Magisterial district judge office moves in the works

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Happy birthday Aiden John Smith!

<p>NEWPORT TWP. &#8212; Newly planted grass torn up by all-terrain vehicles has caused thousands of dollars in damage to Earth Conservancy&#8217;s property in the township. Over the weekend, off-roaders took to the Bliss Bank reclaimed land, off Middle Road, as their playground.</p><p>&#8220;We have tried different preventive measures (such as rocks blocking access roads of Espy Street, gates and locks),&#8221; said Elizabeth Hughes, director of communications for the non-profit organization. &#8220;They&#8217;ve been rendered ineffective.&#8221;</p><p>According to Geoff Shaw, executive administrator for Earth Conservancy, Site Supervisor Rick Ruggiero found the damage while surveying the bank Monday morning.</p><p>&#8220;Now that they&#8217;ve torn up the grass, we have to reseed by hand,&#8221; Shaw said. &#8220;It (the money to reseed) comes out of our regular operations budget.&#8221;</p><p>Shaw noted three problems to ATVs riding on the property: danger to riders, environmental damage with coal sediment making way to the river and the economic impact on the non-profit.</p><p>The organization, which uses grants to fund projects such as the reclamation of the 200-acre bank, was &#8220;almost completed&#8221; with Phase I of the project, which will, when finished, be able to house light industrial, residential and wildlife. Earth Conservancy seeds to help stop erosion on the culm banks &#8212; hills made of waste from coal mining.</p><p>Phase II &#8212; which includes land grading and revegetation &#8212; is expected to begin in the summer with completion in fall 2019.</p><p>The pair was also concerned with ATVs riding over plastic baffles &#8212; devices used to restrain the flow of water and act as a filter of loose sediment &#8212; in the drain basins.</p><p>&#8220;We haven&#8217;t been down to see if they broke,&#8221; Shaw admitted, &#8220;but they (baffles) would cost thousands to replace.&#8221;</p><p>Hughes confirmed Earth Conservancy is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of individuals responsible for the destruction. Anyone with information is asked to call Newport Township police at 570-735-2000.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Tracks from ATVs line the side of a basin on Earth Conservancy property in Newport Township; the damage &#8212; which includes grass being torn up &#8212; is costing the non-profits thousands of dollars in damages. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_TTL012616earthconservency2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Tracks from ATVs line the side of a basin on Earth Conservancy property in Newport Township; the damage &#8212; which includes grass being torn up &#8212; is costing the non-profits thousands of dollars in damages. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_TTL012616earthconservency1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Geoff Shaw, executive administrator of Earth Conservancy, and Elizabeth Hughes, director of communications with Earth Conservancy, discuss the problems trucks and ATVs have caused on property that is being reclaimed in Newport Township. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_TTL012616earthconservency1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Geoff Shaw, executive administrator of Earth Conservancy, and Elizabeth Hughes, director of communications with Earth Conservancy, discuss the problems trucks and ATVs have caused on property that is being reclaimed in Newport Township. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Melanie Mizenko</p><p>mmizenko@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p>Anyone with information leading to the arrest of individuals responsible is asked to call Newport Township police, at 570-735-2000.</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko</p></shirttailMeta></div>

ATV damage to Bliss Bank will cost thousands