W-b Diamonds Shine In Debut Against Slamm

4 Players Hit Double Figures As Altoona Downs Hazleton

Sunday, January 11, 1998 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 





SAYSO &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The great comic search is over and the readers of The Times Leader have
once again surpassed my expectations. Congratulations on choosing the most
tasteless, pointless and unfunny of all the strips submitted over these past
months, as your choice, to grace the comic pagesEditor's note: There's no
accounting for taste. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I'm calling from Freeland and in response to (earlier comments) about seat
belts. In the past week, I don't know how many people have been thrown out of
cars in accidents because they don't wear seat belts, and I think making them
and enforcing the law is a great thing. The same thing with cleaning the roof
of your car from snow when it snows. Has he ever had a piece of frozen snow or
ice come off the roof of the car and shatter his windshield and almost blind a
person? He should take a look at these things before he makes statements. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I'd like to comment on one of your SAYSO paragraphs of Sunday. The person
who makes the comment on people in low-income housing having all "luxuries"
that I guess he can't afford. Well, I can't speak for everybody who lives here
in low-income housing, but I live here and I work. So excuse me if I can buy a
few things for myself and my family. I have basic cable, not all the luxury
channels, but then, unlike you, I can't go out to movies all the time and go
on vacations. And, oh, by the way, I don't own a car. I walk or take a bus to
work. So before you like to make a judgment on me and all the other people
here who work, why don't you get to know us and realize that we're only trying
to make ends me. And my rent is high enough, thank you very much. I do pay
rent, in case you're wondering, and I do pay taxes. So I'm supporting
everybody else in here, too, like you, and I don't mind it. I'm just a little
irate that people make judgments and just assume that all of us are on
welfare. Thank you very much. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I'm a Hanover Township football parent, my son was a senior this year. I
just want to congratulate all of the seniors that played for the Hanover
football team this year, because they never got congratulated or, even at
their last game, a thank you by their head coach, Chris Gegaris. And another
thing, he never pushed for none of his boys in "All Scholastic" but one that
only played two games. But Mr. Gegaris, if you read the paper today, you have
a lineman that made "All State" but didn't make "All Scholastic." Thank you,
and please print this. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I'd like to commend you on your SAYSO column, I love reading it every day.
But since I've moved here, I really didn't realize how many ignorant people
there was around here. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Editor's note: You mean they're not everywhere? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I'm calling in reference to the teacher who tried to compare people who
criticized the teachers and their salaries by complaining about rude cashiers
in grocery stores, hardware stores and furniture stores. For all the education
and all the degrees that these teachers brag they have that they should be
getting paid for, it's a shame that they don't get one in common sense or the
ability to just think straight. To this teacher, all I want to say is "use
your head," if you don't. You can go to any hardware store you want, any
grocery store, any furniture store. You don't have to go to that one
particular store, and you don't have to give them an "x" amount of money. You
have your choice. As a matter of fact, I'll make a deal with you. I promise I
will never complain about teachers salaries again, if they make all school
taxes voluntary. If you don't want to pay them, you don't have to, and you
only pay what you want to. How about it? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I read SAYSO faithfully every day, and it seems to me like every time
somebody has something in the SAYSO column about the blacks, the editor comes
up with some kind of smart remark. I was just wondering, is the editor the
head of the NAACP? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Editor's note: No. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Why don't you return calls to people that call regarding jobs that you're
offering, you know, carriers, etc.. Tell them the position was taken. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Editor's note: You're right, we should do this out of common courtesy. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Mayor McGroarty, I think you ought to activate the street cleaners, because
this red ash is so bad on the streets, and you can recycle it and reuse it in
the next snow storm. That way you'll be saving us a lot of money and you'll be
running the city like a business. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It's Sunday and I'm calling about Wil Toole about the cellular phone bill.
I do agree with him on one thing- that it's nonsense. I live in Wilkes-Barre
and I hope The Times Leader continues to look into these matters. I would hope
they also continue to give us Wilkes-Barre cellular phone, even though the
mayor announced they're going to do away with it. You know, it's time the
politicians started being servants instead of thumbing their noses at us
taxpayers. Like the three monkeys that sit at the courthouse, "see no evil,
hear no evil, do no evil," it's about time they started doing their jobs and
stop protecting the people that are raping the taxpayers. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 If we merged all the towns around here in Luzerne County, it would be like
Luzerne County. A bunch of political hack inbreds, running around with Jeeps
and cars, at taxpayers expense. Using cell phones, possibly some of them
selling drugs, crying for new voter machines when it was a drug problem.
There's no problem with the machines now. How would that all be different? It
would just operate like Luzerne County, wouldn't it? Explain to me Tom Bigler,
how all these towns merging would operate different than Luzerne County does? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 This is Jan. 4, 1998. Concerning today's paper, the "just curious" in the
SAYSO section. I live in a housing project, and I have a nice car, it's a '78
Ford. It happens to be a wagon. I pay $440 a month rent, and Verto isn't a
luxury, because they're off more then they're on. So this goes out to you
"just curious." Bye, have a nice New Year. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Editor's note: We received several similar calls on this issue. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 On the 911 system, it seems that Gene Klein now is making the statement
that it's his main concern, or his concern, that they're responsible to the
taxpayers of Luzerne County. It was never his concern to be responsible. It
was never the commissioners' concern to be responsible to the taxpayers of
Luzerne County. And of course, the other people that supplies and buying
things unneeded, the cell phones and so on, this was only done under the
activity of the people like Sharon Lemmons and The Times Leader going about
and bringing these things into question and making them responsible. Gene
Klein had nothing to do with it until his back was put against the wall. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 What does The Times Leader think the reason we put this Cross-Valley
Expressway in for? That was so the rich could get away from Wilkes-Barre, as
far as they could get. Between there and Mountaintop, just look around at
where all the money went. And you think they want to come back and merge with
Wilkes-Barre? Don't make me laugh, don't make me laugh. Why in the name of God
would they want to do that? They paid a lot of money for those lots out in the
country, and now they want to merge with Wilkes-Barre. They'd have to be out
of their mind. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I'm calling in regards to the Nanticoke paid firetruck drivers. First of
all, Lackawanna County calling out volunteers to fight a fire, might be a
small municipality, maybe with 30 volunteers, where the city of Nanticoke has
130 volunteers. Also, if they want to pay the extra taxes for the firemen, let
them pay it. We only need, as Plymouth, one man a shift, and Wilkes-Barre
Township with much more burn then Nanticoke has no paid firefighters. I think
they should do away with them all, and that's my opinion. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Editor's note: We received several similar calls on this issue. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I have a gigantic favor to ask of SAYSO and The Times Leader and that is
that you please, please, don't let this EMA thing get swept underneath the
carpet or give them the opportunity to sit down in their basement office and
conjure up bills and slips and reports to cover everything that they've done.
Times Leader, you do a great job of bringing it out there, and I only hope you
keep it out there and don't give them the opportunity to hide it. I ask for
help not only on my part, but I think on the part of everybody out here, every
man, woman and child, and I hope that you can accommodate them. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I'm calling back about the article in the paper in Jan. 4 SAYSO about the
snow plow in South Wilkes-Barre. I think they forgot Parsons, too. The money
they save on cellular phones should be spent for snow plowing. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 With all the ball games on the last few weeks, the football games- we have
the Rose Bowl, the Fiesta Bowl, the Orange Bowl- and it's all the top teams
that are playing. Why don't they just take already the two worst teams and
call it the "Toilet Bowl." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I was wondering if you people could expose the truth about Martin Luther
King Jr.? I have information that says he's not as great as everybody thinks
he is. Please expose the truth about him. Please investigate it. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It seems in this day and age, a lot of people are complacent in the fact
that they have modern machinery and computers to virtually do the work for
them while they just sit down and watch. It isn't a new phenomenon, however.
Years ago, when I was younger, I also had something that did all the work
while I sat and watched. It was called a mother. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It's about time that Dr. Scher and his wife are going to be punished for
the death of her (first) husband. I do hope that judge gives her one sentence
that she'll remember. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I'm calling to say that I agree about the complaint concerning a Kingston
police officer using an ATV to plow snow from his property to a neighbor's
property. The officer must have gotten his training in Courtdale. We have a
few police officers who use their ATVs on the borough roads and posted
"Private Property." Also a cemetery belonging to a Luzerne church is a regular
playground for ATV riders in the borough. These screwballs run right over the
people's graves. Wow~! There's more, just give me a number to call and I'll
explain in detail with problems in the borough of Courtdale. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Editor's note: If you'd like to speak to a reporter, call 829-7242. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I'm calling about a Jan. 4th SAYSO article. The person complained about
persons saying "excuse me or pardon me" at the wrong time. According to the
dictionary excuse can mean "pardon and pardon can mean to excuse." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Now I've heard it all. With everything that's going on in the world, in the
nation, in the valley, we have to hear about attorney Harris and his wife
Andrea's dog. I don't think so. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Editor's note: Our readers either loved or hated this story. We thought it
was an unusual "slice of life" story. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I'm calling about the sea of cigarette butts out in front of the Blue Cross
building that I had to wade through this morning when I went into the
building. I think that maybe Blue Cross can take some of our premium that we
pay and get out there and use them to clean up that ugly mess out there. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Recently your outdoor columnist George Smith stated his wholehearted
support for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's proposal to open the
bass season all year long in Pennsylvania. He enthusiastically stated how
wonderful it would be for fishermen to be able to fish for bass and hold
tournaments all year long, and no doubt supporters of tournaments would agree.
However, little was mentioned about the impact of these activities. It doesn't
take a nuclear physicist to know that catching, hooking and playing a fish
puts a great physical strain on them. Additionally, should the hook be deeply
embedded, the chances for its survival are slim. Even though catch-and-release
methods are recommended, there is no guarantee that the fish will live.
Recently, a national outdoor magazine ran an extensive article about the
damage done to fish through the use of treble hooks, usually the hooks of
choice for bass fishermen, on lures. These types of hooks do great damage and
substantially lower the survival rate of fish that are taken on these lures
and released. At present, the Pennsylvania Fish code prohibits the targeting
of fish that are not in season, which is usually during the spawning season.
Now, under the new proposal, bass could be targeted year round, not only
dragging them off their spawning beds, which would be left to predation by
panfish, but would drastically cut the odds for their survival. The theme of
the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is "The Resource First." This
proposal certainly doesn't support that endeavor. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I just finished reading Steve Corbett's column today, and I'm very upset. I
can't believe that The Times Leader allows this man to write the columns that
he does about our town. I've lived in this area for 44 years, and I'm very
proud of living in the city of Wilkes-Barre, and I'm proud of our heritage and
I'm proud of what we do, and I don't think you should allow him to make fun of
our area the way that he does. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Today is Jan. 6, 1998, it's a great day for the taxpayers of Plains
Township, because we finally got rid of Pizzella. I hope to God that the
people of Plains never think of electing this man back to any type of office.
Have a great day, Plains. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sayso 
The Great Comic Search Is Over And The Readers Of The Times Leader Have Once 
Again Surpassed My Expectations. Congratulations On Choosing The Most 
Tasteless, Pointless And Unfunny Of All The Strips Submitted Over These Past 
Months, As Your Choice, To Grace The Comic Pages.

Sayso The Great Comic Search Is Over And The Readers Of The Times Leader Have Once Again Surpassed My Expectations. Congratulations On Choosing The Most Tasteless, Pointless And Unfunny Of All The Strips Submitted Over These Past Months, As Your Choice, To Grace The Comic Pages.