July 12, 2017
Community reads the Declaration
The sixth annual Fourth of July reading of the Declaration
of Independence took place at Bethlehem’s Payrow Plaza in the late morning of
Independence Day with over one hundred area residents in attendance. Readers
for 2017 were Northampton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Emil Giordano,
Lehigh Valley dentist Tom Gyory, Bethlehem Councilman Eric Evans, Northampton
County Councilmen Glenn Geissinger, Matthew Deitz, Hayden Phillips and Seth
Vaughn, Bethlehem Mayor Bob Donchez, Bethlehem Police Chief Mark DiLuzio and
former Lehigh County Commissioner Dean Browning. The Gilbert family provided
vocal accompaniment on the singing of the national anthem and “God Bless
America,” and Bethlehem based Boy Scout Troop #59 led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Photo: The Fourth of July in Bethlehem concluded with the city’s traditional
fireworks display. Launched from the centrally located Sand Island along the
Lehigh River, the pyrotechnics give residents many vantage points from which to
enjoy the sounds and colorful bursts as the nation celebrates its independence.
This view is from St. Michael’s Cemetery.
By Dana Grubb
Becahi principal goes home
Bethlehem Catholic’s
principal for the past seven years, John Petruzzelli, has taken the next step
of his career, returning to his hometown of Philadelphia as principal of St.
Joseph’s Preparatory School, where he once worked as dean of students. Petruzelli
made an impression and was well liked by the students. From his quirky morning
announcements to taking cameos in school plays to setting up opportunities for
the student body to hoot out SpongeBob Squarepants references during
assemblies, he helped change the culture and attitude at the school. Despite
the excitement about starting the new job, “I’m very sad about leaving,” he
said in an email from Philly. “It’s tough to leave a place that you have loved
and invested so much time and energy into. The kids have been amazing. I will
really miss them.”
By Nate Jastrzemski
Moravian Day celebrates city’s founding
Moravian Day, a festival
for Moravians and the community, was held June 17 on the grounds of Central
Moravian Church and the nearby Moravian community in historic downtown
Bethlehem. The event featured entertainment, food, music and family-oriented
activities. The admission-free celebration was sponsored by the Bethlehem Area
Moravians (BAM) and other Moravian entities as part of a 2016-17 schedule of
special events marking the 275th anniversary of the Moravian founding of
Bethlehem in 1741. A 275th anniversary Moravian Lovefeast followed on June 25
in Johnston Hall, Moravian College. Photo: Madeleine Atwood, a Central
Moravian Church member and Liberty HS graduate, attempts a 19th century wooden
hoop and stick game. The Moravian Historical Society provided the game
“Graces,” especially for girls “to teach them poise and grace,” said Suzanne
Keller of the MHS.
By Tim Gilman
Sister City program marks 21st year
Gray skies and drizzle forced the annual Slovenian
flag-raising ceremony from Payrow Plaza into the Rotunda on June 23, but the
spirit of those in attendance was not dampened. Bethlehem-Murska Sobota Sister
Cities Association founder Stephen Antalics Jr. acted as master of ceremonies,
and Robi Poredos of the Slovenian Press Agency gave the invocation and
benediction. The guest speaker was Deputy Chief of Mission at the Republic of
Slovenia Embassy, Vladimir Kolmanic, who attended with his wife Vesna and son,
Amir. Kolmanic noted the 26th anniversary of Slovenian independence and 21st
anniversary of the Sister City relationship between Bethlehem and Murska
Sobota. Photo: Attendees at the ceremony join in singing “God Bless
America” at its conclusion.
By Dana Grubb
Charter Arts students present ‘Dance Quilt’
The Lehigh Valley Charter
HS for the Arts stitched together a graceful “Dance Quilt” of ballet, modern,
and tap styles with the help of visiting alumnus Nicholas Heffelfinger May 19
and 20. Heffelfinger, recently graduated from Boston Conservatory. According to
artistic director of dance Kim Maniscalco, “For me a quilt represents many
hours of work put forth from the hands of many people. The outcome is always a
thing of beauty …” “Our quilt was not only to please the eye and soul, but for
its own practical purpose; to serve as a training ground for our young dance
students.”
For more information on
the school, visit charterarts.org. Photo: From left, Karina McKenna,
Josh Frumkin and Hailey Fleming join Malcolm Burton and Emerson Ahn during “Le
Papillon,” a student-choreographed work by Kaitlyn Fritz.
By Ed Courrier
Larimar new Liberty boys soccer coach
Former Liberty High School soccer
player and Moravian College graduate Ian Larimer is the new head coach for the
Hurricanes’ boys’ soccer team. Shortly after he was hired earlier this year and
shortly after the team’s strength and conditioning work had been done, Larimer
held a group meeting with Liberty soccer players to outline his philosophy,
among other things.
By Katie McDonald
‘Cirque It’ City
Touchstone Artistic Director JP
Jordan was in Peru when he first decided to create the Jakopa’s Punch Band. “I
was in Peru when I got word that David Bowie had passed,” Jordan explains, “and
I was told that The Lesson Center planned to host a benefit for leukemia
patients in honor of Bowie. “Now, I didn’t have a band at the time, but I asked
if I could play a set if I could pull a band together in time, and they said
sure. So we ended up getting together this group of musicians.” The name of the
band stems from Jordan asking his niece what she thought “JP” stood for. “It
just fit. I like to think that the band itself, the music, is the punch.”
By Luke Muench
Bethlehem: Little progress made advancing ethics proposal
Bethlehem: Summer book sale opens July 19
Bethlehem: BASD longtime ESOL teach retires
Fountain Hill: Borough performs summer cleaning
Northampton County: Council passers on greater contract
oversight
Lehigh Valley: 31 added to are volunteer fire depts.
Lehigh Valley: PCFLV dedicates ‘Ray of Sunshine’
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
No comments:
Post a Comment