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Bomb scare causes problems in Polk Township

Pocono Record - 1/27/2017

Jan. 27--It's being described as an unfortunate case of someone troubled biting a hand extended to offer help.

After being told to get help for his alcoholism or leave Paul's House, a Polk Township transitional housing facility for struggling U.S. military veterans, a tenant left in anger and later retaliated by causing a bomb scare that shut down the area for more than two hours Thursday, according to witnesses.

U.S. Special Forces veteran Mark Baylis heads the Brodheadsville-based Veterans Assisted Living and Out Reach (VALOR) Clinic Foundation, which helps veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, homelessness, drug/alcohol addictions, unemployment and Veterans Administration paperwork issues.

VALOR runs Paul's House, converted in 2014 from the former Hotel Jonas, at Route 534 and Jonas Road. Named after a fallen U.S. serviceman from Illinois, Paul's House is a 12-bedroom transitional housing facility where homeless vets can stay while looking for jobs, permanent housing, health care and help with VA paperwork.

VALOR holds "stand-downs" every other weekend, going out to locations where the homeless are known to be and delivering food, clothes, blankets and other basic survival items. Some of the homeless at these stand-down locations are veterans.

Paul's House recently took in a homeless veteran with a drinking problem after he'd been found on the steps of a Bethlehem church, said Baylis, declining to identify the veteran. Paul's House began working with the veteran, even going so far as to raise money and buy him a car to help him get around.

"He seemed to be getting his drinking problem under control," said Baylis. "Unfortunately and ironically, he celebrated getting his new car by getting drunk. Our policy at Paul's House forbids any illegal drug use or alcohol intoxication among our tenants.

"So, when he came back drunk, we told him he couldn't stay there in that condition," Baylis said. "We told him he needed to get help or he'd be evicted. His response was, 'I'm a grown man and I can do what I want.' He then walked out in anger and left some of his things behind. That was a couple of weeks ago."

At about 10 p.m. Wednesday, the veteran drove back onto the property and threw something against a clothing bin, Baylis said. At least one witness looked out and saw him, recognizing his car as it drove off afterward.

On Thursday morning, what Baylis described only as "a rusted piece of metal" was seen on the ground, near the clothing bin. Written on the object was an expletive directed specifically at Baylis.

The threatening appearance of this object caused those at Paul's House to call state police, who in turn called in a bomb unit from the Philadelphia area, said Baylis. The intersection of Jonas Road and Route 534 was closed off to traffic, from shortly after 11 a.m. to shortly before 1:30 p.m., while the object was checked and then deemed harmless.

"We're sorry for the inconvenience this caused, but we couldn't take a chance," Baylis said. "We're talking about the safety of our tenants and the people who work with them. We're just glad this turned out to be a false alarm and no one was hurt."

As of Thursday night, state police had not released any update on the veteran's identity, whether he'll be charged or what exactly was this object he allegedly left on the property.

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