Indiana Gazette (Newspaper) - December 27, 2008, Indiana, Pennsylvania By RANDY WELLS rwells@ indianagazette. net PENN RUN — Tom Ray had many memorable adventures during his four years in the U. S. Navy. While on board the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown he crossed the equator four times and visited 13 countries. “‘ Join the Navy and see the world’ — I did it,” Ray, 60, said recently at his Penn Run home. What he considers the most memorable experience of his years as a sailor occurred just before dawn on Dec. 27, 1968 — 40 years ago today. While standing on the flight deck of the 900- foot- long carrier, Ray and other Yorktown sailors spotted a flashing strobe light falling toward the ocean 2 ½ miles from the ship. Then they saw three white parachutes, “ each about as big as this house,” Ray said. Apollo 8 had returned from space. APOLLO 8 was the first manned spaceflight to a celestial body, and crew members Frank Borman, James Lovell and William Anders were the first humans to see the far side of the moon. Apollo 8 was launched Dec. 21, 1968. It took the crew three days to travel to the moon, and then, during a period of 20 hours, the craft orbited the moon 10 times. The crew made a Christmas Eve Continued on Page 12 The IndianaGazette 24 pages — 2 sections 50 cents Vol. 105 — No. 125 www. indianagazette. com Who’s in the news There is good news today in The Indiana Gazette about these area people: Anna Frye, Max Penrose, Devon Pecora, Vanessa Ewt, Alysia Drylie, Jonathan Colson. Tonight will be cloudy with a chance of showers and an overnight low of 52. Sunday will be rainy with a high of 54./ Page 2 Obituaries on Page 4 ARFORD, Esther E., 85, Robinson BARCLAY, Sonya M. PhD, 49, Indiana DeCHURCH, Gloria J., 79, Punxsutawney DEPP, William L. “ Chief,” 85, Huber Heights, Ohio ISENBERG, John I., 93, Rochester Mills LEAMER, Janice Beth ( Lemmon), 54, Indiana, formerly of Cherry Tree Late deaths LAZERATION, Susan, 79, Indiana THOMAS, Frances M., 85, Indiana Deaths Index Classifieds...................... 21– 24 Comics ................................. 20 Dear Abby ............................ 11 Entertainment..................... 10 Family..................................... 8 Lottery numbers ................... 2 Today in History.................. 11 Religion .......................... 18, 19 Sports ............................. 13– 17 TV ........................................... 9 Viewpoint .............................. 6 27 Saturday Weather Newspaper contents copyright © 2008 Indiana Printing and Publishing Co., Indiana, Pa. This newspaper is printed on recyclable paper. Please recycle. Coming up SUNDAY: The year in photos./ USA Weekend MONDAY: The weekly Q& A features Brian Jones, director of the Indiana Arts Council. Inside SEARCH FOR ANSWERS: Investigators continue to piece together the events surrounding a deadly rampage in California./ Page 2 CAROLINE’S QUEST: With her family’s legacy pushing her along, Caroline Kennedy says her quest for a Senate seat has been a long time in the making./ Page 5 Teddy “ I’m not young enough to know everything.” Sir James Matthew Barrie , Scottish dramatistauthor ( 1860- 1937) For young readers GAMING NEWS: The new video game “ Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4” mixes psychodrama and roleplaying./ Page 20 Home coal use enjoys new life Penn Run man recalls mission to recover Apollo space capsule New law improves state’s reputation Airstrikes kill 155 in Gaza Nap’s Cucina Mia. Taking New Years Eve Reservations. ( 724) 465- 5396 Under Twenty One Dance At Wolfies Sunday 7 p. m.- 11 p. m. www. kravetsky remodeling. com Happy Holidays! Inexpensive New Year’s Year’s Eve, VFW. ( 724) 465- 2121 It’s Not Too Late To Order 2009 Indiana Expo Promo Items! Kerr Promotions For All Your Promotional Needs. ( 724) 465- 6446 Joe’s Vacuums ( 724) 349- 8565 Let’s Go Roller Skating! Recorded Schedule ( 724) 463- 3161 Delicious Dinners Thursday, Friday, Saturday The Coventry Inn Reservation 724- 463- 0776 Excellent Bartender Wanted The Coventry Inn www. covinn. com Budash & Welch, LLP Attorneys At Law. ( 724) 463- 6050 Businesses ... Showcase Your Services And/ Or Products In The Expo 2009 Supplement January 14. For More Details Call Indiana Gazette Advertising, 724- 465- 5555 Deabenderfer Construction Design/ Build LLC, ( 724) 463- 1116 www. deabenderfer construction. com A Pirate Looks At Forty... Happy Birthday! Alley Cats Tonight ... University Inn TOM RAY displayed a photo illustration to commemorate the recovery of the Apollo 8 space capsule in his home in Penn Run. The event occurred before dawn on Dec. 27, 1968. Submitted photos By IBRAHIM BARZAK Associated Press Writer GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Israeli warplanes retaliating for rocket fire from the Gaza Strip pounded dozens of security compounds across the Hamas- ruled territory in unprecedented waves of airstrikes today, killing at least 155 and wounding more than 310 in the single bloodiest day of fighting in recent memory. Hamas said all of its security installations were hit and responded with several medium- range Grad rockets at Israel, reaching deeper than in the past. One Israeli was killed and at least four people were wounded. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said “ the operation will last as long as necessary,” but it was not clear if it would be coupled with a ground offensive. Asked if Hamas political leaders might be targeted next, military spokeswoman Maj. Avital Leibovich said, “ Any Hamas target is a target.” The strikes caused widespread panic and confusion in Gaza, as black clouds of smoke rose above the territory, ruled by Hamas for the past 18 months. Some of the Israeli missiles struck in densely populated areas as children were leaving school, and women rushed into the streets frantically looking for their children. Most of those killed were security men, but civilians were among the dead. Said Masri sat in the middle of a Gaza City street, close to a security compound, alternately slapping his face and covering his head with dust from the bombed- out building. “ My son is gone, my son is gone,” wailed Masri, 57. The shopkeeper said he sent his 9- year- old son out to purchase cigarettes minutes before the airstrikes began and now could not find him. “ May I burn like the cigarettes, may Israel burn,” Masri moaned. Continued on Page 12 By TOM ZELLER Jr. and STEFAN MILKOWSKI New York Times News Service SUGARLOAF, Pa. — Kyle Buck heaved open the door of a makeshift bin abutting his suburban ranch house. Staring at a two- ton pile of coal that was delivered by truck a few weeks ago, Buck worried aloud that it would not be enough to last the winter. “ I think I’m going through it faster than I thought I would,” he said. Aptly, perhaps, for an era of hard times, coal is making a comeback as a home heating fuel. Problematic in some ways and difficult to handle, coal is nonetheless a cheap, plentiful, mined- in- America source of heat. And with the cost of heating oil and natural gas increasingly prone to spikes, some homeowners in the Northeast, pockets of the Midwest and even Alaska are deciding coal is worth the trouble. Burning coal at home was once commonplace, of course, but the practice had been declining for decades. Coal consumption for residential use hit a low of 258,000 tons in 2006 — then started to rise. It jumped 9 percent in 2007, according to the Energy Information Administration, and 10 percent more in the first eight months of 2008. Online coal forums are buzzing with activity, as residential coal enthusiasts trade tips and advice for buying and tending to coal heaters. And manufacturers and dealers of coal- burning stoves say they have been deluged with orders — many placed when the price of heating oil jumped last summer — that they are struggling to fill. “ Back in the 1980s, we sold hundreds a year,” said Rich Kauffman, the sales manager at E. F. M. Automatic Heat in Emmaus, Pa., one of the oldest makers of coal- fired furnaces and boilers in the United States, in a nod to the uptick in coal sales that followed the oil crises of the 1970s. “ But that dwindled to nothing in the early 1990s — down to as many as 10 a year,” he said. “ It picked up about a year ago, when we moved about 60 units, and then this year we’ve already sold 200.” Dean Lehman, the plant manager for Hitzer Inc., a family- Continued on Page 12 FROGMEN approached the capsule after it splashed down in the Pacific Ocean. ¡ EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the final installment in a five- part series on Pennsylvania’s new Right- to- Know Law. By MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press Writer HARRISBURG — It was a dubious distinction that may have done more than any other factor to produce a new Right- to- Know Law: Pennsylvania’s long- standing reputation as one of the worst states when it comes to letting people know what their government is doing. The quality of public access does not lend itself to a comprehensive state- by- state analysis, but there is broad consensus that Pennsylvania’s new law, which takes effect next month, represents a major step forward. Evaluating a state’s access can involve an array of factors, including a state’s laws, court rulings, government culture and reallife experiences. “ It’s tough to make subjective calls, like ‘ This law is better than that law,’” said Charles Davis, executive director of the National Freedom of Information Coalition at the Missouri School of Journalism. “ But there are certainly things that you can point to in the new law and say this is a hell of a lot better than the old law.” Those pushing for changes in recent years have often cited a 2002 study of certain aspects of public access by the Chicago- based Better Government Association that ranked Pennsylvania an abysmal 47th. Pennsylvania moved up to 22nd place later that year when a revision of the Rightto- Know Law imposed new timelines for Continued on Page 12 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. PENNSYLVANIA’S NEW ACCESS LAW “ I THINK this new law is a significant step toward greater access in Pennsylvania. It’s hard to quantify at this point, but it’s certainly an improvement and a significant one.” Teri Henning, Pennsylvania Newspaper Association Heating comparison A ton of coal costs $ 120 Equivalent in oil costs $ 380 Equivalent in gas costs $ 470 Source: Energy Information Administration, December 2007 Israelis retaliate against Hamas
