Standard-Speaker from Hazleton, Pennsylvania • Page 5

Hazleton Standard-Speaker, Thursday, May 15, 1997 5 Police 'New' Valley school dedicated in car chase was assistant superintendent and was instrumental in bringing the K-through-8 concept to err i v-' ytfc-aiiiiMi solemn and joyous occassion," Rossi said. He praised the "capable and caring faculty, administration and staff." He then handed the card to Victor, who spoke next. "As educators, parents and community members, we can be proud of this building," Victor said. Rooney then spoke of the "magnificent facility." Shepperson honored two former district officials. "Bob Ritz, who chose to retire, ERIC CONOVERStandard-Speaker Sara Cuammen of Valley Elementary School speaks at the dedication ceremony for the expanded school Wednesday.

By A. TARONE Standard-Speaker The Middle School addition to Valley Elementary School is now officially open. It was dedicated last night. The addition houses seventh-and eighth-graders and is part of the Hazleton Area School District's $43 million building project called Project 2000. It actually began accepting middle school students in February.

The Valley Elementary Middle School, as it's now known, is a kindergarten through eighth grade facility. When it opened in 1991, Valley Elementary housed students in grades kindergarten to six. The ceremonies began with the national anthem sung by fourth-, seventh- and eighth-graders. Afterward, three students, Sarah Cuammen, Karen Anzalone and Melissa Rizzo, read pieces they wrote about returning to the valley after attending West Hazleton Junior High School. All three said they "fell in love with the school" upon return.

They also praised its cutting edge technology. Seated on stage were Hazleton Area Education Association President Pat Rooney, former school board member Ed Nowak, Wright, Principal Frank Victor, Hazleton Area School Board members Tom Marnell, Louis Rossi, Tom Cipriano, Ken Temborski, Bob Schnee, Tony Bonomo and Francis Scarella, district Business Manager Donald Boyer, and Superinten-dant Dr. Geraldine Shepperson. The first speaker was architect Victor R. Graves, followed by O'Brien Kreitzberg Construction manager Mike Wright.

Graves handed the "keys" to Blackhawks By RICHARD W. FUNK Standard-Speaker Charging discrimination, a local couple on Monday filed a complaint with federal court seeking to collect million in damages from Lehigh Township. A township representative says the action, started by Dennis L. and Debra A. Blackhawk, is baseless.

The nine-count allegation was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and names as defendants four township officials and the zoning board. Listing their race and religion as Native American, the Blackhawks allege their constitutional rights were violated when the township refused to grant them a variance to operate a game farm. The variance was denied on Nov. 15, 1995.

The township planning commission on Nov. 8, Twp. in federal court Hearing held By KENT JACKSON Standard-Speaker 'Before Carl J. Palko entered the courtroom, state Trooper James J. Surmick checked the exits.

"I'm going to make sure these doors are locked before he starts going on me again," Surmick said Wednesday at magistrate's court in Hazle Township. nThe last time troopers encountered Palko, they said they had more trouble hemming him in. On March 30, Palko, 37, of Drums, was driving with his two sons to his mother's house for Easter dinner. Trooper Daniel Balliet saw Palko's Jeep, moving fast, go straight through a turning lane on State Route 309, Balliet states in a probable cause affidavit. Balliet flashed his lights and sounded the siren to stop Palko.

Instead, Palko drove through a red light at Route 309 and the 'Airport Beltway, according to 'the affidavit, which lists other rdetails of the chase that followed. During the chase, Palko passed cars on the left, on the right and by driving on the berm. 1 He ran another red light and a stop sign, and twice ignored 'commands to stop that Balliet spoke on his cruiser's public address system. As Palko drove past Seybert and Fourth streets in Hazleton, Minor injuries in Pocono Crash Two people escaped serious injury when John W. Davis no address given, fell asleep while driving on Route 115 Sunday.

The Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department said Davis crossed the north lane and stopped in a wooded area. Davis and a passenger, Marion Davis, were treated for minor injuries and released by the Tobyhanna Township Ambulance crew. The vehicle was towed. Break-in causes $150 damage An investigation is continuing into an attempted burglary at a Locust Lake Village home. The Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department reported that someone broke a window in a bid to enter Cynthia Gwilliam's home.

The attempt was unsuccessful, but $150 in damage was reported. The incident occurred during the past two weeks. Anyone having information is urged to call police at 646-7171. In court charges against By KENT JACKSON Standard-Speaker State police dropped felony charges on Wednesday against a Hazle Township woman who spent the night cleaning after being arrested for keeping her children in a filthy house. Christina Marie Puza, however, still faces one misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of children, according to an agreement reached before District Justice Thomas Sharkey.

Before the agreement, Puza, who is 22, faced up to seven years in prison for each of three felony charges. On the remaining charge, which carries a lesser penalty, she waived a hearing before Sharkey and will await a trial in Luzerne County Court. Police arrested Puza on April ID tUlCI llUUlllg UUHC1, feces and dirty dishes in the home in Harleigh where she liv- Ln. linnn sill i 1 1 an Vl T00 eU WJl-U WCI LlliCC 1,1111111 Cll, lUl cats, two dogs and a rabbit. Clothes littered most rooms, while coins, pet food and animal feces were on the floors, Trooper Daniel Balliet said in the prob- aUie Cause aiuuavib 11 uii-u when arresting Puza.

John Williams, Hazle Township's code officer, condemned the house. Puza's children, aged 3, 5 and 7, wore dirty, torn clothing when Balliet entered the house. They were put in foster homes and will remain there while their mother attends parenting classes through Luzerne County Children and Youth Services. I On the evening of her arrest, Puza was released on $2,500 worshippers were walking out of Most Precious Blood Church. At First and Seybert, Palko eluded a Hazleton police car.

When a Hazleton police car blocked his path at Wyoming Street and Diamond Avenue, Palko backed his Jeep into Balliet's cruiser. He struggled with Balliet and city Patrolman Louis Callavini before being subdued by pepper Mace. Police charged him with reckless endangerment, two counts of endangering the welfare of children, resisting arrest, fleeing a police officer, disobeying traffic-control devices, reckless driving, passing on the left within 200 feet of an oncoming vehicle and a stop sign violation. On Wednesday before District Justice Thomas Sharkey, Palko waived all the charges to Luzerne County Court and will be scheduled for a trial. His sons, aged 3 and 12, who remained in car during the chase, now live with their mother.

During the hearing, police and Palko agreed that the boys' mother can remove toys, a bicycle, clothes and other items from Palko's home. Police and an armed constable will stand by while the items are removed. Palko said thousands of dollars of belongings were stolen from his home during the one night he spent in jail after his arrest. Youth charged with reckless driving A 15-year-old Albrightsville boy was cited by the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department after an accident along Mountain Road in the Indian Mountain Lakes development Saturday. Police said the boy took the vehicle from his grandparents, Mr.

and Mrs. Clemmit Greet, while they were at a wedding. After returning home, the couple discovered their car had been damaged. The citation for reckless driving was filed Wednesday with District Justice Richard Claypool, Pocono Pines. Long-distance calls made by intruder The Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department is investigating a Monday break-in at 845 Crescent Way, Indian Mountain Lakes.

According to police, the intruder made several calls to South American countries. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 646-7171. woman dropped bail and stayed up all night cleaning her house, Balliet said Wednesday. He said the township removed the condemned sign soon after. Hazle man pleads guilty to violation A Hazle Township man pleaded guilty to driving without a license and other violations on Wednesday.

Raymond Motel 1027 N. Locust told District Justice Thomas Sharkey by telephone that he preferred to plead guilty rather than attend a hearing. It is the fifth time Motel has been guilty of driving without a license, said state Trooper Daniel Balliet, who stopped Motel's vehicle. Motel also pleaded guilty to unauthorized use of a registration plate. Balliet said Motel's pickup truck had the expired plate that had belonged to his father.

Blakeslee man faces two charges A Blakeslee man faces charges of indecent assault and harassment following an April 6 incident at the Sportsman Motel, Route 940, Blakeslee. According to the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department, Robert Kulick, 48, made indecent contact with Patricia Morris, 32, who was employed by Kulick. The date for a preliminary hearing will be set by District Justice Richard Claypool in Pocono Pines. reality, she said. "And (late school board member) Bill McCann, who supported K-through-8 and made it happen," she added.

Shepperson then said the school has state-of-the-art technology. She also praised HASD teachers who "go far beyond the call of duty," and local government officials. "It's been a pleasure building this school here (in Sugarloaf Township)," she said. "We've gotten nothing but cooperation." The fourth grade chorus then sang two songs. Then, eight seventh- and eighth-graders sang two songs.

The program ended just after 7 p.m. and visitors toured the school. All rooms have computer terminals, already wired, al-though the computers themselves won't be in until September. "We used fiber-optics," Boyer said, "so regardless of what happens, we have the backbone to do anything." He added all classrooms will also have a television junction box. Boyer explained that will allow what's on the computer screens to be shown on the TV screen for the whole class.

The Middle School library has space for 32 computer terminals. But, what it doesn't have yet are books. There were several signs requesting book donations. Immediately after the dedication ceremonies, Temborski met with his wife Ann and three children. "This is what it's all about," he said as patted his daughter on the shoulders.

"They come here.they learn." mit one year after the Blackhawks began living in their trailer. "We allege this was an act of retribution an attempt to mask his dereliction of duty," the complaint says. Karpowich disagrees. "I definitely think the lawsuit is frivolous and lacks merit based on the facts of the case," Karpowich said. "The human relations commission dismissed the Blackhawk case after finding his allegations lacked merit." According to Karpowich, an appeal of the zoning hearing board's decision was withdrawn by Blackhawk.

"He was issued a notice of violation for occupying a dwelling without first obtaining an occupancy permit," Karpowich said. "The magistrate found in Lehigh Township's favor." In that decision, Blackhawk was fined $10-per day for every day without an occupancy permit. devaluation of my property," he said. "I don't need lights, noise, and traffic in front of my property." Halterman added that his deed and others for surrounding properties have restrictions which state that only single-family dwellings can go onto the properties. Klinetop said that even though a deed may limit what can be built, the township does not have the enforcement power due to what a property's zoning.

That is why they included it in the zoning changes. "Woodmere is a residential development and it should not be zoned commercial or mixed residential-business," Klinetop said. "But at your request, we will probably leave your property the way it is." Other residents also opposed the changes. David James, who lives at Woodmere, opposes the rezoning inside the community to include some parts as commercial. "I object to the rezoning along Deer Run Road," he said.

"You're going to have houses with 200 feet of commercial zone and then more houses." James added that this may cause a possible hazard to children living inside the development due to increased traffic. If the changes were to go through, a 50-foot buffer zone, consisting of trees or a six-foot wood fence, would have to be put in as required by the township's ordinance. The next scheduled hearing on the rezoning was set for 7:30 p.m. May 29. The rezoning hearing will be followed by animals.

"These actions indicate that, animated by political, racial, andor religious animosity, (the) defendants have entered into a scheme of regulatory enforcement designed to terminate the exercise of the plaintiffs expressive religious activities," the complaint says. The couple said they made numerous good-faith attempts to accomodate the township in trying to resolve the matter. "Yet, the Lehigh Township officials continue to pursue a course of abuse of power that is designed to willfully and maliciously deprive the plaintiffs of their rights under the First Amendment and of monetary, emotional and spiritual security," the Blackhawks' complaint says. The document also alleges that Zoning Officer Donald G. Karpowich was derelict in his duty because he filed a notice of violation for an occupancy per- Butler forced to call off zoning hearing the school to Boyer.

The keys are actually a magnetic card similiar in size to a credit card. The school has a keyless entry, with access codes. Boyer said the project started two months late, but still finished one month early, with few change orders. "We hope the students will avail themselves of the technology in this building," he said. He then handed the keys to Rossi, who spoke next.

"A school dedication is both a sue Lehigh 1995 unanimously recommended approval for the farm, with several conditions. When the Blackhawks moved to Lehigh Township from South Dakota in September 1995, they brought with them two black bears, two raccoons, three foxes and two pea fowl. They intended to operate a game farm and hold state and federal permits to house the animals. "The actions of Lehigh Township Supervisor Frank Raynock in housing deer on a residential tract of land without obtaining permits is an act of discrimination prohibited by law," the complaint says. In their complaint, the Blackhawks allege the township repeatedly abused its authority to intimidate the couple in respect to their religious activities.

As Native Americans, the couple believes it's their religious duty to care for must be placed for two successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality and must state the time and place. The first publication shall not be more than 30 days and second publication shall not be less than seven days from the date of the hearing." Upon hearing the information, Solicitor Joseph Baranko told the supervisors to discontinue and reschedule the hearing. "We do have a problem with the advertising," Baranko said. "The public hearing should have been advertised twice." Supervisor Anthony Klinetop, secretary-treasurer, said that Township Manager Maryanne Petrilla followed the instructions from Baranko, Supervisor Ransom Young and township Engineer Robert Dougherty, who advised her to advertise the hearing once in the seven days prior to the hearing. All three thought that advertising once was the legal requirement.

"Edna Maslo delayed this process for 16 days on a technicality and if she gets a thrill out of this then I'm happy the township was able to give her that thrill," Petrilla said. The first part of the hearing did give some residents a chance to once again express their views on the rezoning changes. Some property owners submitted letters expressing support for the proposed changes. "I'm in full support of the changes," Ed Deetz, who owns land involved in the changes, said. "I think it would have a great impact to the public by providing business to the area." Property owner Tom Sydlo agreed.

"I'm in favor of the changes," his letter stated. "I think it's a step in the right direction for addingjobs to the area." But others were adamant in voicing disapproval of the changes. Gary Halterman, who owns a lot in the Woodmere development, opposed the changes to his property and the surrounding area. His property and the surrounding land is zoned mixed residential-business and is proposed to be changed to suburban residential and some commercial next to Route 309. "I am opposed to the zoning changes," he said.

"My particular property they didn't change. I feel that you spot zoned me and everything around me will be the new zoning change." According to Dougherty, Halterman's property wasn't changed due to his opposition on the change which he informed the supervisors of by letter. The Luzerne County Planning Commission advised the township that the property of people who oppose the changes should be retained under the original zoning. It is not considered spot zoning because it will remain under the original zoning, Dougherty said. Spot zoning would be changing the zone to benefit one property owner, but if you allow a piece of property to remain under the old zoning, it's not considered spot zoning.

But Halterman was still concerned. "I have a big concern with the By AIMEE TABOR Standard-Speaker Insufficient legal advertising forced the Butler Township Supervisors Tuesday to postpone a public hearing for proposed zoning changes on Route 309 north of Interstate 80. Halfway through the hearing on the rezoning changes, Butler resident Edna Maslo questioned the legality of the hearing by pointing out that two legal ads had to be placed in local newspapers prior to the hearing. She said the advertising is required under the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code Book, from which she read two passages. Section 609 states, "If after any public hearing held upon an amendment, the proposed amendment is changed substantially or is revised, to include land previously not affected by it, the governing body shall hold another public hearing, pursuant to public notice, before proceeding to vote on the amendment." In addition, under the public notice section, the code book states, "One notice each week New Jersey man harassed wife cops A New Jersey man faces a charge of harassment by communication after making a telephone call to his estranged wife who lives in Shenandoah.

Borough police said Timothy Morrisey, 31, of Sommers Point called his wife, Ann, of the 500-block of West Coal Street, last Friday evening..