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Upper Valley Eye Bank meeting May 5 in Duryea

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Winners in PSSA contest chosen at Solomon Plains

<p><strong>1955 &#8212; 61 Years Ago</strong></p><p><strong>Dr. Frank Tonrey</strong>, administered the first Salk polio vaccine in the Pittston elementary schools. <strong>Nancy Flanagan, R.N.; Alice Harrigan, R.N.; Ruth Harrison Davies, R.N.; Mary Harrigan, R.N.; </strong>and<strong> Mary Valenti, R.N.</strong> were on hand to assist with getting students ready for their inoculation. A total of 278 first and second graders were given the injections. After the first shots were administered to children in 1954, people were astonished at the initial success rate. But later that year some 200 new cases of the disease appeared. It was determined that a faulty batch of the vaccine was the cause. Production standards for the vaccine were improved and by August 1955, 4 million children had been inoculated leading to a yearly decrease in the number of cases of polio.</p><p>The Sunday Dispatch Inquiring Photographer asked these Pittston gentlemen, &#8220;If you were given the opportunity to vote for or against the state income tax, how would you vote?&#8221;<strong> George Miller</strong> answered, &#8220;I&#8217;d vote against it, there are too many taxes now.&#8221;<strong> Dan Borzell </strong>added, &#8220;I would vote against it, we should just give them our pay check and say here it is.&#8221; <strong>Hugh McGuire</strong> stated, &#8220;I&#8217;d probably vote in favor. I&#8217;d have to study it of course, but it would be better than the sales tax.&#8221; According to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, the &#8220;Pennsylvania personal income tax is levied at the rate of 3.07 percent against taxable income of resident and nonresident individuals, estates, trusts, partnerships, S corporations, business trusts and limited liability companies not federally taxed as corporations.&#8221;</p><p>The Globe Store in Pittston advertised Rayon jersey dresses for $3.99 and summer cotton dresses for $1.88.</p><p><strong>1965 &#8212; 51 Years Ago</strong></p><p>It wasn&#8217;t a description of the two men who burglarized the Galasso Store in Pittston nor the .32 calibre automatic weapon found on the men that confirmed that the police had the right instigators of the crime. It was the description of the money they stole. The two thieves heisted a safe containing 10,000 lire and two American $1 bills from the store. The dollar bills were very old and at least three times the size of the present bills. The owners of the bills went one step further by notifying the police the American bills had pin holes in the illustrations. When the police nabbed the two, they examined the bills and found the pin holes as described.</p><p>Hospital Corpsman Third Class <strong>Frank P. Scazafavo </strong>of Duryea was serving aboard the attack cargo ship USS Capricornus. The ship earned four battle stars for World War II service and was re-designated LKA-57 in January 1969.</p><p>The Irwin Freed Lodge, B&#8217;nai B&#8217;rith of Pittston observed its 25th anniversary. A celebration was planned for the Hyman Hall of Temple Agudas Achim.</p><p><strong>1975 &#8212; 41 Years Ago</strong></p><p>Pittston Area High School news as reported by <strong>Helen Ardo </strong>and <strong>Mike Voyak </strong>included these tidbits about fellow students. Track, swim team and cross country are things that keep<strong> Tom Joyce</strong> going all year round. Studying criminology and sociology is where you can find <strong>Tina Moss.</strong> Ice skating and being with Guy is what <strong>Patti Miller</strong> enjoys most of all. Tryouts for the majorette, cheerleader and drill team squads ended.</p><p>Wyoming Area High School news as reported by <strong>Debbie</strong> <strong>Kolojejchick, Anne Bahl </strong>and <strong>Karen Granteed </strong>included news of their classmates. Being a member of the Business Club and a homeroom representative are the extra-curricular activities of<strong> Darcy Beemiller.</strong> Being with Mark is the favorite pasttime of <strong>Patti Ruddy</strong>. Hanging around at the Bluebird, listening to tapes and albums are favorite pass-times of <strong>Nina Stuccio. James Mangino </strong>and <strong>Mary Greskiewicz </strong>won third and fourth place in the county-wide, German contest sponsored by King&#8217;s College.</p><p><strong>1985 &#8212; 31 Years Ago</strong></p><p>Six months into their first year of service to the community, the members of the North Region Paramedics Unit Medic 303 were extremely busy administering basic and advanced life support to local residents. Five years in the planning stages, the unit was established after local communities began realizing that on-the-scene emergency medical treatment enabled more patients to survive before and during transport to the hospital.</p><p>Unit paramedics were <strong>Andy Georgiades, Frank Wozniak, Greg Shanko, Mark Evans, Ron Dolman, Don Sartin, Jim Gromelski, Joann Gilroy, Carole Kareha, Dave Moore, Betsy Clark, Jim Connors, Mike Malinowski, Ken Reilly, Louise Wrubel, Jack Lasky, Bob Scatena, Debbie Klaproth,</strong> and <strong>Jack</strong> <strong>Devine.</strong> EMTs were <strong>Bill Jones, Sy Harenza, Angelo Falcone, John Buban, Bob McCool, Joe Hoban, Noel Peters, Ed Gromelski, Pat Van Buskirk, Nancy Darby, Marie Dowse, Steve Fish, Joe Velhoski, Jr., Tony Mancini, Bob Murdoch, Gary Halagarda, Jim Rooney, John Chiumento, John Marko, Joe Kelly, Dave Voyack, Maureen McDermott, Allan Capozucca.</strong> Drivers were<strong> Tom Brown, Jim Ruane, Pat Healey, Jim Lucy, Don MacRae, Joe Velhoski, Walter Elvidge, Keith Moss, Joe Rizzo, Steve Perry, Bill Morgan, Dave Brodbeck, Jude Fahley, Mike Gorham, Mark Rutkowski, Mike Markavage.</strong> In 2015, after 30 years, <a href="http://psdispatch.com/news/36216/end-of-an-era-after-nearly-30-years-serving-the-pittston-area-medic-303-signs-off" target="_blank">Medic 303 discontinued service</a> mainly due to the changing needs of existing ambulance services.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Contestants of the Little Miss Cherry Blossom Contest in 1975 were from left, first row, Liane Larue, Lisa Chaump, Marie Limongelli, Cathy Zenicki, Suzanne Mantione, Patricia Beck, Amanda Anzelmi, Sami Lynn Polit, Roslyn Ann Chiampi, Nora Reilly. Second row, Robin Foy, Corrie Lynn Menn, Nichole Menichello, Regina Falzone, Christine Soricelli, Kimberly Stark, Terri Moss, Michelle Eifert, Mary Beth Socash, Lisa Cordillo, Lori Ann Vaxmonsky and Gina Prokop. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_MISS-BLOSSOM-CONTEST-75.jpg</photo0><caption0>Contestants of the Little Miss Cherry Blossom Contest in 1975 were from left, first row, Liane Larue, Lisa Chaump, Marie Limongelli, Cathy Zenicki, Suzanne Mantione, Patricia Beck, Amanda Anzelmi, Sami Lynn Polit, Roslyn Ann Chiampi, Nora Reilly. Second row, Robin Foy, Corrie Lynn Menn, Nichole Menichello, Regina Falzone, Christine Soricelli, Kimberly Stark, Terri Moss, Michelle Eifert, Mary Beth Socash, Lisa Cordillo, Lori Ann Vaxmonsky and Gina Prokop. </caption0><photoCredit0>Sunday Dispatch File Photo </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_Miss-Judy-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption"></div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_Miss-Judy-2.jpg</photo1><caption1></caption1><photoCredit1>Sunday Dispatch File Photo </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>Peeking into the Past</p><p>Judy Minsavage</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Judy Minsavage at 570-991-6403 or on Twitter @JudithMinsavage</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Peeking into the Past: Paramedics Unit Medic 303 began saving lives in 1985