============================================================
Search the largest used car inventory
on the planet. More than 1.5 million listings,
updated daily. Your car is waiting. AutoTrader.com
http://click.topica.com/caaacxRb1ddNBb2HgmNb/AutoTrader
============================================================
----- Original Message ----- From: Jessica Paladini Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2001 4:12 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: UPDATE ON BLACK CREEK Dear Friends,
I would like to take this opportunity to talk with you about VICTORY,
but I need to also express a concern and ask for your help.
As you know, the Nanticoke Lenni Lenape of New Jersey filed a lawsuit,
in conjunction with archaeologist Rick Patterson, against the Township
of Vernon after the township on May 22 dug up an approximately 200 foot
by 16 foot section of the Black Creek site. In our opinion, the township
did this maliciously, with the intent to destroy the site’s value so
that the state would no longer consider it for the National register of
Historic Places. The township mayor is quoted in a local newspaper
saying this was done intentionally. Of the 183 acres the town owns and
wants to build ballfields, the bulldozer was sent right to the Black
Creek site first. We could not allow the town to destroy that site, so
the lawsuit was filed in Superior Court. To date, we have had two
hearings, and the judge ruled in our favor both times. His latest ruling
gave us the safeguard we needed until the site is placed on the National
register of Historic Places. On Monday, June 25, we received word that
Superior Court Judge Kenneth MacKenzie ruled that the Black Creek Site
CANNOT be disturbed by the Township of Vernon. This is a wonderful
victory for which many have fought so hard and earnestly over the past
four months. However, it is not the end of the story. I will explain
that further later in this letter. Here is the judge’s ruling:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The Township of Vernon is hereby prohibited from conducting any
activity that interferes with or disrupts the physical integrity of
the... Black Creek Site that is the subject of this dispute unless and
until such time as the sooner of the following events occur:
a) The New Jersey State Historical Review Board decides
that the Black Creek Site is not entitled to listing on the Register of
Historic Places, or
b) The Court approves an alternative plan that the
Township adopts and implements for development of the entire site that
does not interfere with or disrupt the physical integrity of the Black
Creek Site....
The parties shall not remove material from the Black Creek
Site .... Any party to this action seeking to conduct any investigation
of the Black Creek Site, for the purpose of this action or otherwise,
must provide 5 days written notice of such intention to all other
parties by application to the court and reasonably accommodate and
permit the presence of other parties during such inspection, if the
court should permit.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As you can see, the judge has completely and thoroughly ensured that the
Black Creek site will not be disturbed or compromised in any way until
the state Historic Preservation Office makes its decision on September
12 to list it on the National Register of Historic Places. We feel
confident that that will occur.
Ironically, and unfortunately, on the same day that this ruling was
handed down to the township, and after the town received the ruling, the
council voted to hire an archeological firm to come in and dig about 600
test holes on the property to determine its historic significance. You
read that correctly! Up to 600 holes, just to prove what so many
archaeologists and state officials already know to be true! This
disturbs us greatly, since we do not want that site disturbed
whatsoever. What you should also know is that the town manager announced
on June 18 that she and the assistant manager made numerous calls to
arcaheologists throughout the state, but no one was willing to touch the
site because of its sensitivity. One firm, however, agreed to do the
study. We are very concerned about the archaeological firm because of
the prior history of its owner.
The township CANNOT begin this archaeological study without first
notifying all parties in the lawsuit, and then they need to receive
court approval in order to begin. We are hoping the judge will not
permit this testing to be done. That is where we stand today. Should the
township attorney file papers with the court to get approval for the
testing by the firm it has hired, we will object.
You can help us by writing or calling various state, local, or court
officials to voice your objection over the digging that will take place
on this site if the township gets its way. I am including the addresses
of the officials the letters should go to. In addition, letters to the
editor of the local newspaper are also helpful because it keeps the
public pressure on the township. Here are those addresses:
Mayor and Township Council
Vernon Township Municipal Center
21 Church Street
Vernon, NJ 07462
State of New Jersey
Historic Preservation Office
Attention: Mike Gregg
P.O. Box 404
Trenton, NJ 08625-0404
Congresswoman Marge Roukema
1200 East Ridgewood Avenue
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Senator Robert G. Torricelli
1 Riverfront Plaza
Newark, N.J. 07102
Senator Jon S. Corzine
One Gateway Center,11th floor
Newark, N.J. 07412
This matter has received state and national attention! We are confident
that this Lenape site is one of the most significant sites in the entire
state of New Jersey and possibly even in the tri-state area. We will not
rest until this site is deed-restricted for permanent preservation. Many
of us -- Rick Patterson, Urie Ridgeway, Mark Gould, Santos HawkBlood,
Karen Kensek, Jamie Rickey, and I--have worked tirelessly on this effort
and we must not give up now! The prize is at hand! The prize is the
preservation of this valuable cultural resource for all of humanity. I
am not a native; therefore, I cannot fully comprehend what native
Americans have experienced in this country. But I recognize injustice
full well. I am of Armenian descent, and I was not born in this
country. I was born in a country where my grandparents were slaughtered
simply because they were Armenian. My father and my maternal grandmother
were orphans as a result of this slaughter. The injustice that was
perpetrated on native people in this country is the very reason why the
Black Creek site should be honored, respected, and preserved forever.
Please help us in any way that you can. We will keep you informed of
future events. Thank you for your time.
Jessica Paladini
============================================================
GET A NEXTCARD VISA in 30 seconds! Get rates as low as 2.99%
Intro or 9.99% Ongoing APR and no annual fee! Apply NOW!
http://click.topica.com/caaacdWb1ddNBb2HgmNg/NextCard
============================================================
Visit and show your support for the Grass Roots Oyate
http://members.tripod.com/GrassRootsOyate
Clemency for Leonard Peltier. Sign the Petition.
http://petitiononline.com/Release/petition.html ==^================================================================
EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?b1ddNB.b2HgmN
Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
This email was sent to: [email protected]
T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^================================================================
Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com
|
