1957 – 62 YEARS AGO
An estimated 20,000 people witnessed the performances at the Pennsylvania State Police Field Meet at Bone Stadium. Bill Murtha, of Avoca, Joe Urban, of Duryea, and Lou Strubeck, of Hughestown, took part in the two-day event. Murtha, a member of the State Police, was featured in various horseback riding maneuvers, gymnastic and shooting specialties. The event also featured motorcycle stunts.
With the upcoming Centennial Celebration at hand, women of West Pittston were “boiling” over the choice of a Mt. Zion girl to reign over the festivities as Miss Centennial Belle — not that they had anything against the young woman. “The girl is a nice and fine girl and we would be proud to have her as the Centennial Queen, if she lived in West Pittston,” they lamented in a letter to the selection committee. “What will the outside world think? Here in West Pittston, the heart of Greater Pittston’s culture, there is not a girl fit to serve as Queen within the confines of this village, noted for the prettiest of girls in Greater Pittston?” An investigation by a Dispatch reporter found that the Mt. Zion girl, through no fault of her own, was chosen at a meeting of the Centennial Belles. A total of seven girls who were at the meeting were picked as likely candidates and each was given a number. All the Belles voted for their choice by number and the slips inscribed with their choice were picked by the officers. No count or tabulation was made. According to the group, the girl had once attended West Pittston High School which made her eligible.
A young husband and father of two was arrested and brought to the Pittston Township Police Department. He had been accused of molesting two young girls. Police officers were dispatched to the homes of the young girls in hopes of gaining confirmation identification. The fellow, who had just a few minutes before left the Township School Board meeting held in the building, claimed he was merely waiting on a corner for a pre-arranged arrival of a ride to his home when he spotted the girls walking toward him. The girls admitted to the police it was dark and, as they came around a corner, they had spotted the man standing on a curb. He turned and looked at them as they approached so they ran home and told their parents what they perceived was a threat which led to a call to the police department. The man was soon released. In the publication of the incident, a Dispatch reporter related a story about a rainy night he was walking hurriedly to the Laurel Line train station. In his hand he held a letter that needed to get on the 9 p.m. train for delivery to the offices of the Scrantonian for the next day’s publication. A woman was walking in front of him and, as he checked his watch, the reporter realized he was running a bit late. He increased his pace, so did the woman; then he started to run. The woman, in a panic, bolted up Market Street Hill, believing the reporter was chasing her. The reporter admitted the woman “must still believe he was in pursuit of her.” The reporter made it to the station in time but was sure he could have been arrested as well.
1968 – 51 YEARS AGO
It’s called the “Dream Game” and the first time Pittston Area and Wyoming Area football players would be on the same team. Thirteen players from the 1967 PA and WA football squads were set to appear in the Scranton Lions Club Annual Dream Game Classic. In 1968, the two schools played in the Big 11 Conference and joined Tech, West, Central and Dunmore to form the city team. Mike Martin, Eddie Booth, Richie Rava, Charlie Graziano, Sal Montagna, Mike Mecadon and Joe Martinelli represented Pittston Area and John Stanchak, John Sammon, Lou Berti, Pat Donahue and Charlie Piatt represented Wyoming Area.
Bernard Pepperling, Exeter Police Chief, was tired of hearing of persons charged with disorderly conduct becoming repeat offenders after paying a minimal fine. Pepperling proposed to borough council the maximum fine for such behavior be raised from $12.50 to $100. He also proposed the fine be publicized so everyone would be aware that causing any kind of disturbance in Exeter would be an “expensive venture.” According to the US Inflation Calculator, the $100 fine would equal $736 today.
1978 – 41 YEARS AGO
Wyoming Area cheerleaders Jeanette Smith, Donna Chintala, Robbi Balent, Sharon Manganiello, Sue Severnak, Sherry Howe, Maureen Gildea, Anita Ninassi, Debbie Jones, Margaret Bright, Barb Bolis and Diane Rooney were awarded first place at the USCA Cheerleading Camp in Reading. The team was named first for overall performance and received two second-place ribbons for individual events. The girls were scheduled to travel to Lansing, MI for further competition.
A major tragedy was averted by some very observant Pittston Township children. The muffler of a 1969 four door sedan containing a driver and four passengers fell off the car as it crossed over the D&H Railroad tracks on Norman Street in the Cork Lane Section. After the driver stopped the car on the tracks to retrieve the detached muffler, children playing nearby yelled, warning the driver of the oncoming train. The driver managed to get everyone out and stand clear of the car as the diesel locomotive struck and pushed it 240 feet down the track.
1984 – 35 YEARS AGO
The first Advanced Life Support emergency vehicle to go into service for the North Region Paramedic Unit was the product of many local people. The unique paint job was done by Tom Dziewit, owner of T.J. Auto, Pittston. Jerry Mirro, local sign painter, did the lettering; cabinets were built and furnished by Frank Costantino,proprietor of Franks’ Manufacturing, Pittston. Cabinets, which would contain specialized medical equipment, were designed by Sal Bernardi Jr., of Pittston Township and Jerry Loughney, of Pittston. Carpeting was furnished by John Baiera, of Color World in Pittston.
1988 – 31 YEARS AGO
President Reagan, presenting the prestigious Presidential Rank Award to Pittston native John M. Golden and several other top-level federal workers stated, “As public servants, you have maintained high standards of excellence and integrity befitting the trust your fellow citizens have placed in you. The agencies and departments you manage perform tasks that affect the lives of Americans in countless ways and your performance has helped to ensure those tasks are accomplished with fairness, sensitivity and efficiency. ” Golden, Director of Personnel and Civil Rights for the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C., was among several men and women who showed “exceptional competence and character and made enormous contributions in service to the country.” The DOC was originally created as the United States Department of Commerce and Labor on Feb. 14, 1903 to create jobs, promote economic growth, encourage sustainable development and improve standards of living for all Americans. It was renamed the Department of Commerce on March 4, 1913.
The Dupont Little League V.F.W. team manager Stan Knick, assistant manager Ed Vogue Jr. and coach Stan Knick Jr. were confident their players would do well in their matchup against Duryea in the Lions Tournament. They had good reason as team members Conrad Szumski, Paul DePrimo, David Williams, Richard Krappa, Mike Smithonic, Robert Sitara, Gary Vogue, Barney Vedesko, James Lacomis, Gerry Renfer, Ray Rosato, Joe Kuklewicz, Jeff Lacomis and Ed Vogue took the Dupont Little League championship in 1974.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
1914 — Germany invades Belgium causing Great Britain to declare war on Germany.
1952 — Helicopters from the U.S. Air Force Air Rescue Service land in Germany, completing the first transatlantic flight by helicopter in 51 hours and 55 minutes of flight time.
1964 — The bodies of civil rights workers Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman and James E. Chaney are discovered in an earthen Mississippi dam.
1964 — The U.S.S. Maddox and Turner Joy exchange fire with North Vietnamese patrol boats.
1971 — The U.S. launches the first satellite into lunar orbit from a manned spacecraft (Apollo 15).
1988 — The U.S. Senate votes to give each Japanese-American who was interned during WWII $20,000 compensation and an apology.
2007 — NASA launches the Phoenix spacecraft on a mission to Mars.
BORN ON THIS DAY
1901 — Louis Armstrong, legendary jazz trumpeter
1912 — Raoul Wallenberg, Swedish diplomat credited with saving nearly 100,000 Budapest Jews during World War II
1958 — Mary Decker Slaney, American athlete, winner of seven track and field records
1961 — Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States of America
