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The Times-Tribune from Scranton, Pennsylvania • 3
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The Times-Tribune from Scranton, Pennsylvania • 3

Publication:
The Times-Tribunei
Location:
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Issue Date:
Page:
3
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

THE SCRANTON TIMES, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1981 Truck Crash Snarls Traffic IPS US! about 2:45 p.m. in the southbound lanes of 1-81, near the North Main Avenue interchange. A Pennsylvania Department of Transportation line-painting crew haa closed one lane of the interstate, officials said, and a line of traffic was backed up to a sweeping curve several hundred feet away. The propane tanker was among the last vehicles in that line. The vegetable truck, driven by Thomas Gains, 26, of Reading, rounded the curve and the driver suddenly was confronted by the stopped line of traffic.

He swerved nis truck to the left, hit a Sears, Roebuck Co. van driven by John Kelly, 45, of Carbondale, and bounced back into the left rear of the propane truck, which was operated by Russell Smith, 33, of Dundee, Y. The Sears van also was on fire for a time, but none of the drivers suffered serious injuries. Gains was admitted to Scranton State General Hospital in guarded condition suffering from minor burns and lacerations. This morning.

Gains was listed in fair condition at SGH Smith said the other tractor-trailer sideswiped his propane tanker, then veered to the left, and crashed into the concrete median, bursting into flames. Fire also broke out under the rear of the propane tank. Smith said he believed the tires caught fire. The rear of the propane tank was badly seared on both sides, but the flames did not ignite the volatile cargo before firemen were able to douse them with (Continued on Page 5) By PATRICK McKENNA and GENE COLEMAN Times Staff Writers Potential disaster was reduced to large-scale inconvenience Wednesday afternoon when a trailer carrying liquid propane on Interstate Route 81 was involved in a three-truck accident and caught Are, but did not explode. In another accident, a Lake Ariel area woman was critically injured late Wednesday night in a highway mishap in Jefferson Twp.

Meanwhile, state and local police were gearing up today for the start of the Christmas holiday period, which begins officially at 6 p.m. Law enforcement officials planned extra patrols and tighter surveillance of the highways for possibly intoxicated motorists in an effort to keep down this year's holiday traffic toll. The Route 81 mishap provided a spectacular sight for those motorists who found themselves in the area, but many got to see more of the drama than they might have cared for as traffic was snarled for some time in both the northbound and southbound lanes of the interstate In addition to the propane fuel truck, one of the other two vehicles involved in the crash, a tractor-trailer carrying frozen vegetables, ignited and burned literally to the ground Not even a silhouette of the cab remained by the time Scranton firemen put out the blaze. The trailer was recognizable, but it was partially burned away and unmovable. According to officials at the scene, the accident occurred at iwnwmtft i8 nnriirr- -fri i.

i im-r 11 .1 r' City firefighters and police arrive at scene of rear end of a tanker truck. The burning cab portion center gets the attention of police and firemen, spectacular accident late Wednesday afternoon on of the tractor trailer is at the right and the tanker at (Staff photo by Butler) Route 81 south where tractor trailer rammed the Governor's Abortion Bill Veto Gets Strong Reaction Here Thp hill InMpri hv one national organi as one of disbelief and extreme disappointment," Mrs. Gohsler said. "In light of the governor's personal opposition to abortion, I felt he would sign the legislation," she added. The comprehensive abortion bill vetoed by the governor would have made it more difficult for women to have abortions in Pennsylvania.

In refusing to sign the bill, Thornburgh said it could "have the effect of imposing an undue and in some cases unconstitutional burden" on women seeking abortions. He repeated his "personal opposition to abortion on demand" and'saia ne agreed with many requirements of the bill. But he said several provisions conflicted with the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 ruling that women are entitled to have abortions. She added that outlawing abortions is not going to stop women from receiving them.

Rather than trying to outlaw abortions, she said, she and her group would prefer to see more family planning and educational services made available. The vetoed legislation focused more on making it difficult for women to obtain abortions In addition to the 24-hour waiting period and counseling on the possible negative features of abortions, the legislation would require abortions of viable fetuses to have been done by the method giving the fetus the best chance to survive, unless the woman's life or health was at risk. Also, all abortion facilities would have had to register with the state and file reports on each aborted fetus. Doctors could have been charged with a second-degree felony for aborting a viable fetus and a third-degree felony for performing an abortion on a woman 18 or younger who did not have one parent's consent. Marguerite Beck-Rex, a spokeswoman for the National Abortion Rights Action League in Washington, said the bill was the most comprehensive and restrictive of any passed in the country.

She said no other individual bill would have had the same impact Supporters of the measure said they were angered by the veto. "The basic question is, is he in favor of unregulated, unrestricted killing of unborn tabies1 He just answered said Rep. Steve Freind, chief House sponsor of the measure "It's amazing to me that he vetoed the bill," said Howard Fetterhoff, director of the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, which lobbied strenuously for the measure "A bill like this doesn't stop abortions It just provides minimum protection for fetuses. And yet the governor says he is opposed to abortion Mrs Gohsler said the governor's action flies in the face of the "will of local legislators," noting that the legislation won the approval of two-thirds of the members of the house "It (the veto i is one more instance," she said, "of an elected official opposed to abortion, but when in a position to stop the killing to do so." By FRANK SCHOLZ Times Staff Writer Gov. Dick Thornburgh's veto Wednesday of a comprehensive abortion bill today drew strong reactions both pro and con from local groups on different sides of the controversial abortion issue.

"I'm very pleased," commented Marian Oldstein, executive director of Planned Parenthood for Lackawanna County. Mrs. Oldstein went on to say she felt the governor's veto reflected the feelings of the vast majority of Pennsylvanians. But Mrs. Richard Gotisler, vice president of the Scranton Chapter of Pennsylvanians for Human Life, reacted somewhat differently to the governor's veto.

"You'd have to characterize my reaction zation as the most restrictive in the country, would have defined when life begins, given equal rights to the unborn and banned abortions unless a doctor judged them medically necessary. It also would have required a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion, counseling on tne possible negative effects of an abortion, and a woman's certification that she was given a chance to review material and pictures on adoption, child care and fetal development. The 24-hour waiting period is one of the features of the controversial legislation that Mrs. Oldstein cited as illegal. "Federal courts repeatedly have said that the 24-hour waiting period is unconstitutional." she said.

Valiant Poles Due Honors rV cj If VS. By JIM COLLINS Times Staff Writer The darkening of Christmas lights, the wearing of blue ribbons, the lighting of candles and various prayer vigils tonight will honor citizens of embattled Poland, struggling to survive under martiailaw. Joining a nationwide movement, the WEJL radio station tower atop The Scranton Times' building, traditionally decorated as a Christmas tree, will douse its lights tonight for one hour at 6 p.m. the moment Christmas arrives in Poland. Locally, two area businessmen have answered President Ronald Reagan's appeal for Americans to place a lighted candle in their windows as a symbol "of our solidarity with the Polish people." Joseph 'Jake' Corbett, operator of Minooka Motors, Pittston Avenue and Davis Street, and Thomas Groncki, owner of Pittston Tobacco 62 Main Pittston.

said that they would have 1,500 candles to distribute free to those seeking them anytime after 9:30 a m. In a nationwide address Wednesday, the president said that he would place a lighted candle in a White House window "as a personal statement of committment to the steps we are taking to support the brave people of Poland in their time of troubles." Scranton Mayor Eugene F. Hickey, in his annual Christmas message, offered his prayers for the safety and well-being of the people of Poland. "On behalf of all Scrantoni-ans, I would like to offer my sincere concern to all the Polish citizens of Scranton," said Hickey. "Many of you have friends or relatives in Poland at this time and we pray for their safety and well being.

"Although this is a time of peace and joy for us, we must remember the unfortunate citizens of Poland who will have no Christmas as we know it in the (Continued on Page 8) On Behalf of the staff and management or No Times Fridcw 1 of Shehadi Bros. Appliance and Stereo ft Warehouse, We Wish All Our Friends and Customers Season's Greetings Christmas Day is a holiday for employees of The Scranton Times so don look for the newspaper on your doorstep Friday evening. Times readers can stay informed, however, by tuning to the news broadcasts of The Times' radio stations WEJL-AM, 630 on the dial, and WEZX, FM-107. Regular editions of The Times will return Saturday. and Best Wishes for a Happy New Year Candles such as this one will be glowing in windows throughout the nation tonight as Americans express solidarity with the Polish people.

Candles are being distributed free by several area business firms. (Staff Photo by Butler). Rick Roman, Manager Liquor Clerks' Strike Threat Ended PLEASE NOTE! OUR HOLIDAY SCHEDULE TODAY, DEC. 24th 9 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.

DEC. 25th CLOSED DEC. 26th CLOSED DEC. 31st 9 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.

JAN. 1st CLOSED WE WILL RESUME OUR REGULAR SCHEDULE ON SAT, JAN. 2nd monwealth is clearly using the political angle to avoid entering into serious negotiations. We believe that this is a clear and chargeable violation and we intend to file charges to that effect." He said the union would file charges of unfair labor practices against the commonwealth because of the impasse in negotiations. Also.

Young added. key members of the state legislature, knowing our problems and upset over the governor's injection of politics into the negotiations, want to allow the union to negotiate directly with the Liquor Control Board." The clerks, who work in the state's 725 retail liouor stores, have been demanding continuation of a job security clause which would protect their employment should Pennsylvania eventually sell the stores to private individuals. Young said the job security clause the union wants already is in theexisting contract which the state seeks to eliminate "to help further the governor's political desire to do away with the stores." Thornburgh. resisting the union effort, told The Associated Press "it would be inconceivable to me that we would keep all 3.500 people on the state payroll if we had no liquor stores to' operate and private store operators were doing their own hiring. "Even the threat of a strike is a good example of the negative consequences of having this statewide monopoly." Besides job security, the union is also seeking a pay increase of 8 percent for its members who now average $7 23 an hour, or about $271 for a 37'k hour week.

After negotiations broke down Wednesday. Wendell Young, chairman of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, told a hastily called news conference that "a strike wouldn't serve anybody's purpose except the governor's." Thornburgh has pressed the legislature to pass a law that would divest Pennsylvania of the liquor stores it has operated for more than four decades. "The whole issue of whether we can have a contract settlement is much too dependent on a volatile political atmosphere." Young said. "The com State liquor store clerks have called off a strike threatened for today, citing fear that a walkout would play into the hands of Gov. Dick Thornburgh.

But the president of the clerks' union said charges of unfair labor practices will be filed against the state. Pennsylvania's 3.500 liquor store clerks have been working since June without a contract and a strike had been scheduled for 12:01 a.m. today if an agreement wasn't reached or fruitful negotiations were not under way. rwin of I Thurs. Fri.

9 to i 1p hours? Wed. 4 Sat. 9 to 4:30.

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