Citizens' Voice from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania • 4

3) "OH puDSHl Spoil 1 Tube Talk 1 1 State police hold drill, inspection at Chase prison A state police drill and inspection was conducted Wednesday at the State Correctional atDanas. Inspection of the troopers was conducted by State Police Commissioner CoL Paul J. Evanko. Participating were 100 troopers from Troop Wyoming: Troop MoatoursviHe and Troop Dun-more. An emergency preparedness drill of more than one troop is conducted annually and troop drill inspections are held quarterly.

Evanko said the purpose of the drills is to evaluate the response to emergencies and the emergency preparedness of the troopers. Prior to inspection of the troopers in ranks. Evanko pointed out that there is a correlation between appearance and a well-mannered and spit and polish trooper with a positive military bearing. The military discipline is second nature to 40 percent' of the troopers who have served in our nation's Armed Forces. Evanko said that any trooper who does not meet standards is brought to the attention of his troop commander.

The drill also enhanced the cooperation between the state police and Department of Corrections. The inspection also included the presentation of meritorious citations by Evanko to troopers Michael Simpler, Michael Allen and Jeffrey Barnes of Troop Montoursville; Trooper Christopher Wheeler and CpL Joseph Tripp of Troop Wyoming and troopers Stephen Yanchias and Jerome Yeninas of Troop Dun- State Police Commissioner Col. Paul Evanko inspects trooper's weapon in drill at Chase Making the move was ccfy a of terne before the it'2 at WYOU as ses er-al departments, wrirhng news, get read' to rekcate to Wiies-Barre. Eight persons have bees kit go at WYOU due to the combining staffs of WERE aad WYOU as a result of the? company's shared sokes agreement Still, genera manager John Dstrneier feels that KJtniw was accessary aad a kit less than it could have bees. The stared services agreement of WERE aad WYOU.

brought about by the sale of both companies last year, will take place at the beginning of June. WYOCs news staff will be moved into the WERE buildmg at that time. The terminations were the result of job redundancies aad kes-tics of two departments btscg housed under or bulking. accorLr.g to Dittmeier. Of these eight persons, only one person vas let go from the news department, the largest department at WYOU, and that position is not aa os-air one, Dittmeier said.

He refused to came those persons who have lost their jabs. Additionally, sports anchor and reporter Jasoa Ksapp, who ironically was Dominated for an Emmy this past year, was reduced to part-time status. The other positions terminated include two persons in the pro-motiai department, one part-time programmer staffer and a per-soa a the business office. The congany also ehm mated Nexstar ProcbctiKS, which produced ride tar outside businesses. Three persons lost their jobs in that department.

"That was a business decision to close that depart-ment" Dittmeier said. The outside revenue generated didn't justify continuing FS55 Etie Diameier called the terminations btti biro at WTCO be was pleased that the one news layoff C5 if 1-2 C(m3 means that the station is committed jjMr ffoffe to producing a top news product. He also noted that it was important to keep a viable staff piace since it appears likely that WYOU may expand its weekend errs in the near future. It also likehv that WERE may expand its news coverage as wel Although it seems like WYOU got the short end of the stick when it came to letting go of staffers, Dittmeier said that the department beads evabated all functions and staffers before a decision was made. He said that reviews and evaluations also included WERE staffers.

The needs each department were assessed as well as skiS level aad job performance. Wbea Nexstar Broadcasting purchased WERE last year from Northeaster Television Investors, one of the contingencies of the sale according to the Federal Communications Commission was to sell its statioa WYOU. Bastet Broadcasting purchased WYOU. A shared services proposal was accepted by the FCC in which WBRE would act as the news provider for WYOlTs newscasts. Those WYOU departments which will remain in Scranton will be admnastratM offices, Deluding that of Dittmeier, traffic, sales, the business office and programming.

WYOU wiH also utilize some of its space in that building for what Dittmeier calls aa expanded Scranton news bureau. WYOlTs news bureau located on Public Square will remain functional at least for the near future, the WYOU general manager said. The kcatioa is suH viable because several sales staffers use that office to get ads. It is possible, however, that it may close someday since the WERE building is literally just around the corner. The shared services agreement doesn't just mean sharing one central location for WBRE and WYOU staff members.

It also means sharing technology and equipment. He noted that technological changes in picture quality and digital technology mean a better picture for both WBRE and' WYOU as a result of a more than $3 million capital investment. 'Many of these tilings will not be immediately noticeable to the average viewer," Dittmeier said The station wul debut a new set for WY0Us news shows the first week of June. But other changes, such as graphics, will be gradual so as not to scare off" or jolt" already faithful WYOU viewers, he added. Dittmeier was also quick to point out that viewers don't have to worry about any major staff changes for now.

"Any anchors associated with WYOU will remain associated with WYOU," he said. Steve Pitoniak, John Maza, forester fire investigator; Phil Troiani, forest patrolman and Robert McJilton, special investigator for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The acknowledgments were for the solving of a series of arsons in Jessup. The drill also included a crowd control exercise. more.

John Plonski, executive deputy secretary, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources presented commendations to troopers Michael O'Day, James Gilgallon and William Morgan of Troop Dunmore. Plonski, a native of Mocanaqua, also presented acknowledgments to Jessup Borough Fire Chief Union effort underway at CiyiC in Scranton By Kevin Donlin dam' Voict Staff Writer Wyoming Valley Nurses Association as a major source of inspiration. Those nurses and their employer, the Wyoming Valley Health 'Care System, went to the brink of a strike before agreeing to a contract during one of several marathon bargaining sessions. I think what they (WVNA) did was an inspiration and it was almost a comfort that they were able to do it, the CMC nurse said. "It was great to see someone go through all they went through and come out with their union.

The nurses said the CMC group planned on meeting with some members of the WVNA in order to 'compare notes." The CMC nurses are represented by the Pennsylvania State tion Association's health care! divi- sion, the same union which represents the WVNA. Their top concerns are staffing issues and the nursepatient ratio. There are a lot of empty positions," the nurse said. "There are a lot of people having to work off shift to cover patients. They're looking at a lot of cost-cutting, which is limiting patient care and supplies.

They are encouraging us to encourage the physician to contain their costs. Sometimes I think that's it's almost dangerous," she added. 'Sometimes it's over the line." Asked for the hospital's take on the union movement, Schimmoeller said Community Medical Center has gained an outstanding reputation because of involvement and input from our nurses and it's our VVV. See CMC, page 45 Steeled by the successful unionization effort staged by area nurses, a union effort is underway at Community Medical Center in Scranton involving the hospital's registered nurses. Randy Schimmoeller, Community Medical Center's vice president of human resources, said the hospital and its registered nurses were currently involved in hearings with the National Labor Relations Board in Philadelphia.

The purpose of these hearing is to determine who is eligible to be included in the bargaining unit. One registered nurse, who asked i not to be ideWied, dokW ts the.