Vol. 118 No.8 THE BACK MOUNTAIN'S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1889 March 4 - March 10, 2007 ® The Darras Post. | SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF THE DALLAS AND LAKE-LEHMAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS Jackson Township police officer Scott Davis is recovering from surgery to remove a brain tumor. Shown are his family, from left, Hunter, 10, Samantha, 13, wife Laura, and Caylin, 6. Staying strong In face of adversity Jackson Township officer Scott Davis is battling affects of brain tumor By EDWARD LEWIS elewis@timesleader.com DALLAS - For more than 13 years, Scott Davis helped pro- tect and serve the residents of Jackson Township and neigh- boring Back Mountain commu- nities. The 39-year-old married fa- ther of three had to put his po- lice officer career on hold in October when he underwent surgery to remove a brain tu- mor. Post-surgery complications left Davis vulnerable to muscle spasms and seizures. “You can’t comprehend what he’s going through,” his wife, Laura, said. “He just twists and turns. He's broken a few bones.” A fund has been set up to help offset mounting medical costs. Davis is currently in Wilkes-Barre General Hospital after spending three weeks at the Hershey Medical Center. “Scott can’t work,” Laura Da- vis said. “He’s been basically in between hospitals since the surgery, from one hospital to another. Longtime family friend Eno- la Whitaker says it’s difficult to see Davis and his family strug- gling with the situation. “My heart really goes out to Scott, Laura and the kids,” said Whitaker, a member of the Dal- las Ambulance Co., who worked in the organization with Davis’ mother, Maggie. “In addition to all of the med- ical things Scott is going through, they're worried about losing their house. This family really needs help from the com- munity. Scott learned he had a tumor on the brains pituitary gland after experiencing constant headaches last summer, Laura said. Dr. Brian Saracino found TIMES LEADER STAFF PHOTO/DON CAREY Donations to help defray the cost of medical expenses may be sent to: Scott Davis Benefit Fund c/o Citizens Bank ME. Market St. Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 the tumor after Scott went for a magnetic resonance imaging test. Scott is undergoing more tests, said his wife, to deter- mine the cause of the spasms and seizures. “It’s horrible to watch him go through it, it’s horrible,” Laura said. Scott is forced to take hor- mone medications for the rest of his life, his father, Jim Davis, said, because surgeons re- moved the pituitary gland. “Scott developed these spasms that are really turning into a problem,” Jim Davis said. “He’s been in and out of hospitals since the surgery. Sometimes he has two spasms, sometimes he has eight spasms a day.” Their father’s prolonged ill- ness and absence from home is taking its toll on the couple’s three children, Samantha, 13, Hunter, 10, and Caylin, 6. “It’s hard on our children,” Laura said. “They know Daddy can’t do things like he used to do with them. In between the spasms, he sleeps a lot.” To make matters worse, Sa- mantha recently broke her leg and is in a full leg cast. “They’re going through so much,” said Whitaker. Laura says her husband is looking forward to the day when he can return to duty. “The physicians and the (Jackson) township have been wonderful. He loves his job. He can’t wait to get back to work but it’s going to be a while.” Square dance helps Noxen School’s quest for new roof Fr By MATT HANNON For The Dallas Post pproximately 70 peo- ple recently spent a few hours prome- nading and dosado- ing around the con- verted dance floor of the old Nox- en School. And in the process, they helped save the local land- mark. Proceeds from the square dance will be used to rebuild the decaying building, which is in need of a new roof. Catherine Pauley, organizer of the event and president of the Noxen His- torical Community Association, feels the dance went off without a hitch. “Oh, it went so well especially with this weather we had,” said Pauley. “We even had some new faces this time around.” Pauley said approximately $200 was raised at the dance, which included a giant stuffed animal raffle from the dance’s live band - the Roger Furman Band — and the sale of a dedication plaque. “They have been so good to us,” said Pauley. “They've really helped us out a lot recently.” The Historical Association chose the dance because it want- ed to give the people of the com- munity something to do. Pauley said many people in the rural area are shut off (from outlying areas), and there isn’t much for them to do. The people who did go to the dance came with a passion for See SQUARE, Page 9 alsl pa Jerry Sands helps 19-month old Pyper Martin, Noxen, get into the swing of things at a benefit square dance for the old Noxen School. roof 2 PHOTOS FOR THE DALLAS POST/CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK Ray Lean Kisner and her husband John Springville join hands and circle during a square dance to benefit the former Noxen School. Friends, families and com- munity members had fun at the square dance. V Inside The Post 12 Pages, 1 Section CIVIC NEWS ..ciiiiincinnnniins 3 Church...........uil.sk 2&8 Obituaries .....ccoeeeveueenn. 5&9 School news................ 3&6 OS ie st cious 7 v How To Reach Us News: 829-7248 news@mydallaspost- com 15 N. Main St. Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18711 Advertising: 829-7101 Subscriptions and Delivery: 829-5000 BUSINESSP WwW oF ] ons Love of art By KAREN YARRISH For the Dallas Post drives Sensbach and interacting with my work every day and experiencing it in a very personal DALLAS - Wet clay spinning in a pair of hands magically transforms into a beauti- ful bowl. This is what Skip Sensbach, own- way.” er of Green Dog Pottery, does every day. dog on one of his legs. Passionate about art and, in particular, hand-crafted pottery, Sensbach shares his love by teaching and selling his work at his store at 68 Main Street. Sensbach’s focus has always been func- tional pottery, which includes bowls, jars, and mugs. “My functional pottery puts my art in a very intimate place in someone’s heart,” The logo and name Green Dog Pottery came from one of Sensbach’s original drawings. He also has a tattoo of the green Art has always excited Sensbach. As a child, he first drew the work of others, such as Disney characters, and was en- couraged by his parents to continue to pur- sue his talent. Later, he created original creations such as the green dog. With tal- ent and a love of art, Sensbach graduated from Kean University in New Jersey with a 'RSON PROFILE | Green Dog Pottery’s master he said. “People will be eating, drinking See ART, Page 8 , Pottery students Ethan Sensbach, rear, Morgan Gilhooley, seated at the wheel and Chelsea Martin, at the table, work on their respective projects. i 4
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers