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By GINA THACKARA; Times Leader Staff Writer
Sunday, June 13, 1993     Page: 3A QUICK WORDS: BELLS WILL RING –
NICHOLSON MAN

NICHOLSON — The bells are ringing, for the time being at least, but this
is only the end of round one.
   
Leonard Doyle, who lives next to St. Patrick’s Church, lost in his Wyoming
County Court petition to have the borough enforce a nuisance ordinance against
loud music and “discordant bell clashing” coming from the church.
    Doyle asked borough council members to help him settle the problem of loud,
taped church bells and music broadcast from church amplifiers. He was told
that if he wanted the decision changed, he’d have to “take ’em to court.”
   
In rejecting Doyle’s complaint, Judge Brendan Vanston ruled a public
nuisance annoys the community in general, not just one person.
   
Doyle plans to appeal.
   
“I can’t back down now. It’s the principle of the thing,” Doyle said. “My
attorney and I are deciding which course of action to take in the next step.”
   
The 66-year-old Doyle, who suffers from diabetes, said the church’s loud
music has caused extra stress and aggravated his ill health. His doctors have
told him they can’t help him until he lessens the stress level in his life.
   
For the first three years Doyle lived in his High Street home, there were
no problems. Then, the pastor decided to sound church bells five times a day,
including a 7 a.m. ringing.
   
Doyle said he repeatedly asked St. Patrick’s pastor to soften the sound of
church bells and patriotic musical selections.
   
At one point, the pastor agreed, but several residents, including Cinda
Novitch, wife of Nicholson’s mayor, said they enjoyed the bells and missed
them.
   
Novitch started a petition to have the chimes returned to their original
schedule and decibel level, Doyle said.
   
“Most people who signed those petitions either aren’t home all day to hear
it or live pretty far away,” Doyle said. “And most of the St. Patrick’s
parishioners who signed live out of town and never hear the bells anyway.”