December 20, 2017

COVER STORY

Around the Christmas City

• Hellertown Light Up Night
• Gingerbread houses at Coun try Meadfows
• Southside tree lighting
• Fountain Hill’s new Christmas tree
• Community Advent Breakfast
• 20^th Luminaria Nigh
  
  COMMUNITY'Souper’ day for New Bethany Ministries

Donors and supporters came together to celebrate New Bethany Ministries’ accomplishments in the community by hosting a soup luncheon at The Event Center at Blue in Bethlehem Township. Rabbi Emeritus Allen Juda of Brith Sholom Congregation delivered the invocation. After lunch, New Bethany Ministries Executive Director Diane Elliott welcomed her guests and reviewed some of the accomplishments and programs of NBM. Photo: New Bethany Ministries aid recipient Jose Carrasco helps himself to the soup at the Souper Day luncheon. Carrasco shared his experiences with the attendees at the Souper Day luncheon.

By Douglas Graves

 

LEHIGH VALLEY

Organizations seek to help struggling Puerto Rico

“The Lehigh Valley has shown time and time again that we take care of our own,” said Allentown Councilman Julio Guridy speaking Nov. 21 at a rally in Fountain Hill asking for money to help area charitable organizations to meet the challenges of providing help to the refugees from Puerto Rico fleeing the devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria. “I’m not too proud to beg,” said Guirdy, who was born in Dominican Republic. “I beg us all to consider how lucky we are to be spared the devastation and who have the resources to help. If you can afford to $5 or $500 or even $5,000, we need that contribution today.” Photo: City of Bethlehem Councilwoman Olga Negron said, “This is personal.” Negron was there with her recently-arrived elderly and ailing parents.

By Douglas Graves

 

BETHLEHEM HISTORY

Book recounts city’s firefighting heritage

“Firefighting in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania” co-authors Karen Samuels and Nancy Rutman presented a slide show of some of the 200 images from their new book to a standing-room-only audience in Seidersville. Sponsored by the Lower Saucon Township Historical Society,  the presentation also discussed the extensive research that helped uncover some of the most interesting and revealing stories of the city’s early firefighters and the challenges they faced. Chris Eline, a Bethlehem firefighter for the past 24 years, is also a co-author of the firefighting book. He is noted for having gathered photographs and related artifacts from the fire department’s history, and created display cases for the items throughout the city.

By Carole Gorney

 

BETHLEHEM SPORTS

Hawks aim for dominance

It may be a different group of wrestlers for Bethlehem Catholic this year, but many people expect more of the same. The Hawks enter the season with a preseason national ranking of No.13 by Intermat and look to push their way towards the top of the PIAA dual meet podium after falling to Nazareth last year in the district and state dual meet championships. Head coach Jeff Karam comes back for his 10th year leading the program that looks to stay in the conversation of the state’s best.

By Peter Car

 

LV FOCUS

A family Christmas

Multi-Dove and Grammy Award winner David Phelps performs classic Christmas songs at the State Theatre Center for the Arts, 7 p.m. Dec. 22. The former member of the renowned Gaither Vocal Band for 20 years will lend his powerful tenor to the sounds of the season. “This is our nineteenth annual Christmas tour. I can’t believe I’ve been doing anything that long. Every year in November we pull out the Christmas music and dust it off and we come up with some new arrangements to add to it.

By Makenna Masenheimer

 

OTHER STORIES

Bethlehem: HCC board rejects ‘pencil-like’ structure – again

Northampton County: Gaming board issues final grants

Lehigh County: Commissioners review financial forecast

 

WEEKLY FEATURES

Around town community calendar

Police logs

Area obituaries

Center for Animal Health and Welfare

Volunteers

Student profiles

High school news reports

 

MEET THE PRESS

The Bethlehem Press online

Where to buy the Bethlehem Press

To subscribe: New start

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December 13, 2017

CHRISTKINDLMARKT AT 25

It just keeps growing

For the past quarter century, the annual holiday artisan marketplace Christkindlmarkt has been an integral part of the celebration of Christmas in the Lehigh Valley. Through the years, it has grown in size, scope and popularity from its humble origins under the Hill to Hill Bridge in downtown Bethlehem, to its current expansive home at SteelStacks on the Southside. Today, Christkindlmarkt and its ArtsQuest sponsors can boast that it has attracted a total of more than a million visitors and has gained the distinction of having twice been named one of the top holiday markets in the country by Travel + Leisure Magazine. Photo: Christkindlmarkt customer Nanette Lutz from Doylestown couldn’t resist this hand-painted Santa Claus. She said she collects Santas, and this one was really unique. She was another first-time visitor to Bethlehem’s annual Christmas market.

By Carole Gorney

 

COMMUNITY

La Borinqueña to the rescue!

“That cargo plane’s engine just failed! If it crashes, it’ll wipe out most of Luquillo!” shouts La Borinqueña as she attempts to protect the Puerto Rican coastal city from catastrophe. The newly-minted comic book superhero is the self-published creation of Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, a Marvel Entertainment writer and art director/owner of Somos Arte, a Brooklyn-based production studio. Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez recently introduced Marisol Rios De La Luz, a fictional Columbia University earth and environmental sciences undergraduate student whose alter ego is “La Borinqueña” to new fans at the main Bethlehem Area Public Library. Photo: Marvel Entertainment writer Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez with Bethlehem resident Deborah Cruz, who teaches at Broughal MS. Miranda-Rodriguez holds a current comic book adventure of his creation “La Borinqueña.” Cruz displays a poster of the Puerto Rican superhero’s first cover.

By Ed Courrier

 

COMMUNITY

Steaks , burgers help touch lives

The Bethlehem Boys and Girls Club’s annual Steak and Burger Dinner was held recently in the Historic Hotel Bethlehem’s main ballroom with about 100 club members, staff, sponsors and supporters in attendance. The club’s chief executive officer, Gary Martell, said the event remains one of the organization’s largest fundraisers. Guests are served hamburger dinners and club members steak dinners, but inevitably many of the Boys and Girls Club kids end up making trades with the adults because they prefer burgers. Photo: Over 30 Boys and Girls Club members were feted at the Steak and Burger Dinner. They arrived in a bus courtesy of Trans-Bridge Lines and paused for a group photo on the steps of the main entrance of the Hotel Bethlehem.

By Dana Grubb

 

BETHLEHEM SPORTS

Hawks favored in EPC

Bethlehem Catholic is the team to beat this year on the hardwood. That’s the sentiment around the East Penn Conference and District 11, as the EPC runners-up from a year ago and the defending District 11 4A champions bring back a bevy of returning talent from last year’s 21-7 campaign, which saw them lose in the first round of the PIAA tournament. With the expectations high, head coach Ray Barbosa enters his third season at the helm looking to keep his team focused on nightly basis.

By Peter Car

 

LV FOCUS

Holiday brass

You can ring in the holidays with world-class brass at Allentown’s Miller Symphony Hall. The Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass (RMPBB) presents “Holiday Brass” at 7 p.m. Dec. 17. The ensemble is composed of  some of the United States’ top brass musicians and aims to celebrate peace and the unity of the human spirit through a variety of holiday music. There will be 11 musicians on stage: five trumpets, three trombones, French horn, tuba, drummer, and, for the Allentown concert, a narrator.

By George Vandoren

 

OTHER STORIES

Bethlehem: City council limits temporary housing

Bethlehem BAPL: Book sales total over $60,000 for year

Bethlehem HARB: Skylights, roofing proposal approved

Bethlehem Moravian College: Bernstein on politics, past, present
Fountain Hill: Borough gets new mayor, council member

NORCO: $10M for DaVinci Center

Saucon Valley: School board presents special recognition

 

WEEKLY FEATURES

Around town community calendar

Police logs

Area obituaries

Center for Animal Health and Welfare

Volunteers

Student profiles

High school news reports

 

MEET THE PRESS

The Bethlehem Press online

Where to buy the Bethlehem Press

To subscribe: New start

Send news to the Bethlehem Press

To advertise: Ad staff

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December 3, 2017

SPECIAL ISSUE

Battling the opioid crisis

Drug overdose deaths have increased sharply in the Lehigh Valley since 2014, according to records maintained by both the Northampton and Lehigh county coroners. These fatalities have increased sharply, even though drug overdose reversal kits have been widely available and have been used by first responders over the past year. In Northampton County, drug overdose deaths have tripled since 2014. There were 31 deaths that year. This year, as of Oct. 25, 91 Northampton County residents have succumbed to opiates. In Lehigh County, there were 73 drug overdose deaths in 2014. That soared to 126 in 2016 and 108 as of Oct. 22 this year.

By Bernie O’Hare/Illustrations by Ed Courrier

 

ADDITIONAL STORIES

City, Bath police offer new program by Nate Jastrzemski

Terms to know by Katya Hrichak

Valley Help & Support by Katya Hrichak

Telling stories reduces stigma by George Taylor

How NORCO deals with opioid crisis by Bernie O’Hare

Malvern Clinic opens on Stefko by Dana Grubb

Drug take-back boxes available at many state police stations by Nate Jastrzemski

Creating pathways to hop by Heather Nigrone

Doctor rethinking narcotics by John Usalis

Doctors highlight pain management alternative by Brian Downs

 

BETHLEHEM

Holiday house tours return Dec. 9

The Bethlehem Historic District Association (BHDA) Holiday House Tour 2017 offers tour participants a unique opportunity to celebrate the holiday season while becoming better acquainted with Bethlehem’s history. The Dec. 9 tour will explore nine homes in Bethlehem’s Historic District, enlightening visitors with historically-appropriate decorations and information about each home’s specific history. In the past, the BHDA arranged Holiday House Tours on a semi-annual basis. After a three-year break, newer BHDA members decided to welcome the responsibility and re-establish the tour tradition. Photo: This Federal style home at 129 E. Market St. was once owned by Archibald Johnston, president of Bethlehem Steel Corp. and first mayor of Bethlehem.

Buy Katya Hrichak

 

BETHLEHEM SPORTS

Imhotep runs past Becahi

They say speed kills in sports and that sentiment was true for Bethlehem Catholic in their quest to take down Imhotep Charter in last Friday’s PIAA 4A semifinals in Philadelphia. The Panthers size and speed proved to be no match for the Hawks, as Imhotep pulled away for a 34-14 victory. The win pushes the Panthers to this Thursday’s state championship game against Erie Cathedral Prep, a rematch of last year’s state final, while the Hawks saw their season end to the Panthers for a consecutive season in the state’s final four.

By Peter Car

 

LV FOCUS

Icing on the holiday

With the advent of the month of December, the mood around the country has changed. We have entered “the holidays,”  a time when we look forward to spending time with family and friends, shopping for gifts, and perhaps relaxing and taking a little time off from work. Sometimes during December, we get trapped in the bustle of errands, shopping, cleaning, and cooking, and we forget that really the most important thing we can do during this time of year is to spend time with the people we care about.

By Diane Wittry

 

OTHER STORIES

Bethlehem: Portoff claims found to be inaccurate

Bethlehem: Police seek sexual predator

 

WEEKLY FEATURES

Around town community calendar

Police logs

Area obituaries

Center for Animal Health and Welfare

Volunteers

Student profiles

High school news reports

 

MEET THE PRESS

The Bethlehem Press online

Where to buy the Bethlehem Press

To subscribe: New start

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To advertise: Ad staff

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November 29, 2017

TREE LIGHTING

Christmas City shines

Bethlehem Mayor Bob Donchez and Chief of Police Mark DiLuzio officially kicked off the Christmas season at Bethlehem’s annual tree lighting ceremony Friday afternoon. Carols, a community sing, hot chocolate, cookies, PEEPS and a visit from Santa Claus completed the holiday tradition. Liberty HS’s Grenadier Band, the St. John AME Zion Choir, DeXperience, Cunningham and Associates and Luke DiGiacinto also performed at the ceremony. Photo: Hundreds of spectators kick off the holiday season in Bethlehem at the annual tree lighting. Music filled the air as the people marveled at the tree during the community event.

By Lori Patrick

 

COMMUNITY

Valley responds to storm victims’ needs

When a hurricane called Maria knocks your homeland to its knees, strips the shade from the trees, and leaves the land devastated, destitute and down, what do you do?  If you’re a Lehigh Valley Puerto Rican, you get busy. On Nov. 5 at ArtsQuest SteelStacks in Bethlehem, area Hispanics – Puerto Ricans and their simpatico brothers and sisters, the Dominicans, joined hands with other Lehigh Valley residents and raised money to help the families back home. They organized a free concert featuring live music by several popular Latin groups, including Grupo en Secuencia, Lehigh Valley Urban Orquestra, Orquestra Xariz and other music presented by DJ Baby J & Star. Photo: oncilo Deputy Director Julie Alvarez, Director of Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs Lucy Colon, Director of Special Projects for Pennsylvania and Secretary of State Norman Bristol Colon, Director of Partnerships for the Salvation Army Rev. Bonnie Camarada, HGSK Law partner Attorney John Beichert and Allentown Police Detective (Retired) Luiz Garcia with a mockup check for $9,000 raised by the Nov. 5 fundraiser.

 

PEOPLE

Bethlehem Press writer honored

Bethlehem Press freelance writer Bernie O’Hare was among journalists honored by the Pa. Bar Association recently at a luncheon in downtown Philadelphia. O’Hare won first place in the weekly division for his reporting on the gerrymandering issue. Front row: Susan Schwartz, co-chair, Bar/Press; Holly Lubart, Bar/Press; Melissa Melewsky, Bar/Press; Bernie O’Hare, Bethlehem Press; Nicole Brambila, Reading Eagle; Stephanie Weaver, Reading Eagle; Jo Ciavaglia, Bucks County Courier Times; Sharon R. López, PBA president; Kevin E. Raphael, representative of award sponsor Pietragallo, Gordon, Alfano, Bosick & Raspanti LLP and James McClure, York Daily Record, accepting on behalf of Ed Mahon, Dylan Segelbaum and Scott Fisher also from YDR.

Back row: Riley Yates, The Morning Call; Jon Marks, Jewish Exponent; P.J. D’Annunzio, The Legal Intelligencer; Kyle Grimes, PBA Bar/Press Committee; Don Gilliland, Bar/Press; and Michael Berry, Bar/Press.

 

LEHIGH VALLEY

Guest speakers laud Literacy Center

The success of The Literacy Center’s education efforts were on proud display Oct. 5 at the Great Room on the Allentown campus of Muhlenberg College.  Three guest speakers showed off their public speaking skills in English as they each made brief remarks before a roomful of fellow students, teachers and board members and sponsors of The Literacy Center.  A smattering of political representatives and well-wishers, plus some proud family members of the speakers, rounded out the audience. “This evening represents what America has always stood for: a nation built on the strength of immigrants, slaves, seekers, adventurers, hard workers and those willing to do what needs to be done to support our families, get ahead to realize the American dream,” said Nikki Gutgold, who opened the evening’s events. Gutgold is a professor of communication at Penn State Lehigh Valley. Photo: Allentown resident Grace Affonso, a student at The Literacy Center from the Philippines, Whitehall resident Judit Garger from Hungary and ESL Coordinator, Maryam Mohammed Ali from Morocco and student at The Literacy Center, and Orefield resident and The Literacy Center student Miyuki Matsushima from Japan.

By Douglas Graves

 

BETHLEHEM SPORTS

Another step closer

Survive and advance. That’s the name of the game at this point of the PIAA football season and Bethlehem Catholic epitomized that mantra in last week’s 33-32 victory over Selinsgrove. With 11 seconds to play in last week’s PIAA 4A quarterfinal at Shamokin, Becahi faced the survival aspect of the state playoffs. And back and forth affair with Selinsgrove provided a 34-point fourth quarter between both teams. The Seals (11-3) used a big play approach all night to hang with the Hawks (12-2), as quarterback Logan Leiby hit wide receiver Jarrett Inch for four touchdowns on the night, the last one coming from 30-yards out to pull Selinsgrove within 33-32 with 11 seconds to play.

By Peter Car

 

LV FOCUS

 ‘Christmas Wonderland’ kicks off holiday season

“Christmas Wonderland: A Holiday Spectacular,” one of the most delightful and enchanting Christmas shows this side of the North Pole, will be presented at 7 p.m. Dec. 2 and 2 p.m. Dec. 3, State Theatre Center for the Arts, Easton. The show features a cast of 24 singers and dancers who are hand-picked from London, New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The dazzling cast of high-kicking chorus girls transforms the stage into a winter wonderland filled with more than 1,000 glittering costumes. Adorned by spectacular sets and scenery, this show brings the excitement of Christmas to the stage.

By Erin Ferguson

 

OTHER STORIES

Bethlehem: Council to limit short-term housing

Bethlehem: Council takes residents seriously

Bethlehem: Residents support Breast Cancer Coalition

Bethlehem: YWCA seniors donate art to MOMA

Bethlehem: Class of ’47 meets for 70^th time

Bethlehem: St. Theresa students honor veterans

Bethlehem: Alumna helps students learn to sign

Bethlehem: SPotlighton the dark side of U.S. foreign policy

BASD: High schools to offer more courses

Business: Nazareth Pike McDonalds reopens

Northampton County: Proposed 2018 budget holds firm

Northampton County: Council weighs $1M DaVinci grant

133^rd District: Meet the candidates in Dec. 5 special election

Valley: Sixth Street Shelter families guests at party

Hellertown: Mascaro gets 3-year contract

Hellertown: Borough hires part-time officer

Valley: Boscola announces 5 grants for local projects

 

WEEKLY FEATURES

Around town community calendar

Police logs

Area obituaries

Center for Animal Health and Welfare

Volunteers

Student profiles

High school news reports

 

MEET THE PRESS

The Bethlehem Press online

Where to buy the Bethlehem Press

To subscribe: New start

Send news to the Bethlehem Press

To advertise: Ad staff

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter