40¢
70th Year, Issue No. 15 USPS 248-700
APRIL 14-20, 2011 A General Circulation Newspaper Serving The Community Since 1942
SERVING BATH, CHAPMAN, NORTHAMPTON, NAZARETH BOROS; ALLEN, E. ALLEN, MOORE, LEHIGH, BUSHKILL, LOWER NAZARETH & UPPER NAZARETH TWPS.
Fishing contest draws Crowd in Bath
By Alice Wanamaker The Home News
The annual Bath Area Fish Committee kids fishing contest took place last Saturday and Sunday along the Monacacy in Bath. The weather, which started off a chilly 34 degrees around 8 a.m., quickly warmed up with sun for a great day of fishing. The contest usually begins on opening day, but this year it was a week behind our area’s early fishing opener. The contest
ing the lucky kid who caught it received a prize. The prizes included fishing chairs, minnow buckets, rods, reels and complete kids pole sets, tackle and even a $50 savings bond. The first fish caught came only three minutes after Mayor Donald Wunderler started the contest at 8:03. The fish was caught by Hunter Newsome of Bath. Ashley Briele, 12, of Bath caught a tagged fish and she won herself a
Clockwise from top left: Sammy, 11, pulled out a 15” fish; Ashley, Haily, Ricky, and Morgan all of Bath had a great day. Ashley caught a tagged fish and won a new fishing pole! Missing from the picture was their fishing partner Taylor; Danika, 3, of Bath catches her first fish; Logan, 3 1/2 of Bath caught a tagged fish and won a brand new fishing pole! – Home News photo
was open to kids up to the age of 15 who came out with their moms and dads and groups of friends to try to catch a big one, a tagged one or for some their first one! The Fish Committee stocked the creek in the borough from the Main St. bridge to the pump house section near North Chestnut and Creek Road with nearly 550 all legal-to-keep trout purchased at Cherry Valley Farm. The fish were purchased through community donations from area businesses and citizens. The group has been collecting donations, stocking the creek and holding the fishing contest for youngsters since 1954. Out of the 550 fish that the committee stocked in the creek, 16 were tagged, mean-
new fishing pole. Her group of anglers caught the max allowed at the contest early on Saturday with four fish each. Logan, age 3, also caught a tagged fish on Saturday, and won a new fishing pole. Sammy, 11, of Bath caught a real nice size fish at over 15” long. The fish was a prize winner for him, even though it was not tagged. All in all, everyone who came out, including parents and grandparents who were spectators, had a great time. Kids enjoyed a weekend outdoors with their families and friends and even a grilled hot dog provided by the fish committee volunteers. Watch for a full list of winners and donors in an upcoming issue of The Home News. (Another photo on page 6)
STUDENTS AND PARENTS crowded the auditorium to save programs.
– Home News photo
School board hears appeals to keep Programs as NASD faces $4-M deficit By BILL HALBFOERSTER The Home News
Faced with a deficit of $4-million in the Northampton Area School District for the fiscal year 2011-12, the administration and school board is considering what they can ax to make up the difference. The school board heard from 18 students and numerous adults as their meeting was shifted to the senior high auditorium on Monday night. They heard that what they don’t want cut are the French program, music, or full-day kindergarten. Superintendent Joseph Kovalchik in an opening statement said they are not curtailing any programs for the time-being, but simply preparing a document for the Pa. Dept. of Education. Act 1 limits how much the district can raise taxes, but looking at the budget now, he said, “we are short $4-million.” He noted that people are aware of the national economy, and the administration is looking at reducing costs. They have asked the Northampton Area Educators Association to reduce raises. All the administrators are reducing raises from 2.5% to 1%, and this includes the school district police chief and custodial department. Kovalchik said, “We are recouping programs to make up for the deficit. But we do not want to put students in jeopardy by curtailing programs. We’re all in this together. We have to follow the rules set by Gov. Corbett.” Then followed almost three hours of student and parental comment, with the first and many others to follow that they want to retain French. The students were from Allen Township, Lehigh Township and Moore Township, speaking in behalf of the French program and how its numbers have been growing. Brittany DeAngelis of Northampton wants music
and lesson time to continue, saying that privatized booster funds could help finance music. Connor Barz of Lehigh Township said he has learned much from the instructor and music director. Two Moore Township students urged retaining the languages. Helen Oberitz of East Allen Township said it’s important to have a music program. “Look to the students and staff and community for ideas to save,” she said.” Brad Carlisle noted how languages are important to students going into international business, and that companies look for employees who know foreign languages. One after the other, the students urged that the French club continues, as well as music in the schools, saying that taking them out would “set our schools for failure.” On languages, they said it is a good way to communicate
with other people, and the club members are like family, laughing and sharing their language. A Lehigh Township student said that to cut French would hurt her scores when entering college. Carl Monroe of Lehigh Township said they point with pride at the music in the Northampton Area School District. “Try to be fair and make cuts across the board.” He said in his business they had a zero pay increase. Most of the adults who took the podium urged the school board and administration to keep full-day kindergarten, that cutting it to a half day will seriously impede what the children are now learning. A woman from Bath said that kindergarten is a ”foundation for learning.” Craig Updegrove of Northampton agreed that kindergarten is Continued on page 7
Roadway bids okayed; farm Rankings noted in Moore Twsp. By BILL HALBFOERSTER The Home News
Moore Township’s Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, April 5 approved bids for road materials and heard rankings on three farms for farmland preservation. The bids okayed were to Highway Materials for asphalt, and to Eastern Industries on anti-skid materials, 2B stone, and cold patch. Glenn Shoemaker of the Environmental Advisory Council reported the top three farms to be listed under the township’s ranking system. They include those of Kenneth Faust, Joseph Csencsits, and Paul Smoyer, with an estimated total figure of $862,338. There is $493,000 remaining, but that was deemed insufficient to buy other farmland. Northampton County will buy the Alekna and Milander
farms for purposes of preservation from development. Larry Kemmerer’s farm was on the list in fourth position, and he said it should have been moved up, if there had not been a mistake on degree of slope. Competition for ranking will begin all over again in 2012. It will be re-evaluated. This was the first year for both Moore Township and Northampton County, Shoemaker said. Electronic Recycling Shoemaker announced that there will be an electronics recycling program in the township on June 11 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. He asked that the supervisors have a newsletter, in which this event could be mailed to each resident. Chairman Maynard Campbell said he agrees there is a Continued on page 7
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