June 27, 2018
Graduation Celebrations
Special supplement: Scenes from area ceremonies
Inside: What some grads say they’ll mission about high school.
Sister cities celebrate
The
Bethlehem-Murska Sobota Sister Cities Association presented the annual Slovenia
flag raising ceremony June 22, which recognizes both the anniversary of the
Independence of Slovenia and creation of the sister city relationship with
Murska Sobota. Held on Payrow Plaza, the ceremony features about 50 area
residents joined in to recognize the role Slovenians have played in the
Bethlehem area. Current BMSSCA President Eugene Novak conducted the ceremony
and also received a proclamation from Bethlehem Mayor Bob Donchez’s chief of
staff Alexander Karras. Photo: Betty Sylva, Frank Podleiszek and Alex Gergar
provides vocal and instrumental accompaniment on the American and Slovenian
national anthems, as well as on “God Bless America” at the Bethlehem-Murska
Sobota Sister Cities Association monument, located at the City Center garden
near the library.
By Dana Grubb
Michael Koury become’s 27th president judge
Michael Koury, the son of a priest, was a Lebanese immigrant naturalized
as an American citizen in 1926 in Northampton County’s historic Courtroom #1.
His son Frank worked the hot ovens at Lehigh Foundries, and when out of work
during the Great Depression, often visited Courtroom #1 to watch trials in
progress. He would regale his young grandson with tales about the courtroom
exploits of colorful lawyers like Charles Hogan. Hearing these tales, young
Michael Koury decided he’d like to become a lawyer himself. But he was destined
to be a judge On June 18, before a standing-room only crowd of well over 500
people in that same courtroom, Michael J. Koury Jr. was sworn in as the 27th
president judge of Northampton County. Photo: Outgoing President Judge Stephen Baratta
delivers oath to his successor, a smiling Michael Koury.
By Bernie O’Hare
Your glam can by Polished by Her
“You can only go as far as you
limit yourself,” says Marinela Santos, owner of Polished by Her. Throughout her
growth as a businesswoman, that motto has held her in good stead. Two weeks
ago, she opened her new nail salon at 87 E. Broad Street in Bethlehem. “I spent
three years on the South Side as a solo nail technician,” she says. “A space
had opened up where an old barbershop used to be, and my fiancé Tommy Figueroa
and I looked at it. He surprised me by signing and bringing me the lease.”
Photo: Marinela Santos stands outside her new salon. “I’ve always been my own
worst enemy and said many times I can’t do this because I get scared,” Santos
says. “This is a big step for me. I’m scared to fail, but I have to prove
myself right, and I have to set a good example for my daughters who look up to
me.”
By Joanna Ireland
‘You stir, Have a beer. Stir.’
Celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse
kicked off the ninth annual Lehigh Valley Food & Wine Festival June 1 with
a cooking demo at the Sands Bethlehem Hotel and Casino. He and fellow chef
Chris Wilson prepared and served samples of chicken and andouille gumbo and
Hawaiian-style Poke to the audience. The demonstration ended with an
announcement of the winners of Northampton Community College’s mystery basket
culinary competition held in mid-May. Winners received a full scholarship to
attend Lagasse’s externship at one of his New Orleans restaurants. Photo: Lagasse
shares many tips and tricks he’s learned over his decades-long career with the
audience gathered for his hour-long cooking demo at the Sands Bethlehem.
By Joanna
Ireland
Donegal ES
students help conduct bird count
For the
second year in a row, fifth grade students at Donegan ES in Bethlehem became
ornithologists for a day recently. Thanks to preparation by their teachers and
a special art project, during the first weeks of spring approximately 80 kids
learned about the bird population of Bethlehem generally and one sp ecies in
particular for each student. Photo: Binocular Boot Camp. As 80 fifth-graders
will tell you, binoculars are confusing at first. There is definitely a
learning curve. But as Chad Schwartz explained, you only need to know three
things to make them work. Most of the kids in this photo are still at step 2.
By Dennis
Glew
PIAA likely to strengthen transfer rules
The PIAA looks like they’re
moving towards making competitive balance changes across the state, as momentum
to curb balance of power in athletics is gaining momentum for change. As the
Pennsylvania Athletic Oversight Committee met last Monday in Harrisburg, a few
items came to the forefront as the PIAA’s competition committee proposed
changes in areas of competitive balance, recruiting and transfers.
By Peter Car
‘You can’t stop the beat’
More than 60 people will recreate
the 1960s era in Munopco Music Theatre’s big, bold and bright production of the
hit Broadway musical “Hairspray.” The musical about a plump teen who yearns to
be on “The Corny Collins Show,” an American Bandstand-style television show in
Baltimore, features catchy 60s’-flavored songs and lots of high-energy dancing.
By Kathy Lauer-Williams
O
THER STORIES
Bethlehem: Two early morning shootings repotered
Hellertown: Long-time family business honored after closing
Lehigh County: Honesty sinks LGBT center grant
South Bethlehem: Rare document on display July 1 at NMIH
Salisbury Township: KidsPeace reportedly hosting immigrant
children
State: PSEA, board presidents praised senate education move
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
