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OCTOBER 28-NOVEMBER 3, 2021
Photo of the Month
Kayaking at Beltzville Lake, October. Photo by Liza Harvilla.
Bushkill Township juvenile Arrested in connection to Cross-county bomb threats
Submitted by COUNTY OF NORTHAMPTON
On Oct. 22, Northampton County District Attorney Terence Houck announced the arrest of a 15-year-old juvenile of Bushkill Township involved in making a series of cross-county bomb threats. On October 20, the FBI contacted the Bushkill Township Police Department to advise they were investigating a series of bomb threats made to Dorney Park, Nazareth Area High School, and Emmaus High School between Oct. 1 and Oct. 15. The FBI said threats were called in using two different phone numbers. Through an investigation, the FBI identified two email
addresses associated with the reg- with the law enforcement agenistration of the phone numbers, cies involved. The juvenile waived and was provided the IP address Miranda rights in the presence of used to create one of the emails. a guardian, and confessed to makThrough further investigation, ing all of the above-mentioned the FBI determined the IP ad- threats, which coincided with the dress belonged to an account at dates and times of the threats per a residence located in Bushkill 911 center documentation. Township. The juvenile responsible for On Oct. 21, at approximately these incidents has been taken 8:30 p.m., the FBI, in conjunc- into custody and is facing one feltion with various law enforce- ony count of Threat to Use Weapment agencies, executed a search ons of Mass Destruction, and two warrant at the residence for the misdemeanor counts of the same. purpose of collecting electronic “Threats of this nature cause a devices containing evidence of great concern among our comthe above bomb threats. While munities, and must be taken executing the warrant, two in- seriously by law enforcement ofdividuals arrived home, one be- ficials,” District Attorney Houck ing the juvenile. The juvenile said. “We will continue to aggresimmediately requested to speak Continued on page 3
50 cents
Republic Services Apologizes For missed Pickups, Promises Change is Coming
By KERI LINDENMUTH Representatives from Republic Services, Northampton Borough’s trash hauler, voluntarily appeared before the Northampton Borough Council on Thursday, October 21, to apologize after the hauler missed over 1,800 pickups in August and September. Paul Temby, operations manager, and Elliot Crowley, general manager, acknowledged that Republic is failing to uphold its promise to the borough. “I know that we are failing,” said Temby. “Our issue is the national labor shortage.” Like so many employers throughout the Lehigh Valley and the nation, Temby said Republic Services has been struggling to find certified CDL drivers, despite advertising on billboards, on banners, and at job fairs. A handful of new employees have been hired, but Temby added they must undergo 15 days of training before they can go out on the road. “We have seen some improvement, but we have a long way to go,” he added. Crowley said out-of-state drivers have been brought in to help. Meanwhile, pickup will move
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from four days a week to five days a week and each route will maintain the same designated driver. “We want to work together with the township,” he added. The borough will also be updating its garbage bills to include the Republic Services’ customer service number so calls and questions can be addressed to the company. Crowley also said that drivers will begin leaving notices at properties that exceed the six-bag limit. He explained that people putting out more garbage sometimes forces drivers to extend their pickup with another load. However, he stressed that this was not the only reason for the missed pickups. “[We are] not putting the blame on residents at all,” he said. “We would not be here today if Continued on page 9
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