local business spectrum at Wednesday’s Business Fair and Card Exchange, sponsored by the Back Mountain Business and Professional Association. If you are a consumer, stop by and greet some of the people working to earn your trust. If you are thinking of starting or relocating a business in the region, this is a one- stop shop for all of your needs, and there will be open semi- nars to put you in touch with local professionals who can help you on your way. Then you can join other people who have combined their livelihood with the rest of their lives to build a satisfying and prosperous future in a community they can truly call home. Fit for life, at any age They're often called “lifetime sports.” Tennis, backyard bas- ketball and running are activities that can be enjoyed through- out life and that don’t require a team or extensive facilities to perform. Of course, like all human activity, they also can be played at the highest levels of achievement, as demonstrated in recent weeks by local high school athletes. We extend congratulations to young men and women who have reached and surpassed lofty personal goals, and in several instances, long-standing records. ¢ The Dallas girls 3200 relay team of Jessica Jones, Jamie Stanish, Lisa Giacometti and Whitney Adams smashed the 19- year-old meet record by more than nine seconds in winning gold at the same championships. ¢ The Lake-Lehman High School girls track and field team, which finished the regular season undefeated, again. ¢ Greg Andrusisian of Dallas, who along with his doubles partner won the District 2 championship and advanced to the state tournament. To be sure, there have been many other outstanding per- formances, and we apologize for not including them in this il- lustration of excellence. It’s also worth noting some smaller-scale achievements, such as the children at Dallas Elementary School who have completed five miles of running or walking in the “Recess Run- ning Program” that began there early this month. Conceived by Amy Rome, a parent and avid runner who is concerned about poor fitness in children, the three-day-a-week activity has drawn enthusiastic participation. The hope is to instill a love of physical activity that will compete with the attractions of video games, cable television and surfing the Internet. Perhaps some of these youngsters will grow up to be district champions. The volunteer effort will yield even greater fruit if lots of them adopt fitness as a habit that continues far beyond their school days. Letters are welcome Letters to the editor are welcome and will be published, subject to the following guidelines: Letters should not exceed 500 words. ® Letters must be signed and include the writer's home town and a telephone number for verification. : * Names will be withheld only if there exists a clear and verifi- able threat to the writer. * No writer may have more than one letter addressing the same topic published during a 30-day period, except as a reply to another letter. e The Post retains the right to accept or reject any letter, and to edit letters for grammar and spelling, as well as to eliminate any libel, slander or objectionable wording. RaW doit Nature's handiwork, and man’s, at Trucksville United Methodist Church. Photo by Charlotte Bartizek. MOMENTS IN TIME The History Channel ¢ On May 26, 1897, horror writer Bram Stoker’s classic vampire tale, “Dracula,” is first offered for sale in London. The novel tells the story of a Transylvanian vampire and his English victims. e On May 27, 1933, Walt Disney’s car- toon “Three Little Pigs,” featuring the song “Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?”, is released. The cartoon became the most popular animated film up to that time. e On May 29, 1953, at 11:30 a.m., Ed- mund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenz- ing Norgay, a Sherpa of Nepal, become the first explorers to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the highest point on earth at 29,035 feet above sea level. e On May 24, 1964, Sen. Barry Gold- water, R-Ariz., suggests during an inter- view using low-yield atomic bombs in North Vietnam. A storm of criticism fol- lowed, and Goldwater was crushed by Lyndon B. Johnson in the U.S. presiden- tial election later that year. e On May 30, 1971, the unmanned U.S. space probe Mariner 9 is launched on a mission to Mars. Mariner 9 would be- come the first spacecraft to orbit a planet other than Earth, and send back more than 7,000 pictures of the “Red Planet” and the first close-up images of the Mart- ian moons. e On May 25, 1977, China’s communist government lifts its decade-old ban on the writings of William Shakespeare. e On May 28, 1987, Matthias Rust, a 19-year-old amateur pilot from West Ger- many, takes off from Finland, travels through more than 400 miles of Soviet airspace, and lands his small Cessna air- craft in Red Square by the Kremlin. The event was an immense embarrassment to the Soviet government and military, and Rust would spend 18 months in a Soviet prison. (c) 2004 King Features Syndicate Tie POST TIMESeLEADER Community Newspaper Group 15 N. MAIN ST., WILKES-BARRE PA 18711 * 570-675-5211 thepost@leader.net Patrick McHugh Ronald Bartizek PUBLISHER EDITOR Justin Wisnos ADVERTISIN Greg Stauffer AD PRODUCTION MANAGER bd ¢ PACE/PACENET applications available Senior citizens who rely on prescription drugs to stay healthy may qualify for finan- cial assistance through the state’s newly expanded PACE and PACENET prescrip- tion drug assistance programs. The PACE income limits have been in- creased by $500, allowing more seniors to access the program’s benefits. It now in- cludes single senior citizens with incomes up to $14,500 and married seniors with in- comes up to $17,700. PACENET income eligibility limits are between $14,500 and $23,500 for single seniors and between $17,700 and $31,500 for couples. PACENET participants are required to pay a monthly $40 deductible, and then are only responsible for an $8 copay on gener- ic drugs and $15 for brand name prescrip- tions. PACE participants pay $6 copay- ment for each generic prescription and a $9 copayment for brand name medica- tions. The law creates a Pharmaceutical Assis- tance Clearinghouse, which gives seniors access to information on public and pri- vate assistance programs available to help them pay for medications. In addition, the law calls on the Department of Aging to study pharmacy best practices and cost control programs. The programs are open to low-income Pennsylvanians age 65 or older. For more information about PACE/PACENET or for an application, contact one of these state legislators: ® Rep. George Hasay, 5315 Main Rd., Sweet Valley, or 862 State Rt. 29 South, Tunkhannock, 836-1247. ® Rep. Phyllis Mundy, 400 Third “@ Kingston, 283-9622. e Sen. Charles D. Lemmond, 22 Dallas Shopping Ctr., Dallas, 675-3931. 70 Years Ago May 25, 1934 FIRST M.E. CHURCH WORKERS PREPARE FOR ANNUAL DRIVE The First MLE. Church of Dallas, of which Rev. Francis Freeman is pastor, will begin its annual canvas for budget fi- -nances. Members of the committee in- clude: Mr. and Mrs. w. H. Baker, Mr. and Mrs. D. Brace, Mr. and Mrs E. Parish and Mr. and Mrs. William Niemeyer. A dancing club has been organized by a group of Dallas young people who hold weekly meetings at the home of Ruth Him. ONLY YESTERDAY The Dallas Women’s Club will present a fir tree to Dallas School District this morning. The tree will be planted in front of the grade school with appropriate cere- monies. 60 Years Ago May 26, 1944 ‘GATE OF HEAVEN’ IS NAME GIVEN TO NEW PARISH The spacious grounds and residence owned by the late Kate G. Bauir have been sold to Scranton Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church for the new Gate of Heav- en Parish which will be established in Dal- las. The property was sold for $8,500 last Saturday, a few hours before it would have come up for public auction. St. Therese’s parish of Shavertown sponsored the pur- chase. Robert M. Miller, County Controller and a veteran of WWI, will be the speaker at the dedication of the Jackson Township Honor Roll at Chase Corners on Memorial Day. The Drum and Bugle Corps of Lehman Band will play the Call To The Colors while Mrs. Michael Utrich, a gold star mother unveils the Honor Roll. A 1941 Ford Truck was delivered this week to Lehman Fire Company for remod- eling into a fire truck. 20 Years Ago May 21, 1954 BOYS SHOOT CROCODILE ON HUNTSVILLE RESERVOIR What appears to have been a baby croc- odile was shot on the shore of Huntsville Reservoir Saturday shortly before noon. Mrs. Boyd Dodson, driving home from marketing in Dallas, saw two teenage boys carrying an armored reptile by the tail. The boys said the animal was sunning it- self on the grassy shore, and they shot it with a BB gun. Richard Sarmonis, a second grade pupil at Noxen elementary school won first prize of $5 for his health poster. Robert Scott, Trucksville, has made fif- teen doll beds for the Library Auction. Some have spindles, some solid head and footboards, and some are four-posters. Vol- unteers are now needed to make bedding. 40 Years Ago May 21, 1964 NOXEN BUSTLING FOR BIG HORSE SHOW Noxen is buzzing with activity this week as all available firemen and helpers crowd spare hours nailing together grand- stands and booths for the fourth big fire company horse show. Jay Ruckel and Pat Kanasky have been named Valedictorian and Salutatorian for the Lake-Lehman class of 1964, according to principal Anthony Marchakitus. William O’Brien, Jr., will appear on the Lee Vincent show Sunday on Channel 28 in a piano solo. The thirteen year-old is a student of Mrs. Bessie Thomas, East Dal- las. 30 Years Ago May 23, 1974 BRICE ONE OF FIRST MALE MISERICORDIA GRADUATES John Brice, Harveys Lake, was one of the first three men to graduate from Col- lege Misericordia. He received a two-year graduate scholarship and teaching assist- antship in painting at the University of Cincinnati. Plans were discussed at the recent meet- ing of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Trucksville Volunteer Fire Company for a booth at the Firemen’s Fair. Anyone wish- ing to donate items should contact Mrs. Hugh Gallagher or Mrs. Charles Woolbert. The Junior High Mounts conque the hard-hitting Wilkes-Barre Towns team by a score of 11-8. Tom Youe knocked in the first two runs and Steve Skammer knocked in the third. 20 Years Ago May 23, 1984 DAVIS NAMED ART & FASHION INSTITUTE AWARD WINNER | The Art and Fashion Institute of At- lanta announced the selection of Marcia Davis as one of the fall quarter Merit Award winners. Marcia is a graduate of Dallas Senior High School and is in the Vi- sual Communications program at the Art Institute. The Lake-Lehman High School Band swept the International competition in Montreal, Canada, giving the Back Moun- tain musicians their fourth international ti- tle. Led by the 10-medal winning perform- ance of Mark Richardson, Steve Brace, and Walter Lasecki, the Dallas Junior High Track Team won the overall Boys’ Cham onship at the District II Meet at Scrantort™ Municipal Stadium.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers