Science STARS Aidan Crum and Bryan Lear put their skills to work. See Page 7A.
THE ABINGTON
Disney in Scranton
JOURNAL
Scranton Prep students Gabby Durr and Kris Muzzi put their spin on classic play. Page 10A.
An edition of THE TIMES LEADER
Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
www.theabingtonjournal.com
April 3 to April 9, 2013
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C. S. councilman’s grandfather honored
By GERARD NOLAN Abington Journal Correspondent
AbingtOn JOurnAl/gErArd nOlAn
Herman R. Johnson, a veteran of the Vietnam War, lives and works in Clarks Summit. He seeks the Medal of Honor for his grandfather, Henry Lincoln Johnson.
U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt called him one of the five bravest men to fight in World War I. France conferred its highest military honor, the Croix de Guerre, upon him. He returned to a hero’s welcome at home, including a ticker-tape parade in New York City. A World War I battle is named after him. He was nicknamed “Black Death.” The military
Council member, hope that telling his story will once and for all secure his place in American history as a valiant warrior, decorated with the military honor he deserves— the Congressional Medal of Honor. Politicians, including New York Sen. Charles Schumer, have touted Johnson as an unsung hero. The History Channel recently aired a documentary on his life. Albany, his hometown, has honored
used his image on recruitment posters after the war. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. But for generations following World War I, the memory of Henry Lincoln Johnson, Sergeant U.S. Army faded into obscurity. Henry Johnson’s relatives and admirers, including grandson Herman R. Johnson, a Clarks Summit Borough
Ever wonder how Clarks Green looked in the 1940s and 1950s? Where three byways intersected, small town America was in its heyday. “Clarks Green corners was just that,” said Clarks Summit resident and history buff, Warren Watkins, 80. He recalled Kermit Greene, chief of the Clarks Green Police Department. In the late 1940s and 1950s, Chief Greene was the only policeman in the department. “Kermit was responsible for the Clarks Green corners, which consists of North Abington Road, Glenburn Road and East Grove Street. His patrol car was his own. He is buried in the Clarks Green Cemetery.” Watkins took a walk down memory lane to paint a mental picture of the scene. “It was really their downtown area. It consisted of O’Malley’s Gulf (Gas) Station, Brown’s Pharmacy, a dentist, a hairdresser’s and barber shop. At one time, there was a gift shop, along with another small business, and at one time there was a Turkey Hill Store there.” The Borough Building, a small grocery store and also a barber shop were also part of the landscape. Farther down on East Grove Street was the Clarks Green Garage, (repaired and sold cars) and “that was about it,” said Watkins. “Later on, there was a funeral home next to the
By ROBERT TOMKAVAGE
rtomkavage@theabingtonjournal.com
The Borough of Clarks Summit’s Earth Day Celebration will be held downtown April 20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. “The goal is to bring awareness to the community and surrounding communities about how valuable the Earth is and the need to protect it,” Clarks Summit Recycling and Earth Day Chair Patty Lawler said. Lawler was pleased with the results of the inaugural celebration last year. “For the first time out, it was very successful with big crowds,” she said. “This past year, people have been asking if we going to do Earth Day again. It’s been great. We want to capitalize on that and make it even better this year.” With the help of two grants,
borough building, and farther up next to Baumgartner’s (store), was the Baptist Church. The Insalaco’s Supermarket was built where the medical building is now. That pretty much made up the corners.” Watkins lives in Clarks Summit Borough, but not much farther than a stone’s throw away from Clarks Green Borough. He spent his youth roller skating, riding his bicycle, fishing. That is, he said, “besides church (Clarks Green United Methodist Church) and attending school.” “We found a lot of things to do on our own to keep busy.” He and his pals fished and ice skated on a pond on Venard Road and, “if we didn’t fish there, we’d get on our bikes and go to Glenburn Pond.” For anyone who did not wear a watch, a siren sounded at 7 a.m., noon and again at 6 p.m. To earn money, at one point when he was 12 or 13, Watkins ran a lawn business that included approximately 14 customers. But he did not have a car to transport the circa- 1930s push mower he inherited from his grandfather, so he tied the lawn mower to the back of his bike and pulled the mower to his customers. A newly formed Centennial Committee will plan ahead for the celebration of Clarks Green borough’s 100th anniversary May 14, 2014. One group aims to fund a town clock for the occasion. For details, contact Gail E. Rees, Chair, at 570.587.0505.
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The Abington Journal
By GERARD NOLAN Abington Journal Correspondent
Diversity SPRINGS into Film Fest TUNKHANNOCK- From comedies, to dramas and documentaries, this year’s Spring Film Festival at the Dietrich Theater, set for April 5 through 18, promises to be as diverse as the guests in attendance. “If you’ve never been to a film festival before, you’re in for a great surprise,” said Jennifer Jenkins, executive director. “You can travel around the world—France, Italy, Germany, Norway—and see royalty, refugees and rock stars, all without leaving the Dietrich Theater.” Jenkins said moviegoers often leave with many thoughtprovoking ideas, and even new friends. “We love the film festivals at the Dietrich for the way they bring all kinds of diverse people together,” she said.
Bring out your phone books
Students from Clarks Summit Elementary are stepping up to the plate again to take the Earth Day Challenge, now underway. Students are collecting phone books for recycling. The class that collects the most will become The Recycling Champs of 2013. Last year, David Temprine’s third grade class won the competition. Students have until April 18 for collection from the public. April 19, phone books will be tallied and the Recycling Champs of 2013 announced. Each member of the winning class will receive a T-shirt and be invited to be a junior marshal in the Borough’s Memorial Day Celebration. Last year, more than 1,500 phone books were recycled thanks to the students at C.S. Elementary. Principal Kevin Rogan and Councilwoman Patty Lawler are coordinating the event.
Clarks Summit EMA director retires
AbingtOn JOurnAl/ JOAn MEAd-MAtSui
“Especially during our Opening Night Gala, movie goers find themselves discussing movies with people they’ve never met.” The Opening Night Gala April 5 will feature two films: “Quartet” and “Hyde Park on the Hudson.” The night will
See GRANDFATHER, Page 8A
See EARTH, Page 7A
The push mower, at right, was Warren Watkins’ grandfather’s. It originated in the early 1930s and it is still operational. As a boy, Warren Watkins used the worm box, at left, to collect fishing bait. The key on top was used to lock his roller skates.
By ELIZABETH BAUMEISTER Abington Journal Reporter
Lincoln Johnson. But Herman R. continues the lifelong quest of his uncle, Herman A. Johnson to see his father, Henry, honored posthumously with the Medal of Honor. Herman A. Johnson was a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first black pilots in the military, who flew in World War II. When he died in 2004, his daughter Tara Johnson,
Celebrating Mother Earth
HISTORY comes to life By JOAN MEAD-MATSUI Abington Journal Correspondent
Johnson by naming local landmarks, including a postal annex and a street, after him. Herman R. Johnson, Henry Lincoln a veteran of Johnson the Vietnam War, lives and works in Clarks Summit, never met his grandfather, Henry
begin with hors d’oeuvres by Twigs Restaurant, Epicurean Delight and Be Life Café and Marketplace and wine by Nimble Hill Vineyard and Winery. Then comes the
See DIETRICH, Page 8A
CLARKS SUMMIT- Clarks Summit borough council voted to appoint an interim emergency management director to replace Council member Herman Johnson, who retired April 1. George Yarns, deputy EMA director, has assumed the director role as of April 1 until a new EMA director is appointed. Council voted to appoint Yarns to the position at its March 25 work session. The vote was unanimous with Johnson abstaining. Yarns probably would not be able to serve as a permanent director, however, because he works for the county. “He is already involved with Lackawanna County as a Deputy EMA Coordinator, Council member David Jenkins said of Yarns. “If something should arise, he is obligated to go with the county.” The council will initiate a search for candidates to fill the job, which requires a great deal of training, according to Johnson. “If we were to have a storm
tomorrow, and the mayor declared an emergency, and you had to get the EMA and the borough manager to put together paperwork to receive monies from the federal government, that individual has to know what he is doing,” Johnson said. Johnson didn’t have any suggestions for his successor, but approved of Yarns for the interim role. In other business, members of the borough’s Shade Tree Commission updated council on the status of their project to plant trees across the borough, including in front of many businesses and the upcoming CVS project on the corners of State Street and Winola Road. The commission hopes to persuade the Abington Heights School District to plant more trees on its property. “We want to forest some of it (Abington Heights) so that they don’t have to cut the grass,” said Donna Zagrapan, president of the commission. Zagrapan touted the benefits of planting trees, including a reduction in soil erosion, less grass to cut, shade, aesthetics and others.
INSIDE ‘Hyde Park on the Hudson,’ starring Bill Murray and Laura Linney will be shown during the Dietrich Theater Spring Film Festival Opening Night Gala April 5, as well as April 7, 10, 12 and 16.
ArtsEtc. ..............................10, 13 Classified .............................. 15 Crosswords ........................... 6
Obituaries ............................. 9 School .................................... 5, 7 Sports .............................. 11, 12