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Peeking into the past

Lokuta District wrestling champ in ‘78

With Jack Smiles

Question: A steel frame was going up for a new plant in Duryea in February of 1968. A German company was building the plant and expected to have the 42,000 square foot plant in operation by August and to employ 200 workers.

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The Dupont Laurel Line station in a Stephen N. Lukasik photo from the 1950s.

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30 years ago – 1978

Sports dominated the front page in February of 1978. Pittston Area District 2 wrestling medalists Fred Lokuta, who won the gold medal at 105, and Dan McGuire, silver at 185, were pictured with their coach Bob Adonizio. Lokuta was 23-1 on the season, and McGuire, who was also an all-scholastic football player, was 17-2-2.

Next to the wrestler the Seton girls basketball team was pictured. They were headed to the playoffs with an 11-4 record. Players pictured were Kathy Healey, Mary Kay Boos, Linda Skurla, Patty DeGuglielmo, Juliann Ristagno, Chris Hizny, Mary Helen Plisko, Ellen Gilhooley, Monica Tomaszewski, and Joyce Baker.

Above the masthead was a story about Gene Guarilia, the coach of the Pittston Area boys basketball team. He was called to a meeting by Charles McCullough executive director of the PIAA after Gene was hit with three technical fouls in a game against Bishop Hoban.

Guarilia said he wasn’t going to the meeting and planned to resign as PA coach. As it turned out he did go to the meeting after the PIAA threatened to keep PA out of the District 2 playoffs. PA went to the playoffs and won the District 2 title beating Valley West.

Gene resigned as he said he would.

The Wyoming Area teachers were on strike in February of 1978. The board offered a two-year contract with $500 raises the first year and $700 the second year, while the teachers wanted $4,000 over four years.

Jimmy’s Record Rack at 14 South Main was selling tickets for a Blue Oyster Cult show at the Broome County Arena in New York. Pancakes and sausage, bacon or ham with coffee was $1.17 at the K-Mart Restaurant.

40 years ago – 1968

In Duryea Mayor John Salek vetoed the budget passed by council. He was angry that the budget did not address the swamp-like conditions that existed at York Avenue because it lacked a storm sewer. The stench from the swamp was unbearable during hot weather.

According to the mayor, the borough had budgeted $40,000 for a storm sewer in 1966, but the work was never done. The 1967 and ’67 budgets made no mention of the problem.

Joanne Bruno of West Pittston “adopted” a Greek child though Foster Parents Plan, Inc. in New York City. She agreed to correspond with the nine year old Costaninos Makris and send him $15 a month for clothing, medical care, education and family counseling.

At Budget Food Center at 43 Searle Street baby beef liver was $1 for three pounds and a can of Spam was 55 cents.

Frank Capone -- college professor in New Jersey, who was a 1950 Pittston High graduate -- was getting national attention for an idea he published for an election reform. His plan would have a third option called “no faith” besides the democratic and republican nominees for office. If “no faith” won more votes than either of the candidates then a second election would be held with different candidates.

On February 15 Charlie Turco sign a letter of intent to attend North Carolina University on a football scholarship. He was pictured with pen in hand surrounded by his parents, North Carolina head coach Bill Dooley and assistant Ron DeMelfi, a Berwick native.

“The Blood Drinkers” in blood-curling color was in the Comerford Drive-In on Rt. 315. At the Echo Diner in Dupont ravioli dinner with salad, bread and butter was $1 on Wednesdays.

50 years ago – 1958

The garment industry employed thousands in the area in 1958. In the February 2 issue was a story about a dispute between the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Group (PMG), representing the manufactures, and the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU), representing the workers. The ILGWU wanted to be part of the negotiations going on in New York and to be paid the same rates as New York. PMG wanted to negotiate a separate deal for Pennsylvania. The union held a mass rally in Wilkes-Barre on February 8, 50 years ago today.

There was a grand opening of a new dance studio in Pittston this week in 1958. The Sammy Tremont Dance Studio moved into a space in the Cash Block Building on North Main, above Woolworth’s Department Store.

United States Navy Ensign Lorraine Bruno was married in Chile to Lieutenant Wilson DeAraya, a surgeon in the Chilean Navy in February of 1958. The bride’s mother, Mrs. Frank Bruno, attended, after 32 hours of plane travel with stops in Newark, Miami, Havana and Panama City.

A female Elvis impersonator, Alis Lesley, was appearing all week at the Mayfair Supper Club this week in 1958.

60 years ago – 1948

Sixty years ago today the story on the front page of the Dispatch was about – the Dispatch. It was this newspaper’s first anniversary. The first edition was published on February 9 in 1947.

The 1948 story said the Dispatch employed 12 men full time.

A story inside updated a story from the original 1947 issue. In that original issue was the story about John Hudzinski who, when serving in WWII, married an English women, Vera Cartwright and brought her to live in Dupont. A year later the story was they went back to England to live.

The St. John’s basketball team was 5-0 in then first half of the Catholic League and opened the second half with a 52-49 win over St. Leo’s. Joe O’Malley scored 17 for the Johnnies.

In the Valley League, Wyoming was 3-0 in the second half after beating West Pittston 58-27. Piorkowski scored 21 for Wyoming.

Exeter beat Pittston 69-39. Lenny Meckalavage scored 17 for Exeter.

“Buffalo Bill Rides Again” was in the Roman Theater.

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