The Post EDITORIAL Sunday, July 10, 2005 | OUR OPINION Lake fire should focus attention on safety e July 1 fire that destroyed a dock and more than a dozen boats at Harveys Lake certainly is an eye- opener for anyone concerned about safety on and around the water. About the best that can be said about the raging inferno is that only one person was injured, and not mortally. Beyond that, totaled boats, a burned-up dock and polluted water should cause everyone involved to think about ways to avert an even bigger tragedy. It seems that there is little or nothing to force boat owners, dock renters, the borough or anyone else to take responsibili- ty for improving safety. The Fish & Boat Commission regu- lates only on-water activity, and even at that its manpower is stretched razor-thin, to the point that safety inspections are performed on boats only when the operator is caught doing a dangerous or stupid enough maneuver to attract attention. On-board fire extinguishers are mandated, but are not large enough to stop a blaze like the one last week. No state agency requires that fire extinguishers or other equipment be installed around docks — that authority rests with the borough. But again, the question becomes who would see that the stuff is maintained in good order. Would it be the minimalist borough police force? The part-time zoning officer? While it might seem that either of them should be able to find time to check things out a couple of times a year — the boating season isn’t that long — no one seems to vol- unteering to do so. And, as Nick Arnone, who owns the dock that sustained the most damage says, how do you keep extin- guishers from being turned into toys for pranksters? There’s probably an answer to that question, but it may cost someone some money, and that’s another thing no one seems to be willing to make available. The devastation at the lake makes one think about other potential flashpoints. Do land-bound gas stations have suffi- cient resources to put out a fire at the pumps? What about businesses that use acetylene torches or other potentially dan- gerous equipment? For now, it looks like we're all on our own. That means cus- tomers and employees should not be shy about asking what safety precautions are in place to protect life and property, and must be willing to shop around until they get better answers. Sharp businesspersons will respond to those con- cerns by providing peace of mind in the form of security arrangements. In the long run, though, it seems that legal and regulatory sanctions, not just customer pressure, should be in place when public safety is at issue. MOMENTS IN TIME The History Channel e On July 14, 1811, Byron returns to England after touring Europe and the Near East for two years. His travels inspired “Childe Harold's Pilgrimage” (1812). The poem brought him almost instant acclaim in England, and Byron’s taste, manners and fashion became widely imitated. e On July 13, 1938, the first “television theater” opens, in Boston. The audience paid 25 cents admission to view a black-and- white broadcast on a 9-by-12-inch screen of singers, musicians and dancers performing in a studio above the auditorium. e On July 16, 1945, the United States conducts the first test of the atomic bomb at its research facility in Los Alamos, N.M. As he watched the mushroom cloud rise into the sky, Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer, director of the project, recited a passage from an ancient Hindu text: “Now I am become death, destroyer of worlds.” ® On July 17, 1955, Disneyland, Walt Disney’s metropolis of nos- talgia, fantasy, and futurism, opens in Anaheim, Calif., on 160 acres of former orange groves. Today, Disneyland hosts more than 14 million visitors a year. ® On July 15, 1965, the unmanned spacecraft Mariner 4 passes over Mars at an altitude of 6,000 feet and sends back to Earth the first close-up images of the red planet. The photos revealed a vast, barren wasteland of craters and rust-colored sand, dismissing 19th-century suspicions that an advanced civilization might exist on the planet. e On July 11, 1985, soft-drink giant Coca-Cola announces plans to return the beloved original version of Coca-Cola — now chris- tened “Classic Coke” — to the market. The original Coke had been dropped in favor of reformulated “New Coke,” which was a resounding flop with consumers. ¢ On July 12, 1990, the TV series “Northern Exposure” airs its first episode. The offbeat show, about a Manhattan doctor forced to work in a small Alaska town, consistently ranked in the Top 20 most-watched TV shows until it was canceled in 1995. (c) 2005 King Features Synd., Inc. Sometimes utilitarian is beautiful. Photo by Charlotte Bartizek. The Back Mountain Memorial Library, 96 Huntsville Road, Dallas, announces the addition of the following books to their collec- tion: EXPRESS WEEK) “Miracle,” by Danielle Steel; LOAN (1 “Rage,” by Jonathan Kellerman. FICTION “Marriage Most Scandalous,” by Johanna Lindsey; “Dance of Death,” by Douglas J. Preston; “Devil’s Corner,” by Lisa Scottoline; “Love is All Around,” by Lori Devoti; “Eleven on Top,” by Janet Evanovich; “Act of War,” by Dale Brown; “Pawley’s Island,” by Dorothea Benton; “Two of a Kind,” by Nora Roberts; “Miracle,” by Danielle Steel; “Rage,” by Jonathan Kellerman; “In the Shadow of the Law,” by Kermit Roosevelt. NONFICTION “The World is Flat,” by Thomas L. Friedman. MYSTERY “The Italian Secretary,” by Caleb Carr. LARGE PRINT FICTION “Marker,” by Robin Cook. BOOKS ON CD “Mother-Daughter Wisdom,” by Christiane Northrup; “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” by Douglas Adams; “Secret Life of Bees,” by Sue Monk Kidd. YOUNG ADULT “Maximum Ride: the angel New books at Back Mountain Library experiment,” by James Patterson; “Fake ID,” by Walter Sorrells; “47,” by Walter Mosley; “Down the Rabbit Hole,” by Peter Abrahams; “Hunter’s Moon,” by O.R. Melling; “Gingerbread,” by Rachel Cohn; “I Will Plant You a Lilac Tree: a memoir of a Schindler’s List Survivor,” by Laura Hillman; “Knocked O by My Nunga-Nungas,” Louise Rennison; “Away Laughing on a Fast Camel” by Louise Rennison. 70 Years Ago July 12, 1935 GOODLEIGH GUERNSEYS ARE TOPS IN AREA Letters are welcome Letters to the editor are welcome. Letters can be submitted several 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. Tie POST TIMESeLEADER Community Newspaper Group 15 N. MAIN ST., WILKES-BARRE PA 18711 «+ 570-675-5211 thepost@leader.net Ronald Bartizek Patrick McHugh EDITOR PUBLISHER Erika Calvert ADVERTISING Pat O'Donnell PREPRESS MANAGER The Guernsey herd of Goodleigh Farms, owned by Colonel Dorrance Reynolds, was the highest herd in the June ONLY records of YESTERDAY Lf 1. = Columbia- Luzerne Cow Testing Association. The Goodleigh cows had an average production of 870 pounds of milk, testing 4.75 percent of 41.2 pounds of butter per cow. The arrest of a Harveys Lake man, who fled when police dis- covered a valuable cache of stolen goods which implicated him in more than twenty rob- beries throughout this section during the last two years, is expected hourly. All week peo- ple whose homes have been robbed recently continued to inspect the goods and identify property stolen from their homes. Five automobile loads of home furnishing have been returned: to their owners by Chief Ira Stephenson, who made the discovery. Last Sunday the Dallas team gave evidence of its improved strength by defeating Trucksville Firemen, 6 to 3, at Espy Field. Abe Winter, pitching for Dallas, had twelve strike outs. 60 Years Ago July 13, 1945 LEHMAN TEENS BIKE 400 MILES While others fume and fret because gasoline rationing has curtailed their summer touring over Pennsylvania highways, two Lehman Township Freshmen have found that there is no rationing of fun or pleasure for the boy who owns a bicycle and is willing to take a chance on this season’s stormy weather. They are Alden Wagner Jr., 15, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alden Wagner of Huntsville, and his cousin, Charles Nuss Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Nuss of Lehman. The boys recently completed a 400-mile bicycle trip along the Susquehanna River. : Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Hauck of King street, Dallas, have received word that their sons, Jonathan and Jack have met each other in the South Pacific war area. Another brother, Arthur is in Germany where he was recently awarded the Purple Heart. OPA community ceiling prices for eggs have been announced by Dallas War Price and Rationing Board for the remainder of the month. Prices range from 42¢ to 59¢ depend- ing on size. To these prices two cents may be added for a one- dozen carton, and ene cent for a half-dozen carton. 50 Years Ago July 8, 1955 STRAY ROCKET STARTS FIRE An expended Fourth of July sky rocket caused a fire Monday night at 10:30 that might have reached serious proportions but for its timely discovery by Patsy Sanders, who was sleeping out- doors at her home on Pioneer Avenue. The rocket landed in pine needles beneath a tree on the property of Rev. William McClelland and had burned over a radius of about eight feet when Patsy smelled smoke and on investigation saw the flames. A windrow of hailstones two feet deep was discovered on the George Berlew place in Orange, thirty-six hours after cessation of the violent hailstorm which wiped out the crops of Orange farmers Tuesday afternoon. “See ‘Duke’ First” read an ad from the Howard Isaacs Chrysler-Plymouth dealership in Trucksville. A used ‘49 Buick - Super could be bought for $545. 40 Years Ago July 8, 1965 BIRDS DRIVE CHERRY FARMERS OUT OF BUSINESS Disgusted, a fruit-farmer from Mountain Road, Chase, abandoned his crop of cherries last week. They had been rav- aged by starlings. Benjamin Spencer called and reported the end of his efforts to the Dallas Post. It was, he noted, “a useless proposition.” Another mountain-dwelling farmer, Jennings B. Steele, is equally disgusted about the starlings. “They’ve put us out of the cherry business ... they come 300-400 in a bunch.” Sweet Valley people will be able to dial long distance calls directly, starting July 19, according to JN. Landis, District Manager of Commonwealth Telephone Company. Michael Kozick, owner of the Brothers Four Restaurant and Lounge, Main Street, Dallas, began duties as manag- er of Orchard Farm Restaurant, intersection of Routes 309 and 415, this week. Mr. Kozick plans to do the cooking himself for the time being, but the arrangement with himself as manager and Kenneth Rice as owner will continue. 30 Years Ago July 10, 1975 PINETREE ROAD NAME IS PROTESTED Mrs. Richard Hogoboom’s first meeting as chairman of the Jackson Township supervisors was a lively one. Her recom- mendation that Beline Road be renamed Pinetree Road was heartily protested by residents who wanted the name to be Malak Road. But the supervi- sors- still: voted for Pinetree Road. Also, Moss Road was - renamed Bulford Road. Debbie Barto out-hurled Lori English as the Reds remained on top in Division II play of they Back Mountain Girls Softb ) League. The Reds were led by the hitting of Lisa Allardyce, Debbie Barto, June Yankowski and Linda McEntee, with each getting two hits. Barbara Wallace led the Giants with a double. Libby Cyphers of Ransom Road shared her recipes for pickles and peppers. She uses fresh picks from the garden, said by neighbors to be among the most abundant in the Back Mountain, tended by her hus- band, Bob. 20 Years Ago July 10, 1985 WYCALLIS IS SWORN IN AS DALLAS SUPERINTENDENT Following nearly a year as assistant superintendent, Gerald Wycallis was sworn in superintendent of the 2 4 School District. Wyecallis, 40, his wife, Judith and their two children were honored by approximately 100 special guests with a buffet before the ceremony. Boy Scouts Carson D. Gramley III and Ted C. Nafus were honored in a ceremony held at Alderson United Methodist Church, conducted by Rev. William Kennard. Both boys are members of Harveys Lake Boy Scout Troop 331. “Formation” was playing at The Piedmont Inn, near the intersection of Routes 118 and 29 in Sweet Valley. The Castle Inn was offering “Night Owl Specials” for those seated between 8:30 and 10 p.m. Post drop box in Dallas The building that housed The Post until October has been sold, News items, photos and other correspondence can be deposi’ there at any time. Please do not place cash or checks in the boX and the drop off box there has been closed. A box at the Uni-Mart in Dallas, across from the Dallas Shopping Center, remains open. To assure that items reach us in time for publication, deposit items before 8 a.m. Wednesdays.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers