Northampton Borough receives Food bank grant, Welcomes police K-9

In today’s column, we are all going to Miller’s Field in Northampton with Joe Tanzosh. The year is 1936.

Miller’s Field today is home to numerous businesses. The popular field was located to the rear of the Roxy Theatre and the former Miller’s Department Store. The owner, Henry Miller, was a strong supporter of sports in Northampton.

The Konkrete Kids played football there before Wolf Field was built by the WPA. Semiprofressional baseball was also played there.

The Northampton Buffalos and Holy Name teams played on the field.

Joe recalls, “Mike Lisetski was the flashy short stop on the team. He would later be my baseball coach at Northampton High School. The games were well attended with more than a thousand fans. We could not afford a ticket, so we would climb up on box cars of the Central Railroad of New Jersey, which were on a railroad siding. The field was enclosed with wooden fences. It was difficult to jump the fence.”

Joe’s parents were more interested in music than baseball. They purchased a violin. It was paid for with monthly payments of $5. It took more than a year to pay for the $75 instrument. Lessons were 25 cents an hour at the Odd Fellows Hall, now the Schisler Funeral Home.

Joe took lessons for one year, saying, “I didn’t have an ear for music.”

Another familiar visitor to Washington Avenue was the Knights Life Insurance agent. All the families wanted insurance for their children. They were called 5-cent policies, and the premiums were collected monthly by

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During reports, Police Chief Gary West shared that the police department had a total of 331 incidents for the month of March, which included 33 traffic citations issued, nine written and verbal warnings issued, four arrests made for three DUIs and one accident involving property damage (hit and run), three reportable accidents, and four non-reportable accidents.

Chief West also announced that secretary Stephanie Heckman has turned in her letter of resignation, so the township and police department will be seeking a joint secretary.

Fire Police Captain Jason Harhart reported that the Klecknersville Rangers Vol. Fire Co. responded to 69 ambulance calls during the month of March and 30 fire calls, which included one fire, three motor vehicle accidents, two automatic fire alarms, five ambulance assists, two carbon monoxide alarms, two smoke investigations, one gas leak, one tree down, seven wires down, and six mutual aid calls for three fires with Lehigh Township, two fire alarms with Bath, and one mountain fire

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By SAVANNAH BROWN

The Northampton Borough Council met Thursday, April 6 to discuss the grant received by the Northampton Food Bank, consider various requests, appoint PSAB delegates, consider a zoning officer candidate, and to welcome a new K-9 to the police department.

First, Kelly Frantz from the Northampton Food Bank announced that she has received a $300,000 grant, which will allow the food bank to put in an additional walk-in freezer, new lighting, commercial refrigerators, and more heavy-duty shelving.

Continued on page 9 will never solicit money or gift cards from the public. work in a cement mill.”

When Joe entered high school, the school was located on Lincoln Avenue, now the site of the Hampton House. He enrolled in the commercial course. The class had 24 students; 17 girls and seven boys. Ms. Tucker and Mr. Ronenus taught typing, bookkeeping and shorthand.

Two local churches Welcome new pastor State Police warn Residents of Phone calls

Submitted by TROOPER

BRANOSKY

The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Troop M Bethlehem are advising residents to be mindful of phone calls that are being made to the public indicating the caller is an official from PSP Bethlehem.

The PSP Bethlehem Station has been receiving phone calls from residents indicating they have received a phone call from the PSP Bethlehem Station requesting information from the caller.

The Pennsylvania State Police the agent. When was the last time you had a life insurance agent in your home?

Troopers are advising that if you receive a call that appears to be suspicious, request the Troopers name and badge number and call back to the PSP Station utilizing the publicly available phone numbers for that specific PSP Station and ask to speak with that specific Trooper.

For more information on the Pennsylvania State Police, visit www.psp.pa.gov.

When Joe entered Northampton High School, his mother, Lucy, had some motherly advice. She said, “You must take the commercial course, so you can get a good job and don’t have to

Joe remembers, “Shorthand was my favorite subject, and after much practice, I reached 140 words a minute. Mike Lisetski was our history teacher. We didn’t call it social studies then, just solid history. Nellie Sloyer was our English teacher. If there was mischief, she had you stand in the hall in front of her room for one week.”

You know the consequences if this method of discipline was used in our schools today.

“Our teachers were fine, and we received a good education,” Joe says.

“Unfortunately, most of us couldn’t afford to go to college.”

In two weeks, we’re playing for Sammy Balliet. Bring your bat!

By LARRY OBERLY St. Peter’s UCC, Seemsville,

and St. Paul’s

UCC, Northamp-

ton, have recently welcomed Rev. Joel Biggers to service in both churches. Pastor Biggers has been in ministry for 23 years following his graduation from San Diego State University and Methodist Theological School of Ohio. He has served in a campus ministry position as well as multiple congregations throughout his career. His father preceded him in ministry where he grew up in rural Ohio.

Both congregations will share his new ministry in the Northampton area.

When asked about the challenges of two churches Pastor Biggers has remarked, “Sundays are really very busy days, but once you get the service timing worked out things work very well.”

Pastor Biggers enjoys ministerial standing in the United Church of Christ and looks forward to serving both congregations who enjoy his personality and leadership style.

The concept of shared ministry, which was common well into the mid-20th century, is returning as churches throughout the country struggle to retain membership and face a shortage of qualified candidates for open pulpits across many denominations.

Pastor Biggers conducts Sunday worship at St. Peter’s beginning at 9 a.m. and St. Paul’s at 10:30 a.m. Both services are also available to view online.

34th Annual Uptown Northampton Street Fair- Saturday, Sept. 9 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 1700-2100 blocks of Main Street, Northampton.

A Salute To Our Veterans- Saturday, April 22 at 1 p.m. at Bath American Legion Post 470. Veterans VA seminar. Open to all local Veterans. Legion membership not required. Find out what you are eligible for, or if you need assistance in applying. Call 610-837-8337.

Bath Area Fish Committee’s Annual Kids Fishing ContestBegins Saturday, April 29 at 8 a.m., ends Sunday, April 30 at 3 p.m. at the Monocacy Creek in Bath.

Bath Area Food Bank- Distributes food second Tuesday of each month, starting around 9:30 a.m. on lower level of St. John's Lutheran Church in Bath, 206 E. Main St. Please do not arrive prior to 9:30 a.m. due to safety reasons.

Bath Museum- Open third Saturday Jan-Nov. and first Saturday in Dec., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 121 S. Walnut St., Bath. Volunteers needed, call 484-284-0313.

Borough of Bath Community-Wide Yard Sales- Saturday, May 13 and Saturday, Sept. 9 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Yard sale permit fees waived these dates only.

Car Seat Event- Monday, May 15 from 2 to 6 p.m. in Bath

Borough Municipal Building parking lot. Hosted by PSP Troopers.

Dementia Support Group- Held third Thursday every month from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., 2801 Emrick Blvd., Bethlehem. Designed for families and caregivers of dementia patients.

East Allen Spring Festival- Saturday, May 20 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bicentennial Park (East), 5450 Liberto Ln., Bethlehem.

East Allen Township Open Space and Farmland

Preservation Committee- Meets third Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at 5344 Nor-Bath Blvd., Northampton. New committee members welcome.

Helping Homeless Vets- Weave mats for homeless vets every second and fourth Wed. of the month from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. Prepping for weaving every first and third Wed. of month 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., Mountain View Wesleyan Church 1001 Deemer Rd., Bath. Call 610-837-1190 FMI. Leave message.

Northampton Area Food Bank- Food distribution first three Thursdays from 5 to 7 p.m. and second and third Saturday 9 to 11:30 a.m. 1601 Canal St.

Northampton Borough Crime Watch Meeting- Typically held second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Northampton Borough Fire Dept.

Paw Prints on the Canal- Sunday, June 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Canal Park, Northampton.

“Spuds Lite” Festival- Saturday, June 24 from 1 to 6 p.m. at Ciff Cowling Field, Bath.

Veterans Outreach Day- Saturday, April 22 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Queenship of Mary Church, 1324 Newport Ave., Northampton. Open to all veterans, their families and caretakers.