Township Police Departments Address Rumors

Rumors circulating on social media about Spring Manor Park on Heverly Avenue being sold to house illegal immigrants sparked concern in the Martinsburg area in the past few weeks.

There were concerns that the mobile park was being sold again, and adding other units to house illegal immigrants.

The Herald talked a representative of Regal Communities who said the rumors were not true.

They said the mobile home park is not for sale again and they are not bringing in illegal immigrants.

The representative said they are bringing in newer units in the future, but it is to provide quality, affordable housing to citizens in the Martinsburg area.

In response to these rumors members of the Martinsburg Borough and North Woodbury Township did a further investigation into the details of these rumors with the help of their police departments.

The mobile home park properties are within both the Martinsburg Borough and North Woodbury Township’s jurisdictions.

North Woodbury Township Police Chief Morris spoke to a representative from Regal Communities on October 26. He said the representative was distraught and denied the rumors.

Martinsburg Borough Police Chief Kerry Hoover said he was not aware of the rumor until posts about it on social media surfaced and there have been no previous discussions or meetings held on the issue.

Morris said everything right now is speculation and there is no evidence supporting these claims. He said the rumors started when some Spring Manor residents started receiving eviction notices.

He said there were workers brought in by Regal Communities to do work who did not speak English very well and stayed in one of the units while they were working.

Morris said that it appears those workers are no longer there but he did observe them performing tasks during patrols of the mobile home park while they were here.

“Every time I saw them, they were sweeping the streets, filling potholes and cleaning out the units in the park,” he said.

Hoover said the Cove is very diverse, and many people have been upset about the posts going around on social media.

“With national news, it has everyone concerned right now,” he said.

Morris said everything appears to be just a coincidence.

Both Hoover and Morris encourage area residents to consult with their local municipal officials and police departments if they have any future concerns, before posting on social media to ensure the accuracy of the information and to ensure the officials are aware of the concern.

“Call or stop in your local municipal office if you have any questions or concerns,” Hoover said.