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MARCH 18-24, 2021
Neighbor dispute in Moore Twp. Leads to 1 dead, 1 injured
by HOME NEWS STAFF Police were called to the 1100 block of Moser Road in Moore Township on Monday, March 15 around 10:35 a.m. State Police said that a 74-year-old Moore Township man repeatedly shot his neighbor before turning the gun on himself. An apparent ongoing neighbor dispute over a water pipe led to the shooting which killed 42-year-old Christopher Debellis. Debellis was found dead in his home; police said he had been shot multiple times with a handgun and a rifle. The neighbors lived across the street from each other. The 74-year-old suspect was taken to the hospital for his injuries. Police said there have been multiple arguments and disagreements over the past few months. Debellis and the suspect have been involved in an ongoing dispute over a water pipe. The investigation is ongoing.
Fire company clarifies Need for apparatus at LT Supervisors meeting by JOE KORBA Representatives from the Lehigh Township Volunteer Fire Company attended the March 9 meeting of the Lehigh Township Supervisors to clarify their need for new equipment and to address statements made by the board at last month’s meeting. A representative from the fire company took issue with the comment about a million dollars being spent on the fire department, saying that “a lot of inappropriate comments were made when we weren’t here to defend ourselves.” Chairperson Cindy Miller defended the comment, reiterating that about a million dollars were spent over the course of five years. Miller explained the capital improvement plan and funding of the department considering the Covid-19 crisis. “Because of Covid, we stopped every department from spending
capital in 2020,” Miller said. She stated that save for the Public Works Department, which put in a request for a new truck in January 2020, prior to the pandemic, all non-budget spending was pushed forward a year. The $139,000 that had previously been earmarked for last year will go to the fire department this year. The fire company members decried lack of communication between their department and the board when asked why they didn’t attend budget meetings. “There is no way the township can afford 2.4 million for two pieces of equipment. So, now we have to see what we can do,” Miller said. “We only have one fire truck in Lehigh Township. We have more than one police car. We have Continued on page 4
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East Allen Township Applies for grant to Turn vacant space into Recreational area
By KERI LINDENMUTH During their March 10 meeting, the East Allen Township Board of Supervisors unanimously approved several motions that would allow the township to apply for over $200,000 in grants. If awarded, this grant money would go toward a stream and habitat restoration project at Bicentennial Park, turning 24 acres of unused flood area into a space for animal habitat and passive recreation. This project, explained township manager Brent Green, has been in discussion for several years. Now, this grant money may finally bring it to life. The township will be partnering with the Wildlands Conservancy for Grant Writing and Administration Services. This organization will help the township fill out the application. Green says they have been successful in securing funds for other municipalities. One grant they will help the township apply for is a grant for $180,000 from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Another grant the township hopes to be awarded is a $75,000 livable landscapes grant from Northampton County. In other news, the township’s Open Space and Farmland Preservation Society was awarded a budget of $2,500 to print marketing materials that will help spread the word of their mission.
“I think the budget to do such a thing would be advantageous and worthy,” said Supervisor Roger Unangst. By granting this budget, he added, the board is signaling that they are behind this organization and its goals. Also discussed was a possible electronic recycling event. The township was approached by the Borough of Bath and invited to participate in a joint electronic waste recycling event, tentatively scheduled for June 12. Northampton County will not be holding a county-wide event in 2021 due to the pandemic. While the county will be paying for 50 percent of the Bath event, supervisors wondered how the remaining costs would be divided to ensure they are in line with the number of residents participating from each municipality. Supervisors and Green agreed that the event is “worthwhile,” but will be requesting more information from Bath before committing. Finally, residents are encouraged to participate in River Central Comprehensive Plan meetings. Five local municipalities are exploring a regional comprehensive plan that will shape future development across the area. “This is the time for members of the community to get Continued on page 3
Jaindl-Watson’s Northampton Business Center Gets approval For on-site Concrete batch Plant
By KERI LINDENMUTH During the Allen Township Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, March 9, supervisors granted permission for development company Jaindl-Watson to install a temporary on-site concrete batch plant at their Northampton Business Center project. This on-site plant will allow developers to mix and pour concrete at the warehouse construction site between Howertown and Seemsville Roads. The main reason for this request, explained Christine Sutjak of Jaindl-Watson, is to limit the development’s impact on the community and decrease the number of trucks entering and exiting the site. The plant would operate between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Approximately six to eight mixing trucks would enter the site in the morning and remain on-site throughout the day. Sutjak said 56 concrete pours would take place over 112 days. However, if the plant Continued on page 7
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