MOSCOW, Idaho -- The saga of an infamous Moscow, Idaho trailer park is coming to an end.
A few years ago, people living at the Syringa mobile home park went months without clean water. The park's owner has since settled a class-action lawsuit over that. Now, people living there will be forced to find somewhere new to live before the park closes in June.
In all, more than 90 people living at the Syringa mobile home park filed a lawsuit. They will each get part of that settlement but they will still have to find somewhere new to go. Easy for some but difficult for others. For one couple, a veterans group stepped up to help in a big way.
Margaret Gates and her husband went months without clean water in late 2013. It is a problem that thrust the Syringa trailer park just outside of Moscow into the headlines.
"We just didn't take any chances with me and my family and getting germs from the water," Gates said.
Years and a lawsuit later, the owner of the infamous park has decided to shut the place down. Now residents, like the Gates', are looking for somewhere new. For Margaret, this was her home of 32 years. But lucky for her and her Army-veteran husband, help would be on the way.
The Guardians Foundation got word of what was going on. They are a non-profit in Post Falls that helps out vets across the Inland Northwest. The American Legion in Moscow was helping coordinate help for the Gates' and the Guardians were asked to help. They helped empty the trailer and haul stuff away.
"Man, they were just like angels. They came in here and helped us move,” Gates said.
A different group will now help physically move their trailer to a new park in Moscow. One with hopefully cleaner water and no prospects of shutting down any time soon.
At last check, the Syringa trailer park was set to close in June after the remaining residents are paid out from a settlement.