VOL. 31, NO. 3
Emerald Isle Step Dancers performing during the third annual Polar Plunge for Autism at Nick’s Lake House on the Saturday of St. Patrick’s weekend. CAM is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering inclusion and understanding of individuals with Autism, providing services and events tailored to individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families, ensuring a sensory-friendly environment. More inside. Photos by Anne Martino
March-April 2025
©2025, Lake News. All rights reserved. A CANWIN publication
Ruth Isenberg, Editor
Seth Isenberg, Ads / Distribution Publishers
(Continuing the work of founders Frank Pieri and Mary Farnschlader, 1995 – 2018)
Lake News is published monthly for the enjoyment of Lake Harmony area residents and visitors. Copies are free and are mailed to Lake Harmony box holders. Find additional copies at The Country Peddler and at selected area businesses.
Subscriptions are also available, for $15 as a PDF via e-mail. Mail your check to CANWIN at 211 Main St., White Haven PA 18661.
E-mail us at lakenewslakeharmony@gmail.com
Call us at 570-215-0204, Seth x1 and Ruth x2
To submit an article or photo, use the above e-mail, or give us a call. Articles may be accepted or rejected. If accepted, they will be edited. Submitted items can be returned by arrangement. Articles appearing in Lake News may not be reprinted without permission of Lake News or CANWIN newspapers. Mailing address is 211 Main St., White Haven PA 18661.
Kidder Township Office 570 722-0107
Kidder Township Police (non-emergency #) 570 722-0192
Lake Harmony Vol. Fire Co. (non-emergency #) 570 722-8138
Lake Harmony Rescue Squad (non-emergency #) 570 722-1782
For emergencies, call 911. If you do not live in an area served by 911, call 570 325-9111.
Kidder Township Supervisor meetings are held the fourth Thursday of each month at the township building, and unless otherwise noted, begin at 6:00 PM. Notices of special meetings are posted at the township building and advertised. Planning meetings are held the 1st Wednesday at 6 PM; Zoning meetings, the last Monday at 6 PM; EAC, the second Wednesday at 7 PM. The public is welcome.
Kidder Township’s new police vehicle is in service and on the road. Police Chief Matthew Kuzma shows it off. It replaces a unit that’s been turned over to Code Enforcement. Note the cameras on top of the car. These license plate readers are connected to a data base in the vehicle to provide information about the status of passing cars and trucks in real time.
JH: Ruth Isenberg
At Shenanigans
Events at shenaniganslh.com
Karaoke, DJs and Dancing in Boomers Night Club
Fri. & Sat. 9 p.m. -1 a.m.
March 22 Fuzzy Park Band, 5-9 p.m.
March 29 Friends of Roger, 5-9 p.m.
At Boulder View Tavern (All 6-9 p.m. except as noted)
March 27 Tim Harakal
March 28 Zac Lawless
March 29 Timmy Fitz and Mark
April 3 John Simoson
April 4 Andrew Moses
April 5 Brian Roder
April 10 Erin McClelland
April 11 Hannah Noel
April 12 Erin McClelland
April 17 Andrew Tirado
April 18 Tim Harakal
April 19 Tony Alosi
April 24 Erin McClelland
April 25 Zac Lawless
April 26 Timmy Fitz & Mark Nouric For more dates, www.boulderviewtavern.com/ events
The Pub @ the hub
Music Friday and Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m.
March 28 Hannah Noel
March 29 Zac Lawless
April 4 Jim Roberti
April 5 Brian Smith
April 11 Chris Zelenka
April 12 Dina Hall
April 18 Hannah Noel
April 19 Solktana
April 25 Andrew Moses
April 26 John Simoson
May 2 Tim Fitzpatrick
May 3 Hannah Noel
See ENTERTAINMENT, page 24
by Mark Peterson
Many folks around the Poconos know Jim Shober as a local realtor, but I remember him as ski school director from my days as a ski instructor at Big Boulder Ski Area in the late 1970s. Jim learned to ski in 1965 at Hazard Run on wooden skis. His search for more challenging terrain led him to Camelback, where he refined his technique, became an instructor, and earned full PSIA certification in 1973.
Jim served as assistant director at Camelback and Jack Frost, before taking on the role of ski school director at Big Boulder from 1975 to 1980. He ultimately decided to focus on his real estate career but remained connected to the sport, coaching the Camelback race team for four years. I sat down with Jim one morning in February to reminisce about skiing in the Poconos “back in the day.”
Do you have a particular story or memory that you would like to share from your days back at Big Boulder? My daughter Jennifer was 22 months old, and I was a ski school director at Boulder. My wife worked, and my
decision was: do I take my daughter to the ski area and give her a babysitter or what? So, I got one of my junior instructors, John Peterson, and I said, “John, your assignment is the teach Jennifer how to ski.”
We went into the rental shop and there were no boots small enough. She had hiking boots on, so we just left the hiking boots on and slid them into the ski boots and John took her away. That was when she was 2 years old. She could negotiate a beginner slope without too much difficulty. Here I am, 76 years old, and I’m still skiing with my daughters every Saturday morning and that means a lot...
You got your start at Hazard Run. Can you tell me any stories about that time? Two stories just came to mind: I was skiing at Hazard one day. Vince Gillotti was the ski patrolman, and the ski school director was Donny McNelis. Over the loudspeaker I hear: “Will Jim Shober, please report to the base lodge.”
So, I said, what’s this about? I go in, and Vince introduces me to Donny McNelis and Donny said,
See SCHUSSHING WITH SHOBER, page 8
Continued from page 6
“I need another full-time instructor, and I’d like to hire you.” And I said, “as an instructor? I don’t know how to teach skiing.” And he said, “I’ll teach you that. I’ve been watching you ski and you’re good.” So, I said, “What does it involve?” He said, $5, $10 an hour or whatever. I was gonna get paid to ski. That was the bottom line.
“Ski weekers” would check in on a Friday for a weekend or on a Sunday for a week at Split Rock Lodge. We would have dinner with them, so we got a free dinner on Friday, and we got a free dinner Sunday. That’s when we met the ski weekers.
We would assemble on the slopes in the morning, Monday or Saturday morning, whatever the case may be, and we’d start our instruction. It was so much fun because you established rapport with those people, and by the time Friday rolled around, or even Sunday night for the short ones, they were friends, and they usually left a nice tip.
The second story takes place during midweek. It was slow and we had that little headwall on the top of Hazard. It might be 30-50 feet long, and it was very gradual. We would try to put up some slalom gates and we’d run slow. And then one of us got the idea we glanced over at the T-bar running uphill, but no one was on it. So, we started slaloming down
Artisan Breads Fridays & Saturday; Fresh Baked Goods for the Weekend; Locally Butchered Meat; Charcuterie; Alaskan-Caught Seasfood; Local Dairy; Italian Pastas from Philadelphia; Many More Locally-Sourced Food Items; Fresh Brewed Coffee and Herbal Teas served daily.
while it was coming up. It was something that we think did a lot to help in our reaction time because we’re now skiing on a movable course, not a fixed course with the bamboo poles in the ground.
And I think we all became more proficient because of that, until Donny started yelling at us because liability was an issue, naturally. Donny let us go for a while because he wanted to see his instructors get better. That meant more lessons and more money for him and us. We got 50% of our private lessons, that was part of our deal, and we got so much a week. I don’t remember what it was and the two meals at the Lodge. Yeah, we were living large.
What is your advice to children who want to take up skiing and to their parents? Definitely take lessons for the kids. And for the parents, leave them alone in their lessons. Let the instructor take this child and teach them, and that’s the best way. It’s not expense, it’s really an investment.
If someone needed skis or rental equipment, where is the best place for them to get that? Oh, Peterson’s. That’s not because of who’s doing this interview. It’s because the family has been skiing since they were born. They’re intelligent, personable, knowledgeable and stand behind their experience and their quality. Yeah, that’s a no-brainer. (Peterson’s Ski and Cycle in Blakeslee www.petersonsskiandcycle.com We hope to “ski” you soon!)
Kobe Beef, Imported Cheeses, Seafood, Patés, Specialty Oils & Vinegars 12 Different Kinds of HomemadeSausage! Bell & Evans Poultry
•Alligator •Antelope •Buffalo •Camel Burgers •Duck Breasts •Elk •Frog Legs •Kangaroo •Ostrich •Pheasant •Quail •Rabbit •Venison •Wild Boar •Yak Wednesday through Saturday 10am-6pm Sunday 11am-4pm 640 Route 940, Pocono Lake thebutchershoppe.com • 570-646-0525
The temperature was 50° on Saturday, March 15, but fog and wind made it feel colder.
This team of volunteers from the Collaborative Autism Movement took the plunge together, and came out smiling. The group works with local businesses, and organizations to create an inclusive world for those on the autism spectrum, with events like sensoryfriendly haircuts and photo shoots, and inclusive sports teams. To learn more, visit collaborativeautismmovement.com
The Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau (PMVB) is proud to announce that NASCAR weekend at Pocono Raceway will once again highlight the strength of the tourism industry in the Poconos and across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. For the second year in a row, Governor Josh Shapiro’s administration has partnered with the Tricky Triangle, continuing the Commonwealth’s commitment to driving tourism, which is the biggest industry in the Poconos.
“The Pocono Mountains recognizes the value of tourism; it is baked into our DNA,” said PMVB President/CEO Chris Barrett. “For generations, Pocono Raceway has welcomed race fans from far and wide to the track for a festival-like atmosphere and an experience unlike any other. We are grateful for the leadership at Pocono Raceway that continues to build partnerships nationally and throughout Pennsylvania in order to tout tourism’s positive impact on the region.”
The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA.COM will stream live on Amazon Prime Video Sunday, June 22. The race will be broadcast in 195 countries and in more than 29 languages. A recent study conducted by Tourism Economics found in 2023, nearly 197 million visitors spent $47.9 billion across Pennsylvania. The Pocono Mountains accounts for 10% of that spending and ranks fourth behind major metropolitan areas such as Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg/Lancaster.
Pocono Raceway contributes significantly to the Pocono Mountains as an economic driver. One NASCAR Cup Series race is estimated to infuse local economies with $75 - $100 million yearly. Pocono Raceway attracts fans from every county in Pennsylvania, 50 states and nearly 20. Motorsports is vastly different than other sporting events, including the NFL, NBA, MLB & NHL teams which tend to draw more localized audiences. 60% of Pocono Raceway attendees are from out-of-state bringing in new dollars to Pennsylvania.
“Both the Pocono Raceway team and the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau are incredibly
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Continued from page 16
supportive of our office and consistently enhance the visitor experience in the Pocono area. They are invaluable partners to us year-round, and we love working with them to showcase NASCAR in Pennsylvania,” said Courtney Custer, Strategic Partnerships Manager for Visit PA.
“World-class events in Pennsylvania, including those at the Pocono Raceway, spur incredible amounts of economic impact across the Commonwealth. Visitors stay overnight, support local businesses, explore beyond the venue, and help serve as word-of-mouth ambassadors when they return home,” added Kaitie Burger, Executive Director for Visit PA.
Learn about ‘Creating a Hummingbird Haven’ when the Pocono Garden Club meets at 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, at the Monroe County Conservation District, 8050 Running Valley Road, Bartonsville.
The program will be presented by club member and Master Gardener Kathy Calligari.
The meeting’s design entry is called “April Fool” and should be a phoenix design. Fool everyone with one silk flower among the fresh ones in the design! The horticulture entry should be a hellebore in bloom or any flowering bulb such as a snow drop or narcissus in a clear container. The houseplant entry should be any vining or trailing houseplant. Bring a stand to elevate your plant.
Remember to save the date Saturday, July 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. That’s when the club will hold its popular and successful annual flower show and plant sale at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 158 Fish Hill Road, Tannersville. This year’s theme is ‘Books and Blooms.’ Numerous local non-profit organizations benefit.
For more information, contact club President Daisy Medeiros at poconogardenclub@gmail.com. Visit the Pocono Garden Club on Facebook.
by Chuck Stoffa
Nestled at the western entrance of the Pocono Mountains, White Haven is more than a small town it’s the area’s hub for outdoor recreation. Three state parks, a federal recreation area, and thousands of acres of state game lands surround White Haven. The beautiful Lehigh River and the D&L Trail run straight through town. White Haven is very accessible, with three exits off Interstate 80, and easy access to I-81 and the PA Turnpike’s Northeast Extension.
There are hundreds of miles of trails to explore in the area. Lehigh Gorge State Park has three separate entrances in town. Hickory Run and Nescopeck State Parks are within 10 minutes of downtown. And, White Haven is the only town along the 165-mile D&L Trail where the trail runs along Main Street. Bikers, hikers, and runners explore the local shops, refuel at a café, or quench their thirst at the local tavern.
The Lehigh River offers world-class trout fishing, whitewater rafting, and kayaking, while Francis E. Walter Dam provides fishing and boating in a scenic setting. In winter, Jack Frost and Big Boulder Ski Resorts turn the area into a snowy playground.
History buffs can trace the canal town’s industrial roots in coal and lumber transportation. The White Haven Area Community Library is the area’s visitor center. The library is in a restored historic railroad ‘engine house,’ with unique architecture not found anywhere else.
Beyond outdoor recreation, White Haven boasts unique small shops and old-school dining experiences. Browse local gift shops for handcrafted goods, outdoor gear, and locally inspired souvenirs. Eateries range from an old-fashioned diner to one of the area’s most sophisticated restaurants.
White Haven blends nature, recreation, and community. Whether you’re looking for an action-packed getaway or a peaceful retreat, this charming town offers the perfect mix of history, adventure, and hospitality.
by Ruth Isenberg
Glenn Wall knows a lot about crime specifically one crime that got him started on his writing journey. While he was living in the Chicago area in 2010, there to care for his mother who had Alzheimer’s, he did some freelance reporting. He became fascinated with an officially unsolved muder that of Valerie Percy, daughter of Senator and one-time presidential aspirant Charles Percy.
He was living near the home where that tragedy took place, and was able to make contact with many of the people who lived through the tangled events of 1966.
The research Wall did is quite remarkable, and very thorough. It led him to a conclusion he says is shared by the FBI, that the murderer was William Thoresen III, a troubled young man who lived nearby. “Troubled” is an understatement, based on the evidence Wall produces he links Thoresen and his wife to crimes across the country, including the murder of his own brother and gun running.
Wall’s curiosity led him to continue his investigations, even after the first book, Sympathy Vote: a Reinvestigation of the Valerie Percy Murder, was published in 2013. His second book, Zodiac Maniac: The Secret History of the Zodiac Killer, links Thoresen to many other cases, including the murders of the so-called Zodiac
Killer in San Francisco in the late 1960s, as well as other murders in his home state of Illinois, and two in Pennsylvania. He also alleges a cover-up in these cases, including a lack of DNA testing, and attempts to shut down other independent investigations over the years.
Wall and his wife Alexa moved to Lake Harmony in 2021, where the third book, Super Killer: The Further Crimes and Coverup of the Zodiac was just completed last year. They purchased a home near Split Rock Lodge that they had built by an
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Continued from page 21
aunt and uncle in 1967, when Melvin Wall was manager of the restaurant at Le Chateau (now Mountain Laurel Resort) and Elaine Wall worked in the coffee shop there. He has good memories of visiting there with his family during the late 1960s.
The home had been out of the family for many years. Glenn and Alexa were living in Milwaukee, and saw it was for sale. It needed a lot of work, which they are still doing, but they have hosted his two cousins, daughters of Mel and Elaine, and their spouses, who have actually brought back some furnishings of their parents—a homecoming of sorts.
Wall says he didn’t learn about the two Pennsylvania and three New Jersey cases he links to Thoresen before he moved there.
Sympathy Vote: a Reinvestigation of the Valerie Percy Murder and Zodiac Maniac: The Secret History of the Zodiac Killer are available at Amazon.com. Super Killer: The Further Crimes and Coverup of the Zodiac can be found at BarnesandNoble.com
LOOKING AT THE MOON: The lunar eclipse of March 14 was visible from North and South America, Europe and the UK and Lake Harmony. Thanks to Terry Hartz for these photos of the “Blood Moon” resulting from the total eclipse.
Dan Walker,
The Pub @ the hub
Continued from page 4
Music Friday and Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m.
May 9 Nina Peterson
May 10 Friends of Roger
At Holy Ghost Distillery & Tasting House on Route 940
Tours, tasting experiences
March & April Hours: Thursday: 3pm – 7pm; Friday: 1pm to 7pm
Saturday: 1pm to 7pm; Sunday: noon to 6pm
Closed – Thursday April 10th
March 29, 11:30am Bourbon and Smoked Cheeses Pairing with Janice “McNamee” Sepcoski
April 19, 4pm & 6pm— Adult Easter Egg Hunt at the Distillery
More info, www.holyghostdistillery.com
At Mauch Chunk Opera House mcohjt.com
March 27 Selwyn Birchwood
March 28 The McCartney Years
March 29 Classic Stones Live
April 4 The Steepwater Band
April 5 Soulshine, an Allman Brothers Experience
April 6 Stillhouse Junkies
April 11— Best of Times - An authentic Tribute to the Music of STYX
April 12— The Sensational Soul CruisersSoultown to Motown
April 17— Maundy Thursday with Free Range Folk & Geezer Ride
April 19— The Dave Matthews Tribute Band
April 25— Zeppelin Reimagined
April 26— Creedence Revived
At Pennspeak.com
Doors open at 7, shows at 8 unless noted March 29— Texas Flood - A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan
April 3—Toast–The Ultimate Bread Experience
April 4 & 5—Get the Led Out
April 6—Robert Cray Band
April 10—Railroad Earth
April 11—Live Wire-The Ultimate AC/DC Experience
April 17—Randy Houser
April 25—John Waite “40 Years of Missing You”
April 26—Herman’s Hermits with Peter Noone
May 1—John Oates, An Evening of Songs and Stories
At MoheganSunArenaPA.com Wilkes-Barre
Penguins Ice Hockey
March 28-30—Monster Jam
April 3-6—Cirque du Soleil: OVO
April 26—Brantley Gilbert: The Tattoos Tour 2025
May 6 & 7—Paw Patrol Live “A Mighty Adventure”
May 20—Alice Cooper
At Mount Airy Casino Resort mountairycasino.com
May 3—An Evening with Real Housewife Theresa Guidice
At F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre kirbycenter.org
March 29—Dancing Stars of Wilkes-Barre
March 30—Experience Hendrix
April 2—The Peking Acrobats
April 5—Philadelphia Freedom: A Tribute to Elton John
April 11—A Proud Monkey (tribute to the Dave Matthews Band)
April 12—Rob Schneider
April 17—Joe Gatto
April 19—Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
April 25—NEPA Philharmonic presents Carmina Burana
April 26—Kirby Fest
April 27—Brit Floyd
April 28—Dance of Hope
April 30—Beatles vs Stones: A Musical Showdown
by Alex Zidock
Here they come! Trout that is. Paid for by the fishing licenses you purchase.
From now until the beginning of the statewide trout seasons, the big white trucks from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) will be delivering hatchery-raised trout to area impoundments. You can check the commission’s web site for the stocking schedule.
Except for the mentored youth program on Saturday, March 29, all state-designated trout waters are closed to fishing until Saturday at 8 a.m. on April 5, when the trout season officially opens statewide.
The regulation is that everyone 16 years of age and older must possess a current fishing license and a trout/salmon permit to fish for trout in Pennsylvania. Licenses and permits may be obtained online or at one of the approximately 700 retail license centers across the state.
By opening day, the PFBC will stock 3.2 million trout in 691 streams and 130 lakes across the commonwealth. Of that, 2.4 million Rainbow, 693,000 Brown, and 125,000 Brook trout will be stocked before opening day and in season.
Most stocked trout are about 11 inches and weigh a little over half a pound; however, the PFBC will stock 72,000 mixed species that are trophy-sized 14 to 20 inches. In addition, 70 percent of the
See OUT IN THE OPEN, page 28
allocated 14,000 trophy golden Rainbow Trout will be stocked before opening day and the remainder 30 percent in season.
Golden Rainbow Trout was developed from one fish with a genetic mutation found in a West Virginia hatchery in 1954. Through selective breeding, the strain of the golden Rainbow was developed and are now stocked throughout the state.
In the 1960s, Pennsylvania stocked a Palomino Trout sub-species that was less vibrant than the golden Rainbow. The Palomino Trout was a variant of a golden Rainbow crossed with a rainbow trout, while the golden Rainbow is a golden rainbow crossed with another golden rainbow.
Wild brook trout are Pennsylvania’s only native species. They are fun to catch, and most anglers practice catch-and-release. However, trout hatchery-raised by the PFBC is meant to be enjoyed by some anglers who may practice catchand-release and by many families looking to enjoy a meal of fresh-caught trout.
At a past K of C children’s fishing contest this young angler admires some trophy trout. The PFBC stocks trophy Rainbow Trout and trophy golden Rainbow Trout. All of Pennsylvania’s golden Rainbow Trout were developed from one fish with a genetic mutation found in a West Virginia hatchery in 1954.
Once the season opens, anglers may keep five combined species of trout that are a minimum of 11 inches long. For complete fishing information, go to the PFBC website.
I was making a Blakeslee run, Dollar Store, CVS, etc. and decided to drive by the lake to check conditions and see if there was anyone crazy enough to be doing anything out there. It was cold, about 18 and the wind was blowing pretty good. There was the LHFD ice rescue training. I was impressed that they were out there on a Sunday morning while most of us wouldn’t even be walking our dogs in that weather! Thanks to them for all they do!
David Hutton
Craftsman
by Matthew Sieger
Barry Zito: “When you know, you know. You know?”
Yogi Berra: “Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical.”
Bill Shankly: “Some people believe football (soccer) is a matter of life and death. I’m very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much more important than that.”
Jerry Rice: “I feel like I’m the best, but you’re not going to get me to say that.”
Hank Aaron: “It took me 17 years to get 3,000 hits in baseball. I did it in one afternoon on the golf course.”
Jacques Plante: “Goaltending is a normal job, sure. How would you like it in your job if a red light went on over your desk every time you made a small mistake and 15,000 people stood up and yelled at you?”
Vitas Gerulaitis, upon beating Jimmy Connors after 16 consecutive losses to him: “And let that be a lesson to you. Nobody beats Vitas Gerulaitis 17 times in a row.”
Tug McGraw on if he preferred grass or AstroTurf: “I dunno. I never smoked grass.”
George Rogers, New Orleans Saints running back, about the upcoming season: “I want to rush for 1,000 or 1,500 yards, whichever comes first.”
Dizzy Dean after a 1-0 baseball game: “The game was closer than the score indicated.”
Weldon Drew, former college basketball coach: “We have a great bunch of outside shooters. Unfortunately, all our games are played indoors.”
Pat Williams, former Orlando Magic General Manager: “We can’t win at home. We can’t win on the road. As general manager, I can’t figure out where else to play.”
Greg Norman: “I owe a lot to my parents, especially my mother and father.”
Titi Fuentes, former MLB second baseman: “They shouldn’t throw at me. I’m the father of five or six kids.”
Gordie Howe: “All hockey players are bilingual. They know English and profanity.”
President Gerald Ford: “I know I am improving at golf because I’m hitting fewer spectators.”
Garry Maddox after hitting a grand slam: “As I remember it, the bases were loaded.”
Terrell Owens: “Don’t say I don’t get along with my teammates. I don’t get along with some of the guys on the team.”
Ned Coletti, former Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti, on scouting a prospective pitcher: “He had good command, though. He didn’t hit any cars or anything.”
Stephen Neal, former New England Patriots offensive lineman on Tom Brady’s minor car accident: “We can’t protect him all the time.”
Brett Anderson, former Oakland A’s pitcher Brett Anderson, after slugger Manny Ramirez joined the team in spring training: “Manny just asked if I was the video coordinator. Our relationship can only go up from here.”
Marshawn Lynch on Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable: “Being from Oakland, all I knew about him is that he punched people. That’s my kind of person.”
Steve Keim, former Arizona Cardinals general manager, on how the NFL assesses character in the Draft: “If Hannibal Lecter ran a 4.3, we’d probably diagnose it as an eating disorder.”
Doc Rivers on welcoming back forward Blake Griffin to the Clippers after Griffin punched a team staffer and broke his hand: “You forgive people. We built Nixon a library.”
Tony Gwynn: “We know we’re better than this, but we can’t prove it.”
A graduate of Syracuse and Cornell, Matt Sieger was formerly a sports reporter/columnist for the Cortland (NY) Standard and The Vacaville (CA) Reporter. Author of The God Squad: The Born-Again San Francisco Giants of 1978, he is now a columnist at The Sports Column.
On the cover, a black and white stark landscape of skiers through the trees from Jack Frost/Big Boulder Ski Areas.
Inside, page 2 features a full page ad from the Resort at Split Rock, including infor on a Bridal Show, Great Brews From Around the World, and the 15th annual Wine & Food Festival.
Page 4 was a full page ad for Boulder Creek Resort, where “The woods are quiet. The air is clear. But everything you need is right around the corner—shopping, sports, entertainment, great food.”
From 18624:
Neil Bogin was named Lake Harmony’s new Postmaster.
A group of “Lakesters” was planning a trip in November on Carnival Lines’ ship Victory for a 7-day cruise to San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Martin and St. John.
“We’ve been trailing the Carbon County Plaza in total pounds of recycling, but Kidder Plaza finally exceeded all the other sites in one area, that of steel/bimetal aliuminum cans. Draw your own conclusions—it’s a long winter…
An article introduced the new Fire Chief for Lake Harmony Volunteer Fire Co. Ralph Lennon. He was elected to the job after Al Klitsch retired. Also from the fire company was a mid-point appeal for the 2005 Membership Drive.
Carbon County Shelter and Carbon County Friends of Animals sponsored a section that promoted animal adoptions, and asked for donations of supplies.
An article outlined four scholarships available through the Jim Thorpe Area PTA, a $500 L B Morris PTA Scholarship, a $500 Penn Kidder PTA Arts & Education in Honor of Randy Rabenold, a $500 PTSA Computer Math Scholarhsip in Honor of John Lutinsky, and a $300 Jim Thorpe Area PTA Council Continuing Education Scholarship.
This issue of 2005 included an Archives of its own, a copy of the first-ever cover from March, 1995 announcing the LAKE NEWS, and thanking the 16 advertisers who had supported them from the beginning. They were: Affordable Painting, Big Boulder & Jack Frost, Century 21 (formerly Pocono West), Harmony Beverage, Jones Construction, Klitsch Electric, Lake Harmony Realty, Monteuro Construction, Murphy’s Loft, 940 Automotie Center, Penn Forest Physical Therapy and Fitness Center, Peterson’s Ski & Cycle, Piggy’s, Pocono Resorts Realty, Shenanigans, and The Resort at Split Rock.
by Christine A. Gilliar-Feller
by Eric Katz
Then President-elect Trump said in December he would once again consider privatizing the U.S. Postal Service, opening the door bringing back a controversial and failed proposal from his first term.
Trump was vague in his assessment of the idea during a press conference at his Mara-Lago resort in Florida, saying in response to a question that taking USPS outside of government control was “not the worst idea.” He added it was something “we’re looking at.”
“There is a lot of talk about the Postal Service being taken private,” Trump said. “It’s a lot different today, between Amazon and UPS and FedEx and all the things that you didn’t have. But there is talk about that. It’s an idea that a lot of people have liked for a long time.”
The suggestion, which The Washington Post previously reported was under consideration, emerged in Trump’s first term as part of his plan to reorganize the federal government. That followed an executive order Trump issued
in 2018 that created a task force to recommend a path to put the cash-strapped agency on firmer financial footing.
The Office of Management and Budget suggested the Postal Service institute those recommendations to get itself into better shape before it is sold off to the private sector. The suggestion was quickly met with bipartisan rebuke in Congress and Trump’s task force declined to make a similar proposal.
“A privatized Postal Service would have a substantially lower cost structure, be able to adapt to changing customer needs and make business decisions free from political interfer-
ence, and have access to private capital markets to fund operational improvements without burdening taxpayers,” the White House said in its 2018 proposal. “The private operation would be incentivized to innovate and improve services to Americans in every community.”
It suggested a privatized mailing entity would be able to reduce services, raise rates and offer less generous pay and benefits to its employees.
The Constitution first called for the existence of a postal operation and the agency faces a
statutory obligation to deliver to every address in the nation six days per week. It is also tasked with covering its own expenses outside of limited appropriations it receives for providing specific services for the government something it has failed to do for more than a decade.
Still, there remains bipartisan support for a robust Postal Service. Just in recent weeks, a myriad of lawmakers in both parties blasted Postmaster General Louis DeJoy for his plans to slow down de-
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livery of some mail and reduce service standards. Lawmakers representing states or districts with significant rural populations have been particularly supportive of improving and expanding USPS.
While Trump alluded to private companies like FedEx and UPS, they do not face the same obligation to deliver to all areas that are not profitable as does the Postal Service. They have historically leaned on USPS’ network to boost its offerings and do not currently offer mail delivery, as that is reserved for the government agency.
Given the bipartisan support that a public USPS enjoys, following through with postal privatization remains a tall task and an effort unlikely to succeed. Congress in 2022 approved a major legislative overhaul that relieved tens of billions of dollars of debt from USPS books and has shown ongoing interest in overseeing DeJoy’s reform efforts.
DeJoy earlier this month vowed to “continue down [his] path until someone hauls me out of here.”
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who next year is set to take over the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that oversees USPS, recently told DeJoy he should stop hiring government employees and instead contract out new staff. Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., who chairs the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, told DeJoy last week that there could be some major reforms coming in the Trump administration and those may or may not be advantageous to the Postal Service. He added, however, he was on DeJoy’s and USPS’ side.
Both Paul and Comer cited the Postal Service’s ongoing financial losses as the cause for their concern. DeJoy had hoped to get USPS back in the black by 2023, but he has yet to do so and the agency reported $9.5 billion in losses in fiscal 2024. It anticipates the trend will continue in fiscal 2025.
President Biden on Monday nominated Anton Hajjar to serve on the USPS board of governors, joining his three additional pending nominees. Two of those individuals, William Zollars and Gordon Hartogensis, are Republicans. The Senate has precious few days before the end of its session and appears unlikely to commit floor time to approving their nominations. The board, which has largely been supportive of DeJoy’s reform efforts, currently has four members nominated by Biden and two nominated by Trump.
Continued from page 37
The postal leader brought a spotlight, controversy and a plan to save the agency to his role, but is now starting the process to find a successor.
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy will soon step down as head of the U.S. Postal Service, creating an opening for the agency’s governing board to fill as it is in the midst of implementing controversial and sweeping reforms to its operations.
DeJoy has requested the USPS board begin its process to find a successor just months after telling Congress he would remain in the post “until somebody hauls me out of here.” The postmaster general has faced significant criticism since his appointment to the role in 2020 for his efforts to slow down mail delivery, raise prices and consolidate mail processing while also winning some plaudits for creating a vision he said would eliminate the agency’s financial troubles.
Postmasters general serve no fixed terms and are chosen by the board. President Biden while in office faced some calls to fire DeJoy, a long-time Republican donor who came to USPS after run-
ning a successful private sector logistics company, though he could only be removed by the board or on his own volition.
DeJoy said “much critical work” remains to implement his vision for the agency, but he decided it was time to start the process of identifying a successor.
“The major initiatives we are currently endeavoring are multi-year programs and it is important to have leadership in place whose tenure will span this future period,” DeJoy said. “After four and half years leading one of America’s greatest public institutions through dramatic change during unusual times, it is time for me to start thinking about the next phase of my life, while also ensuring that the Postal Service is fully prepared for the future.”
USPS is four years into implementing DeJoy’s 10-year Delivering for America plan, which is striving to streamline the agency’s processing and delivering processes while enabling it to break even after a decade of losses. The postmaster general’s efforts to drive out costs while raising rates more frequently and significantly than USPS has historically done has created a chorus of criticism from a wide-ranging and bipartisan set of lawmakers in Congress, the agency’s regulators, its inspector general and stakeholders throughout the mailing community.
From page 38
The USPS board of governors that will choose his successor currently has three Republican members, two Democrats and one independent. President Trump can immediately nominate three additional members to the vacant seats on the nine-member board and a fourth to replace Roman Martinez, who is currently serving in a holdover year.
One executive in the mailing industry speculated DeJoy’s timing was not a coincidence, suggesting it “sure feels like” he stepped aside so Trump can reshape the board to install a DeJoy protege or “change USPS in some other way.” Trump briefly proposed privatizing the Postal Service in his first term and recently suggested he could seek to do so again.
DeJoy missed his target of getting USPS into the black in fiscal 2023 and 2024 and has said he expects to again fall short in fiscal 2025. The agency did turn a profit in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, a rare occurrence over the agency’s last decade. DeJoy has been adamant in the face of criticism that his mandate is to deliver mail and packages at least six days per week to every address in the nation without taking federal appropriations and his reforms were the only
viable way to meet it.
The Postal Regulatory Commission has frequently butted heads with DeJoy and recently blasted DeJoy’s reform plans, suggesting they were poorly thought out and contained “little convincing evidence” they would succeed. Large-scale mail users have castigated DeJoy’s efforts, saying they are now paying far more for worse service. Lawmakers have sharply rebuked DeJoy for lowering USPS performance expectations and even Republican members of Congress have vowed to block his plan from taking effect.
Perhaps the three most significant efforts currently underway in DeJoy’s plan are consolidating mail processing operations into 60 mega-centers around the county, concentrating the final stage of mail sorting away from post offices in favor of new, centralized centers and leaving some mail to sit overnight for collection the following morning. He is also in the midst
of investing $40 billion into the agency, including by building new facilities, improving long-neglected workspaces and purchasing a new fleet of vehicles— most of which will be electric.
“Louis DeJoy has steadfastly served the nation and the Postal Service over the past five years,” said Amber McReynolds, a Biden appointee who the board recently selected as its new chair. “The governors greatly appreciate his enduring leadership and his tireless efforts to modernize the Postal Service and reverse decades of neglect.”
McReynolds added that DeJoy was a “fighter” who created a “strategic direction, a competitive spirit and a culture of achievement.” She vowed to continue to bring about progress until “the promise of a transformed and modernized Postal Service is fully realized.”
DeJoy said he was proud of his accomplishments and the
postal workforce.
“Despite being victimized by a legislative and regulatory business model that produced almost two decades of devastation to their organization and workplaces, they have persevered and embraced the changes we are making in order to better serve their fellow citizens,”
DeJoy said. “It has been one of the pleasures of my life and a crowning achievement of my career to have been associated with them and their mission of public service.”
Christine A. Gilliar-Feller, Sales Service Associate, fancy for clerk
Window hours, Monday–Friday 8-11:30 a.m., 1-4:45 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Lobby hours 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. 365 days a year, 7 days a week 570-722-8524
MICHAEL A. YOUNT
It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Michael A. Yount, husband, father, son, brother, friend, of Lehighton, who died on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at Lehigh Valley Hospital Carbon Campus, Lehighton. Michael was 50 years of age.
Born Saturday, August 17, 1974 in Johnson City, New York, he was the son of the late Charles Wade Yount, and Rebecca Ann Molyneaux. Michael was also predeceased by a brother, Joseph Virbitsky
Surviving are his beloved wife of 15 years, Seà; son, Brandon L. Yount; daughter, Sophia Yount; brother, Robert Morlando; sisters, Elizabeth Freeman, Janice Davis, Karen Newhart, Sara Virbitsky and Jennifer Virbitsky; step-father, Joseph Virbitsky. Many nieces and nephews also survive Michael.
Michael was curious, and creative in all aspects of his life. He worked as a Chef for Louie’s Prime Steak House in Lake Harmony, and in various other restaurants in the Lehigh Valley. He attended Luzerne County Community College, Marywood University, and the Art Institute at Lesley University in Boston. A talented portrait painter, and artist, Michael was also a guitarist and musician. He obtained a programming certificate, Michael coded, developed video games, and had his own youtube channel.
Michael enjoyed the companionship of his dog Ash. His presence will be missed; however, his light will continue to shine.
A Celebration of Michael’s Life was held March 7. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.griffithsfuneralhomes.com
Saturday, May 17, 4 p.m. at The Hub
Please join us for some community fun, a LOVE Kidder Township Membership meeting, and election of LKT officers.
We’ve been functioning with interim officers (Beth Hurley-Interim President, Chuck CutshallInterim VP, Kathy Lorigan-Interim Treasurer, and Paul Lorigan-Interim Secretary). It’s time to have a membership meeting and official elections.
We are seeking Fundraising and Communication Committee chairs – let one of the above know if you’re available.
Saturday, May 24 at 1 p.m. at the Pavillion in Split Rock
LOVE Kidder Township Officers will meet with and present an update to the Split Rock Cottage Owners Association members. Be sure to join us if you live in Split Rock.
Civic organizations, religious groups, libraries, any group, business or organization that wants to get the word out. Tell us what’s happening—a dinner, craft event, rummage sale, musical event, a special party. Does an individual deserve some recognition? School honor roll, scouts, awards, let us know.
Send your information to journalnews@ pa.metrocast.net or call 570-215-0204 xt2 and leave a message for the editor.
by Ruth Isenberg
Complaints about short term rental fee increases were the main subjects brought up by audience members at the February 27 Kidder Township Board of Supervisors’ meeting, along with an objection to the supervisors’ decision to appeal a Zoning Hearing Board approval of an variance for Solar Star Blakeslee 2 LLC for development of a solar project on 11.5 acres on Route 940 across from Harmony Beverage.
Short-term rental property owners complained that fees have risen consistently over the past three years. Questions about what the money is used for, and warnings of unintended consequences of raising the rates too high were answered when supervisors voted to amend the fee schedule
Supervisor chair Ray Gluck pointed out that safety inspections for commercial properties and fees for short-term rental permits are two separate categories, and not related. The permit
fees are supposed to cover expenses the township incurs because of STRs in the community, such as the number of complaint police and code enforcement officers must handle.
Police Chief Matthew Kuzma confirmed that last year there were over 3,200 calls regarding STRs. Supervisor Noel Torres said there had been more than 700 already this year. Some have been quite serious, including a rape and a death in a hot tub, both under investigation. The Lake Harmony Fire Company responded to over 400 calls, more than any previous year.
Fees for 2025 were modified to $500 for 2-3 bedrooms, $750 for 4-5 bedrooms, $1,500 for 6-7 bedrooms, and $250 per bedroom for larger properties. All supervisors voted in favor of the increased fees.
Property owner John McElroy protested the decision to appeal the Zoning Hearing Board’s decision regarding a solar farm project,
See KIDDER, page 43
Continued from page 42
calling it a “clean, environmentally correct project,” and noting that the required setback from the road would make building on the lot impossible as it is configured.
Supervisors did not comment on the matter before voting, saying it was a legal
matter not open for discussion. All voted in favor of filing the appeal.
Because of a conflict of counsel, Robert Frycklund was appointed to represent the board of supervisors in the matter.
Subdivision/land development plans for
both Blue Ridge Real Estate and Camptel Poconos were tabled at the requests of the applicants.
A resolution confirming the Volunteer Service Credit/Stipend was approved, as was a resolution to increase the salaries to the new state level for supervisors elected in the future, and regulations for timbering in the
township.
A lease agreement of $1/year with LNP Properties LLC for trail parking from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. was approved, with Gluck, Torres, Bruce Berger and Wilson Klotzman in favor, and Louis Pantages abstaining.
Police committee chair Torres reported that sending a police officer to truck unit training last year has paid off. As of the day of the meeting, with one day a week on truck duty, he had issued $236,000 in fines since January, $20,000 that day alone. The township gets half of the fines collected.
Roadmaster Klotzman reported that township crews salted the road through Split Rock during the ice storm, figuring it was cheaper to pay a guy than to wreck a fire truck, ambulance or police car. The township will bill Split Rock.
Chief Kuzma reported the new police vehicle is up and running. The department responded to 347 calls in January, and issued 233 citations.
Manager Suzanne Brooks announced that electronics recycling is scheduled for July 12, from 9-11 a.m., or until the truck is full.
Supervisors meet next on Thursday, March 27, at 6:30 p.m.
1. Aladdin’s find
5. Reggae precursor
8. “Lights out” signal
12. Not good
13. Flock’s echo
14. ____ diet, a.k.a. caveman diet
15. Kind of jerk
16. *Southern and Southwestern U.S. region: Sun ____
17. Financial backer
18. *Switzerland’s skiing destination (2 words)
20. Ivan the Terrible, e.g.
21. Clint Eastwood’s “Play ____ for Me”
22. One in a pod
23. Wear out
26. Masculine
30. *Princess’ turf
31. Makes a sum (2 words)
34. “He’s Just Not That ____ You”
35. Dionysus’ pipe-playing companion
37. Choose
38. Provide food
39. Answer from a tunnel
40. Virtual you
42. ____ Scare
43. Prickly plant
45. *Second “National Lampoon’s Vacation” destination
47. Biblical Adam’s partner
48. Cause and effect cycle?
50. Goals
52. *Jamaica and Cayman Islands location
56. Bert’s sidekick
57. Poet Pound
58. Hay bundle
59. “The Great Gatsby” author
60. Billiards relative
61. Theories
62. ____-deaf
63. Boar’s mate
64. Reason to cram DOWN
1. Not more
2. Swear, not curse
3. Between mini and maxi
4. Bodily fluid
5. Small silvery fish
6. ____ G. of “SpongeBob SquarePants”
7. Aardvark’s repast
8. *Serengeti National Park location
9. Aquatic plant
10. Pressure inducer
11. *Costa del ____, Spain
13. Humiliated
14. Eucharistic plate
19. Fretted instrument
22. OB-GYN test
23. Balance sheet item
24. *Coastal destination
25. Policeman’s club in India
26. Cockapoo or Puggle, e.g.
27. Foreword
28. Make tea
29. Vast multitude
32. Peace symbol
33. *Rest and relaxation destination
36. *El Capitan and Half Dome location
38. Pigeon food?
40. Brewery order
41. Acrobatic move
44. Living room centerpiece?
46. Velveteen creature
48. Type of membranophone
49. Cupid’s ammo
50. Gas station brand
51. Aware of a secret (2 words)
52. Porcinos
53. “At ____, soldier”
54. Charitable contribution
55. Hawk’s aerie, e.g.
56. Time in NYC
The Carbon County Chamber & Economic Development Corporation, proud partner of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, is excited to partner with Carbon PA CareerLink and the Pocono Counties Workforce Development Area for the 2025 Carbon PA CareerLink Job Fair. The event is set to take place on Friday, May 2, from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Carbon Plaza Mall in Lehighton.
“The Chamber is incredibly proud to partner on this important initiative, which represents a vital opportunity to connect the talented individuals of our County with meaningful employment,” said Kylie Adams-Weiss, SVP of the Carbon Chamber & Economic Development Corporation. “Our community is HIRING! Carbon County is home to a vibrant business community and we know that opportunities like this provide them exposure to job seekers and our community. This event not only strengthens our community but drives important economic growth to the region.”
Applications are now open for employers to participate; interested parties should contact Adams-Weiss via email at kadams@ carboncountychamber.org for an application, or visit the Chamber’s website (www. carboncountychamber.org/2025-carbon-jobfair). It is free for employers to participate, with the inclusion of a Career Pathway.
From the Editor: This is my first try at making a Word Search; they will improve. We can actually make a Custom Word Search, if you’d like to sponsor one for your business or a special occasion. Call me at 570-215-0204 xt2 to learn more.
