Question:

In 1948, What city issue involving popcorn did the members of the Wyoming Borough Council have to address by adopting an ordinance ?

1948 – 71 YEARS AGO

The Sunday Dispatch published an article that stated, “During the course of daily work, one usually runs into a stranger who requests information about Pittston. Like others, we found out we did not know too much about our native city and its surrounding neighbors. So, we delved into data concerning the Greater Pittston Area.” What they found out was that Pittston is 600 feet about sea level and covers 87 square miles. There were seven banks, four bridges and five bus stops. There were 52 churches and 152 clubs and organizations, 11 public high schools, two parochial high schools and two vocational training schools. There were eight railroads entering the city and seven theaters. The population, excluding Yatesville and Laflin, totaled 69,018.

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1969 – 50 YEARS AGO

Thomas Martin, chairman of the Wyoming Area Booster Club, decided to change a tradition of the Wyoming Area School District Homecoming celebration. Elections were held at the close of the 1968 school year and seniors elected Linda Troiani, West Pittston, as homecoming queen and her court Lisa Damelio, West Pittston; Pam Musto, Exeter; Linda Scatena, West Pittston; and Janet DelPriore, Exeter. The club, citing the difficulty of graduates to return from college for the affair, decided to change the title from Homecoming Queen to Miss. Wyoming Area, enabling the “emphasis to remain at the high school level.” A dance for students and graduates was scheduled to honor Troiani and her court. Music was provided by the Whazoos and boys were required to wear a coat and tie.

Pittston Mayor Robert Loftus received a letter with an unusual request from Roy Robert Plummer, of West Virginia. In the letter, Mr. Plummer stated, “ I am a man of good character, 44 years old, 5’9” and in good health. I have a good job and earn a good salary. I would like to meet a nice woman not over 45 years old, in good health and not so bad looking. A woman who will be a good true loving wife and helpful partner in my business.” He went on to request the mayor place the letter in the local newspapers and would consider “a younger woman, a widow or divorcee.” Asked what he thought about the letter, the mayor replied, “No comment.”

Citing that the law specifically recognizes the telephone company as the author of the telephone directory, all the pages of the new 1969 Bell Telephone directories were copyrighted for the first time. Alexander Choman Jr., Bell’s Pittston manager, stated, “We have a proprietary interest in the directory, and it is costly to produce. In the interest of our customers who are identified therein, we believe the fruits of this labor should be controlled.” The new directory had 97,769 white pages and 2,668 yellow and weighed 2 pounds 2 ounces. The Bell System, led by the Bell Telephone Company and later by AT&T, provided telephone services to much of the United States and Canada from 1877 to 1984. Considered a monopoly by the U.S. Justice Department, the company was broken up into smaller independents.

1979 – 40 YEARS AGO

Five young Duryea men — Dino Tomasetti, Frank Duksho, Joseph Buban, Joseph Boyko and Michael Stevens — were given high praise as summer workers under the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act. They cleaned the banks of Duryea’s 3-mile dike system, cleared debris away from all poles and fire hydrants, and clearing areas in the borough overtaking by vegetation. The group, supervised by Stanley Kepish, worked fast and efficiently and was lauded by borough officials who were planning to send a letter of commendation to the CETA headquarters. CETA was a United States federal law enacted by the Congress and signed into law by President Richard Nixon on Dec. 28, 1973. It provided training and jobs to workers in the public service. CETA was replaced by the Job Training Partnership Act in 1982.

1980 – 39 YEARS AGO

In its first season, local amateur soccer team Greater Pittston Red Devils placed third in post season playoffs. Sal D’Amico, having played the sport in France for many years, organized the team with his two brothers, Lou and Joe, also experienced players. Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, Pat Coleman, of Duryea, scored 37 goals in the season. Franco Aptiliasimov, a native of Bulgaria, and Peter Sartorio, a native of Tunisia, added their expertise scoring goals and working the defense. Pittston Area senior Roberto Bianco grew up in Chile and possessed a great deal of soccer ability. The rest of the team members contributing to the win in their first year of play were Bill Gilmartin on defense, Mike Caputo as goalie, Brian McDade, Bernie Dessoye, Paul Menichini, Guy Querci, Karen DeMark, Ned Trady, Gino Cadden and Guy Chiazza.

1984 – 35 YEARS AGO

Donna Azarovich, of Pittston, received the “first ever” title Of Miss Harveys Lake. An avid water skier and excellent student at Pittston Area, she took the title based on appearance, poise and a composition she wrote on the history of the lake. According to www.harveyslake.org, rom 1950 to 1964, the Harveys Lake Lions Club sponsored an annual “Lady of the Lake” beauty contest. The local contest was created to choose a possible entrant for a Lions International competition with contestants from 27 countries. In 1964, the final year of the Lions contest, Gloria Wright, of Pittston, took first runner-up. Gloria had also competed as Miss Northeastern Pennsylvania in the Miss Universe contest.

1985 – 34 YEARS AGO

The St. John’s Evangelist Women’s Guild planned a spaghetti dinner and bake sale. Mrs. Paul Melvin and Mrs. James Ruane were co-chairwomen of the dinner committee. Mrs. John Centrella and Mrs. Edward Hall co-chaired the bake sale. Other committee chairwomen were Mrs. Edward Burke, Mrs. Bert Ardoline, Mrs. Robert Linskey, Mrs. John Cosgrove, Mrs. Richard Rusnok and Mrs. John Loughney.

1990 – 29 YEARS AGO

Louis Biagotti, of Exeter, was the subject of a Spotlight article which appeared in the Sunday Dispatch on Sept. 2, 1990. At the age of 85, Mr. Biagotti was known as the oldest working barber in Greater Pittston and possibly the northeast region. Biagotti, who had been cutting hair since 1917, opened his shop at 1176 Wyoming Ave. in Exeter in 1930. When he started, haircuts were 50 cents but, as time went on, a price war erupted among local barbershops and the cost went down to 5 cents a cut with a free cup of coffee thrown in. Biagiotti and his wife, the former Marie Antoinette Ciotola, belonged to the Golden Age Club of St. Anthony’s Parish, had two children, Thomas Joseph and Theresa Ann Lewis, and five grandchildren.

Answer:

In 1948, The Wyoming Borough Council was used to handling problems and complaints such as taxes, sewers and police, but the one before them at a council meeting was dubbed the “popcorn problem.” A local business owner placed a popcorn machine on the sidewalk in front of his business. There hadn’t been a complaint from the public who loved the idea of getting a box of the buttery treat while shopping, but the council members pondered the liability, deeming it a hazard to pedestrians, especially at night. Borough Solicitor A.B. Carrozza was enlisted to research the problem. Council planned to place an ordinance on the books prohibiting the action.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

1807 — Aaron Burr is arrested in Mississippi for complicity in a plot to establish a Southern empire in Louisiana and Mexico.

1864 — Confederate forces under General John Bell Hood evacuate Atlanta in anticipation of the arrival of Union General William T. Sherman’s troops.

1882 — The first Labor Day is observed in New York City by the Carpenters and Joiners Union.

1894 — By an act of Congress, Labor Day is declared a national holiday.

1904 — Helen Keller graduates with honors from Radcliffe College.

1979 — U.S. spacecraft Pioneer 11 makes the first-ever flyby of Saturn.

1985 — The wreck of the Titanic is found by Dr. Robert Ballard and Jean Louis Michel in a joint U.S. and French expedition.

BORN ON THIS DAY

1923 — Rocky Marciano, world heavyweight boxing champion who retired undefeated

1939 — Lily Tomlin, multiple-award-winning actress, comedian, writer, producer (“Laugh-In,” “Nashville,” The Magic School Bus”)

1957 — Gloria Estefan, sincere, songwriter, actress; among top-selling 100 artists worldwide (“Words Get in the Way,” “Anything for You”)

1968 — Mohamed Atta, Egyptian terrorist; a ringleader of the 9/11 attacks who piloted American Airlines Flight 11 into the World Trade Center’s North Tower

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Peeking into

the Past

Judy Minsavage

Reach the Sunday Dispatch newsroom at 570-991-6405 or by email at sd@psdispatch.com.