40¢
71st Year, Issue No. 11 USPS 248-700
MARCH 15-21, 2012 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.
Judge rules against Solar energy projects
Northampton County Judge Michael J. Koury on Monday, March 5 upheld decisions by the Moore Township and Lehigh Township zoning hearing boards that rejected two solar projects as an accessory use at schools in those two townships. The Northampton Area School District and MetroTek
of Kunkletown had sought to have solar arrays at the Moore and Lehigh Elementary Schools as a means of saving on electrical costs. Judge Koury said the ZHB rulings were proper in regard to the accessory use issue, but not the Moore board’s allowContinued on page 15
Jacksonville Fire
Skills USA winners cited, principals Receive honors for success in AYP
By BILL HALBFOERSTER The Home News
Four Northampton High School students who excelled in the recent Skills USA competition were honored Monday night by the Northampton Area School Board. The winners, who included Darius DalCin of Bath, competed in action skills with plumbing in building trades, electrical motor control, floral arrangements and carpentry. Superintendent Joseph Kovalchik said, “It’s great to see the competition at Ag Hall in Allentown. The kids deserve a lot of credit.” He said he goes to see Skills USA every year. In another presentation, large keystone posters were presented to the principals of Lehigh, Moore, George Wolf and the borough elementary schools for their students
making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in the school years 2009-10 and 2010-11. Kovalchik gave the schools and their students high praise for their PSSA scores. (See related story on trying even harder at Moore). Kovalchik in his early comments at the meeting noted that NASD and MetroTek lost the solar hearing when Judge Michael Koury ruled against the proposed solar arrays as not being an accessory use at Moore and Lehigh Elementary Schools. (See a more detailed story). Student Council member Rachel Satow reported on the coming senior prom and the junior prom, the latter set for March 24. She also noted a raffle going on for a limo ride, and announced about the Dakota Galusha basketball tournament this Saturday.
Middle School Concept A representative of KCBA showed power point slides of the concept drawings for the $77-million middle school that will be built in Northampton . The drawings showed where the faculty and visitor parking is, the paths for cars to use and school buses that will go around a horseshoe type plot of land that will be used for athletic activity such as field hockey. Kovalchik said the latter is better than having students crossing Laubach Ave. to play on the fields there. Upper and lower parking lots will provide access to the football stadium. The sketch plans will be shown next Thursday to members of Northampton Borough Council. Continued on page 13
Moore Elementary students will do Best in PSSA, making principal pay By BILL HALBFOERSTER The Home News
FIRE BROKE OUT in the kitchen at the home of Eileen Borger, 6346 Willow St., Bath (Jacksonville) on Thursday afternoon, March 8. Flames spread through the first floor and heavily damaged the interior of the home. East Allen Township Vol. Fire Co. responded and brought the flames under control before the fire could reach other adjacent homes in Jacksonville. Windows were blown out by the heat, and debris is shown in an area between the Borger home and one next door. There was no report of injuries or an estimate of the damage. – Home News photo
Two appointed to farmland Board in Moore Township
By BILL HALBFOERSTER The Home News
Two appointments were made to the Farmland Preservation & Open Space Com-
INSIDE THIS WEEK: Northampton Sports …. 6 Dog Park….9 Chamber Honors Vineyard ….14
At the end of the school year, Moore Elementary School Principal Curt Dimmick may be wearing a Philadelphia Flyers shirt as waterfilled balloons are thrown at him; he will be losing his beard, and his head will be shaved. That’s if the students excel in their PSSA scores in math and reading. From all indications following a pep rally held on Monday afternoon, it may
very well happen. They’re pumped!! The students completely filled the all-purpose room for an assembly, and cheered every time a magician who came to perform asked them to believe. He had plenty of tricks to get the boys and girls enthusiastic and interested. But before he went into his bag of tricks he told the students to “Believe in yourself and you can do anything!” Then came the magic wand of a tissle and a tassle he bought in Japan that intrigued
the audience; a magic wand that grew and grew; an escape from miniature handcuffs that held his thumbs, a card shuffle, and a closing of the show as rings went together and came apart as the boys and girls stared at him in amasement with music blaring away. Then came the pep rally, in which Dimmick told the students in third through fifth grades how their scores have been going up and up, Continued on page 7
mittee at last Tuesday’s meeting of the Moore Township Board of Supervisors. Named to the board were Jason Harhart and Robert Romano. Their appointments fill the board membership. It was noted by Supervisors Secretary-Treasurer Richard Gable that the $1-million certificate of deposit for farmlands preservation has matured, and it has accrued $6,533.76 interest. Matching funds are at 43%. Edwin Continued on page 7
MOORE ELEMENTARY students sat on the floor of the all-purpose room and cheered throughout a pep rally on Monday, intended to boost their PSSA scores. –Home News photo