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By BRIAN MALINA; Times Leader Hazleton Bureau
Sunday, April 09, 1995     Page: 3A

HAZLETON — Joe Zola says his lack of political and civic involvement makes
him the only city district justice candidate who is capable of being fair.
   
“I’ve never held an appointed or elected position,” Zola, 44, proudly says.
    His opponents for the seat are an attorney, the city’s police chief and a
president of a drug and alcohol treatment center.
   
They disagree with Zola and tout their ties to the community. They say
their public experience makes them better candidates and showcases their
commitment to the city.
   
Zola, a real estate agent and former tavern owner, is vying for the
$45,000-per-year, six-year post, against Police Chief James Joseph, Attorney
James Ferry and Ed Pane, the president of the Serento Gardens drug and alcohol
counseling center. All have cross-filed as Democrats and Republicans.
   
The post is temporarily filled by Senior District Justice Leonard Harvey.
It has been open since January 1994 when former district justice Michael
Conahan resigned to take a judgeship on the Luzerne County Court of Common
Pleas.
   
“From the time I have entered the workplace I have been about improving the
community and the lives of the people in it,” Pane, 44, said.
   
But Zola says Pane has too many ties to various organizations — Pane
serves on the Hazleton Area School Board — to be free from special interests.
   
As for Ferry, Zola said, “Attorneys are attorneys. If I’m an attorney as a
district justice and I’m friends with attorney so-and-so, and I’m not friends
with the other attorney, my judgment is going to be for the one I know. It’s
natural,” Zola said.
   
Regarding Joseph, Zola said, “Attorneys and policemen are trained to be
prosecutors. They have a biased approach which makes for unfair judgment.”
   
Ferry, 37, said, “I can make a pledge from my heart that there’s no one
who’s going to get any special treatment.”
   
Joseph, 41, said, “I believe it’s called professionalism,” adding, “There
will be no favors.”
   
All four candidates say they want to reinstitute Hazleton’s night court.
   
“Historically, Hazleton has always had evening and night court. It has also
had court that began at 6 a.m.,” Pane said. “That was extremely efficient.”
   
Zola says he will conduct night court until 10 p.m., two nights a week, to
accommodate working men and women.
   
Joseph said he worked closely with Conahan when he held the district
justice position to establish night and morning court to meet the needs of
victims, defendants and police. He said he would establish night court on an
as-needed basis.
   
Ferry would offer night court once a week.
   
Programs for juvenile offenders are suggested by two of the candidates.
   
Pane said he would like to use alternative sentencing for youths where
possible.
   
“One of my dreams for a long time has been to see that students could be
given the alternative of a study group,” Pane said. “I’d like to see the
opportunity for students not to be just punished but to participate in
something positive as well.”
   
Pane also said he would like to continue a program for dealing with
underage drinking that was implemented by Conahan. Under the program, those
convicted of underage drinking receive eight hours of education, two hours
with their parents, in addition to fines or other penalties. Repeat offenders
are referred to counseling.
   
Ferry would like to implement a program under which teenagers would have to
pay fines and do community service for their offenses. He would also like to
switch the financial burden for truancy from the parents to the student.
   
“I would like to coordinate with the school district and local agencies and
government to help the students learn empathy for people through community
service to show them that their actions affect others,” Ferry said.
   
Zola said he plans on introducing several new programs including a senior
victim/witness program and a work program for the unemployed who owe fines.
   
Zola said he will provide volunteers to help senior citizens through the
court process. He also wants to move the district justice office out of city
hall.
   
“I want to get it away from the police department because it’s a conflict
when people are walking into the district justice office and the police
department is…next door,” Zola said. “People are intimidated.”
   
Joseph opposes the idea.
   
“I think that would be very foolish. It’s centrally located. It’s already
handicapped accessible and the police have to be there. Where’s the conflict?”
Joseph said.