40¢
70th Year, Issue No. 40 USPS 248-700
OCTOBER 6-12, 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.
LIGHTS OF CAR parked on Main Street are reflected on the water during the height of the flood. – Home News photos
COMMUNITY DAY was cancelled.
HEAVY DAMAGE was done adjacent to the Keystone Park pavilion in Bath.
Downtown Bath, Other Areas Flooded By BILL HALBFOERSTER The Home News
Reminiscent of the flood of July 9, 1945, waters of the Monocacy Creek quickly flooded down Chestnut, W. Northampton and Main Streets in Bath Borough on Wednesday night, and along Green Street as well. Waters were at least two feet deep in some parts of the downtown area, flooding basements and carrying with the waters plenty of mud and debris. The waters cancelled two major events that were scheduled in Bath on Friday and Saturday – the Farmers
Market at Green & Race Sts. and Community Day at Allen St., where the grounds were too soggy for any activity. While this flood created plenty of inconvenience over a wider area, it wasn’t as bad as the 1945 flood when the creek overflowed following a 7 p.m. cloudburst that left in its wake destruction and a loss of life. In that catastrophe, a little boy was swept to his death and a barbershop was lifted off its foundation and carried across Main Street. Debris that had built up behind two bridges caused the overflow, and after the waters receded German prisoners of war cleaned it up.
Taxes big subject at Northampton County Township Officials parley By BILL HALBFOERSTER The Home News
While the poor economy and joblessness have been on everyone’s minds in recent months, taxation was a big part of the annual convention of Northampton County Township Officials on Friday at the Holiday Inn Express in Easton. • Northampton County Executive John Stoffa informed the assemblage that a tax increase may be on the horizon for county residents. • And on January 1, 2012 Keystone Collections Group
will be collecting all municipal and school district earned income taxes in Northampton County. Stoffa told the officials that the decisions of 2011 “have a serious consequence on the 2012 proposed county budget.” He said that had Gracedale been sold, the county would have realized a $25-million revenue source, in addition to not having to address $20-million in capital expenditures at the county home.
There was no FEMA then, little TV, and no emergency management teams as there are now. EMC Statement Mark Saginario, a member of Bath Boro Council and the community’s Emergency Management Coordinator, had this statement following last Wednesday night’s flood in Bath:
“First and foremost, a special thanks needs to go out to all the volunteer service people who assisted in the coordination and action that took place. Councilman and road committee chairman (Mike) Reph and I first started to survey the road about 30 minutes after the rainfall had started. We first drove to Keystone Park where the bor-
ough pavilion is located. After seeing about eight inches of water across the road, I called in the borough public works and closed the road. We then proceeded to the rest of the borough on an offensive plan, clearing storm drains and directing traffic away from flooded areas. This was
By BILL HALBFOERSTER The Home News
to help them in their distress from the flood of this past Wednesday night. They thanked Councilmen Mark Saginario and Michael Reph for their efforts at Race and West Streets. Council
Chairman Robert Fields said they could not help monetarily, but Saginario said he is working with the Federal Emergency Management
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Council discusses flood; Residents question help
Alison Cushing and Amie Simmons, both of Race St., came to Monday night’s meeting of Bath Borough Council, wondering what can be done
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Conveyor Removed
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ROCK CONVEYOR at Keystone Cement Company was dismantled completely this week, since it was no longer used, and was replaced with another more modern conveyor unit just to the north of it. Rt. 329 was closed to traffic Monday through Wednesday so that the work could be completed safely. The work was part of the demolishing efforts conducted on what was the old plant built in the early 1900’s. Officials have made cement the entire life of the plant since then. According to Jeff Kaboly, several upgrades since the beginning have improved efficiency, quantity and quality of the product. The most recent upgrade in December 2009 changed the process from wet production to dry production and increased capacity to over four million tons per year. – Home News photos