Slate Belt Memorial Day Services

SLATE BELT- The Slate Belt will play host to several Memorial Day services on Monday, May 28. Services will be held in Bangor, East Bangor, West Bangor and Portland.

The Slate Belt Veterans Association will hold services at St. John’s Cemetery in Bangor at 10 AM followed by a march to downtown Bangor, a service at the Robert M. Jones Monument and a veterans luncheon at the Bangor Elks. The parade will be dedicated to the Office of Homeland Security and the Vietnam Veterans of America. The Bangor High School Band and the Slate Belt Band will lead the parade and military personnel will escort the horse for the Unknown Fallen Soldiers. A trolley will be available for people to ride to and from the cemetery.

Memorial Day services will be held at 1 PM at the East Bangor Cemetery. The speakers will be Bob Davis, who was in the Marine Corps from 1949-1953, serving in the Korean War; and, Tim Vreeland, who served in the military from 1984-1989, serving in Germany and on the home front in Kansas. Scott Slimier will recite The Gettysburg Address and Courtney Biggs will recite In Flanders Fields. Desiree DeNicola will serve as Master of Ceremonies and there will be a roll call of veterans who died in the past year and are now buried in the cemetery. Musical selections will be offered by the Ellis Williams Quartet. The Slate Belt Band will perform and the East Bangor Fire Company will be in attendance. A gun salute will be fired by the Roseto American Legion. In the event of rain, the service will be held at the East Bangor United Methodist Community Church located at 136 West Central Avenue in East Bangor.

The West Bangor Memorial Association will hold services at 11 AM at Memorial Site on Second Street in West Bangor. The Charles Nelson Lobb Post 502 American Legion of Pen Argyl will participate in the program led by Commander Michael A. Scarsella, the Post Chaplain, the firing squad and the playing of Taps by Walter Cole and Jack Price. The principal speaker will be Martin K. Till, CEO, President and Publisher of the Easton Publishing Company. He served in the U. S. Army with the Special Forces and was a Green Beret. Jeff Stofflet will serve as Master of Ceremonies and Andrew Biondo II will present a tribute to the U.S. military and veterans. Members of the Hope Gospel Quartet, Russell Roper, Bill Craig, Julee Craig and Jackie Kerekes will render musical selections. Joseph Palma, a student at Pius X High School, and Taylor Moyer, a student at Wind Gap Middle School, will give recitations of the Gettysburg Address and In Flanders Fields. In case of rain, services will be held at St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church Social Hall located on Verona Avenue in West Bangor.

The Mt. Bethel-Portland Memorial Post 216 American Legion will hold services at 11 AM at the Riverview Cemetery located on Delaware Avenue in Portland. The parade will form at the Portland Fire Company Social Hall on State Street at 10:15 A.M. This service will honor the men and women who serve our country in times of war and peace.

Joseph Coccia Presented 2007 Knight of the Year Award

BANGOR- The Knights of Columbus of the Slate Belt Area held their 53rd annual Dinner Dance on Saturday, May 12. Joe Coccia of Bangor was presented with the 2007 Father DeNisco Council #3862 Knight of the Year Award. Coccia joined the Council in 1992 and has held several offices at the Council and Home Association levels. He is currently the building manager in charge of rentals, cleanings and repairs. He is a member of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, a member of the Advisory Board of Directors of Our Lady of Mount Carmel School and Pius X High School, the chairman of the annual Roseto Big Time and is a 4th Degree Sir Knight with the Pope Pius XII Assembly in Easton. He has been married to the former JoAnn Hendershot for 34 years, and is the proud father of Michael, Marissa and Stephanie. State Representative Richard Grucela presented a citation from the State House of Representatives. Also attending as guests of the Council were Mr. and Mrs. Frank Gualano (District Deputy) and the reverends Fr. Thomas W. Prior (Council Chaplain), Fr. James Prior, Fr. Larry J. Hess, Fr. Vincent P. York and Fr. Patrick H. Lamb.

12th Annual Lookout Fire Co. Spring Festival at Weona Park

PEN ARGYL- The 12th annual Lookout Fire Company No. 1 Spring Festival will be held at Weona Park from Thursday, May 24 through Sunday, May 27. The hours are 6 to 10 PM on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 4 to 10 PM on Sunday. There will be free entertainment each night. Thursday night features Len & Jen & The Sidekicks from 6:30 to 9:30 PM. Performing Friday from 7 to 10 PM will be the Country Rhythm Band. Entertainment on Saturday includes the Slate Belt Municipal Band from 6 to 7:30 PM followed by the Lehigh Valley Italian American Band from 8 to 10 PM. No Where’s End performs from 4 to 5:30 PM followed by The Otherside from 7 to 10 PM. Two ride specials will be available Thursday and Sunday for $15. All proceeds benefit Lookout Fire Company’s building fund. For more information, call 610.863.4121 or visit www.lookoutfireco.com.

Grucela Holding Annual Senior Fair in Mt. Bethel

State Rep. Richard Grucela, D-Northampton, will host his eighth annual Senior Fair in Mt. Bethel from 10 AM to 2 PM on Wednesday, May 30 at the Mt. Bethel Fire Company’s social hall. Approximately 70 vendors are scheduled to participate in the event, which will offer free health screenings and will seek to answer seniors’ health-care questions. There will also be free refreshments and door prizes for those who attend. Several informational seminars will be held throughout the day. There is no charge to attend the event. Mt. Bethel Fire Company is located at 2341 North Delaware Drive in Mt. Bethel. For more information, contact Grucela’s Nazareth constituent service office at 570.897.0401.

Bangor Lions Club Awards Scholarships to Local Students

The Bangor Lions Club held their annual scholarship awards program on May 17 at Bangor Bowling Lanes. The scholarship program is one of many community projects the Bangor Lions Club supports on a regular basis. The following students were presented with a $500 scholarship: Marc Bisher and Briana Benner of Bangor High School, Shelly Pavan of Pius X High School, and Timothy Dehaas of Faith Christian High School.

Columbia Fire Company Holding Memorial Day Breakfast

Columbia Fire Company No. 1 is hosting breakfast from 7 AM to 12 PM on Monday, May 28 for Memorial Day at the firehouse. The menu includes a variety of breakfast foods and beverages.

Pius X High School Announces New Varsity Basketball Coach

Pius X High School recently hired George Hicks as the head coach of their varsity boy’s basketball program. Hicks is a 1972 Pius X graduate and was a 1,000 point scorer.

Roseto UNICO Awards Scholarships

The Roseto Chapter of UNICO awarded scholarships on April 18 to four graduation seniors of Slate Belt high schools. Scholarships were awarded to the following Anthony Comunale of Pius X High School, Brad Rissmiller of Pen Argyl High School, Katlyn Ertle of Faith Christian High School and Marc Bisher of Bangor High School.

Bangor Farmers Market Opening in June

The Bangor Main Street Program and Bangor Borough have announced that there will be a farmers market on the corner of First and Market Streets in Bangor. The Bangor Farmers Market will be open every other Saturday throughout the summer from 9 AM to 2 PM beginning Saturday, June 9. Anyone interested in selling fresh produce, fruits, vegetables and crafts should contact Barbara at 610.588.5174.

Flea Market & Bake Sale at the Bangor High Rise

The Bangor High Rise Association will hold their annual flea market and bake sale from 9 AM to 1 PM on Saturday, June 9 on the High Rise Patio located at 101 Murray Street in Bangor.

Bangor Varsity B Club Sponsoring Golf Outing

The Bangor Area High School Varsity B Club is sponsoring a 4-Person Scramble golf match on Sunday, June 10 at Water Gap Country Club. Registration begins 1:30 PM and shotgun start at 2:30 PM. The cost is $80 per person and includes dinner and prizes. All proceeds benefit the school’s athletic programs. For more information, contact Steve Panczer at 610.599.7011, extension 1167 or panczers@bangorsd.org.

Slate Belt Tennis League Seeking New Members

The Slate Belt Area Tennis League is seeking new members. The league has two levels of play in women’s singles and women’s doubles. To register, call Lori Poliskiewicz at 610.588.782. All new members must register by the end of May. The 2007 season will begin in June.

Slate Belt Heritage Center Sponsoring Trip to Hyde Park

The Slate Belt Heritage Center is sponsoring a trip to the Hyde Park area of New York on Friday, June 1. The attractions include the Culinary Institute of America, St. Andrew’s Restaurant, the home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the FDR Presidential Library and Museum and Baldwin Vineyards. Anyone interested in the trip can contact Lou Bray at 610.588.3745.

St. John’s United Church of Christ Annual Strawberry Festival

St. John’s United Church of Christ in Bangor is holding its annual strawberry festival on Friday, June 15. The festival will be held from 4:30 to 8:30 PM. The church is located at 301 Market Street in Bangor.

UMBT Sponsoring Bus Trip to Bronx Zoo

Upper Mt. Bethel Township is sponsoring a bus trip to the Bronx Zoo on Saturday, September 15. The cost is $15 per person and reservations must be made by August 15.

Hopesprings Community of Faith Meeting at East Bangor Fire Hall

Hopesprings Community of Faith is currently meeting on the fourth Sunday of each month at East Bangor Fire Hall. The group meets for coffee at 10 AM with a worship gathering at 10:30 AM with nursery care and a kids program. For more information, call Pastor Walter Wilson at 610.599.0202 or visit www.hopespringscommunity.com.

The HUB Hosting Kids Night Out

The HUB in Bangor holds Kids Night Out on the fourth Wednesday of the month from 6:30 to 8 PM for kids in kindergarten to 6th grade. Kids attending will participate in Bible-based lessons, games, crafts, video games, DDR, basketball, movie nights, pizza parties and more. For more information, call Cheryl at 610.588.5390 or Monica at 484.695.3881.

Bangor Lions Club Holding Annual Auction

The Bangor Lions Club will hold their annual auction at 7 PM on Friday, June 1 at Hartzell’s Auction Gallery. The auction helps needy people residing in the Slate Belt area. The auction is open to the public. Hartzell’s Auction Gallery is located at 521 Richmond Road in Bangor.

NCC To Hold Seminar for Local Businesses

The Business Training Resources Department of Northampton Community College (NCC) will hold a free seminar on the WEDnetPa (Workforce and Economic Development Network of PA) Guaranteed Free Training Program for 2007/08 on Wednesday, June 6 from 8 to 10 AM at the College’s Fowler Family Southside Center, located at 511 East Third Street in Bethlehem Township. WEDnetPA offers programs to update and improve the skills of employers to meet specific company needs. Registration is due by Monday, June 4. Contact Darlene Tice at dtice@northampton.edu or 610.861.4594.

Nazareth Girls Baseball Spring Shootout

The Nazareth Girls Baseball Spring Shootout will be held Friday, June 8 through Sunday, June 10. The tournament is for middle school through varsity players. Lady Eagles baseball camp will run Monday, June 18 through Thursday, June 21 for girls in grades 3 to 9. For more information, contact Coach Rich Bickert at 610.759.4850 or bicfb22@rcn.com.

Lehigh Valley Arts Council Presenting e-Marketing Seminars

Lehigh Valley Arts Council presents a day of e-marketing seminars with Eugene Carr, President of Patron Technology, on Thursday, June 7 from 8 AM to 12 PM at the Lehigh County Government Center Public Hearing Room, located at 17 South Seventh Street in Allentown.

Dedicated to educating the arts community about e-marketing, Patron Technology offers e-marketing seminars around the country. Clients include the Denver Art Museum, the Public Theatre, Victoria & Albert Museum (UK) and the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. Patron Technology serves over 800 clients in the US and internationally with a suite of e-commerce software tools, e-mail marketing, website development, and customized software solutions uniquely crafted to meet the marketing needs of arts and cultural organizations.

Says Carr, "In e-marketing, it gets really complicated to ensure your content gets seen in a consistent and professional manner unless you're using the right tools."

The June 7 seminars are open to arts marketing professionals, artists, publicists, creative business owners and anyone interested in learning more about e-marketing. Continental breakfast and networking begin at 8 AM.

"We are very pleased to host this very relevant program," said LVAC executive director Randall Forte. "The arts council's recent membership survey revealed a strong interest in learning about new marketing techniques," Forte added, "and Carr's presentation applies to any service business."

The first session is scheduled for 9 to10:15 AM, with a focus on "Arts E-mail Marketing: The Essentials" and is geared for beginners. During this session, attendees will understand how and why the internet and e-mail influence arts attendance, and learn tips on how to build e-mail list and design effective campaigns.

A second session, from 10:30 to 11:45 AM, on "E-Marketing: Proven Techniques, Top Tips, and Latest Trends" is intended for a more advanced audience. Participants will go through the steps of creating an e-mail marketing strategy, and learn about streaming video and what it takes to utilize in a simple and cost-effective way.

The cost for the seminars are $20/one session, $35/two sessions for LVAC members, and $30/one session, $50/two sessions for nonmembers.

Pre-register online at www.lvartsboxoffice.org

The Lehigh Valley Arts Council (LVAC) is a nonprofit, membership-supported organization that serves as a regional advocate and ambassador for the Lehigh Valley arts community. Its mission is to promote the arts; to encourage and support artists and their development; to assist arts organizations; and to facilitate communication and cooperation among artists, arts groups and the community. Through collaborative partnerships, it continues to support the local arts community through education, research, professional development seminars and cooperative marketing initiatives.

DEP Seeking New Members for Environmental Justice Advisory Board

Qualified people from northeastern Pennsylvania who want to make sure that the state’s environmental decisions are made without the influence of race, color, national origin or income are invited to become a candidate for the Environmental Justice Advisory Board under the Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Environmental Advocate.

“We are seeking applicants who want to work with us in developing programs, policies and procedures that equally benefit and protect all of our communities,” DEP Secretary Kathleen McGinty said. “Such participation is crucial to ensuring that all voices are heard when making decisions that affect Pennsylvania's health and the environment."

Members of the advisory board conduct fact-finding probes, develop protocols and make recommendations to DEP with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies.

Potential candidates should be from one of the following counties: Carbon, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Northampton, Pike, Schuylkill, Susquehanna, Wayne or Wyoming. In addition, they should have an interest in environmental justice issues and a background in one of the following: environmental justice, industry, an environmental field, and community financing or community activism.

Interested candidates should be able to attend the board’s quarterly meetings in Harrisburg. All members of the advisory board are volunteers and do not receive compensation from DEP, although the department will reimburse allowable travel expenses when attending meetings. Interested candidates should send their resumes to Ayanna King, director of the Office of Environmental Advocate, via e-mail to ayking@state.pa.us; or by fax to 717-772-5996.

For more information about the Office of Environmental Advocate visit www.dep.state.pa.us, DEP Keyword: “Environmental Justice.”

**DEP Press Release

Latino Leadership Alliance of the Lehigh Valley Nuestro Futuro Breakfast

The Latino Leadership Alliance of the Lehigh Valley will be hosting its Nuestro Futuro Breakfast at 7:30 AM on Friday, June 8 at the Four Points by Sheraton, located on Airport Road in Allentown. The organization will award $500 scholarships to Latino students in Northampton and Lehigh counties. The student speaker will be Hilda Rivera, a former scholarship recipient.

The cost of the breakfast is $20. To register, contact Robin McKinley at 610.841.5863 or robinm@lehighvalleychamber.org. The registration deadline is June 4.

The mission of the Latino Leadership Alliance of the Lehigh Valley is to strengthen the Latino community through leadership development, education, health and cultural events. The breakfast highlights those students in the Latino community who are pursuing higher education and are potentially tomorrow’s leaders.