An award-winning weekly serving Tioga County
Jackson Township plans bicentennial Page 1, Living
140th year, No. 32
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WedNesday, May 13, 2015
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New comm center
Inside—
Meth dealer wants ATVs back by Jason Przybycien
jasonp@tiogapublishing.com
• Elton John tribute show coming to Wellsboro - page 12, Living
the overgrown paths, build vernal pools, replace a
A man with a cabin in Ogdensburg admitted he was a methamphetamine dealer, but he is still trying to get back the four-wheelers seized by the state. Robert Harry Snyder, 56, Pottstown, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and one count of corrupt organizations. He was sentenced to 4-10 years in state prison and $3,939 restitution on Aug. 12, 2013, and is currently at the Laurel Highlands State Correctional Institution in Bucks County. On Sept. 29, 2014, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General petitioned the Tioga County Court of Common Pleas to allow it to sell some of the property seized in a 2011 search of file photo Snyder ’s robert c a b i n sNyder on Ogdensburg Road, Roaring Branch: a Yamaha Rhino ATV, a Suzuki King Quadmaster ATV, a Kawasaki Bayou fourwheeler, a Caterpillar skid steer, a hand truck, loading ramps, three safes, two stun guns, a Glock case and a scale. In a Nov. 14, 2014, response, Snyder said the state obtained those items in an “unlawful” manner. He claims the state violated his federal and state constitutional rights because the search warrant was issued without probable cause. Snyder, through his attorney Robert Goldman, demands the state prove those items “were used or intended to be used for drug violations or were obtained with drug proceeds.” The civil case was scheduled for pretrial in the Tioga County Court of Common Pleas on April 27, but the parties are negotiating a settlement according to court administrators. At press time, no further filings had been made. The attorney general announced criminal charges against Snyder and 26 others statewide as “Operation Blowout” in 2012. Investigators alleged that between 2007-11, Snyder organized
See TRAIL on page 10-A
See ATV on page 10-A
photo by NATALIE KENNEDY
County officials pose in the center of the new 9-1-1 call center in Charleston township (from left) Commissioner roger bunn, director dave Cohick, Commissioner erick Coolidge, eMa Coordinator dennis Colegrove and Commissioner Mark hamilton.
9-1-1 call center prepares to open June 3
T
by Natalie Kennedy
nkennedy@tiogapublishing.com
• The crappie are biting on the lakes. Places and tips are on page 7, Living
he finishing touches are going on for the 9-1-1 call center’s move to its new location on June 3. “Hopefully, the day we switch over, no one will even know,” said Tioga County Commissioner Mark Hamilton. The commissioners and emergency services staff gave the media a preview on May 8. Although roughly the same square footage, the new call center recycles a building that was standing unused and slowly deteriorating, said officials. “In essence, we took a building that was not functioning for many
See 911 on page 10-A
photo by NATALIE KENNEDY
911 Quality assurance Coordinator Lisa b. rice demonstrates the capabilities of a new command center for director dave Cohick and eMa Coordinator dennis Colegrove.
Miller reopens nature trail by Natalie Kennedy
nkennedy@tiogapublishing.com
INSIDE Future farmers .................. 2-A Snack time ........................ 3-A Opinion ............................. 4-A Election ............................. 5-A Obituaries ...................... 6/7-A WASD ............................... 7-A Car restoration .................. 9-A Jumps ............................. 10-A Rusty Mitchum ................. 1-B Duck races ....................... 2-B Community columns ........ 3-B Church news .................4/5-B Record .............................. 7-B Teacher honored ............... 8-B Home matters ................... 9-B
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Gazette seeks Memorial Day services The Gazette will publish a schedule of Memorial Day services in the May 20 paper to help readers locate an event. Please send your event, including the location where it will be held, time and date to rheitzenrater@ tiogapublishing.com. Information may also be dropped off at the office at 25 East Avenue, Wellsboro; mailed to PO Box 118, Wellsboro, PA 16901 or faxed to 570-724-2278.
It all began when Steve Hoover wanted to talk to the principal about emerald ash borer. Instead, he found himself planning to reopen a nature trail that had fallen into disuse. Thirteen years after it was first built, Warren L. Miller Elementary School reopened the nature trail with a ribbon cutting May 7. Karen Russell, owner of Keystone North which owns the property where the trail is located, snipped the yellow ribbon. Hoover went to the school to talk with Principal Patti White about the invasive insect and walked out with a plan to reopen the trail. “When Steve gets excited, it’s hard not to get excit-
photo by NATALIE KENNEDY
Karen russel cuts the yellow ribbon, held by Principal Patti White, to reopen the nature trail behind Warren L. Miller elementary school in Mansfield. ed with him,” said White. A few weeks later, a crew from the Bureau of Forestry came to the school to clear
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14 New Brands and Quality Pre-owned Vehicles
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