February 28, 2007 Release

Preston, Members of the Movin’ Out Band Rock The Washington

BANGOR- Wherever you were on Saturday, February 17th, if it wasn’t at the Washington rocking to the sounds of Wade Preston and the Movin’ Out band, then you missed an unbelievable one-of-a-kind experience. Having performed as Billy Joel on Broadway from May 2002 until the closing of the show in December 2005, Preston and the band brought rave reviews. With a little help from his Bangor neighbors and friends, Preston brought his love of rock and roll to Washington Township for an unforgettable night.

Opening the show with a few of Billy Joel’s hits, Preston soon had the packed fire hall on its feet, dancing in the aisles, and singing out loud. Between songs, you could see just how much these guys love to play together, joking around, teasing each other, and just gliding from one era of rock music to another. Billy Joel, Chuck Berry, and even the theme from the Dukes of Hazzard, were just some of the songs echoing through the township that night. After playing for almost three hours, the night ended with a standing ovation. If the opportunity ever comes around again, make sure you don’t miss it this time. And if you were there that night, let’s all hope that a repeat performance is coming soon.

Owen Richard Reinhart Born

BANGOR- Ricky and Dana Lynn Reinhart of Bangor announce the birth of their son, Owen Richard Reinhart. Owen was born on January 12 at Newton Memorial Hospital in Newton, New Jersey. He was 18 inches long and weighed 5 pounds, 15 ounces. His proud grandparents are Richard and Susan Reinhart of Bangor and John and Linda Wyckoff of Andover, New Jersey.

Bangor Area School District Holding Public Meeting

BANGOR- The school board of Bangor Area School District will hold a public hearing on Monday, March 5 at 7:30 PM and a public meeting following the hearing at the Bangor Area High School Auditorium located at 187 Five Points Richmond Road in Bangor. The purpose of the public hearing is to receive public comment on a resolution permitted by Act 1 of Special Session of 2006. The resolution establishes a personal income tax in place of the school district’s portion of the earned income tax and reduces property taxes for those taxpayers with approved homestead and/or farmstead applications. The purpose of the public meeting is to adopt the resolution authorizing the following referendum question be placed on the May 15, 2007 primary election ballot.

Pen Argyl Planning Event to Celebrate 125th Anniversary

Pen Argyl Borough will celebrate its 125th anniversary with Pen Argyl Day on Saturday, June 9 at Weona Park. Anyone interested in assisting with the planning the event can call Pen Argyl Borough at 610.863.4119.

MNB Corp. Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend, Announces 5% Stock Dividend

MNB Corporation (MNBC), parent company of Merchants National Bank of Bangor, announced the declaration of a quarterly cash dividend of $.25 per share to be paid on March 15, 2007 to shareholders of record as of March 1, 2007. In addition, the board of directors authorized a 5% stock dividend payable March 15, 2007 to shareholders of record as of March 1, 2007 immediately following the cash dividend. Registered shareholders will receive stock certificates for their additional shares and for any portion of fractional shares they will receive a cash payment in lieu of stock.

MNB Corporation's sole subsidiary is Merchants National Bank. Established in 1890, the Bank is a locally owned and operated community bank. Headquartered in Bangor, PA, MNB has two branch offices in Bangor and additional offices throughout the Lehigh Valley, including Mount Bethel, Wind Gap, Bushkill Township, Martins Creek, Forks Township, Redner's Warehouse Markets in Northampton and a Business Center in Easton, PA. The Bank also offers investment and wealth management financial services. The Bank's website can be accessed at www.merchantsbangor.com . MNB Corporation stock trades under the ticker “MNBC”.

Pen Argyl Police Department News

The Pen Argyl Police Department responded to 393 incidents during the month of January 2007. Of the 393 incidents filed, 35 were criminal incidents. Twenty-four (24) people were arrested or cited and five (5) juveniles were handled in the department.

Bangor Little League Registration Rescheduled

Due to inclement weather, Bangor Little League registration will now be held from 6 to 8 PM on Thursday, March 1 and Friday, March 2 in the gymnasium of DeFranco Elementary School. For more information, call Maureen at 610.588.5821 or Dawn at 484.357.7909.

Wind Gap Soccer Entering Spring Lehigh Valley Youth Soccer League

The spring of 2007 will begin the Wind Gap Youth Soccer Programs venture into the Lehigh Valley Youth Soccer League. With the current success they’ve had in the Blue Mountain Youth Soccer League, it was decided that a few limited teams were ready to continue their soccer skills in a competitive spring league. They are currently expecting to enter a U14 Girls Team and a U11 Boys Team (co-ed possible). If interested, please contact Jeff Meyers or Troy Smith or visit www.wgaaa.org.

North Bangor Fire Company All-You-Can-Eat Breakfast

The North Bangor Fire Company will hold their monthly breakfast on Sunday, March 4 from 7 AM to 12 PM at the North Bangor Social Hall. The menu consists of eggs, pancakes, French toast, and chipped beef on toast. There will be ham, bacon, sausage, scrapple, home fries, and toast available. Beverages, desserts, and fresh fruit will also be available. There will be pull tabs available for purchase. The North Bangor Fire Company Auxiliary holds a drawing for different items each month during the breakfast. The cost is $7 for adults and $4 for children ages 6-12. Children under age 6 eat free.

Slate Belt Chamber Hosting Consumer Protection Representative

The Slate Belt Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a representative from the Consumer Protection Bureau from 1 to 3 PM on Wednesday, March 7. The bureau investigates consumer complaints and works to arbitrate an agreement between the business and consumer. The representative will be at the Slate Belt Chamber on the second Wednesday of each month. The Slate Belt Chamber of Commerce is located at 856 West Pennsylvania Avenue in Pen Argyl. For more information, call 610.863.0315.

Bangor High School Band March Performances

The Bangor Area High School Slater Band will perform twice prior to their European trip on March 30. The band will perform at the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Scranton on Saturday, March 10 and the Showcase Concert on Thursday, March 22 at Bangor Area High School.

Bangor Elks Hosting Line Dancing

The Bangor Elks is offering a night of line dancing from 7 to 10 PM each Monday. The Bangor Elks is located at 120 Broadway in Bangor. For more information, call 610.588.3420 or email bangor1106@epix.net.

Plainfield Riding Club Holding Rummage & Bake Sale

The Plainfield Riding Club is holding a rummage and bake sale from 8 AM to 12 PM on Saturdays, March 3 and 10. The sale offers slightly used clothes, household items, furniture, sporting goods, holiday decorations and homemade baked goods. The event will be held at the club’s facility on State Park Road in Wind Gap. For more information, call 610.863.4547.

Slate Belt Corvette Club Holding Monthly Meeting

The Slate Belt Corvette Club (SBCC) will hold its next monthly meeting at 9 AM on Saturday, March 3 at Lee’s Café. The club meets the first Saturday of each month. Lee’s Café is located at 103 South Robinson Avenue in Pen Argyl. For more information, call Norm at 570.897.5956, Jeff at 610.841.6403, or visit www.slatebeltcorvetteclub.com.

Saint Elizabeth’s Church Holding Annual Auction

Saint Elizabeth’s Church is holding its 12th annual Auction on Saturday, March 3 in the Immaculate Conception School gymnasium. There will be a regular auction, a silent auction and a Chinese auction with hundreds of items, gift certificates and services to bid on. The auctioneer will be Tom Mamera. Doors open at 5 PM, and the auction begins at 7 PM. The kitchen will be open for supper and there will also be a bake sale. Parking is available in the church parking lot across the street from the school. Please call Saint Elizabeth’s Rectory at 610.863.4777 between 9 AM and 2 PM, Monday through Friday, for more information or directions. If you have an item to donate, please call Daria Scott at 610.863.6160. Immaculate Conception School is located at and Heller Avenues in Pen Argyl.

Pen Argyl Area Alumni Association Sponsoring Basket Bingo

The Pen Argyl Area Alumni Association is sponsoring Basket Bingo on Sunday, March 18 at the Pen Argyl Park Community Center. Doors open at 11:30 AM and Bingo begins at 1 PM. Tickets cost $22 if purchased before the event or $25 at the door. Only ticket holders will be allowed in the center. The event will be catered by Ron Koehler. There will be 20 regular Bingos, 4-5 small Basket Bingos, 2 special Bingos, 2 raffles and a 50/50 drawing. Handmade knitted and crocheted afghans will be in 4-5 of the baskets and Longaberger quilted wall hangings in 2-3 baskets. This fundraiser enables the Alumni Association to present $3,000 in scholarships each year to the graduating seniors of Pen Argyl Area High School. For tickets or more information, call Maria Coscia at 610.863.4389.

Relay For Life Easton Announces New Meeting Location

The Relay For Life of Easton will hold their next meeting at 7 PM on March 7 at their new meeting location in the Met-Ed Building on Sullivan Trail in Forks Township.

Learn about the Relay For Life, register your team, register survivors, purchase luminaries. The Relay For Life Easton will be held on June 15 and 16 from 2 PM to 2 PM at Easton Area High School. The Relay For Life is a fun filled family event where teams of 8 to 15 people come together to raise money in the fight against cancer. The funds raised help to fund the mission of the American Cancer Society and support the many American Cancer Society programs in the Lehigh Valley.

For more information regarding, contact Rosemarie at the American Cancer Society 610.921.2329 ext 3109 or rmurphy@cancer.org.

4th Annual Great Pennsylvania Cleanup

Governor Edward G. Rendell is inviting schools and community groups to join the 4th Annual Great Pennsylvania Cleanup, a statewide effort to remove litter and trash from roadways, parks, riverbanks and open spaces.
The entire cleanup campaign – with a special emphasis on creating Litter-Free School Zones – will run from March 1 to May 31. A featured one-day, statewide cleanup event will take place on April 21, in conjunction with Earth Day.

Last year, more than 132,000 volunteers from all 67 counties removed 6.7 million pounds of trash from roads, parks, schools, waterways, wildlife areas and communities.

This year’s initiative includes a focus on Litter-Free School Zones, a new program launched by Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, cosponsor of the Great Pennsylvania Cleanup. Participating schools agree to check the campus grounds weekly and remove litter, and also to promote and implement all campus events as litter-free events.
Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty visited the Wilson Middle School in Carlisle, Cumberland County, and echoed the Governor’s message before 200 enthusiastic sixth-graders who signed personal pledges not to litter.

“Thank you for volunteering to be among the very first students to create a Litter-Free School Zone,” Secretary McGinty said. “Litter and illegal dumping affect everyone’s quality of life and I want you to ask all your friends, teachers, coaches and every adult you know to get involved in this year’s Great Pennsylvania Cleanup and to keep Pennsylvania litter-free every day.”

In December 2006, Secretary McGinty received Keep America Beautiful’s Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson Award, the organization’s highest award given to women volunteers. This national achievement award is presented annually to an outstanding woman for exceptional leadership in litter prevention and beautification activities.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Inc. is again playing a major role in the Great Pennsylvania Cleanup. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is supported and sponsored by a wide range of businesses, trade organizations, civic and environmental groups, and state and local government agencies. It is the state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, which was founded in 1953 to promote litter prevention, community beautification and improvement, and waste reduction.

The state departments of Conservation and Natural Resources, Education, Environmental Protection and Transportation are members of the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful alliance.

PennDOT supports the cleanup by providing participants with free gloves, safety vests and trash bags. In 2005, Keep America Beautiful presented PennDOT with one of six partner awards for its role in making the Great Pennsylvania Cleanup a success.

PA CleanWays, a nonprofit group dedicated to fighting illegal dumping and litter, is coordinating all cleanup event registrations and collections reporting.
Member companies of the Pennsylvania Waste Industries Association are again offering free landfill space to dispose of nonrecyclable waste collected during the cleanup. Groups must register their events by April 16 to be eligible for this offer.

This year’s Great Pennsylvania Cleanup also features exciting incentives for groups that register their events and report the results of the efforts through a Web site, www.greatpacleanup.org. Random drawings will be held to award gift cards from a growing number of Pennsylvania businesses sponsoring the Great Pennsylvania Cleanup. The Web site offers information on how to take advantage of the national Keep America Beautiful incentive programs.

NCC Offers Boating and Fly Fishing Courses

The "Pennsylvania Basic Boating Course," offered through the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, provides students with basic boating and water safety information. The course includes an introduction to Pennsylvania's waterways, State and Federal legal requirements, and rescue. Upon successful completion, students will be issued a Boating Safety Education Certificate. The course will be held on Mondays, March 19-26, from 6 to 10 PM at NCC's Main Campus in Bethlehem Township.

In "Fly Fishing 101," conducted in conjunction with Rivers Outdoor Adventures, prospective fly fishers will learn about equipment, casting mechanics, knots, entomology, fly selection, "reading" the water, and more. No experience necessary! This all-inclusive, two-day course is offered on March 31 and April 1, from 9 AM to 4 PM daily at the Rivers Outdoor Center.

Visit www.northampton.edu for complete course descriptions or to register for a class on-line. To register over the telephone, call NCC toll-free at 877.543.0998.

4-H Tree Seedling Sale Continues

The Northampton County 4-H program is continuing their annual tree seedling sale. The sale benefits all 4-H programs in the county, supporting various programs such as camp, round up, achievement banquet, and the clubs in general.

The trees offered this year are: Scotch Pine, Eastern White Pine, Colorado Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, Douglas Fir, Concolor Fir, Sugar Maple, Red Oak, White Flowering Dogwood, European Mountain Ash, American Arborvitae, and Canadian Hemlock. These are offered in bundles of 10 per type. Prices start at $9 per bundle and go down to $6 per bundle, depending on the amount ordered. The 4-H tree sale pick up date is Saturday, April 21 from 9 AM to 11 AM at the various distribution locations.

For guaranteed selection of trees, orders must be received by March 10. Any orders received after that date will be filled on the availability of trees. The orders can be picked up at the following locations: The Northampton County 4-H Center on Bushkill Center Rd., Nazareth; Ace Hardware Store at Capital Plaza on Rte. 512, Bangor; Mel’s Market on Rte. 248 in Pennsville; the Neighbor’s Home & Garden Center in Hellertown, and the Farm Bureau in Tatamy. Each of these pick up points, if it is a specific place, will have order forms available. More order forms have been distributed around the county at other locations. If you are unable to obtain an order form, please call the Northampton County Extension Office, weekdays between 8 AM and 4 PM, at 6610-746-1970, ext. 0, to request an order form. All orders are prepaid.

The 4-H program is open to all youths ages 8-18 years and offers over 150 hands-on projects. Anyone interested in obtaining more information on the 4-H program, in general, is asked to call Liesel Driesbach, at the 4-H offices, at 610-746-1970, ext. 4.

Jeffrey Gaines Returns to Mauch Chunk Opera House

Jeffrey Gaines is the kind of artist that inspires absolute allegiance in core fans around the country. To many, he is best known as the architect of the definitive cover of Peter Gabriel’s "In Your Eyes," but the real way to experience Gaines is live, as captured on his sixth and latest release, "Jeffrey Gaines Live." Known for his compellingly personal and passionate songs of hope and unwavering faith, Gaines has captured the magic and intensity of his much awed and revered live concert performances on his first-ever career spanning live album. Included with the live audio disc is a twelve song video culled from the same night appearing on the new DVD Plus format.

On the road for over 150 nights a year; he recorded and documented one special night in November 2003, at the Theatre of the Living Arts in his home city of Philadelphia to record this album. That magical night yielded a recording of fourteen sensitive and melodic portraits including the inspirational “Hero in Me,” the sensual “Without You” and a heart-leaping, spellbinding version of the Sam Cooke staple “Change is Gonna Come.”

In 2001, Gaines released “Always Be” on the Artemis label to both critical and commercial praise. Featuring his emotional interpretation of “In Your Eyes” and his own soaringly beautiful “Always Be,” the album hit #5 on R&R Callout America CHR/Pop List also reaching #45 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart. The New York Post proclaimed “Always Be” as, “a dozen-song mix that completely illustrates the depth he is capable of.”

Gaines’ impressive catalogue grew with 2002’s “Toward The Sun,” produced by Mitchell Froom (Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt, and Crowded House). In 2003 Gaines was featured in AT&T’s 2003 Let’s Talk Campaign and in 2005 was honored with an Emmy nomination for his song “I Want You To Want Me.” Gaines has impressed critics and crowds alike touring with Tori Amos, Stevie Nicks, Tracy Chapman and Sting over the past two years. With only his voice and guitar for accompaniment, Gaines has earned a reputation as a captivating performer captivating audiences where-ever he goes. Doors open at 8 PM and the show begins at 8:30 PM. To reserve tickets or for more information, call .570.325.0249 or visit www.jtams.net.

Order Sons of Italy in America Forms Brodheadsville Lodge

Order Sons of Italy in America has formed a lodge in the Brodheadsville area. The group is the largest organization representing the nation’s Italian-Americans and will hold its next meeting at 2 PM on Sunday, March 4 at the Chestnut Township Community Center located on Route 715 in Brodheadsville. New members are welcome. For more information, call Joe Pini at 570.992.2678 or email joeyzzz@epix.net or visit www.chestnuthillinfo.com/osia.

Learn Voice Over Internet Technology at NCC

Learn to convert analog signals to digital data for transmission over the Internet at Convergence Boot Camp, a course offered by Northampton Community College (NCC). The comprehensive course in Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) includes the skills necessary to sell, install and maintain products from leading manufacturers and suppliers. Through a hands-on approach, explore data and telephony networking and more.

Classes will be held Monday - Thursday, March 12 - 15, 9 AM to 5:30 PM and Friday, March 16, 9 AM to 3 PM in Hatzell Hall, Main Campus.

To register for the course, call 877.543.0998 or visit www.northampton.edu.