MILFORD – According to Milford Police Chief Gary Williams, Westfall resident Harold Thompson Jr. was taken into custody on Thursday, March 4, for an incident that took place last November in which Thompson allegedly inappropriately grabbed a minor.
According to Williams, the incident took place on Mott Street. Milford Police worked with Pennsylvania State Police to serve the warrant on Thompson, who was brought before District Magistrate Deborah Fischer in Milford, who set his bail at $25,000. He was remanded to the Pike County Correctional Facility.
MATAMORAS — Columbia Gas Transmission has announced that they will be holding an informational open house regarding a proposed pipeline replacement project in Pike and Orange Counties.
According to a letter from NiSource, the company that owns Columbia, they are “proposing to replace about 17 miles of [their] existing Line 1278 and Line K pipelines…a majority of the proposed project will be completed through a ‘lift and lay’ process, in which the existing pipeline will be removed and replaced with a new pipeline in the same right-of-way.
The portion of Line 1278 to be replaced begins at Weber Road, in Dingman Township, and proceeds roughly northeast, crossing Routes 6 and Interstate 84 a few miles west of Milford, near the Milford interchange on the Interstate. The line then climbs Cummins Hill and descends into Mill Rift, where it crosses the Delaware River. There will be no new work on the river crossing, according to a draft environmental report that Columbia has filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
The Line K portion of the project will entail replacement of an existing line in Orange County, New York, from the New York side of the Delaware River to a point about 5 miles away, in Deerpark, where the line joins the newly constructed Millennium Pipeline.
In November, 2008, the 1278 Line ruptured near where it crosses Interstate 84 and Route 6. Though there were no injuries, the highways were temporarily shut down. Portions of the line are 60 years old.
The informational open house is being held at the Best Western Inn at Hunt’s Landing, 120 Routes 6 and 209, in Matamoras on Wednesday, March 10, from 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Sunday March 7, 2010 8:50 PM
Story and photos by Don Quick
DINGMAN TOWNSHIP – A fast, coordinated response by area fire companies saved a residence at 154 Christian Hill Road this evening after a fire from a wood-stove extended into an adjacent wall.
The fire was called in to the Pike County Communications Center at 8:14 PM by T.J. Zaucha and Sarah Bannon who were housesitting for the owners Thomas and Mariam Law. Zaucha and Bannon said that they were watching television when they smelled an odd smell and saw the wall adjacent to the brick chimney smoldering. They got both dogs and a pet ferret out, but were uncertain about the fate of two cats.
First responding units from Milford knocked the flames inside and out within minutes. They were rapidly reinforced by units from Dingman who took responsibility for overhaul and ascertaining that there was no extension of the fire within concealed ceiling and wall areas. Additional units from Montague, Greenville, and Westfall assisted.
Sunday, March 7 10:40 AM GREENVILLE, NY Area fire, rescue and ambulance personnel, as well as the New York State and Deerpark Police are responding to a report of a one vehicle accident, with entrapment, car possibly over an embankment at Exit 1 of I-84.
This is unusual because less than 8 hours ago, there was a one car accident at virtually the same spot. See our story “One Car Crash Involves Two, “Driver” Swears He’s Not”.
There did not appear to be significant spills from the earlier crash which might have contributed to this accident.
We will post a more on this story on this accident, and photos, as they become available.
UPDATE: This accident occurred approximately 1/4 mile before the exit, eliminating any possible connection between last night’s accident nearby and this one. A passing medical doctor stopped to assist, but the extent of injuries is unknown.
Saturday, March 6, 2010 MONTAGUE, NJ Story and photo by Don Quick A Friday night accident left a New York man with what appeared to be minor injuries, but his late model Chevy Impala LT was definitely the worse for wear in a one car rollover accident last night on River Road.
The driver was proceeding southbound on River Road about a half mile north of the intersection with Route 209 when for reasons unknown, his car left the roadway, climbed an snow covered embankment, and flipped onto its roof, trapping the driver inside.
Milford Fire and Rescue personnel stabilized the vehicle and cut away part of a door so the departments on scene could get the driver out.
Fire, ambulance and rescue personnel on the scene included Montague, Sandyston, Milford and Blue Ridge Ambulance.
New Jersey State Police were on the scene investigating the cause of the accident.
MILFORD-The National Park Service has announced that they are extending the period during which they will be accepting public comments about the proposed Susquehanna to Roseland Transmission Line.
Previously, the period during which public comments relative to the project’s environmental impact statement had been set to expire on March 5; that date has been moved to March 12.
There are numerous ways for the public to provide comments on the public scoping phase of the planning process, including leaving a message on the Park Planning Information Telephone Line (570-426-2491), submitting comments online through a link on the National Park Service Planning, Environment and Public Comment site, http://parkplanning.nps.gov (select Appalachian NST or Delaware Water Gap NRA), or by mailing comments to:
National Park Service
Attention: DEWA PPL EIS Planning Team
Denver Service Center-Planning Division
P.O. Box 25287
Denver, CO 80225-0287
MILFORD-A three-car accident slowed traffic on eastbound Interstate 84 Friday morning at the 47-mile marker, where a bridge carries the highway over Sawkill Creek.
At around 7:55 a.m., three cars, including the pickup truck pictured, were involved in the accident. According to preliminary reports from the scene, the accident was the result of several vehicles trying to merge simultaneously in the right lane while crossing the bridge. The driver of the pickup truck was examined by emergency personnel, and initially declined medical treatment. The other drivers appeared unhurt.
State police, as well as units from the Milford Fire Department and ALS and Penn DOT, responded to the scene.
Friday March 5, 2010 MILFORD TOWNSHIP Story and photos by Don Quick Three Milford Township residents and their pet dog were very fortunate late Thursday night when their house filled with smoke from a burning computer printer.
The Milford Fire Department was dispatched for a structure fire at the residence of Mary and Don Smith at 323 Foster Hill Road at 11:18 PM Thursday evening.. The home is occupied by the Smiths and their 92 year old father as well as a pet dog. Fortunately, Mr. Smith was awake and roused Mrs. Smith and her father and evacuated the home. All three were checked out by fire department ambulance personnel, one was transported to Bon Secours Hospital in Port Jervis for evaluation.
While smoke could be seen venting through the front and side doors, actual damage was limited to the wall behind the printer, the printer itself as well as books and papers stored in and on the printer stand. The HP printer, stand and miscellaneous books and papers could be seen lying in the snow outside the residence.
Milford Fire Chief Tony Mann took the opportunity to emphasize the importance of functioning smoke detectors.
Westfall Fire Department assisted at the scene, with units from Dingman Townshipand Hemlock Farms also called.
MILFORD – In a decision filed February 26 by Senior Judge Jim Flaherty of Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court, the court upheld a 2009 Pike County Court of Common Pleas decision that awarded county auditors an extension, at their regular rate of pay, beyond their state mandated July 1 deadline.
The Commissioners appealed the Pike court’s decision to extend the amount of time auditors had to complete their audit of the county’s 2008 books, and didn’t think they should pay the auditors in full for what they considered an unwarranted time extension.
The Commonwealth Court decision says it relied on evidence that since 2003 there has been a 40 percent increase in county expenditures, each transaction of which must be documented, leading to the increased time necessary to do the annual audit.
According to the background provided in the Commonwealth Court decision, as they have in previous years, the auditors filed for an extension of their July 1 audit deadline saying their workload had increased substantially over those years, making it difficult to have the audit report ready by the deadline.
The Pike County Court granted the extension, but as the auditors’ budget was cut by 30 percent last year, they were already near the budgeted limit for the year. The court’s decision meant the county had to keep paying the auditors $189 per six-hour workday until the new deadline of October 31, 2009.
The Commissioners contention is that they are not obligated by law to pay more than $45 per six-hour day for extra time. The implication, which the Commonwealth Court found wanting, was that the auditors had been “less than diligent in completing the audit for the 2008 fiscal year so as to obtain further payment of compensation after July 1.”
MILFORD-On Monday evening, several library board members appeared before the Milford Borough Council at the council’s regular monthly meeting, making public for the first time the library’s plans for expansion in the borough.
Library Board President Maleyne Syracuse and Rebecca Lindsey, the chair of the library board’s Site Committee, addressed the council, and said that the library is currently considering five different options for expansion in the borough. These include the Biondo Building on Broad Street, the Old Milford Schoolhouse on West Harford Street, the Malhame Vestment Building on the corner of John and Broad Streets, an expansion of the library’s current headquarters at the Community House on the corner of Broad and Harford Streets, and new construction on the property the library currently owns on East Harford Street.
The library will hold a public meeting discussing the proposals on Monday, March 8, at the Milford Borough Hall at 6 p.m.
