Standard-Speaker from Hazleton, Pennsylvania • Page 5

Hazleton Standard-Speaker, Saturday, October 20, 1990 5 Diocese, LCCC helping area's Hispanic community "We work with our clients anywhere from Vi to 5 hours a week in small groups andor on an individual basis," said Ms. Risch. "The area we serve is northeastern Pennsylvania," she said. "Sessions are held on the main LCCC campus in Nanticoke, at the Wyoming Valley Job Center in Wilkes-Barre, the Pittston Job Center, the Hazleton Job Center, and Christ Lutheran Church of Hazleton." Hours of service are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Ms. Risen, who also is associated with the Hazleton Literacy Steering Committee, is the contact person for the LCCC program. She can be reached at 829-7406. She also is associated with the Hazleton Literacy Steering The church's Hispanic minister also will be responsible for training religious teachers to prepare children for the sacraments, and tend to their needs, he said. A prospect for the assignment is a priest from Mexico Rev.

Jose Luis who is coming to Hazleton next week to check out the region and the potential position at St. Gabriel's. "He may possibly end up working in the Hazleton area as our Hispanic minister after visiting here for about a month," Blake said. Blake met Father Jose while on a priests' retreat in Rome last month. "I found out after meeting him," Blake explained, "that he was doing some ministry in the Diocese of Tucson, Ariz.

His duties there ended Oct. 1 and we decided that he would come and visit Hazleton at least on a temporary basis." He will be the guest of the priests and people of St. Gabriel's. and intermediate levels are meeting in Hazleton's Christ Lutheran Church each Thursday evening. In addition, literacy training sessions for teen-age-through-adult levels are being held regularly at "the Hazleton Job Center for non-reading clients as welt as reading, writing and math.

Also trained in these sessions are persons studying English as a second language. St. Gabriel's plans to employ a special minister full-time to serve the religious educational needs of some Hazleton area Hispanic Catholics. The Rev. William B.

Blake, pastor, explained Friday, "We're looking for someone who speaks English and Spanish and can begin to meet these people in their homes and respond to their needs, both religious and social, and to visit the sick." St. Gabriel's, said Blake, is the only Catholic church in the Scranton Diocese offering liturgy in Spanish. Thirty Hazleton area Hispanics are among 140 immigrants receiving adult literacy training and assistance at Luzerne County Community College. Ms. Risch, coordinator of the program conducted through the college's Institute for Developmental Educational Activities, said trainees include immigrants from Mexico, Argentina, Poland, Russia, Czechoslovakia, Colombia, Korea, China and Vietnam.

The training focuses on skills that includes listening, speaking, reading, writing. The program is funded through Act 143, a Pennsylvania adult literacy education program sponsored by the Department of Education Bureau of Vocational and Adult Education, a division of Adult By CHUCK GLOMAN Standard-Speaker AssL Editor The Diocese of Scranton this week announced plans to meet the spiritual needs of Hazleton's growing Hispanic community, which today totals an estimated 200. St. Gabriel's Church in Hazleton has been awarded a $22,000 grant by the diocese's Office of Religious Education to help bring in a Hispanic priest. At the same time, Luzerne County Community College is conducting language classes for approximately 30 Hispanic residents in Hazleton.

Ranging in age from 17 to 60, the immigrants are receiving adult literacy and assistance in the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Peg Risch, coordinator of LCCC's program, said two Hispanic groups at beginning Basic and Literacy Education programs. Other sponsoring agencies are the Institute for Developmental Educational Activities and the LC-CCC. Ms. Risch says finds fulfillment in her assignment.

"It has been a real privilege to work with people from other countries," she said. "Our clients are very motivated, very interesting and very grateful for the instruction they receive and it makes our job very pleasant." The clients are trained by state-certified instructors and professionally trained volunteers in both group and one-to-one instructional settings. There is no cost to eligible participants, who must be at least 17 years old and not currently enrolled in a public or private secondary or post-secondary institution. Police Wind victim Strong winds caused an accident that injured a highway construction worker Thursday, according to state police at Troop S. Police said Carmello Pioquinto, 21, of Hunlock Creek, was working on a closed portion of Interstate 80 in Black Creek Township at noon when the wind caused him to lose his balance.

Pioquinto then fell over an embankment in the westbound lanes of the highway, struck his back on a rock, and was taken from the scene in the Berwick ambulance, police said. i 1 jr 8 1 I Three hurt UP Three New York State residents were injured early Thursday when their car crashed into a tree and a drainage ditch along Interstate 81 in Frailey Township, Schuylkill County. State police at Troop quoted Joseph Roque, 23, of New Paltz, as saying he swerved to avoid a deer and ran into the highway medial strip while driving south at 1:10 a.m. Roque and two passengers, Debra Mongno, 18, and Ancesse Roque, 3 months, were taken in the Tremont ambulance to Good Samaritan Hospital, Pottsville. I 1 itmmiF Woman cited A 31-year-old Hazleton woman was cited by city police early Friday on a charge of public drunkenness.

Police said they issued the citation to Dorothy Yamulla, 28, Four Seasons Mobile Estates, following an incident at Buttonwood and Church streets. Truck on side THE BUTLER PEOPLE DID IT Butler Township residents and local dignitaries enjoy a buffet in the new township Municipal Building in Drums Friday afternoon. Butler officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house at the structure, which houses a spacious police office, large business office, a meeting room with a capacity of about 50, bathrooms, a zoning office and several conference rooms and smaller offices. When designed, the estimated cost of the building was $350,000, but with township employees and officials working on it from August 1989 to July 1990, and local companies donating time, supplies and discounts on materials, the final cost was just $201,000. Township officials moved into the building from their old offices in a tiny structure once used as a refreshment stand during the Fourth of July week.

Workers, playground coming together A McAdoo teen-ager and her passenger climbed out safely after their truck flopped on its side following a smash-up on Friday Afternoon in West Hazleton. Kimberly Ann Kolbush, 17, of 338 Tresckow Road, ran a red light in her Chevrolet Blazer, and the truck rolled after colliding with a car, West Hazleton Police said. Police said Kolbush will be cited for failing to stop for the light at Washington Avenue and North Broad Street. Her truck collided with a car driven by Dorothy Urban, 1007 N. Manhatten Court, Hazleton, at 5:17 p.m., police said.

Miss Kolbush rode in the West Hazleton Ambulance to Hazleton General Hospital, where she was treated and released. Her passenger, Jason Klat of 54 S. Cedar Hazleton, was unhurt, as was Mrs. Urban. A flatbed truck hauled away the Blazer, and a tow truck removed the car.

Car, train crash Playground journal their crafts. Classes for some students from the Hazleton Area Vocational and Technical School and the Keystone Job Corps Center moved to the playground this week. Another student from Penn State's Hazleton campus spent a few days working at the playground. She belongs to a sorority that formed last year to help the community. The sorority also sends cards to adopted grandparents in nursing homes.

She said more Penn State students will work this weekend. Some teachers, but none of her's, offered to drop the lowest test grades of those who help build the playground for four hours. No teachers are dropping any of Jim's grades either. He's a PSU student who dug out post holes with me on Thursday. Jim is studying to be a teacher and spends two days a week inside the Drums Elementary school observing classes.

Inside the school, the halls looked more like forest floors lined with fall colors. I thought the leaves blew in behind workers who walked in to use the bathrooms. Not so. "It happens every autumn. The kids go in and out," custodian John Hollick said.

Hollick doesn't mind cleaning up after the playground workers. He's one of them. Hollick's been on the construction site each morning until he and fellow custodian, Vince Gabriel, start their regular shifts in the afternoon. By KENT JACKSON Standard-Speaker Staff Writer Ken Morrow came to the Drums playground to relive a feeling. Just three weeks ago, he was a foreman helping build a playground at the George Wolf School near his home in Bath, Northampton County.

Friday, he helped build another. He arrived protected against the wind by his black beard, sunglasses and sweatshirt hood. He spent the morning building a deck. At lunch time, before driving home for his afternoon shift as a support analyst for Co. in Allentown, he recalled his feelings while constructing the playground in Bath.

"It's gTeat to get the whole community spirit of that, especially near the finish when it starts to come together," Morrow said. His 3-year-old son played on the playground as soon as it opened, and his 11-month-old son will grow up using it. "Just the smile on the kid's faces was great," he said. 'All the kids came marching out with a banner (saying) "Thank You For Our It almost made you cry." For their opening ceremonies on Sunday, children in Drums made a paper chain. The 15 dozen loops stretched around three walls of the room at St.

Paul's Methodist Church where the children played while their parents worked. They made other crafts like paper pumpkins with accordian legs and necklaces of Cheerios and Fruit Loops cereals. My 4-year-old daughter, Lauren, wore her necklace home. Colin, my 3-year-old son, ate his for lunch. The day care shifts to the Drums Elementary School today and Sunday.

Magician Tony Baronio will entertain today, and Anabelle the clown will visit on Sunday. Older children can go outside to wash tires, sand wood and do other light work on the playground. Talk about opening ceremonies might be premature. Supervisors are worried by lack of progress and lack of workers, especially because of Thursday's rainstorm. Mary Jane Saras of the construction committee said work was six hours behind schedule Friday morning.

That could force them to leave out parts of the playground. For a few minutes Friday afternoon, I even ran a circular saw. There's no better; testament that workers are needed. If 500 people help today, that won't be too many. Regardless of the turnout, there's enough sanders, saws, drills and routers whirring most times to sound like swarming bees.

Some of the workers are students refining A car driven by an 85-year-old McAdoo man collided with a train on Friday afternoon in Hazleton. City police said John Sentiwany of 235 W. Blaine St. was unhurt after the wreck at Chestnut and South Church streets. Sentiwany was driving north when the accident occurred at 1:35 p.m., police said.

Charged with taking gasoline A Connecticut motorist was apprehended in Girardville after failing to pay for a tankful of gasoline at a Shenandoah service station Thursday night. Shenandoah police said John Dougherty, of Plainville, was charged with theft of services and receiving stolen property. A spokesman said Dougherty left the Grocery Bag on South Main Street without paying for $20. 12 worth of gasoline. Girardville Police stopped Dougherty's vehicle after being alerted through the Schuylkill County Communications Center.

Windows shot at Jewish center Approximately five windows at the gymnasium of the Jewish Community Center were shot with a BB gun between, Hazleton police said. The shooting, police said, occurred between 10 p.m. Thursday and 8 a.m. Friday at the center on 99 N. Laurel St.

Police are investigating the incident. Study an investment for connty, Musto says Musto is completing his second consecutive four-year term in the state Senate. He also has been a member of the state House of Representatives and completed Daniel J. Flood's last term as a U.S. congressman.

Musto says the experience and the expertise he has gained in his many years in government have equipped him well to serve as a valuable, insightful member of the county government study commission. The lawmaker said he would approach the study objectively with a single exception: he is totally opposed to an appointed county executive because he believes the people in charge of government must be answerable to the voters. The role of the study commission, Musto said, is to "come up with something that's workable, that's an improvement." The senator is optimistic that the government study proposal will meet with the electorate's approval on Nov. 6 despite the fact that a similar question was defeated at the polls 16 years ago. Musto noted that the earlier effort at county government reform lost "by a scant 10 percent of the voters even with every politician in the county against it." creasingly complex issues, the state legislator stated.

Musto said he believes the study, which he estimates would cost about $100,000 over its 20-month life, is necessary in light of added responsibilities that have been added to county government over the years. "It's unbelievable the kind of responsibilities that are shifting to county government," Musto stated, pointing to Luzerne County's annual $90-million budgets. The present government, operating under Pennsylvania's Third-Class County Code and a 200 year-old charter, does not meet the needs of today, the commission candidate claimed. Human services, Valley Crest (the county nursing home), the airport (Wilkes-BarreScranton International), Moon Lake Park and other recreation activities, children's services, growing prison problems, numerous boards, authorities and commissions, and recycling and garbage did not confront county government in years past. "One of the most important issues today is the environment, yet the Luzerne County Conservation District is down to about a desk and missioner's office is the most important office in the county," Musto declared.

"That person is elected by the people to be the taxpayers' watchdog, but he does not have the proper tools to perform the job as expected by the taxpayers." Musto emphasized that he is dissatisfied with the system, or structure, of the government, and his criticisms are not meant to reflect personally on any of the current office-holders. The senator noted that, at one time or another, Crossin, Trinisewski and Phillips all served as the minority commissioner and all were heard to voice the same complaint: that they were not consulted on decisions made by the two-man majority. "That's the people's watchdog," Musto declared. "They (the majority commissioners) shut him out completely." The end result, Musto stated, is that two individuals make the decisions affecting the health, welfare and safety of 320,000 people. "And where are the checks and balances?" Musto inquired, noting that the commissioners' roles are both legislative and executive in nature, totally unlike the federal and state governments.

a telephone," Musto claimed. The same, Musto said, holds true for the travel (tourist) promotion agency. "Is our present structure capable of responding to the demands? Are we equipped to meet these additional responsibilities now and in the future?" Musto asked. "I see things we can improve upon, even if we keep the present form (of government) but add some changes." The study commission could recommend retention of the present form of government, with or without changes, or could suggest a change to an alternate type. No matter what, the voters would have the final say at the polls two years down the road.

The current governing body is a board of commissioners comprised of two majority commissioners representing the political party in power and one minority commissioner who is a member of the other major party. At the present time, Democrats Frank Crossin and Frank J. Trinisewski a former Republican, comprise the majority. Republican Jim Phillips is the minority commissioner. "I feel that the minority com By BOB SALITZA Standard-Speaker Staff Writer A study of Luzerne County's present and potential forms of government represents "a tremendous investment" for the county's 320,000 residents, state Sen.

Raphael Musto, D-14th, said here this week. If the study is not peformed, Musto said during a Standard-Speaker interview, the people of the county cannot know if they are getting the most for their tax dollars now or in the future. "If the system needs improvement, we'll never know because our officials tell us eveything is perfect," Musto asserted. "They don't even want us to take a look." Musto claimed that, through an ad hoc committee, county officials have been working overtime to defeat a proposal on the Nov. 6 general election ballot that, if approved by the voters, would authorize the government study.

According to the veteran lawmaker from Pittston, the committee also has hedged its bet by putting up a slate of candidates for the 11-member commission that would conduct the study. Some of the candidates are elected county officials and ap pointed office-holders who have a vested financhl interest in keeping the status quo, mac to said, adding: "I see a definite coiflict there. They have one mission. To keep the present system as is." Meanwhile, Musto explained his own candidacy, saying he decided, to seek a seat on the commission because of his "concerns" about the way the county currently is run by a three-man board of commissioners. Unlike many of the 47 candidates, Musto said he is running strictly on an independent basis without backing by forces on either side of the study question.

He has not sought endorsements, Musto stated, because if he is elected he intends to be open-minded during the study process and beholden to no one except the citizenry. The 14th Senatorial District is home to 70 percent of Luzerne County's residents, but Musto said that as a study commission member he would work in the best interest of all of the county's citizens. The residents of Luzerne County merit a government that is responsive to their needs, able to fulfill ever-increasing responsibilities, and capable of finding solutions to in.