Local News...

Issue 26 — Thursday, February 2, 2012
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Rite-Aid Thefts Part Of Underground Ring?
By Ken Baumel

MILFORD — Two women have been charged with stealing almost $1,500 in merchandise from both Rite-Aids in Milford Borough in what might be part of an underground ring.

Milford Borough Police Chief Gary Williams said the Jan. 25 thefts involved no money, but only merchandise, specifically hair growth and dental hygiene products.

After networking with other law enforcement officers in the region, including New York State police and Queens, NY law enforcement officials, Williams said that he found potentially valuable information. Williams said that in the past six months, a sudden spike in similar retail merchandise thefts has plagued stores throughout the East Coast.

Officials suspect that the products are being repackaged and recycled in an underground marketing scheme.

According to witnesses in both stores, two men and two women apparently were working together in absconding with merchandise. All four reportedly fled by car.

Milford Borough Police Chief Gary Williams reported that Assistant Police Chief Jack DaSilva found the car and one woman just outside one of the suspected getaway cars on Sawkill Avenue.

Police identified the suspect as 48-year-old Tammy Michelle Odom of Central Islip, N.Y.

DaSilva found some of the missing merchandise in the car. The items included Rogaine Hair Regrowth formula, electric toothbrushes, and tooth whitening products.

Williams said that DaSilva called Eastern Pike Regional Police to help find the second woman and the two men.

The joint police effort then discovered and arrested the other woman, identified as 44-year-old Elizabeth Dalton of Stroudsburg. She was found hiding in the bushes. at a residence near the Turkey Hill store located across the street from the Rite-Aid store on Route 2001.

According to Williams, merchandise valued at close to $1,500 was taken... for complete story, get this week's issue.

 

Fire Dept. Wins $200K Grant For Live-In Students
By Ken Baumel

LACKAWAXEN — In the past week, Forest Fire Dept. got a $200,000 grant to jump-start a proposed live-in student firefighter program at their firehouse.

The Department, located in Kimbles in Lackawaxen Township, announced the grant on its website. After two years of trying to get financing, Forest hit paydirt.

Forest got its grant through the Pike commissioners’ office, which applied for a Pennsylvania Dept. of Community and Economic Development (DCED) grant, according to a spokesperson in the commissioners’ office on Monday. The department did the legwork to write the grant.

Forest researched live-in programs run at fire departments, mostly in eastern Pennsylvania, before committing to seek financing, according to Dept. Officer Sal “Buddy” Tascone.

The Live-in program would provide dormitory arrangements and other incentives at the firehouse for one or more college students. Students in turn would be trained to be a firefighter and support the department in its emergency response roles.

The department had been seeking federal or state grants since mid-2010.

According to Tascone, Forest plans to attract up to six students to start. Tascone said that the student volunteers would expand the Forest volunteer base and department capability at a time when attracting local volunteers is becoming more difficult.

Tascone said that the students would serve as full time volunteers in the fire department during their stay.

According to Tascone, Lackawanna College would be the first college in the area to provide Forest students.

But, Tascone said that other northeast Pennsylvania colleges, such as Misericordia and Northampton Community College, might provide students as Forest expands this program.

Tascone said that a proposed new Lackawanna College campus in Hawley Borough at the former Silk Mill (Castle) building would bring college students into the area.

Tascone said that Lackawanna plans to offer Camp Management and Culinary Arts as majors. These majors are among those likely to attract students from outside northeast Pennsylvania.

Tascone said that students from outside the area would provide diversity and opportunities for the students to participate in volunteer community service with a top rated fire company.

County Expands Hazard Response Plan
By Lisa Mickles

MILFORD — Pike County continues to protect critical land resources while also updating their emergency guidelines for natural and man-made disasters.

Last Wednesday, the commissioners adopted an updated version of their hazard-mitigation plan, part of a countywide effort to keep local municipalities and the county eligible for state and federal disaster-relief funds.

The county is required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to update the plan every five years.

Hazardous Mitigation Plans help to create a framework of procedures to prevent and reduce damage to lives, property, and the economy from future disasters either manmade or natural.

Pike County Planning Director Sally Corrigan said that while the plan is reviewed annually, last year the county secured state funding to hire a private consulting firm to address potential problems not previously addressed in the plan.

The revised 2012 version expands on emergency protocols for hazardous waste spills, potential influx of population due to outside metropolitan disasters, and addressing potential spread of infectious diseases.

These are in addition to other disaster protocols relating to flooding, flash flooding, ice jams, winter storms, and urban, forest or wild fires.

The plan will go out to each of the 13 municipalities for adoption, which will allow each individual township or borough as well as the county to secure funding from the federal and state governments, if and when disaster were to strike.... for complete story, get this week's issue.

 
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