TimesLeader.com

Peeking into the past

William Weiss wounded in Vietnam 40 years ago

With Judy Minsavage

In August of 1959, Exeter Borough reported they were in the enviable position of being free of a curse that plagued other areas of Luzerne County. What was the curse borough officials felt was a parasite on the region?

1959 - 50 Years Ago

click image to enlarge

1974 Exeter Panthers Cheerleaders, A-Team Row one: Lisa Shanna, Jean Troynocki, Kim Uporsky. Row two: Marion Yudiski, Barbara Coyne, Marie Cruise, Anne DeGraba, Karen Serino, Anita Ninassi, Cathy Ondek, Bonny De Nardi, Michelle Thomas and Cathy Kenny. Row three: Lisa Castellani, Soni Clarke, Sherri Howe, Ann Marie Kulosheshi and Debbie Forsey.

Select images available for purchase in the
Times Leader Photo Store

Dupont Borough found itself with a deficit of over $100,000 due to uncollected school per capita taxes. Officials reported school directors over a period of three decades ignored the collection of the tax, and over that time enlisted three different firms to collect the delinquent taxes, but to no avail. Calvin McHose of Harvey’s Lake was engaged to oversee collection of the taxes, but felt back taxes accumulated since 1940 would be hard to collect.

Local men killed a few rattlesnakes while berry picking. The sixth and seventh rattlers of the berry-picking season were killed by John Kuchinski of McLean Street and Fish Maleski.

Frank “Pinky” Chesniak of Lidy Road killed a copperhead while picking berries in the Moosic Mountains.

M. Robert Wilson, general manager of Pennsylvania Power Mower and ACCO Power Products Division, American Chain and Cable Company believed a new manufacturing approach at the Exeter plant would double the take-home pay of all factory workers within a year. Power mowers, still in competition with rotary mowers, accounted for 90 per cent of all mowers sold, and would be produced all year instead of seasonally as was the practice in 1959.

1969 - 40 Years Ago

1961 Exeter graduate, William Weiss was in Vietnam only three days, when he was hit by mortar fire near the 4th Infantry Division base in Pleiku. He credited his survival to the pilots and soldiers who fought the enemy while loading the wounded onto the choppers. He was flown to Japan and then home for an extended leave.

Leslie Fay softball team fighting for the top spot in the American Division of The Dispatch Slow Pitch League beat National Division leading Dructor’s Caf�. Jimmy Narvid did most of the hitting for Leslie Fay with plays by Joe Hughes and Paul Foxx contributing to the win. Joe Morganti, Chuck Rossi, Bobo Fino, Gene Guarillia and Sam Alba did a fantastic job as Val Timonte picked up the pitching win.

Eleven local football stars were named to the play in The August 1969 “Dream Game” between the Scranton City Team and the Lackawanna County All Stars. Nick Marianacci, Bill Anzalone, Dan Lorenzini, Mike Blandina, Artie Faltyn and Tom Supey from Wyoming Area would join Ed Brennan, Ralph Tribendis, Pat Ratchford, Tony Martinelli, and Chuck Clifford from Pittston Area to play the second annual game at Memorial Stadium in Scranton. The game was expected to be exciting and competitive.

Gino Chiavacci, Angelo Anastasi, Patrick Casciani and Samuel LaMark, employees of American Chain and Cable Company planned their 21st annual clambake held at Pascucci’s Grove. The clambake originated in 1948 when the ACCO Plant started operating on Ann Street in West Pittston.

1979 – 30 Years Ago

Pittston Area Cheerleaders, Roseanna Randazzo, captain; Carmela Kobylsky, Maureen McHale, co-captains; Lucy LoBrutto, Jackie Sweeney, Lisa Burns, Missy Policare, Suzie Alba, Carmel Ann Piedmont, Lisa Hensley, Jo Ann Macario, Janet Russavage and Annette Aquilina, were on the way to Lansing, Michigan to compete for a national title. After winning first place in Reading, they were awarded a certificate to attend the Michigan competition.

An effort estimated at $20,000 per day combating the flow of oil spilling into the Susquehanna River, 100 yards north of Fort Jenkins Bridge, spawned an investigation by the State Department of Environmental Resources. Containments captured much of the oil flowing from the Butler Mine Tunnel, originally thought to be mine drainage, but after a borehole next to a garage on Route 315 was located, department officials suspected illegal dumping.

Tasty and sweet Chocolate Peanut Fudge and Blueberry were the featured new flavors of ice cream at Grablick’s Milk Bar in August of 1979.

Dupont native John E. Laskowski, President of the V.I.C.A. Club at Wilkes-Barre Area Vo-Tech, returned from Atlanta Georgia where he participated a the National Skills Olympics. John captured fourth place in Industrial electronics. He received a Gold Medal Award from his past participation at Lancaster for the States Skills Olympics.

Charles Adonizio, President of The Wyoming Area School Board, along with board member Anthony Sobeski, and Wyoming Area Broadcasters club members Gene J. Allegrucci, Keith Monahan, and Joseph P. Portelli, sent a letter to area business leaders hoping to obtain financial support in setting up an FM radio station at a cost of $6,000. The station, entirely manned by students would operate at 110 watts and serve 40 square miles. The board hoped to subsidize the student supported project with help from the business community.

1989 - 20 Years Ago

A visit to the Donegal Society’s annual Irish Days Festival changed the life an Exeter family as well as that of a young girl from Ireland. James and June McGill heard about Project Children at the festival and after submitting an application to host a child from violence-prone Ireland, they were notified Patricia Sharkey from Darin, Ireland would be arriving to spend six weeks in their home. The family planned several trips, especially one at Patricia’s request to the Statue of Liberty. Project Children, still in operation today, arranges for children of Ireland, to experience life in the United States.

Quail Hill, a project slated for a 180-acre site bordered by Avoca, Dupont, Hughestown and Duryea, and abandoned in the early 1980’s was revived in August of 1989 by developer, Rothstein Realty Company. Plans included 80 single-family homes.

Ken Scaz, chairman of the 6th Annual Tomato Festival announced that Gail Barbrie, owner of the Gail Barbrie Modeling Company would be pageant director for the festival queen contest. Co-sponsor, Sheridan Jewelers of West Pittston would award a diamond cocktail ring to the winner.

Descendants of the late Giuseppe and Filippa Farruggia Sperrazza who had resided in Pittston gathered for their second annual family reunion. Family members traveled from Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida and New York, to join Pittston area relatives.

Answer #1

Borough officials felt Exeter was practically free of the influence of the accursed mine industry they felt had left the anthracite region stagnant, unproductive and mediocre.

The success of manufacturing plants and land elevations conducive to new home construction furthered the benefits of living in the borough.