Wozniak's Big 2nd Half Sparks Unbeaten King's To Title

Alice Pierson

Saturday, January 05, 2002 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A 





WILKES-BARRE &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Firefighter appeals &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; discharge from job &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A Plains Township firefighter has appealed his discharge, saying the
township erred in finding him permanently disabled. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Francis Corcoran was given an honorable discharge in April. Township
commissioners cited an inability to perform the regular duties of a
firefighter because of physical disability as the reason for the dismissal. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Corcoran has been plagued by back and spinal injuries since a floor
collapsed while he was fighting a fire in 1990. He has said he missed work for
extended stretches on at least two occasions during the past 10 years as a
result of the injuries. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 According to the appeal filed Friday in Luzerne County Court of Common
Pleas: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Corcoran was injured on May 4, 1990, and began receiving heart and lung
benefits. He was discharged in April 2001 and had a hearing before the Plains
Township Civil Service Commission in October. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Fire Department requested Corcoran's status be terminated because he
had become completely and permanently disabled. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In November, the Civil Service Commission honorably discharged Corcoran and
ceased his heart and lung benefits. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Corcoran later gave the commission a doctor's report indicating Corcoran's
injuries were temporary and he was expected to return to full employment. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In December, the commission issued a second decision, affirming the firing.
Corcoran said he was unaware his physical condition would be at issue. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He is seeking to have the commission's ruling reversed. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 KINGSTON &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Official not guilty &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 in parent incident &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Pittston Area School Board member Clem Lello was recently found not guilty
of harassing a parent after an August board meeting. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Lello could not be reached for comment on Friday. The verdict was delivered
by District Justice Paul Roberts Jr. of Kingston. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Parent Dorothea Best had accused Lello of becoming hostile and shouting at
her after the Aug. 28 school board meeting. According to the private criminal
complaint she filed, after the meeting, Lello drove up to Best and called her
profane name. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Best wrote that she reported the alleged incident to the School District
superintendent and School Board president. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

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