|] Vol. 119 No. 13 THE BACK MOUNTAIN'S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1889 March 30 - April 5, 2008 The Pari AS Post. SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF THE DALLAS AND LAKE-LEHMAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS DAFFODIL DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK.FOR THE DALLAS POST Joe Lozo, proprietor of Humphrey's Apparel sells daffodils to Valerie Zelinsky at her store in Shavertown Wednesday morning. Humphrey's is just one of many businesses participating in the 35th anniversary of the Daffodil Days Campaign of Wyoming, presented by The Times Leader, and benefitting the American Cancer Society. Sales of the flower, which were selected for the event because it represents hope much the same as does the society, continue through today at area businesses and churches. CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK/FOR THE DALLAS POST Lake-Lehman Junior/Senior High School juniors and their parents look over college and career informa- tion on March 17 during a meeting about what the students should expect over the next year. Looking ahead to college By REBECCA BRIA rbria@timesleader.com Junior Informational Day at Lake-Lehman Junior/Se- nior High School has taken a new twist. This year, students were invited. Before, this year, the session was held just for parents in the evening. But after students approached their guidance counselors, saying they also would like more information, the school added an afternoon session for both parents and the entire junior class. Guidance counselor Susan Ryan spoke to the juniors and their parents about what to expect over the next year. The class of 2009 filtered in on the VEB sides of the auditorium. Casey Rob- bins, of Sweet Valley, found his mom, Ann Robbins, and gave her a kiss be- fore sitting down next to her. Approximately one dozen parents attended the event. Parent Holly Hennebaul, of Lake Township, came to the meeting to learn more about the career options available to her son, Nick. Nick is Holly's first child going to college. “He’s undecided because they change their minds so Rauch at this age,” Hennebaul said of her son. Hennebaul hoped to become acclimated with deadlines for paperwork and wanted to know more about the senior project her son will soon have to complete. Ryan talked to the audience about what juniors should do this summer, encouraging them to develop a resume, decide on whether to attend college, seek full-time employ- ment or go into the military and work on their senior pro- ject. pit on’t let them lag behind and come back in September and not know what they’re doing,” Ryan told parents. If a student wants to go to college, he or she should take both the SAT and ACT tests, attend college fairs, visit col- To see more photos go to www.mydal- laspost.com See COLLEGE, Page 9 SUBMITTED PHOTOS Children and their parents gather in May 2007 for the Back Mountain Police Association's Trout Derby at Frances Slocum State Park. The event was created so children can interact with law enforcement officers and see the police as their friends. Police association back in full swing By REBECCA BRIA rbria@timesleader.com After struggling to retain its existence, the Back Mountain Police Association, which turns 50 this December, is in full mo- tion. The organization now has about 30 active members and 30 life members (a life member has accumulated 20 years or more of membership). The associ- ation consists of 23 local law en- forcement departments from Harveys Lake to Kingston and is planning community activities to support local law enforce- ment and the public. The association held its first Trout Derby for children last May at Frances Slocum State Park so children can interact with law enforcement officers and see the police as their friends. Last year’s Back Mountain Police Association Trout Derby attracted 120 children, ages 6 to 12, and their parents. At the der- by, children fish for free with poles, bait and tackle boxes pro- vided by the organization. One thousand trout are stocked into a section of the lake and are con- tained to the area by a net, in- creasing the chances of children hooking fish. Lunch is provided, prizes are raffled off throughout the day and a prize is awarded for the biggest fish. dl Vehicles from various area police agencies were parked at the Back Mountain Police Association's Trout Derby last May. The organization now has about 60 members and officers and is planning community activities to support local law enforce- ment and the public. The Second Annual Trout Derby will be held on Saturday, May 3, at Frances Slocum. “Sometimes when I'm on pa- trol, I hear people say to a little child, ‘behave or I'm going to have that man arrest you,” said Ross Piazza, vice-president of the Back Mountain Police Asso- ciation and a deputy waterways conservation officer with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. “I think there needs to be awareness in the community that the police de- partments are there to help; they're a resource. And particu- larly with children, they need to understand they can go to a po- liceman and not be afraid.” See POLICE, Page 9 Second Annual Trout Derby for kids 6-12 Saturday, May 3 Frances Slocum State Park Cost: free. Pre-registration is required. Registration forms will soon be available at www.backmtpolice.org. Presentation on the Amish school shooting Friday, April 18,1 p.m. Best Western Genetti Hotel and Conference Center, Wilkes- Barre Registration forms for law enforcement only are available at www.backmtpolice.org. Cost: $15; free to BMPA mem- bers CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK/FOR THE DALLAS POST Catherine Nemec works to release debris that has piled up in a storm sewer under her driveway. She claims that Franklin Township should be responsible for its maintenance the town feels otherwise. Dispute over pipe in Franklin Township By REBECCA BRIA Ld rbria@timesleader.com Franklin Township resident Catherine Ne- mec says a pipe underneath her driveway at the corner of Coon and Sickler Roads is dam- aged and the township is to blame. Nemec, 68, alleges that when township of- ficials cleaned out the pipe after the flood in June 2006, their equipment became stuck in her pipe, causing it to break. She says work- ers also had to cut a 5 foot by 14 foot hole in her driveway to remove the equipment. But Vito J. DeLuca, township solicitor, says the pipe was already damaged when the township attempted to clean it out in an ef- fort to help Nemec. DeLuca says the pipe is privately owned by Nemec and the township was not required to unblock it. “She claimed the township put the pipe in, but township officials are aware of who put it in,” DeLuca said. DeLuca alleges the pipe was already bro- ken when the roadmaster, who did not know the pipe was broken, put equipment in to un- clog it. Nemec says township solicitors also did not want to patch the hole she alleges was made in her driveway, but it was fixed be- . cause Roadmaster Art Owens felt it should be. DeLuca was not familiar with that situa- tion. DeLuca wrote a letter to Nemec in May 2007, ordering her to repair the pipe to town- ship standards, as the pipe is in violation of the Franklin Township Driveway Ordinance. But Nemec feels the township should fix it. “It is on her property; it’s her responsibil ity,” DeLuca said. “This situation may have opened the eyes of the risk of assisting town- ship residents beyond our mandate of what we are required to do.” Although Nemec says the township has not contacted her since she received DeLu- ca’s letter, the pipe needs to be repaired be- cause it controls runoff. Flooding from heavy rain in recent weeks has caused water to pool on the road from the pipe. “It was bad,” Nemec said. “It came up over the sidewalk and over the road. It’s a danger to everyone, not just me.” DeLuca believes if the roadmaster saw flooding on the road due to the pipe he would have taken action against Nemec to have it repaired, explaining the roadmaster has the authority to independently cite persons in vi- olation of township ordinances. According to Nemec, Head Supervisor Mi- chael Prokopchak called her last spring and invited her to a supervisors meeting to dis- cuss the pipe. Nemec declined the offer be- cause she felt a decision would have been made before the meeting. Prokopchak did not remember whether or not he called Ne- mec, but says Nemec is welcome to attend a supervisors meeting. Nemec, who has various health issues, says the pipe is causing her unnecessary stress. She says she cannot afford to repair the pipe on her own. “Im going to April's meeting,” Nemec said. “If I were younger, I'd knock on doors. The township is growing and were not getting anything.” Prokopchak says the pipe issue will likely be on the agenda at the next Board of Super- visors meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 7. To see more photos go to www.mydallaspost- .com 20079 ¢'"M09815 4
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