Local News...

Issue 9 — Thursday, September 29, 2016
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Protect Yourself Against Juror Scams

HARRISBURG — Although juror scams are not new, Pennsylvania courts remind people to be alert and to never give out sensitive information over the phone, even if they are being threatened with prosecution for failing to comply with jury service, which is a typical ploy in such scams.

A juror scam may go something like this: you get a call from someone claiming to be from the courts or a law enforcement organization and their records show you didn’t show up for jury duty. You can either pay the fine, or get arrested. The caller says payment is accepted over the phone or by wire service.

Stop right there and hang up. These calls - and sometimes emails - are fraudulent and are not connected with Pennsylvania courts. The courts do not require anyone to provide any sensitive information in a telephone call or email.

Jury duty is a vital civic responsibility. Jurors should know that most contact between a court and a prospective juror is through the mail, and any phone contact by real court officials will not include requests for Social Security numbers, credit card numbers or any other sensitive information.

It’s a crime for anyone to falsely represent himself or herself as a court or law enforcement official. Pennsylvanians receiving such a telephone call or email should not provide the requested information and should notify their local law enforcement agency.

Fun, Fashion, Food
And Friends

MILFORD — Say goodbye to the post-summer slump, grab your girlfriends and head to Milford on Thursday October 6. Milford Presents is hosting Girls Night Out in 20+ businesses throughout town from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. (later at some locations). Participating shops and eateries will offer everything from complimentary classes, refreshments, Girls Night Out discounts, prize drawings and free gifts galore. Check out what’s new on the menus of downtown eateries and bars while cruising the shops for the best fall fashions for you and your home.

Participating businesses include Enchanted Gifts & Books, The Pike County Dispatch, Denim or Lace, Willow, Badea & Soul Day Spa, The Village Farmhouse, Sweet Sweet Wonderland, Irene’s Kitchen, Golden Gifts, ARTerygallerymilfordpa, SOS Xtreme Comfort Milford, Hotel Fauchère, Jorgenson’s At The Dimmick Inn, Milford Craft Show, Ghiggeri’s Fine Olive Oils and Balsamics, The Artisan Exchange, Milford Underground and many more. A location map will be available at participating businesses during the event.

For a calendar listing of upcoming events including Black Bear Film Festival and Toast to Milford, please visit www.MilfordPA.us.

Town Wants Contractor To Fix Road Damage
By Ken Baumel

SHOHOLA — Township Solicitor Jason Ohliger and Shohola Roadmaster Bob Myer discussed damage to the paved section of Parkers Glen Road that the township believes was caused by heavy trucks owned by Walsh Granite. The company used tractor-trailers and other heavy trucks on the township road as a detour to ferry heavy loads to and from the bridge site during the recent Woodtown Road Bridge repair project. Prior to using the detour, Walsh Granite had alerted the township that its trucks would use Parkers Glen and would be ferrying heavy equipment and materials.

Ohliger reported that prior to detour use, Walsh had retained a video company to document the condition of Parkers Glen before the truck traffic started. Ohliger and Myer noted that recently, they discovered that the videographer apparently focused on the frontage of the properties more than the paving itself. Ideally, the documentation should have shown close-ups of the horizontal cross-sections along the entire route, which is about a mile long. Myer said that what was originally estimated to be a two-month bridge project turned into a seven-month one. The additional month led to what the township officials believe is greater road damage than anticipated.

Myer said that the damage is primarily ruts in the paved section of Parkers Glen Road. The road has paved and unpaved sections. Ohliger said that Shohola wants Walsh Granite to repave the sections that have ruts and restore it to the road condition before the heavy traffic damaged it. Walsh Granite informed the township that it is willing to cold patch potholes and seal cracks, but not resurface the road.

Myer said, “The damage is unacceptable. The road is deformed and needs resurfacing.” Ohliger said, “Our township inspection showed that the damage is more than [a few potholes] and cracks. There are depressions that run the entire length of the road.“They used tractor trailers that left ruts that average one- to two-and-half-inches deep.” Myer said that some sections have ruts that are three inches deep.

Ohliger said that the one-mile section of road was in good shape before the tractor-trailer use. He and Myer agreed that the ruts would significantly shorten the life of the road, if not resurfaced. Myer said, “I got an estimate for repaving. A one-inch surface overlay would cost about $42,000. So, Walsh Granite’s cold-patch proposal is not acceptable. It’s either fix [resurface] it or give us the money to fix it ourselves.”

Ohliger said that he would attempt to renegotiate with Walsh Granite and report to the supervisors. .. for complete story, get this week's issue.

Scout Refurbishes Bushkill Cemetery For Eagle Award
By Wayne Witkowski

BUSHKILL — Church graveyards are known as tranquil places for quiet contemplation, but the one tucked back alongside the Dutch Reformed Church off Route 209 in Bushkill was abuzz with activity all day Saturday for a refurbishing project. East Stroudsburg High School North junior Jessica Williams, 16, of Girl Scout Troop 50591 in her Lehman Township hometown, completed her Gold Award with the help of a volunteer force of about 30 throughout the day.

They removed fallen tree limbs and jutting rocks, cemented broken, toppled headstones and put them back, mowed and trimmed the lawn and placed flowers on headstones and American flags at the headstones of American military veterans. Jessica also built two new benches.
The project was entitled “Renovating the Past while Molding Our Future.”

“It’s so much bigger than you’d think,” said Williams, who said there are 400 gravesites there, some dating back to the 1600s, and about 20 percent of them had to have the headstones repaired. Williams said she must submit a final report with photos by next weekend to the Girl Scouts state headquarters in Harrisburg and will be notified of a decision shortly after that.

In scouting for 10 years and well decorated with merit badges, Williams is aspiring to be the first member of her troop to win the highest award in Girl Scouts, equivalent to Eagle Scout for boys. Eagle Scouts are named on one plaque mounted in the Lehman Township building hallway and Margaret L. Joy is inscribed on another plaque as the only other Lehman Township resident to have achieved Gold Award status as a member of a different Girl Scout troop. Three other members of her troop recently also have submitted Gold Award proposals.

“There’s a plaque with Eagle Scout names (from the township) and another with the Gold Award winner and I want to be added to that plaque,” said Williams with a smile. “I’ve always been in Girl Scouts and this seemed like a great opportunity to get the community involved.”

Civil War veterans as well as other military veterans are buried there, which encouraged George Kelly, commander of Newman Smith American Legion Post 514 in Bushkill, to support the project along with Bushkill Outreach, whose mission is operated out of the church. Bushkill/Smithfields Lions Club also donated funds, and Williams sold Girl Scout cookies over the past year from when she started working on the project, which cost $500. Mignosi’s Foodtown donated food and refreshments to those working on the project... for complete story, get this week's issue.

 

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