The Danville News from Danville, Pennsylvania • 6

PAGE 6 THE DANVILLE NEWS MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1990 Life-support patient changes mind; wants another hospital 1 nr 1 Hospital officials, including a psychiatrist, said Mrs. Blake made her distaste of life-support machines clear before she slipped into a stupor Dec. 10. Harley argued the hospital had misunderstood her wishes. Praise be to God, 7 Harley said from his vacation home in Marshalls Creek.

God worked it out in spite of the judge and the doctors at the hospital. Harley said Mrs. Blake would be taken by ambulance to the Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City. But hospital spokesman EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. (AP) A hospital that fought to let a cancer patient die now is fighting to improve her condition, hoping to fulfill her latest wish.

Yolanda B. Blake, 53, came out of a stupor Saturday and told her sister and two other visitors that she did not want to die. Just a day earlier, Monroe County Judge Peter OBrien had ruled that a friend, Richard J. Harley, had no standing to force the Pocono Medical Center to use life-support procedures on Mrs. Blake.

ut (teexlMv Platinum theft puzzles guards close friends (Danville News Lisa Barnes) Centenarian Esther Swank (center), a Danville native, celebrated her 100th birthday Saturday at Grandview Nursing Home. Several relatives including daughters, Evelyn Cropf (left) and Louise Barnhart, both of Danville joined in the festivities. Swank has seven children, 24 grandchildren, 77 great-grandchildren and 70 great-great-grandchildren. Her husband Albert died in 1 958, and her eldest son, Paul died earlier this year. Her other children include Florence Jordan, Danville; George Swank, Danville; Eleanor Laubach, Espy, and Mabel Remick, Bloomsburg.

Republican activist faces flak about pro-choice activities BRADFORD, Pa. (AP) A rack of rifles is a sure sign that a missing security guard is dead, according to a lawyer representing one of his daughters. Dale Kerstetter disappeared in a 1987 platinum heist during his watch at a McKean County glass plant, leaving behind six children, a company pension and a rack of hunting rifles. Ive represented tons of guys that left their wives, and, believe me, they always take their deer rifles, said James Bryant, a lawyer hired in the familys effort to have Kerstetter declared legally dead. The state Supreme Court earlier this month refused the familys request Coming Glass Works opposed such a declaration, and has refused to pay a pension or insurance to Kerstetters family.

Everybody says that if he did it and he isnt dead, that they hope he Jack Coyle said the transfer would not occur until doctors improve her condition. Her (medical) condition has gone from stable to unstable, Coyle said Sunday night. The doctor wants to stablize her. He felt transportation at this time would be exceedingly dangerous. This is a critically ill individual, Coyle said.

Coyle did not know whether doctors were using life-support machines to stablize Mrs. Blake. But, he said, I think we can assume they are not Coyle said the hospital at all times had Mrs. Blakes interest at heart. It has been the primary concern of everyone associated with this case to follow and protect the expressed wishes of this patient, he said.

We are proud of our actions in this regard and given the same circumstances would act no differently. Harley said Mrs. Blakes younger sister, Daniell Ochs, went to the hospital Saturday with her son and another friend. At about 3:45 p.m., Mrs. Blake came out of her stupor and told the three she wanted to leave.

Harley, who lives in West Orange, NJ said the sister wrote down Mrs. Blakes comments and, as a nurse watched, had her sign a note that read: I Yolanda Blake do not want to die. I want the best possible care. Harley said the hospitals psychiatrist examined Mrs. Blake and determined she was competent.

Mrs. Blake was diagnosed with rectal cancer 154 years ago. Doctors at the Monroe County hospital, where she has been a patient since Nov. 30, said she told them when she was admitted not to use extraordinary means to prolong her life. Harleys attorney, Anne Peronc of North Plainfield, N.J., said he believed the hospital doctors had misunderstood Mrs.

Blakes sentiments. Girl pricked by needle in courthouse PITTSBURGH (AP) A 4-year-old girl who pricked her finger with a hypodermic needle she found in a waiting room at the Allegheny County Courthouse was given a hepatitis shot as a precaution. The needle, which Jamie Leasure found behind a heater Wednesday, had been used to inject heroin, according to the county laboratory. All I saw was something white and I said, Jamie, put that down, said her mother, Sandra Bell. Then a woman behind her said, My God, thats a needle She threw it down and I saw blood on her finger, just a trickle.

Im kind of upset. I dont want to hear six months down the line that my daughter has AIDS or something thats going to kill her, Ms. Bell said. Ms. Bell and Jamie were waiting as the womans boyfriend, Frank Ledesma, was being arraigned on charges of possession and sale of non-narcotics.

A report from Dr. Charles director of the county lab, said the insulin syringe contained residue of quinine, indicating that it had been used to inject heroin. Winek said quinine is added to diluted or cut heroin to give the drug its usual bitter taste, leading addicts to believe theyre getting good stuff. Ms. Bell said Jamie received four shots, including one to combat hepatitis.

Dr. William F. Johnson O.D. 102 W. Main Bloomsburg 387-8760 Pittsburgh Republican congressional candidate Rick Santorum, who is anti-abortion.

I was supporing Rick Santorum very strongly. He is not pro-choice. His name was not on the slip. He worked for me as an intern 10 years ago, she said. Santorum unseated Democratic Rep.

Doug Walgrcn. Hillmans term on the national committee expires at the 1992 Republican convention. Abortion has been a divisive issue for the GOP. Democrats tuning in 1989 for governor and lieutenant governor of Virginia, governor of New Jersey and mayor of New York ran and won on pro-choice platforms against GOP candidates who had anti-abortion records but tried to moderate their stance. Those apparent shifts brought attacks from the Democrats.

Republican National Chairman Lee Atwater began 1990 by saying the party welcomed pro-choice candidates despite its anti-abortion stance. He said candidates should face the issue squarely, whatever their views. Hillman said her pro-choice work was no big deal. Im going to go my way and do what I feel I have to do. By JEFF BARKER Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) Elsie Hillman has been a Republican Party activist in Pittsburgh for about 40 years.

Thats long enough, she hopes, for her to survive GOP complaints about her pro-choice abortion activities. Hillman, 65, is a member of the Republican National Committee. She is also co-chairman of Western Pennsylvanians United For Choice, which claims 2,000 members. She said in an interview Friday that she sees no problem with holding both positions. I was pro-choice when the president asked me to run his campaign in Pennsylvania, Hillman said.

She served as Bushs 1988 general chairman in the state. He knew where I Was on the issue, and I knew where he was, she said. 1 The controversy centers on last Novembers election. Hillman acknowledges complaints by antiabortion Republicans that she distributed a card listing Democratic and Republican pro-choice candidates for state and congressional offices. Hillman said she didnt want to mention names of the those com- Eye Exams for Children Adults Specializing in difficult to fit contact lens patients for over nine years.

Day, Evening, or Saturday Appointments Vir A wjp-r: 7 tAr iv1 plaining because I dont want to get into a big fight with these people. But Congressional Quarterly, a Washington-based journal, reported last week that her detractors included anti-abortion Republicans in the state and an unnamed official with the Republican National Coalition for Life. It said the coalition official has said Hillman should resign from the national committee if she backs Democrats in partisan contests. Hillman said she endorsed no Democrats. We (the pro-choice group) issued an information card for our membership, Hillman said.

We cannot raise or contribute money for any candidate. We disseminate information, which is all we can do, saying Here are the people who are pro-choice and putting them down by party. If both the Democrat and Republican backed abortion rights in a given race, then both were listed, she said. Hillman was an ardent backer of Pennsylvania Auditor General Barbara Hafcrs unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign. The Republican Hafcr is pro-choice.

But Hillman said she also backed Sgt. Jim Moore, a prison guard and instructor. A 15-footer is in the Rockview rotunda and a tree 7 feet, 854 inches tall is in the prison chapel. About 150 others were chopped for state police barracks and Department of Transportation and other Pennsylvania offices. Only government agencies get the trees; they cant be purchased.

State law prohibits anything being brought onto or taken off prison property, unless it goes to other state tacihues or is sold as surplus. The theme is not to compete with private industry. Its to train prisoners in a skill, Allar said. The unlocked camp is a mile up a narrow road from the prisons main cell blocks. There are no locks on the trailer doors, the guards arent armed and a major state highway leading to Interstate 80 is a short hike away.

Theres not even a fence to climb. If you think thats something, imagine taking 15 inmates over the mountain with two chainsaws and 15 axes and all you have is a radio, Moore said. The incentive to stay in line is a quick trip back to the main prison. (Associate) Mike Orzechowski: ABO Certified Optician Blue Cross Blue Shield NVA, VSP, NEP Insurances Medicare Medical Assistance got away with it, said Dot Cummings, owner of the Tacks Comer Tavern near where Kerstetter once lived. If it did happen, then hopefully hell make it I think hes dead.

Its just a matter of finding the body, said daughter Penny Weis. Kerstetter was a 29-year employee of the Bradford plant on Sept. 12, 1987, when someone used a chain saw to cut $250,000 worth of platinum lining from the plants furnace. The best clue in the FBIs investigation is a videotape from a surveillance camera. It shows Kerstetter talking to a man who fcame into the plant about 10 minutes after Kerstetters 10:30 p.m.

shift began. Later, the same man is seen alone near the lumace. The next morning, the guard who was to relieve Kerstetter found an uneaten lunch and unused cigarettes. The plant was sold in 1988 and renamed Bradford Electronics. Mo's tlairstyling Tanning Salon (flKUS OMI Lampnros Magnavon Nome entertainment Center lasers Shoe Store Milton Tasta Freeze Milton Shoe factory Outlet Milton Daily Standard northern Central Bart PDeegot's fan And fitness Saving And loan Association Of Milton West Milton Stale Bart WMITWOEZ Radio Stations 12Mhz 80286 1MB RAM 5.25 1.2MB drive 3.5 1.44MB drive 42MB hard drive 16 bit VGA card Color VGA monitor DOS 3.3 or 4.01 Enhanced keyboard 1 year warranty Word Label Qutliner, Thesaurus, OFI 286 be or even Experience unnecessary at tree farm, prison sentence is CHRISTMAJ GIVE-AWAY! THE MILTOH BUSIP1ESS ASSOCIATION IS HELPING OUTSAriTA! C.

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Community fanks I A The Daily Item Discount Wallpaper Warehouse Mertmes (i eenhouses flower Shop ramous Department Store Tedders Jewelers Tuflmer Office Supply By KELLY P. KISSEL Associated Press Writer BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) Experience isnt necessary for those wanting to work with 5,000 Christmas trees on a central Pennsylvania farm. A prison sentence is. On the north flank of Mount Nit-tany, 53 felons serving time at the medium-security Rockview state prison grow firs, pines and spruces from seedlings to centerpieces.

Forty-one of the prisoners live in unlocked trailers on the side of the mountain, but in the last 13 years there has been only one escape. The guys who would cause a problem will not even get a smell of his place, said Jack Allar, the superintendents assistant at the State Correctional Institute at Rockview. The camp was set up 35 years ago to manage the 3,500 acres of forest land on prison property, said Bob Radomsky, who runs the forestry work camp. We started 10 years ago putting an emphasis on the Christmas trees, and were just a year or two away from having enough to supply all the other state institutions, said aaiwa said Elwood F. Barnes of Pittsburgh, serving time for burglary.

No one wants to go back there, said Barnes, who trimmed the forestry camps Christmas tree with Nolan Davis of Pittsburgh, serving time for receiving stolen property. In a twist, the crimes committed here are perpetrated from the outside. Somebody always steals the best tree. We have to keep cutting earlier and earlier to beat the people who come and cut the best trees, Moore said. This years top tree was taken from the lot next to where state police give driving exams.

Mobile Conservation Camps, as they were known then, sprang up after 1955 in response to a series of disturbances in state prisons in the early 1950s. The one at Rockview was the first, and others subsequently opened and closed at Huntingdon, Camp Hill and Graterford. We make picnic tables for roadside parks, and most wooden bridge decks in the state parks are from here, Moore said. Previous crews helped build the Noxamixon State Park in upper Bucks County. The Christmas trees start out as seedlings in a wood-and-plastic greenhouse and are transplanted to one of six plots on the prison complex.

Instructors from a nearby university, and videotapes they leave behind, show prisoners how to shear. In six to 12 years, the trees are ready for harvest Trees that arent perfect wind up in paper birch Yule logs that are sent to prison offices. We did sell these for a while, but we couldnt keep up. Now we just redo them for everybody every year, Radomsky said. wont see a seedling turn into a Mure.

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