April 22, 2020
District, community work
together
With schools closed
through the end of the academic year by Governor Tom Wolf due to the
coronavirus pandemic, local administrators and teachers have had to work
quickly to adjust their practices to continue to deliver education to students.
Bethlehem Area School District Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Dr. Jack
Silva sat down with us – virtually – and shared some of what has been happening
in the district over the past few weeks.
By Theresa O’Brien - Cartoon
by Ed Courrier
A normal spring day
Tuesday, April 7 was a picturesque spring day
in Bethlehem, with temperatures reaching nearly 70 degrees under sunny skies.
The dreary brown of the winter season was quickly becoming replaced by green
grass, budding trees and pastels of blooming flowers. Seemingly in any other year,
this would have seemed like a perfect day; the type of day about which
countless poems and songs have been written.
In 2020, however, with the COVID-19 pandemic spreading exponentially
throughout the Lehigh Valley and new cases and deaths from the deadly virus
increasing with every daily report from the Pennsylvania Department of Health,
this gorgeous spring day felt almost eerie in its normalcy. Photo: I sat on the sidewalk for
three hours talking to my parents, saying “Hi” to their cats (my “brother and
sister”) through their screen door. I hadn’t seen this view of the block I grew
up on since I was a child.
By Chris Haring
Dragons, unicorns, storytime
weather virus
Brandy Franco and Bob Weill are co-owners of
Mystical Treatsss, 1310 Main St. in Hellerown. My family and I often visit for
the coffee and the children’s activities. I spoke with Brandy about how their
business is faring. Photo 1: The colorful interior of Mystical Treatsss appeals to children
of all ages. “We are whimsically themed for the young and young at heart,” says
co-owner Brandy Franco. Photo 2 below: Teachers from Asylum Dance lead an
online class. “Parents have loved seeing their kids staying active with dance
and seeing the amount of effort our instructors put into their classes for
their children,” says business director Louis Marchetti.
By Lani Goins
SPORTS
Q and A with Freedom’s Lily
Judge
The
Bethlehem Press will be doing student-athlete Q&A’s with senior
representatives from sport over the course of spring. This edition features
Freedom’s girls lacrosse team, which was supposed to have one of their best
season’s ever. Instead, the players are forced to wonder ‘what if’ as they deal
with the cancellation of the season due to the coronavirus pandemic.
By Peter Car
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FOCUS
Student poetry project
In the time of the coronavirus,
poetry is never needed more. To commemorate “National Poetry Month” in April, the Lehigh Valley Press
presents the 15th annual Student Poetry Project. Please see Page B1, B2 and B3 of the Focus section
and the Focus pages on The Press websites for poems selected in the Elementary
School, Middle School and High School categories.
By Paul Willistein
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OTHER STORIES
Bethlehem: HARB, HCC, Task
Force meetings on hold
Bethlehem: Laros Foundation
aids non-profits during pandemic
Bethlehem Township: 100th
Covid-19 patient goes home
Community updates: Local,
county state Covid-19-related updates
Lehigh County: A regional
health commission?
Lehigh Valley: Churches eligible
for CARES funds
Mama’s Musings: Food insecurity
State: PA Court rejects
shut-down challenge
State: Fishing season opens
early
WEEKLY FEATURES
Area obituaries
Center for Animal Health and
Welfare
Volunteers
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