Vol.122 No. 43
THE BACK MOUNTAIN'S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1889
December 18 - 24, 2011
The
DALLAS POST.
WILKES-BARRE, PA.
www.mydallaspost.com
AN EDITION OF THE TIMES LEADER
Testimony wraps up on gas metering station issue
By SARAH HITE
shite@mydallaspost.com
After two hearings this week,
representatives from Williams
Field Services LLC and resi-
dents wrapped up testimony in
the company’s request to the
zoning hearing board to build a
natural gas metering station in
the township, though the re-
cord remains open.
Last week, the board ap-
proved a similar request by
Chief Gathering LLC after
nearly a year of hearings. The
Williams metering facility
would be approximately 500
feet away from the Chief site.
Zoning hearing board mem-
ber Bob Bayer recused himself
from the proceedings due to a
conflict of interest because his
“employer has dealings with
Williams,” he said.
Williams’ attorney Shawn
Gallagher said the Williams fa-
Residents and Williams have until
Dec. 28 to submit findings of fact
and conclusions of law based on
the testimony and will have until
Jan. 4 to respond to those docu-
ments.
cility is “much less intense”
than Chief’s approved site. The
company is requesting the ap-
proval of a metering building, a
flow control building, a pig re-
ceiver and a filter at the site,
which is located on 4.29 acres
with an access entryway off
Lower Demunds Road.
Its purpose is to measure the
flow and quantity of natural gas
flowing from wells in Susque-
hanna County via the compa-
ny’s Springville Gathering
Line.
David Bradford, project engi-
neer for Williams, said the site
will be approximately 2,682
feet from the Dallas School Dis-
Last week, the board approved a similar request by Chief Gather-
ing LLC after nearly a year of hearings. The Williams metering
facility would be approximately 500 feet away from the Chief
site.
trict campus, 1,140 feet from
the closest residence, 1,651 feet
from the closest residential de-
velopment and 2,249 feet from
the Evangelical Free Church on
Hildebrandt Road.
Several aspects have been re-
moved from the proposed site
since Williams submitted its
first application in March. A
mercaptan tank, odorant build-
ing, a 100-foot communications
tower, a communications build-
ing, a 10-foot flare and conden-
See GAS, Page 12
Will Ted
olackson
be back?
Dallas School Board votes,
8-1, to open head football
coaching position.
By SARAH HITE
shite@mydallaspost.com
Ted Jackson Sr. said his “emo-
tions are being pushed around” af-
ter the Dallas School Board decid-
ed Monday night toopen the long-
time high school football coach’s
position.
“Im upset, I'm angry, but I'm
not going to make any hasty deci-
sions,” he said
Wednesday of
his future plans
as a coach. He
did not say
whether he will
reapply for the
Dallas position
or coach else- Jackson
where.
The board’s decision came as a
shock to many, but some board
embers said the choice was in
@. best interest of students and
the community.
“Theboard spent alot oftime...
looking into the situation,” said
board president Catherine Wega.
“It was not something done onthe
spur of the moment, and I think
we all voted our conscience and
did what we thought was best for
the kids.”
The board decided to open the
position in an 8-1 vote, with board
member Bruce Goeringer the
lone opponent of the measure.
Jackson has held the position of
head football coach at Dallas for
27 years with just one losing sea-
son, but those years were not free
of scandal.
The football program has been
on probation for the past four
years by the District 2 Athletic
Committee, a local branch of the
PIAA.
The first two years were for a
fight during a game in 2008, and
the last two were tacked on after
an incident in which Dallas play-
ers urinated on the tennis courts
at halftime during a game against
Tunkhannock in 2009.
Wega said the issue at hand did
not concern any one specific inci-
dent but rather several occurrenc-
es over the course of the last few
Nears.
3 “It in no way is an easy deci-
sion,” said board member Karen
Kyle. “I'm very much aware of the
impact Ted Jackson has had on
the lives of his players after 27
See JACKSON, Page 12
HELLO, SANTA
098 I 200 mm, 2100E the competition
CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK/ FIOR THE DALLAS POST
Simon Vieczorek looks intently into the eyes of Santa Claus during his visit with the jolly old man at Gate of Heaven Cub Scout Pack 232's annual Christmas
party.
Businesses think outside box to survive in stale economy
Some local merchants are
re-tooling their businesses
to attract customers.
By SARAH HITE
shite@mydallaspost.com
In tough economic times,
small businesses are busting be-
yond boundaries in order to
compete with big chain stores
by expanding their original
business plan with a little cre-
ativity.
Lynn Banta, chairwoman of
the Back Mountain Economic
Development Council, said ex-
panding upon initial business
plans is necessary in today’s
economy.
“I think it’s vital. This is a
tough economy,” she said. “I've
started many businesses over
the years, and this is the tough-
est I've ever seen it. You have to
be willing to think outside the
box, and take it when it doesn’t
work and figure another way to
do it.”
She said small businesses of-
ten can’t survive on just a local
market, and they need to ex-
pand their businesses to stand
“You need to have a product
to distinguish yourself,” she
said.
With a little creativity and
some risk-taking, several busi-
nesses in the Back Mountain
are doing just that.
Taking on a
declining market
Cook’s Pharmacy in Shaver-
town hopes to compete in a
market that has declined in the
past few years — video rentals.
The pharmacy held a grand
opening on Dec. 2 of its new
video rental section that fea-
tures about 300 movies for cus-
tomers looking to see a friendly
face while browsing the latest
titles.
Meagan Simkulak, public re-
lations coordinator for Cook’s,
was having trouble finding a
popular movie one day, and she
and Frank Lombardo, owner
and pharmacist at Cook’s, got
to talking about the lack of
rental services in the region.
“The idea is that you can’t
find a place to rent videos any-
more,” said Lombardo. “There’s
something neat about going to
rent movies from a store. My
family and I used to love to go.”
Cook’s Pharmacy is alread
'€
more than just a neighborhood
drug store — the business sells
trinkets, gift wrap, books and
other retail products.
Lombardo, who learned
about running the retail busi-
ness from his father, said it’s
important to focus on the cus-
tomers’ experiences, not just
sales.
“I enjoy the creative side of
business,” he said. “We strive to
create an experience for our
customers.”
Selling more than products
Just a few miles away along
Memorial Highway, Wild Birds
Unlimited in Dallas touts edu-
cation as one of its business-
defining characteristics.
The nature store is a national
franchise that sells birdseed,
birdhouses and other goods for
backyard bird and wildlife
watchers.
When owners Craig and Ka-
ren Yarrish opened the store
eight years ago, they sought to
not only make those interested
in nature well-equipped, but
well-educated, too.
“The franchise does say to be
involved in the community, but
we went a little bit farther,”
said Craig Yarrish.
The local store offers be-
tween 50 and 75 free or low-
cost informational programs a
year, ranging from an in-house
presentation on gardening to
live animal demonstrations by
local environmentalists to bird
watching excursions at Frances
Slocum State Park.
Most programs are free and if
there is a cost involved, it usu-
ally just covers supplies. For ex-
ample, the store hosts many ac-
_ tivities for children throughout
CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK/ FOR THE DALLAS POST
Meagan Simkulak, marketing director at Cook's Pharmacy, sets
up the new movie rental addition at the store in Shavertown.
the year, including making pine
cone feeders.
“We really strive to have all
programs held for free,” said
Yarrish. “We may get charged
for it, but we want (people) to
feel free to come and not be
stopped by a fee.”
Yarrish said spreading the
word and finding a solid cus-
tomer base is difficult for small
businesses, but it can be done —
; See ECONOMY, Page 12 :
Sg