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THE TIMES LEADER www.timesleader.com
MONDAY, MARCH 7, 2011 PAGE 3A
LOCAL
Neighbors see red over toilet in yard
clared a nuisance he must re- W H A T ’ S N E X T Fairview Zoning Board has move. been asked to act on the lawn But how did it get there in the WHAT: Fairview Township Zoning Board meeting accessory of Kevin Engler. first place? By MATT HUGHES mhughes@timesleader.com
FAIRVIEW TWP. – Kevin Engler’s neighbors said they’ve had enough with the bright red toilet on his front lawn. On Wednesday, they’ll ask the Fairview Township Zoning Board to do something about it. The board will meet that night to decide whether Engler, of 135 Forest Road, can keep the toilet on his front yard or have it de-
Zoning board member John Dougherty, who lives across the street from Engler, started the petition to bring the issue before the township zoning board. He said Engler and his neighbors were involved in a long-running dispute involving two commercial trucks at Engler’s house. Engler would park and service two commercial trucks at his property about two years ago, Dougherty said. He got rid of one of the trucks after being cited for a violation of the borough township ordinance, and because the
A career devoted to public safety
WHERE: Fairview Township Municipal Building, 65 Shady Tree Drive WHEN: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.
township code prohibits vehicles from being parked outside overnight, Engler erected a tent on his property and began parking the truck inside, Dougherty said. In a battle that made it as far as the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas, Engler was eventually ordered to remove the tent. It was about that time, two years ago, that the toilet appeared on
his lawn, Dougherty said. “We think he put the toilet out in retribution,” Dougherty said. Township Zoning Officer Barry Jacob approved the toilet as an accessory to use, bringing the fight to the zoning board. Dougherty said the township’s zoning ordinance defines a nuisance as “something that offends the ordinary sensibilities of your neighbors, and of course having a junk toilet in the front yard offends the ordinary sensibilities of your neighbors.” Dougherty added that he will MATT HUGHES/THE TIMES LEADER recuse himself from sitting on the zoning board to hear Engler’s A bright red toilet sits on the lawn of Kevin Engler’s home in Faircase. Engler could not be reached view Township. Engler’s neighbors have called on the township’s zoning board to order the commode removed. for comment.
Ricky Mizenko’s family and friends remember him and raise funds for pancreatic cancer with charity bowl-a-thon at Chacko’s
Donald Winsock Jr. has gone from Hanover Twp. volunteer firefighter to guiding D.C.-area emergency response.
U.S. Rep. hopes tool will let him include direct questions from constituents in hearings.
By MATT HUGHES mhughes@timesleader.com
Donald Winsock Jr.’s job is often thrilling, but that isn’t the real reason he does it. The Hanover Township native has for the last 10 years worked for the Arlington County Office of Emergency Management, just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., where he was promoted to emergency management shift supervisor in 2007. His office handles upwards of 1,000 calls per day, leaving him in control of an office environment that is often frantic and seldom if ever boring, but Winsock said that “deep down it’s the helping people that’s really rewarding.” Winsock, 40, was featured in a February issue Winsock of trade publication Public Safety Communications, which looked back on his 22 years working in the public safety field. He was, in a sense, raised to help others. Winsock’s father, Donald Winsock Sr., of Hanover Township, was a volunteer firefighter in Hanover Township and frequently brought his son to the station as a child. At age 18, the younger Winsock joined the department at Station 5 in Breslau, where he is still listed as a volunteer. “I think it (was) being raised in the fire department that kind of directed my life in that direction,” he said. Inspired to pursue a career in public service, Winsock attained an undergraduate degree in fire science from the University of Maryland and landed a job as an emergency dispatcher for Hanover Township in 1995. He continued working as a dispatcher for Luzerne County after the county regionalized its 911 service in 1996, and in 2001 moved on to the Arlington County dispatch office. His early days in the Arlington office were, in a sense, a trial by fire. Winsock was on duty on September 11, 2001, when terrorists hijacked and crashed American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon, which is in Arlington County. “It was pretty much non-stop,” Winsock said “As soon as you hung up, the phone it was ringing again. It was non-stop for at least 24 to 48 hours. It was definitely the busiest time I’ve ever seen in my career.” Though horrifying situations like the terrorist attack and the more routine emergencies he deals with daily might be shocking, Winsock said 911 operators have protocols that they must follow, and that in the moment following protocol keeps him calm. He admits, though, that later reflection can sometimes be difficult. He also said that though his department’s protocol is as thorough as can be, a good 911 operator must sometimes exercise creativity. “Obviously things happen on a daily basis that you can’t plan for, from people locking their kids in the car to major emergencies,” he said. Winsock lives in Bristow, Va., with his wife of two years, Samantha. The couple has one son, Donald James Winsock, 2, and is expecting a second son later this year.
Marino will use website feature
By JONATHAN RISKIND Times Leader Washington Bureau
DON CAREY/THE TIMES LEADER
Maximus Hardin, 4, gets an assist from his father, Matt, at the Remembering Ricky bowl-a-thon at Chacko’s in WilkesBarre. The event was a fundraiser to raise money for pancreatic cancer research in the memory of Ricky Mizenko.
Event scores big
Bowl-a-thon’s proceeds to benefit Pancreatic Cancer Action Network By B. GARRET ROGAN Times Leader Correspondent
Friends, family members and supporters joined in remembering Ricky Mizenko at a charity bowl-a-thon at Chacko’s Family Bowling Center in Wilkes-Barre on Sunday. A lifetime Swoyersville resident, Ricky passed away in July 2009, at the age of 60, less than four months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. In the nearly two years since his passing, his family had been actively searching for a way to honor his memory and celebrate his life. Ricky’s daughter Robyn Williams, 35, of Mountain Top, had been considering possible fundraising ideas when she was alerted to the idea of a bowl-athon after visiting the Chacko’s Family Bowling Center website. For Robyn it was an obvious fit. Her father was an active man and bowling was just one of his many hobbies. She thought it was the perfect way for friends and family members of all ages to have fun in remembering her father and raise awareness for the disease that took his life. Taryn Jones, the coordinator for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre affiliate of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, was on hand at the event to show her support. All of the proceeds from the bowl-a-
ease passing away within five years of the diagnosis. She went on to lament that despite the severity; pancreatic cancer receives only roughly 1 percent of the thon will be donated to the organiza- government funding that is allocated tion to help fund prevention research for cancer research. This figure made Jones all the more and to raise awareness of the disease. “We are honored to be a part of this pleased with the success of Sunday’s and to receive this kind of support event. The Mizenko family also was from the family,” Jones said. pleased to the point of being Jones met the Mizenko nearly overwhelmed. family when they participa- “We are honThey had initially anticipatted in an annual 5K Charity ored to be a ed only 100 bowlers and estiWalk in June 2009. She mated that they would be dostayed in contact with them part of this during Ricky’s final weeks and to receive nating roughly $1,500 to charity. However, by the time the and has remained in contact this kind of since then. support from event had started, it became clear that they might see twice She noted that there are the amount of bowlers and various charity events held the family.’’ that are specifically orgaTaryn Jones could possibly end up donatnized and sponsored by the Pancreatic ing more than $6,000. Cancer Action Ricky’s brother Jerry, of HaPancreatic Cancer Action Network nover Township, was on hand Network but that this particto join in the celebration. He ular event was completely orand Ricky had not only bowled ganized by Ricky’s daughters, Robyn Williams and Lauren Mizenko, together throughout the years but par22, of Swoyersville; and their mother ticipated in many events from golf to darts to playing in a band together in Gloria, also of Swoyersville. “Grass-roots events like this really the early 1980s after Ricky finished inspire us,” Jones said. She pointed serving in the U.S. Air Force. For Jerry it was not so much about out that they not only do a great job in raising desperately needed funds but the bowling as it was getting together go a long way toward putting a person- to remember him in an activity. “Ricky and I did a lot of things toal face on what is often perceived as an gether. He was a fun guy. We all still obscure disease. Jones also noted that pancreatic think about him all the time.” For Jerry it just made sense for cancer has one of the highest mortality rates among cancers, with 94 per- friends and family to join and do so cent of those diagnosed with the dis- together.
WASHINGTON – When Rep. Tom Marino asked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a House hearing last Tuesday about the amount of U.S. foreign aid dollars going to Egypt, he raised the question in the context of concerns related to him by various constituents. In the future, when Marino queries a wit- Marino ness at a House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing, the Lycoming Township Republican hopes he will be able to be the conduit of specific questions posed by individual constituents. Marino is keen on using a new website tool added by the foreign affairs committee, “You Ask a Question.” By going to, http:// foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearings_question.asp, constituents of Marino and other lawmakers on the committee can send in questions for committee witnesses, whether a prominent public official like the secretary of state or a lesser known foreign policy expert. The committee’s chairwoman, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., also has launched a feature called “Whistleblower,” which is meant to encourage regular folks and government officials to alert the committee about waste, fraud or abuse. That can be found at: http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/ whistleblowers.asp. Marino said he’s excited about the ability to more directly include Wilkes-Barre area citizens in the Capitol Hill hearing process “It’s an opportunity for them to pose questions that they might have,” Marino said. “Someone in the district could come up with something new and novel and it’s a way for me to continue to communicate with my people when I am in Washington and hear what their views are and what they are concerned about. I want to be in the position, if a person agrees, to say ‘John Doe of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, is asking this question in his own words.’ I think the people have the right to do that.” Marino said that type of thing already is happening, “from the perspective that people are calling in to my office and saying, this hearing is coming up and will you address this or that issue. Now we want to make it even more specific.”