4 The Post EDITORIAL Sunday, September 26, 2004 OUR OPINION We learned why runoff regulations are important L ] other Nature showed her teeth last weekend, as rainfall from the remnants of Hurricane Ivan pound- d the region all through Friday night, causing streams to overflow, sewers to back up and trees to topple when soft soil could no longer hold them upright. Then, as quickly as the waters rose, they fell, and by Saturday after- noon the excitement of the previous few hours was hardly noticeable beyond small amounts of debris left behind. We were lucky. Had it rained for even two more hours, instead of having mostly to rake up stray leaves we might have been recovering from a disaster greater than that caused by the Agnes flood of 1972. In the center of Dallas, for exam- ple, the swollen Toby’s Creek was less than a foot from the top of the tunnel below Fino’s Pharmacy. If it been just a little higher, water would have put tremendous pressure on the building and would also have poured around it into the adja- cent parking areas and streets. The water did flow along North Main Street in Shavertown, inundating the parking lot at Cook’s Pharmacy but again stop- ping short of the building itself. Many homeowners were less fortunate, as raging torrents ran through their yards, or runoff filled basements. In Kunkle, a usually babbling brook tore into the fire station, cracking a wall and damaging the electrical and heating systems. A close call like this is a reminder that we must pay heed to the forces around us, and anticipate as much as we can the effect our activities have on natural processes. For example, new housing and commercial projects are forbidden by law to increase storm water runoff. This fairly recent regulation, which once was seen as an inappropriate intrusion into pri- vate affairs, may have prevented more damage from occurring. It’s important that all municipalities hold property owners to this standard, so their projects don’t cause problems for others downstream. Weather is an uncontrollable and unforgiving force. We can only work to accommodate the vicissitudes of nature. In this case, it appears we did so successfully, but we cannot be com- placent. The incessant pace of development will continue to ratchet up pressure on the Back Mountain's natural features, the very charms that drew so many of us here. We have a responsibility to preserve them while Fproleciing property and safety. Windows on. the world of yore. Photo by Charlotte Bartizek. LIBRARY NEWS Wordhorde was sucecesstul start to festival By all visual and aural measurements, the Dallas Harvest Festival last Sunday was an overwhelming suc- cess. The clear and cool weather was a delight- ful surprise after the storms of the days before. Festivities actually started on Friday evening (just before the storm!) with the Wordhorde staged by CAROL KING MOMENTS IN TIME The History Channel ¢ On Sept. 28, 1066, claiming his right to the English throne, William, duke of Normandy, invades England at Pevensey on Britain's southeast coast. His subsequent defeat of King Harold II at the Battle of Hastings marked the beginning of a new era in British history. ® On Sept. 30, 1868, the first volume of Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” is published. The novel would become Alcott’ first best seller and a beloved children’s classic. “oe On Oct. 1, 1955, “The Honeymooners” debuts on CBS. The TV comedy, which starred Jackie Gleason, enjoyed enduring populari- ty despite the fact that it aired only 39 episodes. ® On Sept. 27, 1964, the Warren Commission report on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy is released after a 10- month investigation, concluding that there was no conspiracy in the assassination, either domestic or international, and that Lee Harvey Oswald, the alleged assassin, acted alone. ® On Oct. 2, 1975, after a year of desperately trying to revive its flagging fortunes, once mighty retailer W.T. Grant filed for bank- ruptcy. W.T. Grant was saddled with more than $1 billion in debt, making it the nation’s single biggest retailing failure. * On Sept. 29, 1988, Stacy Allison of Portland, Ore., becomes the first American woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. Allison, a member of the Northwest American Everest Expedition, climbed the Himalayan peak using the southeast ridge route. ® On Oct. 3, 1995, at the end of a sensational 252-day trial, for- mer football star O.J. Simpson is acquitted of the brutal 1994 dou- ble murder of his estranged wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman. (c) 2004 King Features Synd., Inc. 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 anda telephone number for verification. e Names will be withheld only if there exists a clear and verifi- able threat to the writer. * 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. Letters can be sent many ways: By e-mail to: thepost@leader.net By mail to: The Post, 15 N. Main St., Wilkes-Barre PA 18711. By using the drop box located in the Uni-Mart convenience store on Route 309 in Dallas, across from the Dallas Shopping Center. the Friends of the Library. About 60 people attended the program, with participants in the open-microphone forum performing a variety of music and poetry selections. Congratulations to the Friends for their innovative ideas! [NX HN J The Haunted Library is the next event planned by the library’s hardworking and Nadine Young asks that adults call the library to sign up to help in the transforma- tion of the library into a magic place, or to serve in any one of the numerous roles on the haunted evenings — a guide, a charac- ter, a ticket seller, to name a few. Help will be needed afterwards to take down the dis- plays. Contributions to the bake are wel- come, too. Call the library at 675-1182 and find out when to bring in your goodies. Cookies or bars, which require no cutlery and are not too moist, are suggested. LN NH J The library will hold classes on the use of the Internet on the following Wednesdays: October 13, 20 and 27. There is a limit of five people per class, so sign up early by calling the library at 675-1182. [XN J The children’s fall story hours have start- ed. There are still openings for 3- to 5-year olds. library children’s books. The Slightly Read Book Store is in full swing again. The hours are Monday, 1 to 7 p.m.; Wednesday, 10 am. to 7 p.m.; and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Manager Fred Krohle is currently running a sale on used LET Se [NN J The 2005 Entertainment book is on sale for $25 at the library desk. Coupons may be used now. 3) [NN J J | 4d During the summer, library director Martha Butler and staff members Margaret Susko, Cindy Katyl, Janet Bauman and Brian Fulton attended computer voih ig sponsored by the State under an grant. Butler also attended an all-day Automation Retreat at the Kirby House to plan a long-range approach to the issues of automation. Statistics for the month of August included total circulation, 8,126; books added, 239; new: borrowers, 69; and enthusiastic volunteers. Board member active borrowers, 16,854. 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 Wisnosk ADVERTISIN Pat O'Donnell PREPRESS MANAGER . IN 70 Years Ago Sept. 28,.1934 WORK STARTS ON HL FIRE CO’S NEW HOME The work of constructing Harveys Lake’s new fire house and community building was well underway this week and it is expected that the splendid new quar- ters of the Daniel C. Roberts F.ir'e Company will be complet- ed about the first of the year. The excavation for the cellar will be finished this week and the actual work of construction will be started by the Sordoni Construction Co., which has charge of the building. The structure will be of stone, two stories high. ONLY YESTERDAY Five Dallas boys whose ages were about 12 were fined $30 when they were called before Burgess Anderson this week, charged with having stolen pro- duce from the garden of Dominick Detter. The boys are said to have taken garden pro- duce to a bunk owned by some other boys. Police discovered a large quantity of the goods hid- den under the bunk. Besides stealing the produce, the boys had kicked up other plants and caused Mr. Detter a consider- able loss. Practice teachers from College Misericordia’s Department of Music will teach music in Dallas Borough four days a week under the direction of Miss Neufelt, supervisor of music at the college. Boys’ and girls’ glee clubs will be organ- ized. 60 Years Ago Sept. 29, 1944 LIGHTNING STRIKES KEPNER HOME Lightning struck the home of Thomas Kepner, DeMunds Road, during the sever electri- cal storm on Thursday evening. Mr. Kepner was seated in the living room about 7 o'clock reading a magazine when the bolt struck the concrete block foundation at a corner of the house and followed telephone lines through the cellar. No one was injured. Word has been received from the War Department by the family of Sgt. Albert F. Salansky of Jackson Township, that he was wounded in France on Aug. 15. He is now in a hospital in England. A program embracing all departments of the church will be presented at a special Rally Day service to be held Sunday morning at 10 in Dallas Methodist Church. Music and singing will be featured. A goal of 300 members present and a $100 collection for the base- ment fund has been set by those in charge of the Rally Day program. 20 Years Ago Sept. 24, 1954 FIRE GUTS ATTIC AT KUNKLE HOME Fire supposedly due to defec- tive wiring gutted the attic at the home of Warden Kunkle, Machell Avenue, early Thursday evening. Volunteer firemen from Dr. Henry M. Laing Fire Company battled the blaze for an hour with the fog nozzle, confining it to the third floor. Seepage of water below will necessitate redecoration of the second floor. Dr. Lester Jordan, Trucksville, won eight blue rib- bons, five reds, two whites, two special tri-color and a medal at the National Dahlia Society Show at the Essex House in New York on Tuesday. He took his prize blooms to New York early Tuesday morning in florist boxes supplied by Bert Hill, and in buckets of water padded with newspapers. Ralph M. Downend, Goss Manor, hung up a record for himself at Boot Camp, being named the outstanding mem- ber of his platoon at Parris Island and winning the coveted Pfc. stripes.” Young Downend goes to Le Jeune, N.C. on Sunday to continue his training for the Marine Corps, leaving Dallas after a visit with his par- ents, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph S. Downend. 40 Years Ago Sept. 24, 1964 NEIGHBOR SPOTS FIRE, CALLS IN ALARM Noxen Volunteer Fire Co. responded to a car fire on Route 309 north of Cook’s Gas Station on Sunday evening, It was coin- cidental that a neighbor of driv- er Gerry Hoyt, of Vernon, RD 5, Tunkhannock, happened to be driving by and saw Hoyt’s predicament and turned in the alarm. Between $50 and $75 worth of damage was done to the car, according to fire chief Calvin Strohl, the fire being confined to wiring and scorch- ing the hood. The fire was out by the time the company got there. Five men from this area are taking off on overseas jaunt Sept. 29 to Oct. 5, along with other Shrine members who can afford the time and the fare. It is a package deal for Senator Harold Flack, his son, Charles Flack, Clyde Birth, Monroe Houtz and Dick Disque, start- ing from Allentown by char- tered bus to Kennedy International Airport Sept. 29, backtracking to Allentown by chartered bus Oct. 5. Robert C. Getz, seaman, NSCG, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles T. Getz of RD 1, Dallas, is a crewmember of the Coast Guard Cutter Spencer, which maintained a presidential secu- rity patrol off the coast of Atlantic City, N.J. during the Democratic National Convention. Spencer normally is an ocean station vessel pro- viding weather information to the Weather Bureau and acting as a navigational checkpoint for trans-Atlantic aircraft and ships. Only Yesterday is compiled from the back-issue files of The Post. » 30 Years Ago Sept. 26, 1974 DR. JACOBS LEADS PA HEART ASSOCIATION Dr. Irvin Jacobs, Dallas, was installed as president of the Pennsylvania affiliate, duri the organizations 25th annua assembly in Harrisburg. Jacobs is a family practitioner on the staff of Wilkes-Barre General Hospital and has offices “at Sterling and Machell Avenués, Dallas. He is a past president of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Chapter and a former vice pres- ident of the affiliate. American Heart uri) Marine S. Sergeant Cody"S. Schlomer, son of Mrs, Gladys Schlomer of 103 Third Ave., Kingston, was awarded a Meritorious Mast while serving with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing at the Marine Corps Air Station, New River, N.C. A graduate of Kingston High School, S. Sgt. Schlomer entered the Marine Coms | in April 1966. The 12th annual antiques show and sale, sponsored by the Tunkhannock Auxiliary Tyler Memorial Hospital, been set for Oct. 1 and 2 at the Catholic Youth Center, Tunkhannock. Sixteen dealérs from a wide area of the north- eastern states will exhibit:a broad range of antiques. Collectors and admirers will have the opportunity to view and purchase such items as fur- niture, glassware, jewelry, dolls, coins, bottles, clocks and lamps. 20 Years Ago Sept. 26, 1984 ALDERSON WOMEN MEET AT GARNIGERS The fall candystriping pro- gram at Nesbitt Memorial Hospital will begin Monday, Oct. 1. All teenagers interested in volunteering their time and services should contact the hos- pital’s community relations department. For nearly 20 years, the Nes) Candystriping Program h See YESTERDAY, pg 5 4 TRY
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers