A happy smile and a friendly wave sure turns your worst day into a dream come true.

The local government is where it all should start. In each small town who has long lived residents who take care of the roads, winter, spring summer and fall. Trimming roads from above to the ditches below. Plowing, cindering and mowing to grading and rolling. 

It makes me proud to be able to wave to you as you drive by. Proud to be part of that team of local men and women who take care of the back roads of this county.

Local government is calling your name to come and join us at meetings and at your polling place this spring. Come in and express your opinions and make your voice heard and understood. Express your wants and needs where you think we can make the roads better for you to get to and from work safely.

I hear a lot about politics. It does not matter to me as I drive by your house what party you are part of. Politics means government, so please get involved. Stay informed and smile.  A little wave and a smile goes a long way.

Sincerely,

Peter A Seman

Thompson, Pa.

First of all I would like to thank Kerri Wilder for the Deficits of Trust article. Many of us heard rumors but a complete listing helped show the depth of the problems in Susquehanna County. I look forward to the other parts in the Series.

I recently learned even more frightening news. 45% of the prosecutions of last year in our County were drug related charges. Those of us who have lived here many years are used to news of Blueberry festivals and Hartford Fair plans and were comfortable in our small and safe community mentality. To learn of the explosion of drug use, selling and importation of drugs and the use even in our schools was very difficult. Drug use and sale leads to home break ins, violent crimes and the break down of society. All of this, in my mind, is directly connected to the lack of responsibility of citizens to be involved in their government. The number of those who take the time to vote in a primary is something that would shock people who would die to have our rights.

Many elections are lost by worthy candidates by very few votes due to the “my vote does not count” mentality. Many people of needed talents refuse to run because so few care to pay attention to their efforts. If you are one of the people who do not bother to vote - do more reading and learn how proper involvement by the community makes for a safer and more honest government.

Sincerely,

Annette Corrigan

Jackson, PA

If the name Vera Scroggins is familiar, you probably know her as that anti-fracking—-activist to most, crusader to some, or gadfly to a few—-gas tour guide.

For six years, to the consternation of the shale gas miners, Scroggins has led tours from several states and a dozen nations. The tours expose the shady side of shale gassing pointing out the effects on the environment—-air, land, and water—-and on peoples’ lives.

One company, Cabot Gas and Oil, decided to go on the offensive. Scroggins was soon to discover that crossing swords with a billion-dollar company in a mano-a-mano legal bout holds little hope for victory. Yet a year-and-a-half after the pair first tangled, the legal tennis match continues.

We’ll divide the match into five sets.

1) In October 2013, Scroggins was ordered to appear before Judge Kenneth Seamans to answer allegations by Cabot that she repeatedly trespassed on its property. The defendant was given one working day’s notice to obtain legal counsel. Since this was not possible, Scroggins had to defend herself, alone, against four of Cabot’s attorneys and local county attorney, Raymond Davis.

At the hearing she pointed out that she had never been charged for trespassing much less convicted of the offense. Nevertheless, Judge Seamans restricted her entry on all property leased by Cabot regardless if she had the land owner’s permission to be on the property. The ban covered an estimated 40 percent of Susquehanna County’s landmass.

2) Five months later Scroggins was again before the bench, this time with legal representation from the Pennsylvania ACLU, Ralph Nader’s organization, Public Citizen, and a private attorney, all pro bono. Scroggins’ counsel argued that the restraining order was overly broad.

Judge Seamans narrowed his excessively enthusiastic order to a 100-foot buffer zone around Cabot gas sites and driveways/access roads. The exclusion zone included public roads.

“I was always careful to abide by Judge Seamans’ order,” said Scroggins. “When I took guests on a tour I routinely informed them of the restrictions that the order/injunction placed on me.”

3) Last April, Scroggins was again called into court to once again answer a charge of trespassing. Six of Cabot’s attorneys were present. This time they were armed with a witness.

Jordan Huffman, an employee of RW Products, a subcontractor for Cabot, testified that Scroggins parked her car, stood in Cabot’s driveway, and discharged her three-person tour party within the buffer zone specified by Judge Seamans. Huffman took photos with his cell phone but tellingly none that supported his claim.

However, he did take one photo of Scroggins standing by her car. This was submitted by Cabot to the court as evidence. However, this photo shows Scroggins standing by her car that was parked with permission on private property 572-feet (measured by Google Earth) from the 100-feet buffer zone.

For her part, Scroggins and her two witnesses categorically refuted Huffman’s testimony.

Nevertheless, Judge Seamans ruled in favor of Cabot. The judge levied the penalty of $1,000 that Cabot requested. Scroggins has 45 days to either pay the fine or face possible incarceration until the penalty is paid.

4) However, Scroggins is determined not to pay a penalty based on what in her opinion is perjured testimony. “I will not pay the penalty because I did not violate the injunction.”

Is this game, set, and match, for Cabot? Cabot hopes so. It’s estimated that the gas giant has spent well in excess of $100,000 in legal fees to silence one senior citizen. But thus far it has succeeded only in publicizing Scroggins’ charges and exposing the industry’s collateral damage to land and people.

So perhaps the tennis match will continue. As one reporter wrote, “One thing is certain, the end of this story is nowhere is sight.”

Sincerely,

Bob Scroggins

New Milford, PA