L Vol. 116 No. 16 The Back Mountain's Newspaper Since 1889 April 17 to April 23, 2005 Young Dallas squad making noise on the court. 50¢ SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF THE DALLAS & LAKE-LEHMAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS Talk will focus on the region's churches By JENNIFER JUDGE YONKOSKI Post Correspondent According to the Attorney Stephen Killian, treasurer of the Luzerne County Historical Society, churches in the Back Mountain started out humbly as small gatherings in peo- ple’s homes. “The people of the different denom- inations wanted to maintain affilia- tion with the denomination, so they gathered with like-minded people,” College Misericordia is compiling an online database of local his- torical photos. Page 2. he explains. “Ministers would ‘ride the circuit,” moving to different hous- es. When the group outgrew the house, they found land and built a church.” Those buildings will be the subject when Killian speaks at the next meet- ing of the Back Mountain Historical Association, at College Misericordia on April 28 at 7 p.m. His talk, titled “Religion Comes to the Back Mountain: Churches of Our Area,” will include slides of pictures and postcards Killian has collected. “There are so many different denominations and it’s an integral part of the community,” Killian explains. “I thought it would be inter- esting for people to follow.” The pres- See CHURCHES, Page 2 This postcard shows the old Shavertown United Methodist Church (1903 building). It stood in the same spot as the new one, on land given to the church by local farmer Theron Ferguson. The postcard was sent to the con- gregation by the minister, W.S. Wilcox. Students of art Saddle Ridge gets closer to approval FOR THE POST/CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK ine arts students at Lake-Lehman Junior/Senior High School displayed their recent work in the high school lobby in the hours preceding a school troupe's performance of South Pacific. The exhibition was organized by art teacher Richard Derby. ; In photos, clockwise from top: Lake-Lehman senior Julianna Malcomb takes responsibility for this creature; Domanique Glatz, Dallas, takes time to smell tulips that brightened the setting; Aressa Grady, Sweet Valley, a sophomore, poses with a self-portait. Commission has issues with road grades. Another large plan is pulled back. By RONALD BARTIZEK Post Staff DALLAS TWP. — It has been two steps forward and one step back for the devel- oper of the proposed Saddle Ridge subdivision. John Halbing, who sits on the Planning Commission, said at the April 12 meeting that he expects to have answers within a few weeks to all the concerns about the 101-lot development. “We’re hoping to get a vote at the next meeting,” he said. He is concerned that further delay will cause him to miss this year’s building season, adding expense to the proj- ect. “Were behind where we want to be.” Another proposed large development, the 145-lot Goodleigh Manor, was pulled off the commission’s table so that its roads and drainage can be revised. “It seems at this point the supervisors either have or will be changing the road grades,” said Jim Comes of Landview Properties. “From the standpoint of the lots it makes sense to raise the grades up.” After 3 Comes 'lknow it's informally jhayitable.” presented his plan to Joan Schooley the super- Neighbor to visors last Saddle Ridge year, the board adopted a resolution reduc- ing the maximum allowable grade to 7 percent. But when Halbing protested earlier this year that the limitation was unreasonable and costly to meet, the supervisors pro- See APPROVAL, Page 3 Dallas teacher is one-of-a-kind Inside The Post 12 Pages, 1 Section Cleanups are Saturday Toby's Creek, Back Mountain Trail and Frances Slocum Park will welcome volunteers. By RONALD BARTIZEK Post Staff Last year’s cleanup of Toby's Creek provided plenty of reason to repeat the exer- cise, both as a cause for com- munity cooperation and a meaningful contributor to environmental quality. “We were really impressed and pleased with the turnout last year,” said Dallas Borough Manager Joe Moskovitz. Last April, about 50 people showed up behind the Commonwealth Telephone office on Lake Street, and in a few hours dragged out a dump truck load of tires, countless plas- tic bags and other assorted trash. This year’s target area is along the west side of Route 309, starting across from the Offset Paperback plant. “We are working our way up towards the Uni-Mart,” Moskovitz said. That’s where 11-year-old Robbie Lewis found a dollar bill last year, and his big sister, Megan, found an old 33-rpm record. Dr. Bruce Goeringer has volunteered the parking lot at his dental office as a stag- ing area. Just downstream, volunteers will notice a tree left from last year’s flooding that is caught up at the bridge over Orchard Street. Moskovitz said some federal funding will be used to pay for its removal. The event is being held in conjunction with the “Great Pennsylvania Cleanup,” a statewide anti-litter cam- See CLEANUPS, Page 3 Meeting leaves feelings of frustration Calendar ........c-v. 12 Kerry Landon is awarded national Chukchi. ...........". 1 honor for math teaching. Crossword ........... 8 A $5 million allocation for flood Editorials ............ 4 control is useless without feasible Staff report Obituaries ........... 5 . F SEHD) v0 | ba 10 projects. There are few, if any. Dallas Elementary School math SPORES... Wiis oe 7-5. .- teacher Kerry Landon has received the 2004 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Landon, 34, was presented with the award last week in Washington, D.C, where she shared the spotlight with other winning math and science educa- tors from throughout the country. Landon and the other educators See TEACHER, Page 2 re = oe How To Reach Us News: 675-5211 thepost@leader.net 15 N. Main St. Wilkes-Barre PA 18711 Advertising: 829-7101 Subscriptions and Delivery: 829-5000 By CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK Post Correspondent KINGSTON TWP. — Residents and officials were disappointed with what they heard at an April 12 meeting to review a study of flooding along Toby’s Creek and its tributaries. Gordon Warren Jr., an engineer with Gannett-Fleming, the Harrisburg con- sulting firm that conducted the study, could offer no viable solutions to flood- ing problems along the creeks. The year-long, state-funded study cost $141,000 and seemed only to make res- idents and officials from Dallas Township, Dallas Borough and Kingston Township angry and frustrat- ed: When public comment was solicited, Shavertown Fire Chief Gary Beisel said he thought the study was skewed and inaccurate, that the gauges used to col- lect samples were located in Luzerne, that data was old, and that the study didn’t reflect what the stream is like today. : Warren defended the methodology and noted that it contained all updated figures to account for changes. An unsatisified Beisel said he was tired of standing on Bob Nicely’s property, across from the fire station, and saying, “Well, here comes Toby's again.” Nicely had a shorter assessment of the meeting: “This is a waste of time.” Richard Adamshick, an owner of Pizza Perfect, lamented one of two actions found feasible, removing a his- toric stone-arch bridge behind the restaurant. “You mean you spent all See FLOODING, Page 2
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers