Local News

When you first walk into the Mountainhome Deli & Cafe, it’s the signage, cozy fireplace and decorations that catch the eye.

Owner Ray Cawolsky, who opened the business in 1993, takes great pride in the eatery’s inviting atmosphere.

Even though he’s got a storage unit and a laundry room overfilled with holiday decorations — Halloween is his favorite and locals look for the infamous witch who visits every year hoagie in tow — it brings a smile to his face knowing that the young and old alike enjoying visiting his second home.

“Great adventures are best spent with great friends.” I am not sure if anyone has ever stated this quote but these words quickly came to mind after a recent bald eagle excursion spent with my best friend Ron Dickey. I asked Ron, a resident of Barrett Township, if he would be interested in joining me on a preliminary scouting trip in search of wintering bald eagles along the Delaware River and surrounding watershed. The reason of the scouting trip was to determine when to schedule Bald Eagle auto tours that were available for the guests of Skytop Lodge. However, after several successful seasons, Skytop Lodge is now offering these bald eagle auto tours to the general public. If fact, anyone who is interested in sending a few hours with me in search of majestic bald eagles on an entertaining and educational wildlife adventure might consider the opportunity.

Paint a rain barrel for display at a business in Mountainhome or for your home.

A "Green" Community Project Administered by Brodhead Watershed Association

• We will recruit business sponsors for barrels.
• We will choose the winning designs for business display.
• Barrels delivered at end of April.
• Painted barrels installed late June/ early July 2020.
• We provide the rain barrel and a stipend to cover artist's costs if barrel is for public display.
• You provide the design.

Just a quick FYI to anyone who uses propane to heat their homes - I just got pricing today from local propane suppliers and found Heller's Gas to be the best price at $1.14 / gallon.  This was for a delivery of 300 gallons.  

The highest price was $1.99 / gallon.  It pays to own your tank and price shop each fill!  

PennDOT Maintenance Forces will patch potholes on PA 390 between PA 447 and and the Pike County line, imposing lane restrictions 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. until Friday.

[source]

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s 2020 hemp program is now accepting applications from both commercial growers and processors.

The 2020 application period is open through April 1. This year, both growers and processors of hemp are required to apply. The permitting of processors is new for the 2020 program. Each individual property will require its own permit and application. A permit costs $150.

Editor's Note:
This Pocono Record article was originally headlined "Potential buyer of old ShopRite building surfaces" but I found the last paragraph of the article to be most intriguing, in case you missed it:

The possibility of a new owner of the Monroe Plaza, within walking distance of downtown Stroudsburg, comes as borough officials are discussing ways of revitalizing the downtown and making the area more attractive to developers. One idea being considered would permit the construction of taller buildings as the borough seeks new tax revenues to offset properties that have dropped off the tax rolls through acquisitions of buildings by Monroe County officials who want more space to meet growing demands for government services. 

The coalition that successfully sought gigabit-speed internet in Monroe County has turned its attention to dead cell zones.

It’s an issue audience members would mention at meetings about the Monroe Gigabit Project, said Kelly Lewis, president of Lewis Strategic. They would praise faster internet, but ask when poor or nonexistent cell service at their home or elsewhere would improve.

Now Available:
 2019 Comprehensive Plan - Penn Strategies

Background:

In March of 2018, Penn Strategies helped to form the Barrett Township Stakeholder Advisory Committee, a non-partisan, diverse group involving local residents, business owners, and community leaders. Our goal was to obtain unbiased, non-political information to aid in the development of a comprehensive economic development strategy.

(WBRE/WYOU) — A convicted child rapist is sentenced in Monroe County Court Thursday.

45-year-old Matthew Sisler will spend more than 63 years behind bars. He was convicted of drugging and raping a 14-year-old girl in September 2018 in Barrett Township.

The assaults happened over a period of about seven years beginning when she was just seven years old. Sisler had nothing to say in court while the victim allowed a letter about her ordeal to be read into the sentencing record.

[Source]

[WNEP Article]

Update 1/7/2020 @ 10am

I am posting the remainder of the email thread between myself and Karl Stearns that didn't make it into the comments area:

Karl:
1/7/2020 @ 8:45am

My reference to you not understanding correctly was that you stated the Supervisors owned Barrett Elementary School and that is not correct.  The school was owned by the Pocono Mountain School District until it was sold supposedly for “senior housing”—which never materialized.

The whole history of the building of this school and the school in Tobyhanna is convoluted.  We were told back then that the old buildings were no longer “compliant” with laws regulating access by handicapped people.  Mostly because they were multistory buildings with no elevators.  The teachers were propagandizing the issue because the whole drive was to have new schools—nothing else.  Kids were going home armed with talking points to their parents and anyone who would listen about all the poor handicapped children who couldn’t attend school because the buildings were “old”.  I witnessed one young girl it total meltdown with tears and hysterical rambling as she tried to explain it to a group of adults. Amazingly, after the old buildings were vacated, they were eventually used again by the school district for classrooms. 

BARRETT TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- For the past 35 years, Gretchen Callie Reisenwitz and her husband Mark called Callie's Pretzel Factory near Cresco home.

"This is what I've done my whole life," said Gretchen Callie Reisenwitz, Callie's Pretzel Factory.

Every day for more than three decades, Mark would show up bright and early to make pretzels.