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Real estate fraud suspect Ignacio Beato held on $1 million bail

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The Wyoming Valley Woman’s Club entertained at monthly luncheon

ASHLEY &#8212; Asbestos fibers have been found at the site of the old Huber Breaker on Main Street, state officials announced Monday.According to a statement from the Department of Environmental Protection, the fibers were found near the old boiler building on the property. The samples were taken on March 8 and analyzed by EMSL Analytical Laboratories of New Jersey. The amount and concentrations of the asbestos fibers are still being determined, the statement said.The DEP findings come days after the agency agreed to a stipulation with Paselo Logistics requiring the latter to begin cleaning up the site within 10 days. The stipulation, along with a municipal lien, were issued on March 14.DEP spokeswoman Colleen Connolly said that having confirmation of the asbestos on site won&#8217;t change the timeline ordered by the stipulation. Wednesday is the final day of the <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/521631/per-agreement-huber-breaker-owners-have-10-days-to-begin-cleaning-efforts" target="_blank">10-day window</a>, during which Paselo is required to have drums and containers secured with indication of the characterization of the contaminated waste.Connolly said asbetos can be characterized as either friable &#8212; if it can blow around into the environment &#8212; or non-friable.&#8220;They (Paselo Logistics LLC) still have to begin quantifying and characterizing how much asbestos is on the site by Wednesday,&#8221; Connolly said.Connolly said the DEP is &#8220;going to begin working with Paselo within the next few days&#8221; to help them classify the asbestos on the site.In January, <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/501421/ashley-officials-worried-over-safety-pollution-issues-at-huber-breaker-site" target="_blank">Councilman Gerry Maldonado raised concerns during an interview with the Times Leader about debris and asbestos in and around the 25-acre site. </a><a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/509027/tensions-over-huber-breaker-dominate-ashley-borough-council-meeting" target="_blank">During a February Ashley council meeting</a>, Zoning Officer Andy Kratz presented the council with a stack of papers from the DEP from last year, saying there was no finding of asbestos in the soil at the site.&#8220;I knew there was asbestos there,&#8221; Maldonado said. &#8220;How can there not be asbestos there?&#8221;<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Melanie Mizenkommizenko@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko.</shirttailMeta></div>

DEP: Asbestos found in Huber Breaker soil samples