NOV. 29-DEC. 5, 2012 Your Local News
50 cents
Carol Ritter on Business, Page 5
Nazareth Band Champs Page 10
The Home News homenewspa.com
Financial Reports, Personnel Approvals By N.A.S.D. Board
By BILL HALBFOERSTER The Home News
In addition to the middle school bond sale results and a refunding resolution report by Ms. Jamie Doyle of Public Financial Mgt., there were many personnel and other actions taken at the meeting of the Northampton Area School Board on Monday, Nov. 19. That bond sale was issuing of general obligation bonds, Series of 2013, in the maximum aggregate principal amount of $24-million to refund a portion of the general obligation bonds, Series of 2003, pursuant to the Local Government Unit Debt Act of 1996 and according to the parameters borrowing resolution as long as the net savings target of 2% can be achieved. Personnel The board approved participation of Mrs. Laura Ezzell and additional chaperones Kevin Ezzell and Julia Kline to accompany high school students to Quebec, Canada on June 20-23, 2013 at no cost to the Northampton Area School District. Approved to the district volunteer master list for the school year were Karen Dietz, band; Kevin Ezzell, high school; Philip Hall, athletics; Julie Sekol, Lehigh Elem.; Amie Simmons, George Wolf Elem., and Tashi Smale, borough elem. Added to the substitute list was assistant secretary / cafeteria monitor Francine Gonzalez. Long Term Support special education teachers will
be Erik Tracy, William Neal and Breann Williams until the end of the school year. Dawn Peipher will be LTS physical education teacher at Moore Elementary from Jan. 2, 2013 to the end of the school year in June. Staff members filling the duty of traffic monitor for their designated buildings are Jarad Haupt, Lehigh; Jeanne Klipple, Siegfried; and Ann Reinhard, Franklin. Tammie Partridge was approved for the extracurricular position of the photo club. • The board approved KCBA’s fee of $20,600 to incorporate the concession stand/ restroom facilities building into the alternate bid for the softball field and their fee of $4,000 to incorporate the documentation for a second additional full sewer planning module for Pa. DEP. • Three-year service agreement with Reading Elevator Service, Inc. of Reading for the administration building elevator at an annual cost of $3,300 for Jan. 2013 thru Dec. 2015. • Awarded base bid and two alternates for replacement of three administration building windows to CC, Inc. of Bethlehem for $189,400. Other Items • Portnoff Law Associates, Ltd. was appointed to collect delinquent 2012 real estate taxes. • The board approved donating use of the middle school and high school cafeterias and gyms by NASD for the Dakota C. Galusha Memorial Fund’s fifth annual basketball tour-
Tree Lights Shine for Christmas Program
A huge evergreen tree at Main St. & Laubach Ave. in Northampton Borough, decorated by the road department with lights and red bows, was the center of attention for a couple hundred residents Sunday night. It was the annual Christmas lighting ceremony. Assistant Borough Manager Leroy Brobst welcomed the crowd and music was played by the Lehigh Valley Italian American Band as the people gathered around the tree. One of their tunes: “Christmas in Northampton.” Mayor Tom Reenock read his certificate of appreciation for the tree donated by Donald Jr. and Patricia Rogan. Shortly after, their grandchildren, Caitlyn and Cooper Rogan, hit the switch and the tree was lit with thousands of red,
green and white lights. Santa’s Arrival Santa Claus made his annual appearance, riding in on a Northampton Vol. Fire Co. truck as the children ea-
A head-on crash on the Rt. 220 overpass at Rt. 6 in North Towanda Township, Bradford County, at 10:21 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 20 claimed the lives of both drivers. One of the deceased is 44-year-old Scott Halbfoerster, a resident of Forks Twsp., Sullivan County, formerly of Plainfield Township. The crash occurred when a 2004 Saturn VUE AWD operated by Halbfoerster was headed south on Rt. 220 and ran head-on into the northbound 2004 Subaru Forester
25x7 operated by John E. Ambrosone, 65, of Hammondsport, N.Y. Ambrosone was also killed in the crash. State Police are continuing their investigation, but one of the vehicles is believed to have crossed the double centerline. Halbfoerster’s daughter, Audrey, 7, sustained head injuries and is in critical condition in the Geisinger Medical Center at Danville, where she was airlifted by medical helicopter. Late word is that the swelling has gone down in
gerly awaited him (and his gifts) – candy donated by the Borough officials. In their familiar bright red suits, Santa and Mrs. Claus handed each of the children a bag of candy.
KYLIE MILLER was one of the first to sit on Santa’s lap at Northampton’s tree lighting ceremony Sunday night. – Home News photo
Father & Son with Local Ties Die Hours Apart in Bradford Co.
INDEX: Shop with Cops ..............2
Bath Lions......................7
Pete G. Ossip..................3
Seniors...........................8
House Tour.....................4
Exchange Club ...............9
Outdoors........................6
Classifieds ........... 14 & 15
her brain, but she is still critical. Bradford County Coroner Thomas M. Carman confirmed the names of both deceased men. They were pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical personnel. Both men died of blunt force trauma. Halbfoerster was not wearing a seat belt. Ambrosone’s SUV caught fire briefly, while Halbfoerster’s SUV came to rest hanging over the railing of the bridge. Continued on page 2
71st Year, Issue No. 48
USPS 248-700