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JULY 11-17, 2019
50 cents
Cement Worker Of Month
Trooper Nathan Branosky, Lieutenant Dennis Long, Sergeant Brian Roberts (Photo courtesy of Manny Mirabito)
Borough of Bath celebrates one year With Pennsylvania State Police
by KERI LINDENMUTH On Monday, July 8, the Borough of Bath celebrated one year with the Pennsylvania State
Police. State Police began law gional Police Department. enforcement in the borough in It was a decision that weighed 2018 after the borough ended its contract with the Colonial Re- Continued on page 11
Jim Berger, Lehigh Cement Company, Evansville plant.
From left to right: Paul Haldaman, Post Finance Officer; Donna Beal, Scholarship Committee Member; Makenzie Fritz, Scholarship Award Winner; Brian Radcliffe, Post Commander.
American Legion awards scholarship Submitted by BRIAN RADCLIFFE The American Legion, Eckley E. Patch, Post #470 handed out a $1,000 scholarship on Friday, June 14. The scholarship is given every year to a member of
the American Legion or a Legion Jen Gaetaniello, and the grandfamily member seeking higher daughter of Randy and Paulette education. Fritz. Makenzie is an American This year’s scholarship recipi- Legion Auxiliary member and a ent was awarded to Makenzie 2018 graduate of Northampton Fritz of Bath. Makenzie is the daughter of Corey Fritz and Continued on page 3
By ED PANY Mr. Jim Berger was raised in Leesport, graduating from Schuylkill Valley High School in 1985. After school, at age 14, he worked at Leesport Cattle Auction, recalling, “I enjoyed working with the cattle as a youth, I even milked cows on a relative’s farm.” Upon graduation he was employed fulltime at Leesport. Later he studied masonry at Berks County Vo-Tech, as a result Jim was hired by Ken Short Construction to do brick and block work. His cement career started on Feb. 13, 1989 at Evansville, which is Lehigh Heidelberg today. The plant was reorganized so he was hired and trained as a shift electrician. Some veteran employees who shared their knowledge with him are Ivan Strunk, Hank Ohliger and Dennis Fink. In his 30 years at the plant, Mr. Berger has worked at a variety of
jobs including repairman, shift repairman, and preventative and maintenance technician. Today he is a shift technician. He relates, “I completed a craft training course at Berks Vo-Tech after work, overall I had eight years of schooling, the training stressed various mechanical skills including welding.” Mr. Berger is familiar with all areas of the plant, the team, and checks for problems, with their goal of having the plant operate in a safe and efficient manner. The technicians are supervised by Continued on page 3
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