PAGE 6 EDITORIAL Sunday, December 6, 2009 Richard L. Connor PUBLISHER 829-7202 rconnor@timesleader.com The Dallas Post www.mydallaspost.com Community Newspaper Group THE TIMES LEADER 15 N. Main St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18711 ® 570-675-521 news@mydallaspost.com Christie Delicati ADVERTISING 970-7111 cdelicati@timesleader.com Dotty Martin EDITOR 970-7440 dmartin@mydallaspost.com Rep. Boback opposes delaying of mammograms Dear Editor: I was incensed by the release of new guidelines recommending later and fewer mammograms for American women. This is not health care reform, but health care regression. For almost 20 years, the Amer- ican Cancer Society has encour- aged women to get yearly mam- mograms starting at age 40, but now a government task force is telling health care providers and women that mammograms can be put off for a decade and per- formed less frequently, citing false positives and the anxiety that women feel from a question- able mammogram. Really, I fear it is a case of put- ting a price tag on human life. Ask any breast cancer survivor and I am certain she will tell you the anxiety she felt after receiv- ing a call from her doctor that her mammogram results required further testing was far more com- fortable than the prospect of not finding out about a breast tumor until it was too late. In my book, a false-positive test is better than overlooked cancer cells that could result in death. The jury is still out on the American College of Obstetri- cians and Gynecologists’ new cervical cancer screening guide- lines, but I will be vigilantly watching how these recommen- dations impact health insurance coverage for annual cervical can- cer tests. Health care reform will not be paid for at the price of women’s health. Scaling back health screenings is not the way to reduce health care costs. Preventive measures, including screening, go a long way in saving health care dollars in the long run. An initial invest- ment in more nutrition, exercise and weight loss education would go so much further than depriv- ing women of life-saving mam- mograms and other important tests. As my mother used to always say, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” That be- ing said, these guidelines are backward. If we are to truly reform our health care system, we must re- member that it is about saving human lives, not about saving money. This task force can cite all the statistics in the world, but I will never be convinced that cut- ting back on mammograms is worth the cost of even one human life. I am working on legislation to address these recommendations and I look forward to providing details about my early legislation in the near future. I also have a petition available on my Web site, RepBoback.com and in my offic- es, urging the federal govern- ment to continue coverage of an- nual mammograms for women as advised by the American Cancer Society. We all need to remember that these “statistics” are real women. They are our mothers, our sisters and our daughters. I urge the fed- eral government to look beyond the numbers and see the devas- tating impact a change in policy could have for our nation’s wom- en. Karen Boback State Representative 117th District MOMENTS IN TIME The History Channel ® On Dec. 10, 1901, the first Nobel Prizes are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden, on the fifth anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel, the Swedish inventor of dynamite and other high explosives. Although Nobel offered no reason for his creation of the prizes, it is believed he did so out of moral regret over the increasingly lethal uses of his inventions in war. ® On Dec. 12,1917, in Omaha, Neb., Father Edward J. Flanagan, a 31-year-old Irish priest, opens the doors to a home for troubled and neglected children. Today “Boys and Girls Town" includes a grade school, a high school and a career vocational center on a farm 10 miles west of Omaha. ® On Dec. 7,1925, future Tarzan actor Johnny Weissmuller sets the world record for the 150-yard freestyle swim. Already a gold medalist from the 1924 Olympics, Weissmuller competed again in 1928, taking five gold medals in all. In 1931, MGM cast Weissmuller to play the title role in “Tarzan the Ape Man." ® On Dec. 11,1946, in the aftermath of World War Il, the United Na- tions votes to establish the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), an organization to help provide relief and support to children living in countries devastated by the war. ® On Dec. 13,1950, an unknown actor named James Dean appears in a Pepsi commercial. Dean would later personify the angry, restless youth culture in the film “Rebel Without a Cause” (1955). He died in a car crash in 1955 at age 24. Ju SUBMITTED PHOTO Jill Spencer, of Meeker Road in Lehman Township, took this close-up shot on a fall ride at Grassy Ridge Orchard in Noxen. “YOUR SPACE" is reserved specifically for Dallas Post readers who have something they'd like to share with fellow readers. Submitted items may include photos or short stories and should be sent via e-mail at news@mydallaspost.com, by fax at 675-3650 or by mail to The Dallas Post, 15 N. Main St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711. Information must include the submitting person's name, address and a telephone number in the event we have questions. Readers wishing to have their photos returned should include a self-address/stamped envelope. Items will be published in the order in which they are reserved. The editor of The Dallas Post reserves the right to reject any items submitted for publication. 1989 — 20 YEARS AGO Boyer’s Broncos, from the Dal- las Middle School, recently be- came the sixth grade intramural soccer champions. The victors received a plaque recognizing their achievement. Team mem- bers are: Chester Pollick, David Rambus, Ja- my Kozak, Rick Shupp, Lynn Kil mn duff, David og & Frederick, Charles Snyder, Brian Ber- lew, Joseph Noon, Greg Cobleigh, Ryan Dauksis, Melanie Love, Karen Kaleta, Rebecca Hoover, Kristen Nackley, Heather Gryziec, Leah Vincelli, Connor Ennis, Shannon Newell, Kevin McDonald, Grif- fin Bicking, Edward Williams, Jennifer White, Natalie Gulich and Abbey Redmond. The Back Mountain Memorial Library Book Club had a sur- prise birthday party for Mrs. Flo- rence Crump at its November meeting. Mrs. Crump celebrated her 95th birthday on December 2. She was honored for her many years of dedicated service to the library, in the book store, the book booth at the library auction and as president of the Book Club for the past 10 years Attendees of the party includ- ed: Elin Northrup, Frances Lin- skill, Marilyn Rudolph, Nancy Kozemchak, Mrs. Bernard Banks, Sr., Grace Martin, Irene Davies, Peggy Love, Phyllis Riv- ers, Blanch Thompson, June McCloskey, Dorothy Sanders, Betty Bierly, Marion Young, Do- rothea Sweitzer, Orceil Davis, El- izabeth Stoehr, Martha Parker, Ruth Heintzelman, Bennie Matchett, Jo Bonham, Jane McMichael and Charlotte Oley. 1979 —- 30 YEARS AGO Eighteen Dallas High School students have been chosen for the 1980 edition of Who's Who Among American High School Students. They are: Sharon Reis- hus, Krystina Butler, Tara YESTERDAY Strauser, Brenda Beckerman, Michele Arcuri, Walter Weir, Thomas Sincavage, Scott Keller, Jeff Seizys, Michael Getz, Wen- dy Baird, Tammy Boudreaux, In- grid Fries, James Thomas, Su- san Watchulonis, Linda Akers, Marisa Bolinski and Michelle Thomas. The Webelos of Lehman Cub Pack 241 recently received their ribbons and two year pins. Webe- los include Chris Hampel, Joe Schwartz, Michael Bigus, Frank Riggins, Brian James, Chris Landmesser, Scott Schultz and Todd Krupa. The Gate of Heaven Girls Bas- ketball team opens their season on Monday when they travel to Avoca to play St. Mary’s. Mem- bers of the varsity team are: Patti Judge, Susan Ruthkowski, Lori Movicki, Janel Jorda, Jill Solin- ski, Margaret Purcell, Debbie Gardner, Kathy Dixon, Julie Na- pieralski, Ellen Joyce, Pam So- linski, Leah Slattery and Kath- leen Kelley. 1969 — 40 YEARS AGO The old Linear plant on Route 309 in Fernbrook is being scrubbed from the top of its high water tower down to its new five-inch thick concrete floor in preparation of printing oper- ations which will commence early in January, Valley Paper- back controller Robert fritz an- nounced recently. Dallas was chosen by the com- pany as its relocation site for three reasons, Mr. Fritz claims. The existence of adequate plant facilities was an important fea- ture, Mr. Fritz suggests, as they faced the prospect of a costly building program otherwise. Second, he says, Pennsylvania is much closer than is Arizona to the New York City-based pub- lishers for whom Valley Paper- back prints books. Finally the labor market in and around the Back Mountain area is considered by top company of- ficials as being “very good,” Mr. Fritz concludes. Junior Girl Scout Troop 624 of Dallas recently held their inves- titure and rededication at Dallas United Methodist Church. The girls who participated in the ser- vices were Jean Otto, Carrie Ar- nold, Melanie Williams, Ellen Stair, Joan Otto, Cynthia Duf- field, Rebecca Morton, Donna Katyl, Beth Stegner, Nancy Gra- bowski, Holly Garris, Gail Si- mon, Donna Bogart, Judy Lem- mond and Robin Templin. 1959 - 50 YEARS AGO Back Mountain Church Bas- ketball League will begin anoth- er season Saturday night with three games on tap. Managers and teams are: Stan Davies, Sha- vertown;; Red Brace, East Dal- las; Tom Richardson, Prince of Peace; Bill O'Connell, St. There- se’s, Clint Brobst, Huntsville; and George Searfoss, Harvey’s Lake. Mrs. Sheldon Evans, Shaver- town, entertained members of the Executive Board of Dallas Senior Woman's Club at their re- cent meeting. Mrs. James Hus- ton was assistant hostess. Pre- sent at the meeting were Mrs. Donald Clark, Mrs. Robert Ma- turi, Mrs. Jack Stanley, Mrs. Al Antanitis, Mrs. Edwin Roth and Mrs. Stefan Hellerspeak. At the Himmler Theater, Dal- las, Clark Gable and Canoll Bak- er were featured in “But Not For Me.” 1949 —- 60 YEARS AGO Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Meeker, of Beaumont, will be residing in their new built home on the Tunkhannock Highway at Beau- mont Sunday after next, weath- er permitting, according to Earl Johnson, contractor and builder, who is supervising erection of the two-story concrete block home and garage replacing the one burned to the ground two weeks ago. It is being constructed by Meeker’s neighbors who have of- fered their services gratuitously. Over 40 persons have answered the call of Johnson and Ellis Meeker, brother of Dan, when they discovered that the latter was trying to reconstruct a home on the site of a dilapidated build- ing that had stood rotting for years. Carverton Girl Scout Troo 109, Brownies and Troop 256, In- termediates held an Investiture and Fly Up ceremony recently at Carverton Methodist Church. Receiving their wings were Judy Richards, Phyllis Culver, Donna Perrego, Ruby Dixon, Marion Weiss, Marguerite Engle, Lois DeWolfe and Mary Ann An- drews. Other scouts invested were Sally Dawn Edwards, Shirley Wall, Ruth Ann Shales, Bonnie Sickler, Lois Ryman and Betty Ann Harris. 1939 —- 70 YEARS AGO Creditors of Michael Fieger, former Hillside business man and an ardent Nazi who fled se- cretly to Germany last June with his American-born wife and two children, have traced his where- abouts to a small town in Bava- ria, Germany. Fieger, an early admirer of Hit- ler, is understood to have been under observation by govern- ment agents before his sudden departure, not only because of his frequent correspondence with representatives of the Nazi government but because of cir- cumstances surrounding his en- trance into this country. An important Nazi leader is understood to have assured creditors that the German gov- ernment would co-operate in ot) manding that Fieger settle his accounts, but the opening of the war interrupted negotiations. A threatened epidemic of scar- let fever at the Dallas Township schools was checked effectively this week when health author- ities, swinging in to action after five cases had been reported in the township, took 600 cultures and placed 16 detected carriers under observation. Information for “Only Yester- day” is taken from past issues of The Dallas Post which is 120 vears old. The wmformation is printed here exactly as it ap- peared in the newspaper vears ago. “WHEN DO YOU THINK THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT “By December 20 - two inches.” Theodora McCoy Harveys Lake “Thursday, Dec. 3 - three inches.” Tom Duffy Lake Silkworth SNOW WILL FALL IN THE BACK MOUNTAIN?" ol “January 15 - that's about when it starts getting cold. Not more than eight inches, though.” Cecil Martin Noxen “I'm hoping December 16 = 57 inches. That's my husband's birth- day. You have to like snow to live here.” Laura Womer Roaring Brook “December 7 - that's Pearl Harbor Day and my son's birthday. About three inches.” Chuck Boytin Sweet Valley I “Christmas Eve - oh, jiminy, three inches.” Susan Kliamovich Sweet Valley
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers