Question: In 1948, what mystery surrounded the sale of the Newrose Building at the corner of Main and Spring Streets in Pittston?
1948 – 68 years ago
It was determined by the State Department of Public Instruction, Veterans Administration and Greater Pittston Joint Vocational School Board there just wasn’t enough money to continue the athletics program at the Pittston Veterans Vocational School. The school would have to be changed to a secondary education level for the training of high school students in order for the athletics to be re-instated. Board members offered the sports equipment to other schools and organizations at a reduced price.
1950 – 66 years ago
PFC Edward J. Rinkavage, stationed with the U.S. Army in Pearl Harbor, hadn’t seen his brother, Sgt. Joseph Rinkavage, in more than a year. So he flew to Tokyo Japan, where Joseph had been stationed. Another brother, John, serving in the Air Force, was stationed in England.
1955 – 61 years ago
The Wilkes-Barre Barons Minor League Baseball team named Pittston native Ed Potsavage as team trainer for the upcoming season. Potsavage, known as a “minder of athletes,” began his training career with the Pittston AC football team and would stand in as trainer for other area amateur teams. Potsavage, also the Pittston assistant superintendent of streets, joined the Barons in 1936 and worked with big leaguers such as Gene Woodling, Bob Lemon, Jim Hegan and Allie Reynolds, He retired in 1947 due to illness. His re-emergence into the field was expected to produce great dividends for the ball players. Potsavage was also affectionately known as Doc Bumble.
Fifteen men were among the largest contingent of draftees to leave from Greater Pittston through the draft board. The draftees were expected to assemble at the board headquarters for transportation to training camps. Those inducted from Pittston were William Burke, Frank Sabella, Robert McDonnell, Benny Bartolotto, Anthony Martinelli, Thomas Studders, Charles Giordina, Don Zimmerman, Nathan Faux. Those inducted from Dupont were Edward Powell, Edward Warunek, Joseph Koss, Joseph Ozark and from Duryea, Edward Novatski and Stanley Modeski.
1964 – 52 years ago
Martin “Matty” Connors from Pittston Township was honored at a party at Klocko’s Inn in West Pittston. His retirement from Pennsylvania Power and Light Company provided good reason for a reunion of members of one of the best amateur baseball teams in the state. Connors, a sidearm pitcher, was an outstanding player in high school, college and industrial league which was as popular as the majors from 1924 to the late 30’s. Players on the PP&L championship team who attended were Walter Harned, Hank Pritchard, Peter Mordis, Pittston, Dave Parry, West Pittston; Packy Rogers, Swoyersville; Bill Gaughan, Pittston, John Hughes, West Pittston; Lou Brominski, Swoyersville; Bill Roche, West Pittston; Sam Stremus, Al Naugle, West Pittston; Paul Pascoe, Duryea; Bob Barrett, West Pittston Joe Shimoski, Dupont; John Byers, Harding; Harry Boote, West Pittston and Bill “Porky” Jones of West Pittston.
In honor of the late Biagio Dente, we are listing just a few of the many highlights of his illustrious career in Pittston. For the full story, read Jimmy Fisher’s article in today’s Dispatch.
1974 – 42 years ago
At a competition held at Luzerne County Community College, the Chef’s Association of Northeast Pennsylvania honored Chef Biagio Dente of Dente’s Catering with a grand prize for most outstanding display in the cake decorating division. Judges picked from a field of 30 contestants, and winners were to engage in continuing competition at the New York Coliseum and World Culinary Olympics in Frankfurt Germany.
1976 – 40 years ago
Biagio Dente was officially inducted into the Honor Society of the American Culinary Federation in 1976. Mr. Dente, along with his family, the Robert Luchetti family and Mrs. Helen Dente, traveled to Texas to receive a gold medal naming him Executive Chef. At the time, only 399 chefs held the distinction. During his trip, Chef Dente collected menus from 11 states. The American Culinary Federation, Inc. was founded in 1929 in New York City. According to the federation’s web site, in 1976 “they changed the culinary industry by elevating the position of the executive chef from service status to the professional category in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Dictionary of Official Titles.
1992 –24 years ago
Biagio Dente, C.E.C. President of the Professional Chefs Association of NEPA and owner of Dente’s Catering, proudly presented his son, Blaise Alan, the Junior Member of the Year award. Blaise Alan initiated a junior members group within the association, of which he was named president thus making it the first time in the history of the American Culinary Federation that a father and son were serving as president.
2013 – 3 years ago
To celebrate the Pittaton Tomato Festival 30th anniversary, Executive Chef Biagio Dente and son Chef Blaise Alan Dente baked a tomato batter cake expected to feed 800 people. The cake, shaped like a tomato and topped with a tomato flavored butter cream icing, took approximately40 pounds of flour to make.
Answer:
Ownership of The Newrose Building, known as the “one of the finest buildings in the city” was transferred to a group of unidentified persons represented by Attorney Harold Rosen of Wilkes-Barre. At the time of the sale, the new owners preferred not to be identified which left local residents speculating as to who may have purchased the building and what they intended to do with it. Residents breathed easier when plans to remodel the interior and add more office space were announced.
