Democrat takes
Mamakating supervisor seat

WURTSBORO — When the votes were tallied on November 19, a Democratic challenger upended the Republican incumbent for town supervisor.

While 54 votes of his margin were challenged, Fred Harding wound up with an apparent 18-vote margin over Mary Barbuti, after 233 absentee and affidavit ballots were tallied by county election officials.

Barbuti had enjoyed a 49-vote lead going into the final counting.

One of the candidates’ main areas of contention was the town’s controversial new master plan, which embraces industrial growth on Route 209 and planned resort hotels. Barbuti supported it while Harding had filed suit against it, favoring low impact slower development in the town.

Eldred Legion wins two national citations

ELDRED — Community efforts of the Sylvan Liebla American Legion Post of Eldred won national recognition recently with the presentation of two citations.

Post Adjutant Chuck Myers said the national American Legion made 2000-2001 citations for “Americanism” and service to children and youth.

In addition to operating Sullivan County’s oldest volunteer ambulance service, the Eldred post’s services to youth include the granting of annual high school graduation scholarships and the post’s annual children’s Christmas party. Their Americanism was recognized for programs, including its annual posting of American flags along Eldred streets and its formal old-flag disposal ceremony.

Terrorists may divert ECS class trip

ELDRED — A local victim of the September 11 terrorism attacks in New York City and Washington may be the annual ECS 8th grade overnight trip to the nation’s capital.

ECS Superintendent Candace Mazur said that, while school administration continues to study the changing situation, Boston may be substituted for Washington as the trip’s destination.

Mazur said some parents expressed concern about the Washington, D.C. trip in light of the September incidents. “Some of the major attractions may be blocked off or closed. We’re still looking at it, should things change,” she said.

Wind turbine dispute settled

HONESDALE — An out-of-court settlement reportedly has cleared a major hurdle for a proposed wind farm on the heights of the Moosic Mountains in Canaan and Clinton townships.

Adjoining property owners Gregory and Donna Salko, expressing environmental concerns, had appealed the Wayne County Planning Commission’s decision that it had no standing in National Wind Power’s (NWP) $50 million project.

The Salkos settled out-of-court for a $200,000 payment and $100,000 NWP donation to the Wildland’s Conservancy, which held an environmental easement on the Salko property.

NJ declares drought warning

TRENTON — The State Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has declared a “drought warning” for parts of northwest New Jersey, including Sussex and Warren Counties, and some southern parts of the state.

The warning is one step short of a “drought emergency,” which would allow the governor to impose mandatory water restrictions. DEP Commissioner Robert Shinn blamed a worsening rainfall deficit over the past three months. For the year, the Garden State is seven inches below normal precipitation.

Election over, warden is rehired

MILFORD — After he won unopposed re-election to his seat as a Blooming Grove Township supervisor earlier this month, on November 21 the Pike County Commissioners re-hired Richard Caridi back as Jail Warden.

Caridi resigned the $65,000-a-year position last spring, after a federal Hatch Act complaint was filed as Caridi was a candidate for Blooming Grove supervisor. He won re-election to a six-year term, unopposed.

The Depression-era law prohibits public employees as candidates for public office, if the office is deemed to have standing with the public position.

Fire damages Highland home

YULAN — A Schumacher Pond Road home was heavily damaged by a November 19 fire.

The Lieb residence reportedly was empty when the 7:00 a.m. fire was reported. The fire appeared to have been electrical in nature.

Some 30 firefighters from Yulan, Highland Lake, Shohola and Lackawaxen responded to the scene.