Academic updates presented to Northampton School Board

By SAVANNAH BROWN

During the Northampton School Board meeting on Monday, May 8, Superintendent Joseph Kovalchik and Assistant Superintendent Michelle Schoeneberger provided academic updates on 2022 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) results, projected Star assessment scores, and academic remediation contracts for students.

The PSSAs are state standardsbased assessments that show student and school performances for proficiency in English and language arts (ELA), mathematics, and science and technology based on grade level. Students in

Grades 3 through 8 are assessed in ELA and math, and students in Grades 4 and 8 are additionally assessed in science. The Star assessments measure students’ reading and math skills, monitor achievement and growth, and track how well students understand skills aligned with state and common core standards.

Schoeneberger revealed the spring 2022 Northampton Area School District PSSA results that the state recently released.

For ELA, the district received the following scores: Grade 3 had a 64% proficiency score with the state average showing a 52.3% proficiency score and a 65.7% projected proficiency score for the Star assessment; Grade 4 had a 65% proficiency score with the state average showing a 52.2% proficiency score and a 66.1% projected proficiency score for the Star assessment; Grade 5 had a 63% proficiency score with the state average showing a 53.6% proficiency score and a 64.3% projected proficiency score for the Star assessment; Grade 6 had a 47% proficiency score with the state average showing a 56.1% proficiency score and a 60.6% projected proficiency score for the Star assessment; Grade 7 had a 57% proficiency score with environment because of crosscountry shipping. Bright Farms lettuce is consumed by customers within a four hour radius. Giant is currently one of the company’s biggest customers. The 32-acre greenhouse is powered by sunlight and uses horizontal farming. It would cost roughly $300 million to develop and create 255 full-time jobs with healthcare, 401Ks, and managerial opportunities. The company predicts 68 trucks per day at full-build, which will happen over the course of eight years.

To begin the development process, Bowdler and her team requested the opportunity to open up an escrow with the township and meet with the township’s so- licitor and engineer to potentially plan out language for a zoning amendment that would allow for a controlled environment greenhouse in this agricultural zone. The draft amendment must still go through the proper advertising procedures. Supervisors approved this request.

In other news, supervisors also granted conditional final plan approval for the 6292 Hanoverville Rd. Minor Subdivision Plan. This plan is part of developer Abe Atiyeh’s Farmhouse Village Major Subdivision in Hanover Township.

The development is at Jacksonville and Airport roads. The municipal dividing line between

Lehigh Township Supervisors hear Resident complaints

By LAURA KLOTZ

The Lehigh Township Board of Supervisors met on Tuesday, May 9 at 7 p.m.

A representative of the Vineyard Estates project was present to discuss their request for an extension of time for plan recording. The Vineyard Estates project is a development of 17 singlefamily homes along Persimmon Road, Willow Road and Long Lane Road. The representative explained that the original model which had been submitted was denied due to a need for their drip irrigation system to be a certain depth. This has been met and the planning module has been resubmitted to the Department of Environmental Protection. The plan was set to expire on June 14 and they asked the board for an extension until the end of the year in order to allow enough time for the DEP to send their approval.

For more information and additional senior centers in Northampton County, visit www.northamptoncounty.org.

Cherryville- Open Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., 4131 providing a waiver from Villanova regarding the township not being liable for any damage incurred to the property as a result of the tower, and that the applicant indemnify the township for any costs incurred for equipment coming off the tower.

Lehigh Dr., Cherryville. FMI call 610-767-2977.

Lower Nazareth- Open Monday-Friday 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., 306 Butztown Rd., Bethlehem. FMI call 610-297-3464.

Nazareth- Open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., 15 S. Wood St., Nazareth. FMI call 610-759-8255.

Northampton- Open Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., 902 Lincoln Ave., Northampton. FMI call 610-262-4977.

Next, the commission had a lengthy discussion regarding a special exception application for the construction of a medical marijuana campus on a vacant lot along Birch Drive by the LURRS partnership, which would include medical marijuana grower/processor facilities, a medical marijuana dispensary, and a separate drive-through and/or fast-food restaurant.

Applicant Mark Leuthe is president of Lehigh Engineering Associates, which sits across from the proposed lot that Leuthe and his partners currently own.

In regard to the drive-through fast-food restaurant, Leuthe stated that the lot will sit at the furthest point away from nearby residential zoning and that he is confident they can meet all of the criteria for development, although the concept is for a generic drive-through concept with no outlined tenant at this time.

Following, Leuthe stated that one of the permitted use special exceptions allowed by zoning in the district, which the Planning Commission also approved in 2017, is for medical marijuana facilities.

Leuthe expressed that he is confident he and his partners can meet all of the township’s requirements for their proposed 3,000 square-foot dispensary and sixteen 20,000 square-foot grow/processor warehouse facilities, with each being owned by a separate user who would potentially grow and ship their product statewide.

Chairman David Shulman noted that a dispensary cannot be on the same site as a growing facility per the township’s ordi- nance, and Leuthe maintained that they will not “technically” be on the same property because the lots will be subdivided.

Shulman also raised concerns regarding the noise of the generators that would be used for potential power outages for each building and the odor that would permeate the area due to the strong “skunky” odor that marijuana is associated with.

Leuthe assured that the noise from the generators would be under the maximum amount and that there will be precautionary measures taken to mitigate any cannabis odors because the township ordinance states that the facilities must be odorless.

Leuthe also divulged that the grower/processing facilities would accumulate the same amount of traffic as a singlefamily home, whereas the projected dispensary traffic would be 633 vehicles entering/exiting

Correction

In the Bath Area Fish Committee ad in the May 11 issue of The Home News, the Borough of Bath was listed as a donor; that was incorrect as they did not donate to the fish committee. Mayor Fiorella Mirabito (Mayor’s Fund) should have been listed instead.

Projects To Upgrade Your Backyard

Familyhandyman.com

Your backyard is your personal part of the great outdoors, and that means different things to different people. For some, a backyard is a retreat from the bustle of the world. For others, it provides the opportunity to bring the world home.

Here are some upgrades you can do this year to get things started.

Projects To Make Your Backyard More Comfortable

Plant gardens

Start your backyard makeover by establishing in-ground gardens, placing container gardens around the yard and planting trees and shrubs.

Plants and gardens subdivide your yard into specific areas, and they take a while to grow. Planting is also one of the least costly backyard projects, as long as you don’t mind doing the work.

If you want to group plants into mutually supportive companion clusters, container gardens are a good way to go. You can build containers out of wood for about $25 to $50 per square foot, or buy easy-to-assemble container kits online.

Improve drainage

If water pools in your yard or digs deep trenches as it flows from one place to another, make drainage control one of your priorities. Backfill depressions with dirt and topsoil, level uneven ground with a rake and shovel, and install French drains where standing water collects. Control drainage gives you more real estate for planting and building.

Build a shed

If you do a lot of gardening, you’ll need a shed to store your tools and supplies. You can build a simple plywood shed with a composite roof for $16 to $22 per square foot, or purchase one and drop it onto a gravel or concrete foundation. An 8- by 10foot pre-fab workshop shed with T1-11 siding costs about $3,000.

Establish a hang-out area

The most common ways to establish permanent seating areas in your backyard are by building a patio or a deck.

A patio is easier. Excavate an area in the yard to a depth of about six inches, backfill with drain rock and tamped sand, lay concrete or stone pavers or bricks, backfill with sand and add a border. Unless you opt for high-end stone pavers, costs should range from $4 to $10 per square foot, without labor.

For sloping or irregular terrain, a deck might be a better choice. You probably won’t need a permit if you build low enough to the ground to avoid railings. The deck materials can cost from $7 to $16 per square foot, depending on whether you use pressuretreated wood, composite, cedar or redwood.

Create some shade

Planting trees provides shade, but it takes years. If you want the shade ASAP, build a structure. It can be a pergola with a slatted open roof, or a gazebo, with a solid roof. Both projects are DIYfriendly, although a gazebo calls for more carpentry skills.

If you prefer, go the easy route and purchase a pre-fab 10-by-10foot gazebo kit that assembles in a couple of hours.

Install a hot tub

Nothing brings more relaxation to your home than a hot tub. If you have the budget, you can build one in-ground for $6,000 to $21,000 or more. An above-ground model, on the other hand, runs $2,000 to $10,000 depending on material and size.

No hot tub is complete without decking, which you can make yourself from redwood or cedar. You’ll need a minimum of eight square feet for a hot tub. Add at least two extra feet on each side with decking.

Deliver some warmth

Your idea of a comfortable space may include warmth for chilly nights, like a fire pit. You can go the simple route and purchase a portable wood-burning or propane fire pit for around $100, then make a sitting area around it. With a little more time, money and space, you can build a permanent stone fire pit from a kit for about $600.

An outdoor fireplace is more expensive and challenging, with kits available from $3,000 to $5,000. By comparison, a fully equipped outdoor kitchen with plumbed gas lines and electrical service runs around $13,000.

Add lights

Lighting adds a lot to any landscape. Low-voltage landscape lighting is easy to install. You place the lights and dig shallow trenches for the wires leading to the transformer, which plugs into any available exterior 120-volt receptacle.

Solar lighting is even easier, although you must place them where there’s plenty of sunlight for recharging.

Projects To Add Backyard Privacy

Build a fence

So many fencing options are available that it’s hard to establish a price range.

Wood, composite and vinyl privacy fences cost from $15 to $37 per linear foot, with wood surprisingly the cheapest material. The cost depends on height and design. If you value privacy most of all, go with a flat panel or shadowbox design at least six feet high.

Construct hanging screens Your yard may already be par-

Emma A. Bartron

Emma A. Bartron, 93, formerly of Moore Township, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, at Sacred Heart Assisted Living in Northampton. She was the beloved wife of the late Harvey C. Bartron. Born in Point Phillips, Emma was a daughter of the late Russell P. and Jennie (Bryfogle) Barrall. A member of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union, she was employed at the former Pioneer Manufacturing Co. in East Lawn, Nazareth, where she was a sewing machine operator for more than 50 years before retiring. Emma was also a life member of Point Phillips Rod & Gun Club. She enjoyed playing bingo and always looked forward to try- ing her luck at the casino.

Survivors: Emma is survived by her sister, Betty Bellas of Point Phillips; along with nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, Harvey, she was predeceased by two brothers, Howard and Paul Barrall; and a sister, Pauline E. Kocher.

Services: A funeral service was held on Monday, May 15, 2023, at 11 a.m. in the George G. Bensing Funeral Home, LLC, 2165 Community Drive, Route 946, in the Village of Moorestown – Bath, PA 18014. Friends and relatives were invited to call on Monday morning from 10 to 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Interment followed in Fairview Cemetery, Moorestown.

Susan F. Villiatora

Susan F. Villiatora, 67, of Honolulu, HI, formerly of Bath, passed away on Friday, March 31, 2023 at her residence. Born on Nov. 7, 1955, in Columbus, GA, she was the daughter of Frances V. (Reilly) Butler Hickert of Richardson, TX, and the late Harry K. Butler, Jr. She was the wife of Juss Villiatora. Susan worked as an administrative assistant for the last 10 years.

Survivors: In addition to her husband Juss and mother Frances, she is survived by two daughters, Jennifer Hammons and her husband Daniel, Sarah Valdez and her husband Haven; a son, Cy Nobriga; sister, MaryLou Thomas of Nazareth; brother, Harry K. Butler, III, of Richardson, TX; and eight grandchildren.

Services were held in Hawaii with Susan's family. Burial will be held privately with her family in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Bath, Pa. Local arrangements have been entrusted to the Bartholomew Funeral Home, Bath.

Planning Comm.

Continued from page 2 the facility per day and the fastfood restaurant would generate approximately 1,599 vehicles per day, with the facilities having room for additional parking if necessary.

During public comment, resident Glenn Pereira expressed that the general sentiment of the township’s residents is that the proposed medical marijuana campus is unwanted because it will have a detrimental impact on the area.

Many residents voiced concerns regarding the facilities’ hours of operation, resources the facilities will require such as water and electricity, disposal of water and soil waste, security measures, odor, increased criminal activity, and the impact the campus would have on the welfare of residents.

One resident asked: “What’s going to prevent criminals from targeting the facility, which puts residents in jeopardy?”

Commissioner Cynthia Miller stated: “This will put a strain on our police department because there will be more DUIs.”

“Security, the welfare of children and residents, and that anyone can get a medical marijuana card are the biggest issues for me,” said commissioner Kristin Soldridge.

Shulman suggested the “application be rejected on the basis of the state statute for the dispensary and growing facility not being on the same site and the general welfare of the community not being protected by this property.”

Further, Shulman stated that if the zoning board were to grant a special exception, that they should consider odor issues, noise from generators, gates and security, the distance between the dispensary and growing facility, traffic and its effect upon Birch Drive, and adequate infrastructure for water, sewage and electricity.

Commissioners voted 4-1 in a motion to recommend the plan be rejected by the Zoning Hearing Board, with commissioner Bill Jones being the only dissenting vote.

The Zoning Hearing Board will meet on Thursday, August 10 at 6 p.m. in the Lehigh Township Vol. Fire Co. located at 4188 Lehigh Dr. to make their determination with consideration to the Planning Commission’s recommendation where residents are encouraged to attend to provide testimony on the proposed medical marijuana campus.

The next Lehigh Township Planning Commission meeting will be held Monday, June 12 at 6 p.m.

Siegfried Railroad Station Museum Reopens to The public

Submitted by IRENE URBAN

The Siegfried Railroad Station Museum, the home of the Northampton Area Historical Society, will be open to visitors for the first time this year on Sunday, May 21 from 1 to

4 p.m. The station is located on West 21st Street (Route 329) in Northampton.

Displays this year will continue to show memorabilia of World War II. Scrapbooks of photographs of local servicemen and women which were shown in local newspapers will be available for perusal. There will also be information about Haff Hospital and its history.

For more information call 610262-8198.