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Issue 8 — Thursday, September 22, 2016
DVSB Moving Forward
With Vo-Tech Renovation
By Wayne Witkowski

WESTFALL — Delaware Valley School District’s plans for revamping its Career and Technical Education (CTE) section of its high school were moved forward after the school board voted to redo some paperwork. In an uncommon move, the board voted unanimously to rescind approval of an April 21 motion. That motion called for Burkavage Design Association Architects LLC to develop construction documents for the CTE additions and renovations. The approval included testing and site development not to exceed $100,000 without further approval.

The board then put forth two motions, one covering the CTE project under the same terms and the other motion to include for permitting purposes only a 4,000-square-foot maintenance-building project to begin at a later date. Although the latter motion separates the projects, it says both projects on the school campus are covered by the same state Department of Environmental Protection permit application. The joint project could cost $10 million, according to preliminary estimates.

District business manager Bill Hessling explained afterward having the two projects under separate DEP permits would cost more and could take longer for separate approvals. The approvals of the motions allow testing to begin before the grounds are hardened by the colder weather. District superintendent John Bell said the CTE facility had not been altered since it was opened in 1978. Both motions passed by 7-1 votes, with board member Jack O’Leary dissenting “with great reluctance.”

O’Leary pointed out that he would have voted in favor of the motions a week earlier until he learned that the new Delaware Valley Elementary could be delayed getting a final certificate of occupancy, which he said affects his vote. The elementary school currently is opened under a temporary CO issued in August that expires Oct. 15, according to Matamoras zoning officer Bob Fitch. The deadline could be extended, Fitch said.

“A week ago I would’ve voted in favor of it but not now.” O’Leary said of the motions... for complete story, get this week's paper.

Traumatized Woman
Who Helped Trooper
Sues Frein, His Parents
By Chris Jones

MILFORD — The civilian employee who came to the aid of two state troopers shot outside the Blooming Grove barracks two years ago has sued suspect Eric Frein, saying his actions inflicted emotional distress that has affected her employment and quality of life. Nicole Palmer, of Dunmore, also filed notice of intent to sue Frein’s parents, Eugene Michael Frein and Deborah Frein, of Canadensis, alleging tort negligence.

In the suit against Eric Frein filed in Pike County Court on Sept. 8, Palmer says she still suffers from nightmares and has required medical and psychiatric care due to Frein’s actions. She describes working as a civilian communications officer on the night of Sept. 12, 2014 in the front of the barracks, hearing a shot and seeing Cpl. Bryon Dickson lying on the ground in front of the glass barracks doors.

She came out from behind her desk and rushed toward Dickson, then heard another shot and saw debris fly from the glass lobby doors and the floor of the lobby she was crossing. She described opening the lobby doors and seeing Dickson lying on his back, pale and immobile. Unable to speak, he mouthed, “Help me.” A moment later he whispered, “I’ve been shot.” While still in harm’s way, she tried in vain to get help from inside the barracks then returned to try to move Dickson inside.

Later, while “still in the zone of danger,” according to the complaint filed with the suit by law firm Dempsey & Gallacher, she observed a second trooper approach Dickson, heard a gunshot and saw Trooper Alex Douglass fall to the ground, seriously wounded... for complete story, get this week's issue.

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Official Paper More Than
Forty Years

MILFORD — Although it has been publishing much, much longer, the Pike County Dispatch has been the newspaper of record for the County of Pike for more than 40 years. That means the Dispatch is the place to go to find out about public meetings, estate notices, bids, public hearings, real estate sales and transactions, and Sheriff sales.

The Pike County Commissioners listed the Dispatch as an official newspaper for legal notices during their opening meeting of 2014, and once again, during their annual reorganization meetings on the first business day of the New Year, most of the other municipalities in Pike County followed suit. So far, Milford and Matamoras Boroughs, and Westfall, Dingman, Delaware, Shohola, Blooming Grove. Milford and Lehman Townships have made it their business to have the Dispatch as an official newspaper.

So make it your business to keep up with all the news in Pike to print, including official business and legal notices from your town.

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The Voice Of Pike County
Since 1826

The Pike County Dispatch is not only Pike County's largest circulation weekly newspaper, it is also the oldest.

Founded as the Eagle of the North, it has been in continuous operation reporting news and covering local events since 1826. It is, and always has been, the mainstay in keeping the local citizenry informed. Today, subscribers are as far afield as California and Florida

The Dispatch has covered the historic events that have shaped Pike County for almost as long as that history has been in the making.

Over the years, hometown news has shared pages with national and world events, and world events were sometimes right here in Pike County, Pennsylvania.

Its pages carry news of joy and sorrow, homespun advice, births, deaths, marriages, spats, feuds, political controversy, scandals, murders, heists, social affairs, dedications--in short, all the news in Pike to print.

Look for the Pike County Dispatch at local news dealers, and read all about it!

Romeo Steals Show At Centennial Celebration
By Ken Baumel

MATAMORAS — The Borough of Matamoras had its own version of “early voting” Saturday, a month and a half before the presidential election, and turnout was brisk to decide which local politician would win the dubious honor of “Kissing The Pig.” The pork puckering was part of the centennial celebration for the Borough Hall building. Besides the much-anticipated Pig Kissing Contest, there was a dunking booth with Eastern Pike Regional Police Chief Chad Stewart and three other police officers doing the honors. Four bands were featured.

Borough Council President Joe Sain also dedicated the two pavilions in Airport Park, one to Nancy Vocci, and one to Jane Drake, for their decades of service to the borough. At Borough Hall, the Matamoras-Westfall Historical Society, which sponsored the Centennial, assembled a comprehensive display of Borough history, photos, and memorabilia at Borough Hall. Though the Pig Kissing candidates did not debate, they left no stone unturned in their effort to garner votes, according to Mayor Janet Clark. The Borough Centennial Committee accepted $1 donations for each vote.

Total votes added up to 591, but unlike the presidential election, persons could vote for the same candidate multiple times or vote for multiple candidates. One voter said that he voted multiple times for Milford Mayor Sean Strub.

Romeo Fills In For Bubba

The person getting the most votes in the contest had to kiss a pig, originally slated to be Bubba, a Vietnamese Pot Bellied Pig. Since Bubba has been packing on the pounds the past few weeks, and was already edging past the century mark, lifting him five-and-a-half-feet off the ground out of the small temporary pen posed a logistical problem for Country Ark Farm co-owner Donna Ciancitto, who committed to supply a pig for the day. So, anticipating the problem, Ciancitto brought a back-up pig, Romeo, much smaller and lighter. Ciancitto said, “It would have been cool if we had a Juliet, but we didn’t... for complete story, get this week's issue.

Roebling Bridge Crossers Briefed On Detour Schedule
By Ken Baumel

LACKAWAXEN — The Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River (UDSRR) briefed the public on a proposed $1.3 million Roebling Bridge maintenance project requiring temporary bridge closure and road detour. Lackawaxen Township hosted a UDSRR informational meeting at their township building on Urban Road last week. At that meeting, experts answered questions asked by attendees, including residents in the area, municipal officials from Shohola Township and Lackawaxen Township. UDSRR is a branch of the National Park Service. UDSRR Superintendent Kristina Heister coordinated the event and introduced the following persons who were on hand to answer questions:

• UDSRR Chief of Maintenance Loren Goering;
• USDRR Park Ranger Carla Hahn, part of the USDRR management team;
• USDRR Cultural Resources specialist Lauren Hauptman;
• Federal Highway Administration Project Engineer Helson Roman-Soto;
• The general contractor GBS’s Project Superintendent Jonathan Paken;
• QBS subcontractor Clearwater Construction representatives.

Hahn explained that since Delaware Roebling Aqueduct (the formal designation for the bridge) is a federal highway, the FHA oversees highway and bridge maintenance and engineering projects. Hahn said that she spoke with Lackawaxen Supervisor Chairman Mike Mancino and about a dozen area residents. Mancino said that he was glad the NPS was putting money into the bridge upgrade, but was unhappy about the inconvenience to area residents of the NPS proposing to close the span four days a week. UDSRR proposes to close the bridge from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Monday through Thursday from Oct 3 to Nov. 8, but it would be open on weekends.

The detour on the Pennsylvania side, which would mainly affect Lackawaxen and Shohola residents, would be to use Lackawaxen Road to go to the Shohola-Barryville Bridge. Two thirds of the road is in Shohola and one third in Lackawaxen. For Lackawaxen or Shohola residents, commuters, or travelers who would normally use the Roebling Bridge to go to the New York side of the Delaware River to Route 97, the detour to get to the Barryville Bridge adds 10 to 20 minutes, according to Shohola Township Supervisor George C. Fluhr. The detour for New York residents is to go to Route 97 or local roads to the Barryville Bridge. They would cross over the bridge to Route 434 in Shohola Township, go to Lackawaxen Road, and then take Lackawaxen Road into Lackawaxen. Lackawaxen Township supervisor Albie Beisel said that he knows many residents from the New York side who bring kids over to be cared for by Lackawaxen residents.

Also, Beisel said that many Lackawaxen residents commute over the bridge. He said that he has requested that UDSRR open the bridge for three hours in the morning and three hours in the evening to accommodate commuters. Fluhr said that since Lackawaxen Road was recently repaved, he and his fellow Shohola supervisors Greg Hoeper and Keith Raser are concerned that the newly paved road might encourage first time people new to Lackawaxen Road, who are taking the road as a detour, to speed to make for the delay. According to Fluhr, new road users might be unaware of the severe curves on the road... for complete story, get this week's paper.

 

 

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