40¢
70th Year, Issue No. 23 USPS 248-700
JUNE 9-15, 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.
Bath Council puts hold on Sign regulations ordinance By BILL HALBFOERSTER The Home News
JAYDE HOOVEN
ERIKA KLEMP
Top two seniors named in Northampton graduates The faculty of Northampton Area High School has announced the selection of Jayde Hooven as Valedictorian and Erika Klemp as Salutatorian of the Class of 2011. They rank first and second in the 110th graduating class, whose commencement ceremony will take place at Stabler Arena tomorrow night, Friday, June 10 at 7 p.m. JAYDE HOOVEN Jayde is the daughter of Dana and Jodi Hooven of Northampton and plans to attend the University of Scranton this fall, with biology/pre-med her major. She is the recipient of the Dean’s Scholarship.
Jayde has been an active scholar-athlete during her four years as a student at Northampton Area High School. During October, she was the Exchange Club’s Student of the Month and was also honored as one of their Top 30 Students in April. Furthermore, she is the National Honor Society president and a two-year member, as well as the Student Council president and a four-year member. In addition to these academic endeavors, Jayde is a four-year member of SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), and a twoContinued on page 3
Area school van driver dies in Crash with RV; passenger hurt A First Student school van driver was killed Tuesday afternoon May 31 in a headon crash with a motor home along Newburg Rd. in Upper Nazareth Township. Dead is 42-year-old Mrs. Kelly A. Quier of Walnutport. She was pronounced dead at the scene by Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek. A Northampton Area Middle School 11-year-old female student was injured in the accident and is a patient in St. Luke’s Hospital, Fountain Hill. She is expected to recovContinued on page 12
KELLY A. QUIER
Under threat of bringing a formal complaint against the Borough of Bath for cracking down on a sign he has at his business, Council on Monday voted to have the Planning Commission re-write the ordinance and suspend fines for any violations until that is done. Josh Marsh of Old Forge Drive, owner of Good Eats on S. Walnut St., complained about the sign he has to take down, saying it has increased his business by 20%. He noted other businesses that have banners and cardboard signs in the borough. Council President Robert Fields said the lack of parking and Council’s troubling law about signs drives businesses away, and feels the ordinance should be re-written. Councilman Mark Saginario agreed with him and said violations should be suspended for a period of time. Councilwoman Jennifer George said Marsh was not singled out, and four notices were sent, adding that under the law banners can be displayed for a two-week period at a fee of $35. She said signs are just part of the effort to clean up the borough, and this includes sidewalks and tall grass. When Marsh and Ms. George got into heated debate, Councilman Joe Lin-
Lehigh Township Woman drowns In Lehigh River
Pamela J. Boyko, 53, of Walnutport, Lehigh Township died Sunday, May 29 in Whitehall Township. She was the companion of Andrew F. Rushatz. She had drowned when her canoe capsized in the high waters of the Lehigh River after she had tried to find two family dogs that had strayed. According to Ray Bednarchik, Southeast Region Manager of the Pa. Fish & Boat Commission, her body was found eight miles downstream from where the canoe was found. Ms. Boyko was formerly employed as a bartender and cook for The Shack at Slatington and as a clerical worker for the Kuhnsville IRS office. She was a 1976 graduate of Parkland High School. Born on May 15, 1958 in Anaheim, Calif., she was a Continued on page 12
senmann told Marsh to get off other points of contention he had with related businesses and a dispute with Ms. George. “We’re talking about the merits of this ordinance.” “A banner is a banner and all should be treated alike,” Councilwoman Carol BearHeckman said. Borough Manager Richard Klotz said that Keller Engineering enforces the ordinances, not Council, and added that signs at two other businesses are legal under the law. Marsh said he doesn’t want to take the sandwich board down because his place is barely visible when coming into Bath. Councilman John Kearns asked, “How many signs or banners can we allow until we say there are too many? Is the sign ordinance we have okay, or should it be modified? We’re trying to work
out a middle of the road.” He personally doesn’t want big signs or banners that cover every window so you can’t see out. A month ago the borough started enforcing the ordinance, but in agreement with Fields, Kearns moved to have the planning committee rewrite the ordinance and suspend violations until that is done. Ms. Heckman said Council should be addressing the issue and it was on their agenda. Klotz said he made courtesy visits to ask the businesses to take banners down, and not the zoning enforcement officer. The ordinance as written now, Ms. Heckman said, lists maximum sizes of signs, sets permit fees. “It’s all spelled out. It’s very specific,” she said. Linsenmann said it could Continued on page 13
Moore Twsp. ZHB grants Exception to solar panels
The Moore Township Zoning Hearing Board on Wednesday, May 31 granted special exception to MetroTek, allowing the Kunkletown company to build 4,700 solar energy panels adjacent to the Moore Elementary School. However, the ZHB denied the Northampton Area School District’s request to
have the panels as an accessory use. The latter request is the same issue that Lehigh Township officials have denied MetroTek for their proposed 7,000 solar panels at Lehigh Elementary School. Still needed by MetroTek is approval from the planning Continued on page 3
Flag Day Salute
BOY SCOUTS brought in the colors for special Flag Day program on Sunday in Christ Church, Bath. (Story on page 7). – Home News photo