Local News

My Wesleyan Methodist family was loving and supportive, even as I rejected the church as a teenager. I had a profound religious experience the summer before college. While at college, I discovered one could have a strong faith and pursue serious intellectual questions. I was challenged to read the Sermon on the Mount in a new way.

In 1969 I became a draft resister. A friend and spiritual mentor suggested I attend a gathering of evangelical writers and leaders at Buck Hill Falls, Pa. There I met several young Mennonite leaders, including Art Smoker, Walt Hackman and Roy Yoder. We quickly bonded. I was delighted to learn about Anabaptism as a faith tradition.

Barrett Township recently held its annual reorganization meetings, bringing several key updates to the township's leadership and operations. Here’s a summary of the changes and updates impacting the community:

Roadmaster Retirement and Transition

Long-time Roadmaster John Seese officially retired from his position in October 2024. In addition, Seese resigned from his role as Township Supervisor on January 6, 2025. Following these transitions, Jim Seese has been appointed as the new Roadmaster to lead the township's road maintenance and infrastructure projects moving forward. His experience and commitment to the community will be vital as he steps into this role.

To my Awesome Community:

Grief and gratitude are kindred spirit.

There are no words that can express my gratefulness to this caring community who displayed an incredible amount of support,prayers and love during our time of grate loss of our son Akili.

From the bottom of my heart. Thank you.

Recent discussions among Barrett Township residents have brought attention to the township's decision to outsource zoning enforcement to LV Codes, a Lehigh Valley-based company. Concerns are mounting over the company's compensation structure, alleged aggressive tactics, and the financial impact on the township.

BARRETT TOWNSHIP, MONROE CO. (WOLF) — Pennsylvania State Police are asking the public for help in solving the 1970 cold case homicide of a man in Monroe County.

On Sept. 8, 1970, at around 3:45 p.m., the body of John William Leonard Sr. was found in his taxi cab on the grounds of Buck Hill Falls Lodge, Buck Hill Falls, Barrett Township.

According to state police:

Leonard’s black 1966 Plymouth sedan was discovered approximately 150 feet south of the main entrance to the lodge in a slightly secluded area. Leonard was pronounced dead at the scene with the cause of death being multiple gunshot wounds.

What started out as a small effort to help people hit by Hurricane Helene now fills a closet at the Barrett Township Community Center.

Andrea Hermes of Paradise Township is spearheading an organization called, Mountain Strong Poconos to bring much needed supplies to the people of Lansing, North Carolina.

"Right now, people are living in tents on their land because they lost their homes, they have nowhere to go, no resources to go anywhere," said Hermes.

LEBANON COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — State Police released new details Friday about the fatal four-vehicle crash that closed a stretch of I-81 by the Dauphin and Lebanon County line on Thursday morning.

James Stokes, 27, of Cresco, was killed in the crash that happened before 2:30 a.m. on I-81 north in East Hanover Township by Mile Marker 84.8, State Police at Jonestown said in a release.

Related: Support the Stokes Family in Their Time of Loss (GoFundMe)

Our co-worker and Barrett Twp. neighbor, Sherline Eugene (FS school bus driver at Pocono Mtn. East), suddenly lost her 26-year-old son, Akili Eugene, due to an unknown ingestion of nuts, as he had an allergy to them. Akili leaves behind his wife Jahmelia and young son Abijah.

Joe’s Brick Oven Pizza: 109 Oak Lane, Suite 105, Cresco

Inspected Oct. 24. Jurisdiction: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Violations: 7

Inspector determined the person in charge did not demonstrate adequate knowledge of food safety. Inspector observed chlorine chemical sanitizer residual detected in the final sanitizer rinse cycle of the low temperature sanitizing dishwasher was 0 ppm, not 50-100 ppm as required; mechanical warewashing equipment not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of old food residue buildup; facility had lost its certified food employee over three months ago and had not replaced the employee as required; facility had an employee who held a certified food manager certificate, but the certificate was expired; soap was not available at the handwash sink in the food prep or employee restroom areas; and working containers in the warewash area, used for storing chemicals and cleaners taken from bulk supplies were not marked with the common name of the chemical.

Barrett Township, PA (November 1, 2024) – In the early hours of Thursday morning, emergency responders were alerted to a serious two-vehicle head-on collision along Route 191 in front of the Cresco Post Office. The incident occurred around 12:17 a.m., with initial reports indicating possible entrapment and serious injuries. Medevac was placed on standby as police and EMS units from Station 22 and EMS 1123 mobilized quickly to the scene.

Nov. 5, 2024, is the General Election
Polls are open on election day from 7 A.M. - 8 P.M.

This year's election guide is provided by the Monroe County Reporter:

Link:
https://www.monroecountypa.com/election-guide

A local homeowner is currently facing a zoning dispute over their small-scale farming operation, spotlighting a critical issue in our community: the right to use our land for sustainable food production. As more families embrace backyard farming, the demand for local, homegrown food is gaining traction. However, restrictive zoning laws threaten these efforts, raising vital questions about our rights as landowners.

This case marks the first zoning enforcement action of its kind in our township, but similar disputes have emerged across Monroe County. In Mountainhome, numerous households successfully maintain backyard chicken flocks without issue. This inconsistency raises concerns: why are some residents penalized while others enjoy the freedom to farm?