Local News

To whom it may concern:

Until recently, with Blue Ridge Cable's phone service, the modem came with a battery backup.  This way, if the power at your house goes out, you can still call 911 while the battery is still charged (approx. 4 hours).

Now, Blue Ridge's modems are the new "DOCSIS 3.1" technology, and they don't include a battery!  They now require you to purchase the battery separately (see below).  Customers that still have the old DOCSIS 3.0 modems will continue to have battery backup available until Blue Ridge replaces that modem.  

For now, my suggestion is that you purchase your own "UPS" battery backup (Amazon link) instead, so that you can plug not only your cable modem, but also your WiFi router, cell phone, laptop, etc.

- A new father's perspective - 

Background

My wife and I had planned on having our first baby at home with a private midwife. Unfortunately, we were unable to actually have the baby at home, as my wife required magnesium via IV to keep her blood pressure down. We wound up having the baby in our nearest hospital, formerly known as Pocono Medical Center.  (In January 2017, Lehigh Valley Health Network absorbed Pocono Medical Center, which is the ‘primary’ hospital in the Poconos.  There is now a St. Luke’s hospital in the area but they don’t have a delivery / newborn facility... yet.)

[Full Article]

I recently came across this article about how a particular neighborhood in Brooklyn is creating their own micro-grid.  It can be attached to the main grid, when the power is up, and if the grid goes down, this little micro-grid in Brooklyn can operate on its own, at reduced power.  This would be a great addition to any community.  For the Poconos, how great would it be to set up some hydro-dams that operate in a similar fashion?

Update 7/12/18:
This ordinance was passed at the last night's (July 11) meeting

Clarification:
This ordinance only applies to 'large' fireworks displays (e.g. if you hire a professional company).  All others are regulated by the State of Pennsylvania.  

Pennsylvania's purchases of consumer-grade fireworks are limited to buyers 18 and older, and have usage restrictions, including requiring permission from the property owner, not using them inside buildings or motor vehicles or within 150 feet of an occupied structure.

Further reading:
http://www.psp.pa.gov/public-safety/pages/fireworks-safety.aspx

Blue Ridge Communications has completed a 12-month project to bridge gigabit-speed internet to its entire service area, the company announced in a statement Tuesday.

Its top-tier offering now boasts download speeds of 1,000 megabits per second — one of the fastest speeds available to residential consumers in the U.S.

“Our 1 Gig launch represents our commitment to continued investment in our network and infrastructure,” Mark Masenheimer, vice president of operations for Blue Ridge, said in the statement. “We are deeply invested in this region and the people who live and work here.”

[Full Article]

Coming soon: Co-Working Office Space in Mountainhome / Cresco, PA.  Whether you need a desk and access to a shared conference room, or your own private suite... we build to suit! 

For details, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Editor's Note: Please be advised that there are health, privacy, and security implications that come along with this new technology!  Below is the actual letter that I recently received from PP&L about new "smart" meters being installed.

Official PP&L Links:

• https://www.pplelectric.com/newmeters
• https://www.pplelectric.com/reliability/new-electric-meters/meter-data-privacy-notice.aspx

Further Reading:

• Examples of sources of High Frequency electromagnetic radiation: Mobile phone towers, Mobile phones, Smart meters and all the appliances that connect to it in ‘smart grid’, Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi enables devices, Cordless phones, Bluetooth, Digital radio and TV, Radar and airport navigation systems, Baby monitors
• stopsmartmeters.org
• Breaking: New Mexico rejects PNM Smart Meter proposal — “it does not promote the public interest”
• Who Will Pay The Ransom When Smart Meters Are Hacked Into?
• Big Government Pushing For Smart Meters Once Again, Will Your Home Be Monitored?

May 11, 2018

In coming months, we will be replacing our electric meter on your property as part of our state-approved plan to upgrade all our customers' electric meters. Your new meter will benefit you in several ways: It will help us improve the reliability of your service by better detecting power outages. And, over time, the new meters will give you improved access to data that will help you manage your energy use. Here's what you can expect during the replacement:

5/22/18 - Update:

I was surprised to get a call back from Penn Dot. "Todd" filled me in on the schedule of roads to be repaired...highways first then secondary. He/They know all about 447 and get calls and emails every day.

But he said that should not stop people from logging their concerns.  The whole highway is scheduled for a repaving in 2019.  So let's bombard them.

Click here to submit a "customer concern" to PennDot.  The squeaky wheel gets the grease! 

A planning meeting was held May 9, 2018 to discuss the bridge replacement on Route 447, south of the Canadensis traffic light.  (Near Stonewall Garden) The construction will not take place until 2021.  The current plan is to replace one lane of the bridge at a time so that the other lane will remain open.

Engineer's drawings are available for review in the Barrett Township building.  

Contact Information:
Laura Montgomery
Consultant Project Manager
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
717-540-6040

[Update 5/23/18]
The Supervisors appointed Dina Rinehart to fill the auditor vacancy at the public meeting on Wednesday, May 23.

[Original Article Below]

PUBLIC NOTICE
Tuesday, May 01, 2018

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS TO FILL VACANCY ON BARRETT TOWNSHIP BOARD OF AUDITORS TAKE NOTICE that Barrett Township invites interested applicants to submit letters of interest and resumes to fill a vacancy in the unexpired term of an auditor on the Barrett Township Board of Auditors. To be eligible for appointment, applicants must be electors of Barrett Township and must have resided continuously in the Township for at least one year prior to their appointment. The person appointed to fill the vacancy shall exercise all the powers and perform all the duties and be subject to all the obligations and responsibilities for an auditor under the Pennsylvania Second Class Township Code. Letters of interest and resumes will be received until 4 p.m., local time, Tuesday, May 22, 2018, at the Barrett Township Municipal Building, 993 Route 390, Cresco, Pennsylvania 18326. Any letters or resumes received after this deadline will not be considered for the appointment.

The 2016 water quality report from Aqua America is now available for Mountainhome residents.  If your property uses public water, please read this report.  

Aqua_Mountainhome_Water_Quality_Report_2016_PA2450039.pdf

Do you enjoy learning about foreign policy but prefer an alternative to TV talk shows where the loudest voice can dominate?  Finding a forum for civilized, informative discussion can be challenging.  But one enlightening and enjoyable option is “Great Decisions”, a weekly discussion series on foreign policy offered by the Friendly Community Center.

In February and March about twenty residents gather weekly to discuss ann important policy topic.  Informative background reading includes a well-written booklet (divided into 8 topics) and a 30-minute video for each week’s topic -- all provided by the Foreign Policy Association.  This year’s topics are as follows: