Fire that killed Pa. diner owner ruled arson

A fire that killed a diner owner in the Pocono Mountains has been ruled arson.

Pennsylvania State Police said Wednesday the fire that killed 71-year-old Water Gap Diner owner Rigas Ioannidis last month was intentionally set.

Investigators say the fire started inside an apartment behind the diner in the early morning hours of March 22 and spread to other units. Ioannidis managed to escape from his second-floor unit but was badly burned and died at a hospital. His death has now been ruled a homicide.

Fire officials say Ioannidis was a caring man who would feed hikers on the nearby Appalachian Trail for free.

http://www.timesonline.com/bct_news/news_details/article/1373/2010/april/01/fire-that-killed-pa-diner-owner-ruled-arson.html

Hikes for Disabled

Cause-driven trek
Area native hikes for disabled

After months of preparation, Luzerne County native Dave Smith is taking his first steps this morning on the Appalachian Trail.

Smith plans to walk the 2,175-mile trail that will take him through 14 states in five months because it allows him to honor his older brother, Michael, who died in 2007 from pneumonia.

Michael, also a Luzerne County native, was a mentally challenged man who loved being outdoors. Michael inspired Dave and his wife, Pam, to work with other mentally and physically challenged individuals who want to enjoy the outdoors.

Smith’s sister, Karen Mitchell of Lake Silkworth, said she looks up to her little brother for his desire to help others by working with them directly and taking this journey to raise money for the nonprofit agency that aids mentally and physically challenged people in their enjoyment of nature.

“I have nothing but admiration for him to do what he does to help people that otherwise can’t enjoy some of these things. I just think he and his wife have a fantastic outlook and spirit,” she said.

All money Smith, 49, raises is being donated to Adaptive Sports Partners, a nonprofit agency near his New Hampshire home that teams disabled individuals with volunteers to experience nature. People can donate a flat amount or so many cents per mile.

The money raised will be used to buy mobility equipment costing $3,000 to $8,000 each to transport clients on bike rides, hikes, skiing and other outings, Executive Director Sandy Olney said.

Smith, who grew up in Hanover Township, had hoped to raise $5,000. Last week, he exceeded his goal during a fundraiser, hitting more than $5,600. “I never anticipated going over before I even started, let alone how much it has continued to go over before I even left. It is amazing the level of generosity of people, and it is going to a real worthy cause,” he said.

He now wants to see how much he can raise before he finishes the trail by climbing Maine’s Mount Katahdin in September.

The experienced hiker flew to in-laws Skip and Chris Shattler’s home in Florida on Sunday, and they are dropping him off at the Amicalola Falls State Park in Georgia, where he was to start hiking the Springer Mountains.

He encourages people to follow him on his blog, which his wife will update periodically. He also welcomes people to e-mail him and join up with him on the trail if they desire.

Blog: http://shovelhead2010.blogspot.com/

Fundraiser: http://www.firstgiving.com/davesathike

E-mail: shovelhead2010@yahoo.com

http://www.timesleader.com/news/Cause-driven_trek_04-01-2010.html

Appalachian Trail threatened

April 1, 2010 · Each year millions of hikers trek all or some of the Appalachian Trail, but a new report by the National Parks Conservation Associations says the trail faces many threats and challenges.

The trail runs about 2,178 miles from Maine to Georgia and is one of more than 300 properties managed by the U.S. National Park Service.

“I think the Appalachian Trail, or the A.T. as we often refer to it, is probably best known for the opportunities it provides to experience primitive remote sections and the wonders of our eastern remote landscape,” David Startzell, executive director, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, said.

Startzell helped lead members of the media on a short hike Wednesday morning along a section that goes through Harpers Ferry, WV. One goal of the hike was to illustrate what the trail has to offer.

One of the first stops was at Jefferson Rock, overlooking the Shenandoah River.

“I’m stopping here because this is also a good illustration of some pretty highly technical rock work that was accomplished by our affiliated volunteers and our trail crews back in the late 90’s,” Startzell said.

Those volunteers and crew placed steps made of stones, some weighting 2,000 pounds, on the path to make this popular section of the trail more passable.

Startzell said the A.T. benefits from volunteers. Last year 6,800 volunteers donated 220,000 hours of labor.

“We want to keep it a well-protected, well maintained, well managed trail that reflect the beauty of the country and our history and culture,” Ron Tipton, senior vice president for policy, National Parks Conservation Association, said.

The organization did an assessment of the Appalachian Trail that outlines the challenges of keeping the A.T. well protected. In the Mid Atlantic region, development is a big concern.

“In the states of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania you have some of the fastest growing communities in the country,” Tipton said.

Air pollution is another problem and it impacts the trail in a couple of ways.

”One of the great features of the Appalachian Trail is these views these 10-, 20-, 30-, 50-mile views from the top of the Appalachian Mountain chain, and when you have high levels of particulate matter in the air that view can go from 50 miles to 5 miles very easily,” Tipton said

Tipton said the pollution also adversely affects the health of hikers.

“There are times in the Great Smokey Mountains through which the trail passes where the National Park Service puts out an advisory saying it’s unsafe to hike,” he said.

The trail is also threatened by several power related projects that are proposed in the region.

“And these are big power line crossings we’re talking like 765 kilowatt facilities,” Startzell said.

Wind turbine projects are also a concern. Startzell says several wind projects are in various stages of permitting along the trail including in Maine, Virginia and Tennessee.

The National Parks Conservation Association hopes its report will encourage policy makers to take action to further protect the Appalachian Trail.
Managers of the trail are also looking into the possibility of adding it to the National Register of Historic Place as a way to help preserve it.

http://www.wvpubcast.org/newsarticle.aspx?id=14199

“Fancee Feest” Style Alcohol Stove Test

The Joys of Maintaining the Appalachian National Scenic Trail

My husband, Lenny, and I have been maintaining a section of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail for more than 20 years, first in New York State and now on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee.

For the last eight years, we’ve been the proud adoptive parents of 4.9 miles from Devils Fork Gap to Rice Gap located north of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and south of Hot Springs, North Carolina. It’s not a spectacular piece of trail – no historic cabin, shelter, or outstanding view. Read the rest…

Trail Angels Trailer

Hiker to speak on April 2 in Brattleboro

BRATTLEBORO — America has three great long-distance hiking trails and author John Illig has hiked all three — the Appalachian Trail, the Continental Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail. Read the rest…

Georgia Road Closed for Months

GA 348 (where Hogpen Gap is, just North of Neel Gap) is CLOSED do to wintertime damage. They estimate that it will be months before it is usable. For now, it is illegal to drive on much of it; people planning section hikes here, or those planning to meet or slack their friends should know that they risk getting a very healthy ticket if they’re caught on this road.

Parking tight at Trail Days this year

By CAITLIN SULLIVAN/Staff

Trail Days parking will be slim in Damascus this year.

The 25,000 people who flood the town for the annual Appalachian Trail festival usually park and camp on eight acres of the town-owned Bayer Property off Shady Avenue. This year that spot will be fenced off and under construction for county ballfields. Read the rest…

Water Gap Diner owner dies of injuries from Monday morning fire

By Beth Brelje
Pocono Record Writer
March 23, 2010

Water Gap Diner owner Regis Ioannidis feared floods but he didn’t expect the Monday morning fire that took his life.

Ioannidis, 72, lived in an apartment above the diner and was likely asleep when the blaze started around 4 a.m. Read the rest…