============================================================ Get your free credit report online, by fax or mail. Always private and always secure, click here to get yours FOR FREE at ConsumerInfo.Com! http://click.topica.com/caaacQwb1ddNBb2HgmNa/ConsumerInfo ============================================================ Subj: Court Hearing/Black Creek Date: 08/05/2001 9:27:20 PM Eastern Daylight Time From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Jessica Paladini) Reply-to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hello everyone. This is just a quick update to let you know what is happening. The first event to report is that Cultural Resource Consulting Group, to whom many of you wrote letters, backed out of the proposal to dig up the Black Creek site. CRCG was proposing to dig 595 holes in an attempt to determine the site's significance. The firm informed the township on July 23 that it would not proceed with the study. The owner of the firm said that he changed his mind about the proposal after learning the site was eligible for the National Register. Such a study in those circumstances "no longer seemed appropriate," he said. We are grateful for his decision and grateful for all the people who wrote to him asking him to reconsider the invasive project. Just when we thought things might be looking good, the township took even worse action on the Black Creek Site. On July 26, it approved a contract by geologist Philip LaPorta to dig 20-foot wide test holes with a backhoe. After LaPorta received letters from many people I heard from him, and he told me the holes that he would be digging would be about 2-3 feet wide. Archaeological studies call for hand digging and sifting of the soil with a trowel and mesh screen. Mr. LaPorta will be using a backhoe, which could mean the potential destruction of anything that is unearthed! On Friday, August 3, there was a court hearing on the Black Creek site. It was a telephone conference with the judge. The basis of the hearing was a motion filed by the Township of Vernon seeking approval of LaPorta's backhoe geological study. Naturally, the motion was opposed. The Lenape and Rick Patterson (the plaintiffs) presented expert testimony from six professional archaeologists who are respected in their field, who testified that such studies should be done by competent archaeologists and without the use of a backhoe. The judge did not make a decision on Friday. He said he will render his ruling tomorrow, Monday August 6. We will keep you posted. Jessica Paladini ============================================================ Whether you're digging out bugs, working around roadblocks, Or testing new software, you'll find developerWorks to be A timeless resource. Get the developerWorks newsletter. http://click.topica.com/caaacCNb1ddNBb2HgmNf/developerWorks ============================================================ 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 ==^================================================================
