40¢
71st Year, Issue No. 18 USPS 248-700
MAY 3-9, 2012 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.
East Allen joins NIZ suit By BILL HALBFOERSTER The Home News
THEY’RE OFF! Runners and walkers are shown at the start of the second annual Revitalization 5K Run/Walk on Saturday. It began and ended at Bath Firefighters Park. Perfect weather conditions made it a fun time. The event benefited the Bath Borough Business Partnership revitalization program and the Bath 275th Anniversary. – Home News photos
Informed by their solicitor Joseph Leeson that the court has set a deadline of Monday, April 30, 2012 to join a lawsuit over the constitutionality of a Neighborhood Improvement Zone for the City of Allentown, East Allen Township’s Board of Supervisors on Thursday voted to join the action. Leeson said he hasn’t been able to find out what impact there would be on loss of earned income taxes to East Allen for township workers in the city’s 130-acre zone. He told the board that the only information he’s been able to gather has come on line, so he considered it hearsay. But what the supervisors heard was enough for them to make the decision they did. Atty. Leeson said as many as 460 municipalities could be affected by the state law, which gave Allentown its
NIZ, and it amounts to public funding for private construction. Every person who works in the buildings that are plannerd would have their earned income taxes taken for the ice hockey arena and corporate buildings planned around it at 7th & Hamilton Streets.
-----------------------“Without that we would need to tack on four mills of taxes.”
-Twsp. Mngr. Debbie Seiple
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Negotiations are going on now to settle with Hanover and Bethlehem townships in Northampton County, and Leeson said the settlement would affect those who are a part of the suit. Township Manager Debbie Seiple said, “Nobody’s giving us any answers. They could pull in money for the next 30 years.” She said East Allen brings
in $560,000 to $600,000 annually in earned income taxes. “Without that we would need to tack on four mills of taxes.” She added, “They’re taking our money to take our people away from us,” (referring to the lower rentals for businesses in the corporate portion of the 130 acres). Supervisor Roger Unangst said, “I don’t like the precedent set, and I don’t like going into a lawsuit.” [He would later make the motion that moved the township into the legal action.] Mrs. Seiple said that in reality Allentown has been getting .35% EIT money since 2010 from people who work there. She noted that Hanover and Bethlehem townships didn’t vote last week on anything, and will not until after May 6. Leeson commented, “Allentown has really gone out Continued on page 9
Man dies after crashing into tree in creek at Bath
ADAM EDWARDS #41 finished the race in 18:48.
Great day for a 5K By ALICE WANAMAKER The Home News
The 2nd Annual Revitalization Run and Walk was held at Fireman's Park and throughout the borough last Saturday. The overall top finisher was
INSIDE THIS WEEK: Konkrete Konnection ..... 4 Dream Come True .......... 7 Scout Award ............... 12 Weather .................... 19
Adam Edwards, who finished in 18:48. New Bath Borough Manager, Tom Petrucci followed him in 18:58. Finishing first in the female category was Maxine Farnack in 23:21. Prizes for the race winners ranged from trophies and medals to gift cards for area businesses. The Bath 275th Anniversary committee also gave out prizes for Bath Borough residents who participated in the race. The newly measured course took runners and walkers safely through the Borough Continued on page 9
A Lehigh Township man was killed Tuesday evening, April 24, when his 2002 Chevrolet pick-up truck left the roadway and slammed into a tree in a tributary stream of the Monocacy Creek in Bath. Kerry J. Queen, 20, of Blue Mountain Drive, Danielsville was pronounced dead at the scene by personnel from the Northampton County coroner’s office. The accident happened shortly after 6 p.m. along Race St. (Rt. 987) between Mill St. & Green St. at Keystone Park. Once a flowing stream, it is filled with trees and brush. Colonial Regional Police, Bath Firefighters and Ambulance responded. Traffic was detoured away from Race Street by fire police. The cause of the crash is under investigation by CRPD. They ask that anyone who may have witnessed the crash please contact Sgt. John Harmon at 610-861-4820. Obituary Kerry J. Queen, 20, was born Jan. 4, 1992 in Portland, Maine, the son of Tom and Robyn C. (Seavey) Queen of
Danielsville. He was employed by Precision Landscaping in Coplay and also worked at Auto Zone in Whitehall. He was a student at Northampton Community College, enrolled in the business management program. A 2010 graduate of Bethlehem Catholic High School, he ran cross country and played
Gas and Convenience Store
ice hockey. He was a member of St. Nicholas Catholic Church, Berlinsville. Besides his parents, he is survived by a brother, Ryan Queen, of Oklahoma; maternal grandmother, Marilyn (Bustin) Seavey of South Portland, Maine; paternal grandmother, Flossie (McLinden) Queen, of Portland, Maine; his Continued on page 14
SIX STUDENTS HONORED BY D.A.R. included front row (1-r) Koppany Jordan, John-Daniel Saldajeno DePaua, Michael Nester. Back row (l-r) Susanne Neher, Caitlyn Shuster, Christine Youwakim. (Story on Page 4.)
5 ELEVEN
GRAND OPENING
3751 Lehigh Dr. (Rt. 248), Pennsville (across from the Pennsville Hotel)
Opening Friday, May 4, 2012 at 5 PM (see page 2 for details)