Jimmy Johnson, Forest City`s Next Chief of Police

PAGE 4 - THE FOREST CITY NEWS, FOREST CITY, PA 18421 * WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2016 * PHONE 570-785-3800 * email fcnews@nep.net
WC Fair premium books available
online and at local retail outlets
Thinking About Golf
By Art McLain
If you were asked to
make a list of your favorite
activities of summer what
would you choose? Vacations would be a popular
choice, getting a nice tan,
time spent with family and
friends outdoors might be
some of the other selections. This upcoming week
is an extra special one for
family, young people and
golfers.
Father ’s Day is a celebration of all our father does
and has done. School is out
and camps and clinics, specifically junior golf clinics,
begin. For golfers and fans
of tournament golf the US
Open provides fascinating
television viewing.
Time spent with our fathers is special and probably more appreciated as
we get older. As children
we may take it for granted
but as we mature we realize what it takes to be a
good father and also face
the reality that our fathers
will not be with us forever. Here is a wish that
your day with your father
is a great one and if your
father is not with you any
longer that you might be
able to reflect upon happy
memories you’ve had with
him. A great way to spend
time with your father if he
is a golfer is to play golf
with him or get to a driving range and practice your
swings.
Several years ago the
Fern Hall Scottish Glen
Golf Course was looking
for ways to increase the
number of golfers on their
course. An idea was presented that promoting golf
through junior golf clinics
would increase the play
and also be an investment
in the future of golf itself.
Five years later the junior
golf program has over 100
boys and girls learning to
play golf. Of course not all
of the boys and girls will
become great golfers but
many will continue to play
golf, make friends through
golf and learn the lessons
that the game teaches all of
us.
The US Open will be
contested at the Oakmont
Country Club near Pittsburgh. The best golfers in
the world will play against
each other but in actuality
they play against the golf
course. The golf course is
designed to be very challenging with fast greens
and thick rough. The tournament traditionally concludes on Father ’s Day and
one of the most memorable
finishes was the year Davis
Love III had won. His father
had passed away recently
before the tournament and
the final round was played
in rainy and cloudy weather. As the tournament concluded a rainbow appeared
in the sky. Perhaps his father was able to signal his
pride and love for his son
from Heaven. It was a moment that had to touch the
heart of golfers everywhere.
Best wishes for a great
week and a great summer.
If you would like help with
your golf game feel welcome to contact me at arthurmclain@yahoo.com and
find me at the Fern Hall Inn
Golf Course and the Lakeland Golf Club in Fleetville.
Happy Father ’s Day.
ENTRY BLANK
Forest City Lions Club
GOLF TOURNEY
Friday, August 5th
One Shotgun Start
9:00 A.M.
Cost: $75.00 per person
Checks payable to: FC Lions Club
Send your team’s total entry fee to:
James F. Marsicano
632 Railroad St.
Forest City, PA 18421
* * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Team Captain________________________________
Address____________________________________
____________________________________________
Phone #_____________________________________
Other members in foursome:
2._________________________________________
3._________________________________________
4.__________________________________________
Ad space donated by The Forest City News
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570-785-9500
518 Main Street, Forest City, PA 18421
by Art McLain
Jimmy Johnson, Forest
City’s Next Chief of Police
For decades Forest City’s Police Department was led by Chief
Paul Lukus. There were several
qualified applicants to be the next
Chief of Police. The decision was
made in favor of Jimmy Johnson.
Mr. Johnson is currently a police
officer in Forest City working
mostly during the evening shift.
His resume is a snapshot of his
employment history but only in
talking with Officer Johnson do
you realize what he has seen and
experienced.
All of us are familiar with the
tragic events of 9/11 and the Twin
Towers in New York City. Officer Johnson was there and lost
friends, one friend a very close
one, on that day. For most of
us the images in the news were
shocking but to actually be in the
midst, it is hard to imagine.
Officer Johnson once worked
in retail, remember Crazy Eddie’s? Our prices are insane! Every business cycle runs its course
and what was once a thriving
industry, retail, peaked and then
went into a decline. Officer Johnson’s father wisely suggested that
he consider a Civil Service job and
he did. Officer Johnson’s career
started as a corrections officer He
progressed through the ranks of
the NYPD as a patrol officer, detective in the Vice and Narcotics
Unit, became a Sergeant and then
a Lieutenant. After going through
the events of 911 Officer Johnson
decided he wanted to be somewhere that would not be prone to
terrorist attacks.
During a visit to Gouldsboro,
Officer Johnson took a trip to
Pleasant Mount. Seeing property
that was for sale and in the type
of location where he wished to
be, he bought the property and
eventually built a house there.
Although he is retired from the
NYPD he continued his service
through law enforcement with a
part-time position with the Honesdale Borough and eventually
took employment with the Forest
City’s Police Department.
Officer Johnson loves Forest
City. “It is a beautiful town with
a relatively low crime rate and I
want to keep it that way,” he said.
He is proactive in that he tries to
address potential problems before they happen. The residents
of Forest City have a friend in Officer Johnson. He is looking out
for the welfare of the community
and up to the task of making the
Foresters end
playoff run
The Foresters boys’ baseball
team won a first round playoff
game in Class A on June 7 but
suffered a 10-3 loss in the quarter
finals on June 9.
The Foresters pulled through
late in the June 7 game to pull out
a win in the Class A first round
play-off game.
Down 2-1 in the top of the
sixth inning, freshman Tyler Clift
singled in the go-ahead run after a
strange delay at Bowman Field in
Williamsport when the sprinkler
system turned on and delayed the
game.
Forest City added an insurance
run in the top of the 7th to win the
game 4-2 and advance to the quarter final game Thursday against
Meyersdale.
The Foresters were led by Jordan Hicks-Cook and Tyler Clift
with two hits each and a great
pitching performance by senior
Mitchell Blake.
The Foresters boys run in the
state playoffs came to an end on
Thursday in the quarter finals
with a 10-3 loss to Meyersdale.
Senior Riley Christner for Meyersdale single-handedly ended
the Foresters season by hitting for
the cycle - single, double, triple
and home run.
Forest City was led by R.J. Kuruts and Dylan O’Dell with two
hits each and doubles by Mitchell
Blake and Adam Kowalewski.
Great job Foresters on a terrific
season!
Wivey’s Memorial
Golf League
Due to rain, Wivey’s Golf
League was cancelled last
week.
necessary changes to improve our
safety. The Forest City Police Department will be going through
several technological upgrades
with the goal of providing better
service and efficiency.
Officer Johnson is a muscle
car enthusiast and enjoys target
shooting and fishing in his pond.
Golfers may be envious to learn
that he worked as a caddy at the
Winged Foot Country Club, a
very historic and prestigious golf
club. At age 16 while playing with
other caddies he made a hole-inone at Winged Foot and hasn’t
played golf ever since. Talk about
ending on a high note. Perhaps
we can persuade him to play on
some of the great courses in our
area.
His resume is solid with a
Masters Degree from Penn State
in Human Resources and a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice
from John Jay College. He is looking forward to working with the
community to make Forest City
an even greater place to live and
work in. What more could you
ask from your next Chief of Police? He graciously agreed to take
some time for an interview despite a very busy schedule. Most
impressive of all was when he offered, “call me Jimmy.” Inviting
someone to address you by their
first name is a sign of friendship
and in getting to talk with Officer
Johnson you are likely to feel that
you have made a new friend.
Officer, and soon to be Chief
Johnson, best wishes. With all of
us working together for the good
of the community, tomorrow is
looking like a very good day and
the future is looking very bright.
Calling all entries, contestants
and exhibitors. The 2016 Wayne
County Fair has published
this year’s Premium Book and
it’s available on the website at
waynecountyfair.com or click on
this link http://waynecountyfair.
com/premiumbooks.html
If you have a special talent,
love to bake, sew, gardening or
do crafts and would like to enter
one of the many competitive exhibits held during the fair, now
is the time to register. The 2016
Premium Book will guide you to
the registration forms you will
need. Whether it’s a major contest, exhibit or baking contest,
you must pre-register and pay
the listed entry fees by deadlines
specified.
For those who prefer to go to
WayneCountyFair.com the links
to the Premium Book information including rules and instructions for each department can be
downloaded and mailed to the
fair office. All those who wish to
enter are reminded that registration forms must be postmarked
USPS by deadline entry date. In
most cases the deadline is July 1,
2016. Be sure to check individual
departments for deadline dates.
Included in the July 1st deadline are the annual baking contests: Blue Ribbon Apple Pie
contest; Angel Food Cake contest; and PA Preferred Chocolate Cookie, Brownie or Bar
Baking contest. For those who
don’t have access to a computer
or printer, a limited number of
printed Premium Books can be
found at these supporting businesses listed below.
Premium Books can be picked
up at the following locations:
In Pennsylvania: Bethany:
Bethany Farm and Garden,
Route 670 Bethany; Greentown:
Greentown Agway; Hamlin:
The Hunter’s Gallery; Honesdale: Dirlam Brothers Lumber
Co., Honesdale Farm and Garden and Honesdale Spreading
Co. Trackside Grill; Lake Ariel:
Lake Ariel Farm and Garden;
Lake Como and Preston Park:
Preston Country Market; Moscow: Moscow Agway; Waymart:
Waymart Milling; Tyler Hill:
Dutton’s Tyler Hill Diner
Information about the other
contests including the Tractor
Pull, 4x4 Truck Pull, Horse Pull,
Kids Pedal Pull can be found on
the website under the menu item
Contest Rules. Registration and
entry forms for the Demolition
Derby are also found under the
Contest Rules Link. The Demolition Derby is scheduled for one
night only - Saturday, August 13
at 7:00 PM. Entries are on a first
come, first served basis.
Anyone interested in entering
the Demolition Derby is asked
to carefully review the rules
and regulations on the website
WayneCountyFair.com. Again
this year’s demo derby is being
run locally by Dave Cole and for
the Wayne County Fair only. It
is not associated with points or
standings in a league with other
fairs and events. For more information, call 570-493-2810. If no
answer, please leave a message.
Departments 11 through 23
must be pre-registered by July
1, 2016. All livestock and 4-H entries must also be pre-registered
by July 1, 2016. Departments 8
and 9 must be pre-registered by
July 15, 2016.
The 154th Wayne County Fair
dates are August 5 to August 13,
2016 in Honesdale. The $10 PayOne-Price admission includes
free parking, free rides and most
grandstand shows.
A great fair week is anticipated and there will be plenty
to do and see including the concert event on Saturday, August 6
with country music’s fast-rising
artist Kane Brown. He has sold
over 1600 tickets to date at the
West Virginia State Fair.
New this year will be Wild
West Day Friday, August 12
featuring free shows during the
day with the Cowboy Hypnotist
and Sour Bridges at 9 pm, both
at the grandstand. Get your tickets early for Painted Pony’s live
Bull and Bronc Riding Competition and show at 7 PM. Tickets
are available at the main office or
in advance at the website ticket
store.
The WC Fair is one of the
best entertainment values in the
northeast at the Pay One Price
of $10 per person, 24 months
and older. The 154th Wayne
County Fair in Honesdale PA
offers today’s family, one place
to have fun…one price for parking, rides and most shows, and
countless memories that will last
a lifetime. For more information,
event schedule and online ticket
store visit www.waynecountyfair.com