Citizens' Voice from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania • 44

ti 'in i i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 IIIIU A mi" i it i tat si 5s ffaiirlly cinniBiniini By Eric Brazil San Francisco Examiner "Whoever did it needed a panel truck and power tools to take it down.9 Laurie Lazer Cultural Center director how the mural was stolen remains unclear. Laurie Lazer, co-director of 509 Cultural CenterLuggage Store Gallery, said she was in a library in New Mexico in August when "I started getting e-mails that said, 'Barry's mural is One piece was taken, and then another, and then it was gone." The thieves have a long head start. The mural's neighbors didn't report the gradual theft because they evidently thought that "we decided to take it down because one panel was stolen (in June)," Lazer said. "Whoever did it needed a panel truck and power tools to take it down," although some of the panels were "just ripped off." Darryl Smith, Lazer's co-director, who was also vacationing while the theft was under way, said, "We were hoping we could get it resolved when we got back." But when they returned to San Francisco, it had vanished. "I'm really upset, because the mural was for the neighborhood, $26,512 grant from the Creative Work Fund in San Francisco and the 509 Cultural Center Luggage Store Gallery, an arts organization.

It was mounted in May 1998, four years after being commissioned. Those who know McGee's art believe the mural can be sold off piecemeal for far more than its original cost. McGee sketches sell for $500 apiece at rave clubs, and San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art recently purchased several of his paintings. Exactly when and SAN FRANCISCO -For sheer heft and volume, the great mural theft is a candidate for the Guinness Book of Records. The 64-foot-long, 8-foot-high mural, bolted to the front of a vacant commercial building, has been stolen all 300 pieces by thieves who evidently used power tools and a crowbar to dismantle and cart it away.

The theft, reported to police in mid-Septem- 4 5 a l. CD V) a -'o 0) Ni and it involved the neighborhood. It was a very beautiful mural and a gift to the neighborhood, that's how we looked at it," Lazer said. The delay in reporting the theft to the police occurred because "I just got overwhelmed." Lazer said McGee told her he had received a telephone call from a person who claimed to have stolen the mural. McGee, 34, a San Francisco native, was not available for comment.

McGee's. murals adorn several construction panels. He has had formal exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art, Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, the Drawing Center in New York and the San Jose Museum of Art. recovered. So far, police investigators appear stumped.

The mural, mounted on four 16-foot-long plywood panels, consisted of large portraits and collages of figures painted and enameled on the backs of old tin printing press trays. It was financed by a ber, a month after its discovery, was kept under wraps until Friday by the organizations that financed and promoted the work as public art. Not one piece of the untitled mural by Barry McGee, one of San Francisco's hottest young artists, has been Vet, 104, recalls the 'Qreat War' and still says Armistice Dayf LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Letters Testamentary have been granted in the Estate of Paul Ban-it, late of Wilkes-Barre City, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, who died on October 10, 1999. All persons indebted to said Estate are requested to make payment and all those with claims or demands are to present the same to the Executors, Andrea S. Davis and Robert Davis, in care of their attorney, MICHAEL D.

BART, ESQUIRE 65 North Washington Street Wilkes-Barre, PA 18703-0191 (570)822-6147 He's one of 40 World War I veterans living in Colorado By Ann Carnahan Rocky Mountain News A SPRINGS, Colo. -Arthur French is still sharp. At age 104, he vividly remembers serving in World War I and the lucky day he avoided the front lines. French is one of about 40 World War I vets living in Colorado, said Rosemary Coffin of the Veterans Administration. More than 2 million Americans served in that war, but most died decades ago.

The remaining World War I vets in Colorado are dying at the rate of one a month, Coffin says. "Within three years, they'll all be gone," she adds. French lives alone in a tidy Colorado Springs apartment with a spectacular view of Pikes Peak. He still polishes his black leather shoes, plays cribbage, cooks and takes exercise classes three times a week. Although he uses a cane, a hearing aid and glasses, he is in otherwise good health and effortlessly tells his war story, It begins 83 years ago in 1916, when he voted in his first presidential election.

Woodrow Wilson was his man. "He was supposed, to keep us out pf World War French says with a wry smile. Two years later, French was drafted. It was April 1, 1918, one of many dates emblazoned in his moon train trip to Massachusetts where French had a teaching job waiting for him at an agricuk" tural college. French still has the stubs from their train trip.

The youngest of four children, French was born in 1895 in Cleveland to a blue-collar family. Years later, French earned a doctorate. He worked for 40 years at the agricultural college. He and Edith had two daughters, both now in their In 1961, French retired and Edith and he set out in a trailer to see America. They moved to Colorado Springs on Aug.

1 1971 another date French remembers because they liked the weather. They lived in the same apartment French still calls home. One night in 1985, Edith suffered a stroke, She died within a year at the age of 90. He still wears his wedding ring. French attributes his memory, He rattles it off like it was his birthday or anniversary.

Then French blurts out another date. May 13, 1918 one of the best days of his life. French's sergeant was looking for college-educated soldiers to transfer to the medical unit. He asked French if he was interested. French says he was "satisfied" with the move and, besides, "you never said no to an Army officer." At the time, French didn't realize the transfer would keep him away from the front lines.

He often heard the gunfire, but never got close to danger. There's no bravado when he talks about it. He knows he dodged a bullet and he's grateful. He spent the winter of 1918 at an infirmary, caring for sol diers with deadly, contagious influenza. He gave them their medication, talked to them and tried to comfort them.

French kept up his spirits by reading letters from his girlfriend, Edith, who was in college back in Ohio. That Christmas, she sent him a package of items she had knitted: a pair of gloves, a hat, sweater, socks and scarf. "She was a very tight knitter," French recalls. "The only part I could get on was the scarf around my neck." French still remembers first hearing the buzz around the medical unit on Nov. 11, 1918.

The war had ended. He remembers softly saying "Thank you." But it would be three more months before French could go home. He went back to college in Ohio, and in 1921 he graduated with a degree in horticulture. A month later, he married Edith, and they took a honey own longevity to good genes. His mother was 97 when she died.

Another factor may be that French has no bad habits. He quit smoking a pipe in 1973, about 55 years after he started in World War I. He rarely drinks. Now he passes time reading newspaper headlines with a magnifying glass, watching the news and baseball on TV and listening to audio books. He grows a row of flourishing plants, including a night-blooming cactus He keeps a detailed diary of the cactus, which he says has bloomed 105 times.

In June, he received the Legion of Honor medal the highest honor given by France for his role in World War I. Although he rarely thinks about the war, French said he does reflect on it every Nov, 11. "But it will always be Armistice Day to me," he says, "not Veterans NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Letters of Administration have been issued in the Estate of Ruth H. Mc-Cormick, late of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, who died on June 7, 1 999. All those having claims or who are indebted to said estate are to make the same known to the Executrix, Maureen Mogda, co Meyer and Swatkoski Associates, 405 Third Avenue, Kingston, PA 18704.

MEYER AND SWATKOSKI ASSOCIATES 405 Third Avenue Kingston, PA 18704 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Letters Testamentary have been granted in the Estate of Leonard Domanosky, late of Forty Fort Borough, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, who died on October 28, 1 999. All persons indebted to said estate are requested to make payment and those having claims or demands to present the same without delay to Carl Domanosky, Executor, in care of his attorney: JOHN J. TERRANA, Esq. 400 Third Avenue, Suite 218 Kingston, PA 18704 This could be the mother of all grilled cheese sandwiches with her husband, came to Everglades City to check out her favorite food. After a few bites of the giant cheese sand wich, she said it tasted: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Letters of Administration CTA were granted in the Estate of Albert P.

Blannett, late of Ashley, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, who died September 20, 1 999. All persons indebted to said estate are required to make payment and those having any claims or demands are to present the same without delay unto the Co-Administrators Albert P. Blannett, Jr. and William P. Blannett, in care of the undersigned.

RONALD J. 117 Steele Street Hanover Township Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18702 The Wilkes-Barre Area School District is soliciting sealed proposals for Custodial Paper Supplies, until 3:00 P.M., Wednesday, November 17, 1999. All proposals shall be addressed to Ralph G. Scoda, Secretary, 730 South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711-0375, the envelope containing the bids to be marked "PROPO--SAL" Specifications shall be secured from the office of the Purchasing Agents.

The Board of School Directors reserves the right to reject any and all bids. By Order of the Board, Ralph G. Scoda Secretory even better than the grilled cheese she cooks grilled cheese sandwich was no easy task cooking it involved using more than 1,000 pounds of steel, two fork-lifts and the blow torch. Rod Clarke, a consultant for Vermont's Cabot Creamery, which donated 100 pounds of mostly cheddar, dreamed up the idea of making the massive sandwich. He thought Everglades City would play the perfect host being a small town that grabbing for the pieces of the cheesy creation.

It may be a few weeks before any record at the Everglades Cheese and (Florida) Cracker Festival is confirmed, but chefs aiming for the Guinness Book of World Records used a blow torch Saturday to build a 350-pound grilled cheese sandwich that measured 54 inches wide and 98 inches long. Making what may be the world's largest By Elissa Osebold Naples (Fla.) Daily News EVERGLADES CITY Fla. "Please remain calm," announced Everglades City Attorney Chris Lombardo on Saturday. "There is enough cheese for everyone." Despite his pleadings, the lunchtime crowd swarmed in on the grilled cheese sandwich like vultures, stepping on toes and bumping shoulders, reminds him of rural Vermont, where he used to live not far from the Cabot Creamery. The giant grilled cheese sandwich was made oversized bread specially baked by grocery stores and a blend of the Cabot cheese.

Held between two steel plates and cooked over nearly 300 pounds of charcoal, the sandwich was 'flipped' using fork-lifts to turn the plates over the coals. The cooked sandwich was then sprinkled with more cheese that was melted by the flaming blow torch. Guinness officials say there are already record-holders for the largest and longest sandwiches, but Everglades City's grilled cheese sandwich would be in a new category because it is a cooked, not cold, sandwich. Avowed cheese lover Joyce Bagne of Seattle, vacationing in Naples for lunch every day. Savoring the melted shredded cheese on top sprinkled with a smat tering of parmesan Bagne declared the giant sandwich a grea success.

"It's delicious.".