L Vol. 115 No. 50 The Back Mountain's Newspaper Since 1889 December 12 to December 18, 2004 | POST . SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF THE DALLAS & LAKE-LEHMAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS Trail garners key easements Section 2 of the trail, from Trucksville to Dallas, is now in planning stages. & Inside: Honor rolls for Dallas Middle School and Dallas High School Page 10 RNS BOT si By M.B. GILLIGAN Post Correspondent Organizers of the Back Mountain Trail have taken a giant step toward its completion with the acquisition of easements that will release a flood of funding. The new easements secure the right-of-way from Carverton Road in Trucksville to Lower Demunds Road in Dallas Township. j “We've been actively trying to complete section 3 two of the trail for five years,” said Judy Rimple, ] president of the nonprofit Anthracite Scenic Trails Association, parent to the Back Mountain Trail Association. “Now we can secure a grant from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) for preconstruction drawings. 1 As soon as we get the drawings, we'll have met all of the requirements to go to construction.” 4 At that point, the Back Mountain Trail will receive grant monies from the Transportation Enhancement Act (TEA 21) amounting to 1 $480,000. The association was also required to i match 20 percent of the grant, which it did during the past few years. “We used lots of little grants and See TRAIL, pg 3 Ly aR After 81 years, a | Sittin’ pretty with Santa new auto showroom Emily Crahall of Dallas shared her deepest secrets — or at least her hopes for ; 3 Christmas gifts -— with Santa when the jolly old elf made an appearance Dec. 4 L.L. Richardson dealership has changed hands, at College Misericordia. More photos on page 2. and the new owner plans for expansion. — 4 By RONALD BARTIZEK i Post Staff Brand-new Lake-Lehman gym has an addition | suis — so owes ps anon sss ES a showroom — the first built in the borough since District dedicates the facility ing the pride students and par- him. “I was truly awestruck, but the 1920s — will rise along Route 415 next year. to John Zaleskas. i honor of ents had in the school, the out- thrilled. It came as a total sur- The Tony Domiano Auto Dealerships, of Eynon, | dn standing marching band that won prise. I had no idea where it came purchased the former L.L. Richardson Dodge deal- 40 years service. countless honors and even his from.” ership on November 1. Tony Domiano Sr. said a ! nickname, Mad Dog. Others had no trouble explain- new showroom and service facility will be built on i BY JANINE UNGVARSKY “I never tolerated bullying, and ing why Zaleskas should be hon- | a lot next to Caddie LaBar’s that is now used to | because of that, they named me ored. store vehicles. bi Lp ee i LEHMAN TWP. — After a cer. Mad Dog. I wore that name like a “He was like a big brother here. . Chrysler Corporation is designing the building. i enol hich: th high Padge,” he said, noting even his 5- He took care of us all,” said Rich They are requiring a whole new facility,” Domiano 3 ; y at which the new hig : : ‘ e 1 « nino i A b h » { ror THE Posts. orn wiki school gymnasium was named in Yearold grandson Zach knows = Gorgone, who retired as athletic said. “Everything is going to be state-of-the-art. his honor. John Zaleskas remi. im by that name. director in June after 30 years as a The showroom has been on Lake Street since | Former Lake-Lehman administrator alsced ab am his days in the Lake- But he had trouble talking teacher and coach in the district. 1923, when James Besecker built a Ford garage. i John Zaleskas spoke after the high Lehnian School District, recount: about having a gym named after See GYM, pg 3 school gym was dedicated to him. See SHOWROOM, pg 2 DALLAS SCHOOL BOARD ¥ Inside The Post Usavage steps aside as president, Bigus elected unanimously By MARK GUYDISH For The Post Swimming meet pits coach against former pupil Matt Stretanski, Dallas coach, once swam on a team coached by Lake-Lehman mentor. By M.B. GILLIGAN Post Correspondent DALLAS TWP. — What goes around, comes around, even in the water. The Lake-Lehman High School swim- ‘DALLAS TWP. — The Dallas School Board unanimously replaced President David Usavage with Russell Bigus on Dec. 6. Usavage said he had told the board that he did not want a second year in the top seat. As president he oversaw some of the most hotly debated changes in the district, including High school winter revised policies that gave more power . to the board, a new business manger, spor ts season is now ainst Dallas, an event that pitted allas coach Matt Stretanski against his former mentor, Maureen Judge Devine. “She was my first or second coach,” Stretanski said. “I was on her swim team when I was 7, 8 and 9 years old.” Devine started teaching swimming les- sons at the Wilkes-Barre YMCA while in @: team had its inaugural meet Dec. 6 Be high school. Throughout college, she i i i gn se a tein iri Sh SAR at new accountants and the early depar- in full Swing. | the YMCA. “I just dug out all my old ture of Superintendent Gilbert Page 7 § workout books,” she said. “I don’t know Griffiths. 9 why I saved them all these years.” WN Jon Usavage stressed he had not set out ; Lake-Lehman started the swimming Ll ~ as president with any specific goals, 12 Pages, 1 Section 1 team for seventh through 12th graders 7 but he felt satisfied with district Calendar. so ax Bai 12 i this fall. The team uses the pool at 3 = Y Drogiess and hiad “enjoyed” hisstinton Church 1 i College Misericordia for practice. fr the job. He praised Bigus as “a very Erosswo rd tg HE 8 | “The nervousness is gone now. Most 2 5 intelligent individual.” aria a nape of'them had hictides what ‘4 meet was $ .; The board also elected Frank Natitus Editorials EEE ER 4 ] even like,” said Devine after the compe- & as vice president and Gary Mathers as Obituaries . ...... .. 5 | tition ended. “We. know we have out Re assistant board secretary. Board mem- SCHOOL: 5s sive elers Wis aid 10 | work cut out for us, but I saw a major Ir ber James Richardson was absent. The SPOrts: aa anal al 7-9 improvement in the three weeks since votes were unanimous, with nominees we started practicing.” repeatedly abstaining from voting for ¥ How To Reach Us The atmosphere was no surprise to themselves, even after Solicitor Ben News: 675-5211 Lehman assistant coach Dwayne Jones III pointed out they could legally thepost@leader.net Poepperling, who swam on teams at the do so. i @ “hh Center, Meyers High 4 wi «1 : The board also reappointed Usavage, oo y in le ’ : : ilkes-Barre hool and Sheppard College in West FOR THE POST/M.B. GILLIGAN Natitus and Mathers as representatives RE : jrgini : to the West Side Area Vocational Advertising: 829-7101 pe EL h handii his ad : Lake-Lehman swimming coach Maureen Devine and Dallas coach Matt Technical School Board and elected Subscriptions ink they are handling this adversi- gtretanski confer before Lehman's inaugural meet, Dec. 6 at the Dallas and Delivery: 829-5000 See SWIMMING, pg 3 pool See DALLAS, pg 2 |
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