50 cents
DECEMBER 4-10, 2014 Your Local News
Bath Tree Lighting Ceremonies, Page 7
The Home News Children of Jessica Padgett Fund
As of press time, over $8,000 has been raised in an online fundraiser for Jessica Padgett’s three children. According to the website, the fund will be “used to help care for her family’s basic needs during this difficult time.” If you would like to donate, please visit the page at: http://www.gofundme.com/huenu0
DA Speculates about Padgett Murder on Cable News
Mayor honors Turning Bath Pink committee; Council Moving forward on rent study
by JOE KORBA The Home News
A 33-year-old Whitehall woman who was reported missing last week was found dead on her stepfather’s property. Jessica Padgett, a mother of three young children, was reported missing on November 21 after she left her job at Duck Duck Goose Daycare in Northampton. Her car was later found in the parking lot of a Dollar General store about a mile away from where she worked. On November 28, her stepfather, Gregory R. Graf, 53, of Allen Township was charged with the murder. Northampton Country District Attorney John Morganelli made the announcement at a press conference. "Jessica Padgett is deceased. She is the victim of a homicide," he said last Wednesday. After police confronted Graf with inconsistencies in his story, he admitted to shooting and burying her body on his property on Covered Bridge Road in Allen Township. Graf shares a home on the property with Padgett’s mother where they operated Distinctive Fence Company. On Monday evening DA Morganelli appeared in a nationally televised interview with Headline News Host Nancy Grace to discuss the case. According to Morganelli one of the theories investigators are exploring is if Padgett was murdered because her stepfather wished to have sex with her corpse. He told Grace that it would be difficult to seek the death penalty if that is indeed the case. “It would not be considered an aggravating circumstance in Pennsylvania,” he said on the show. In Pennsylvania such a circumstance is needed for a capital homicide case. Graf is currently housed in Northampton County Prison without bail.
Gregory Graf was charged with the murder of Jessica Padgett. – Facebook photo
Mayor Mirabito presented a check for more than $21,000 to Eric McGoughey of the American Cancer Society, proceeds from the October “Turn Bath Pink” campaign. –Home News photo by BILL HALBFOERSTER The Home News A check for $21,037.50 was turned over to the American
Cancer Society on Monday night at the monthly meeting of Bath Borough Council. Mayor Fi Mirabito presented the check to Eric McGoughey, income development director, as profit from the month-long “Turn Bath Pink” campaign in Bath during October. She then recognized all the people on committees who helped make the campaign for cancer awareness successful. Mayor Mirabito presented a plaque to all of them. She also received a glass plaque of appreciation from the volunteers, along with a framed
photo of the bird’s eye view of a human “pink ribbon” at George Wolf Elementary School. “I appreciate all of you and for what you have done to make this a success,” she said. She announced that all 100 luminaria kits for Luminaria Night at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13 have been sold out; Turn Bath Pink will be held Oct. 10-11, 2015. On Saturday, Oct. 24 there will be a community campfire at FireFighters Memorial Park. Regular Business One of Council’s first actions was to give final approval for the 2015 general fund budget and the final highway aid fund budget. The $1,961,715.53 general fund budget calls for no increase
in real estate taxes. They will remain at 13.5 mills. An ordinance was approved for advertising. It establishes snow emergency routes for motor vehicles. Also approved was placement of concrete pads under picnic tables at Ciff Cowling Field as part of an Eagle Scout project. The parks committee will decide Continued on page 3
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