Transition Ceremony for Washington Elementary

The Transition Ceremony, which includes the passing of the torch, will be held at 7:30 PM on Thursday, July 7 at Washington Elementary School. The ceremony will include selected students, staff members and officials who have been associated with the school throughout its history. The ceremony, scheduled for dusk, will mark the anticipated August opening of the new addition at Washington, and the temporary closing of the old school, in June, for remodeling. The changes in the old building will signify the end of one era and mark the beginning of a new era of educational use in the community. There is also an open house event and dedication of the new building planned for August 2007.

Grand Central Landfill Fined $56,000 for Litter Violations; Ordered to Implement Preventative Measures

PLAINFIELD TWP.- The Department of Environmental Protection announced today that it has fined Grand Central Landfill $56,000 for off-site litter violations in 2005 and 2006. DEP has also required that the Plainfield Township, Northampton County, facility institute a variety of operational improvements to prevent future violations.

“The landfill was required to modify its permit to reflect a series of new procedures that will control litter problems in the future,” said Northeast Regional Director Michael Bedrin. “Grand Central also paid this civil penalty to settle their past violations.”

DEP approved a modification to Grand Central’s operating permit on April 4 that adds measures to prevent litter from blowing off the property. Those measures include installing a DEP notification system when wind conditions could affect waste acceptance procedures, monitoring weather forecasts, limiting the amount of waste accepted that is prone to cause litter, reducing the size of the landfill’s working face, halting waste unloading procedures if winds exceed 30 mph; and improving the landfill’s existing portable litter fencing.

“Litter control is a requirement for landfills to minimize community impacts and Grand Central is now working more effectively toward that obligation,” said Bedrin.

For more information, visit the department at www.depweb.state.pa.us, DEP keyword: “Waste Management.”

Slate Belt Heritage Center Holding Monthly Historic Presentation

BANGOR- The Slate Belt Heritage Center will hold its monthly historic presentation at 7 PM on Thursday, June 14. The speaker for the evening will be Brian Carroll who will present “A 50-Year Promise: Lt. Harold Dietz & Col. Herbert Frye.” The subject of the presentation is an airplane accident that killed Lt. Dietz, Col. Frye’s 50-year remembrance of his friend by placing a wreath on Deitz’s grave by dropping it from an airplane and the memorialization of Frye’s dedication by the Borough of Bangor. This tradition has taken place each year during Memorial Day services at St. John’s Cemetery in Bangor. The event is free and open to the public. The Slate Belt Heritage Center is located at 30 North First Street in Bangor, and is handicap accessible. For more information, please call Karen Brewer at 610.588.8615 or visit www.slatebeltheritage.org.

Pius X High School Holds Graduation Ceremony

Pius X High School held their 2007 graduation ceremony on Friday, June 1 at St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church. The Class of 2007 Valedictorian was Shelby Pavan and the Salutatorian was Janessa Smith. The complete list of graduates is as follows: Stephen Abruzzese, Rocco Albanese, Nathalie Avalos, Michael Bitler, Christopher Briscoe, Kristy Capote, Kristen Capozzolo, Christina Casciano, Daniel Ciaramella, Devin Coleman, Anthony Comunale , John Comunale, Anthony Cozzubbo, Joseph DeBerardinis, Marissa Freilich, Dana Garcia, Andrew Gist, Robert Goffredo, Anthony Guiffre, Elizabeth Guzzo, Austen Hernandez, Cole Hildabrant, Cheryl Hsieh, Kerri Kauffman, Pavel Konstantin, Benjamin Lebel, Michael Mazza, Corinne Pachter, Shelby Pavan, Patrick Robinson, Roman Sciascia, Amanda Smith, Jenessa Smith, Thomas Spataro, Matthew Texeira, Alexander Barra Thornhill, Karman Tsang, Samantha Vega, Eric Woodruff and Carla Zamora.

Faith Christian School Names Valedictorian and Salutatorians

Faith Christian School has announced that Timothy DeHaas has been named Valedictorian of Faith Christian School’s Class of 2007. Timothy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph DeHaas of Easton, earned a 4.31 grade point average after seven semesters and will be attending the University of Rochester in the fall. Danielle Seaman, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Drew Seaman of Wind Gap, was named Salutatorian. Danielle earned a 4.15 grade point average after seven semesters and will be attending Wheaton College in the fall. Congratulations to Timothy and Danielle for all their hard work and determination during their high school career at Faith Christian School.

Friends of the Bangor Public Library Discussing “The Secret History”

The Friends of the Bangor Public Library’s book discussion group will meet Tuesday, June 12 from 7 to 8 PM at the Bangor Public Library. The group will discuss Donna Tartt’s “The Secret History.” The book discussion group is open to the public and welcomes new members. Anyone interested in joining the club may stop by the Bangor Public Library and place their name on the signup sheet. For more information, call Sherry Darr at 610.588.7316.

Community Fair & Car Show at Prince of Peace Church

Prince of Peace Church is hosting a community fair car show from 11 AM to 3 PM on Sunday, June 10. The event will be held on church grounds on Lake Minsi Drive in Johnsonville. Admission cost $2 and kids under age 8 will be admitted free. Vehicles can be entered for $5 and trophies will be sponsored by the Hi-Winders Car Club. Canned goods will be accepted to support the local food pantry. Proceeds benefit United Youth Services, the Prince of Peace Youth Group and local organizations. Supplemental funds provided by THRIVENT.

Portland Area Business Association Holding Sidewalk & Yard Sale Days

The Portland Area Business Association is hosting Sidewalk and Yard Sale Days in Portland’s antique district beginning on Saturday, June 9 and be held the second Saturday of each month through October. Spaces can be rented for $10 and participants must bring their own table. For more information, call Shepherds General Store and Pharmacy at 570.897.7437 or Knott Necessarily Antiques at 570.897.7140.

5th Annual Swing at the Stand

The 5th Annual Swing at the Stand will be held at the Weona Park Stand at 5 PM on Saturday, June 23. Members from the Bangor, Pen Argyl, and Pius X classes from the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s are encouraged to attend. Oldies music will play throughout the night. The price of admission is a covered dish or finger food to share and your own beverage. Enjoy the music of your youth and get reacquainted with old friends and meet some new ones. Come swing at The Stand.

Bangor Farmers Market Opening June 9

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.

Strawberry Festival at East Bangor Park

East Bangor United Methodist Community Church is sponsoring a strawberry festival at Blaine Reimel Memorial Park at 4 PM on Friday, June 8. The festival will have strawberry shortcake, hot dogs, BBQ, sausage, ice cream and assorted salads. The Slate Belt Band will perform during the festival. Blaine Reimel Memorial Park is located on Park Road in East Bangor.

Bangor Elks Lodge All-You-Can-Eat Breakfast

The Bangor Elks Lodge #1106 will be holding its monthly all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet on Sunday, June 6 from 8 AM to 1 PM. The cost is $6.50 for adults and $3 for children ages 6-12. Children under age 6 eat free. The Bangor Elks is located at 120 Broadway in Bangor.

Bangor Area High School Board June Meeting Dates

The Bangor Area School Board will hold their monthly meetings for June on Monday, June 18 (Work Session) and Monday, June 25 (Business Meeting). All meetings begin at 7:30 PM and will be held in the Slater Conference Room of the Bangor Area School District Administration Building, located at 123 Five Points Richmond Road in Bangor.

Blue Valley Garden Club Holding Meeting

The Blue Valley Garden Club will hold its monthly meeting at 7 PM on Monday, June 11. The meetings are held the second Monday of each month. For more information, contact President Carol Akam at 610.599.6216.

Grace UMC Hosting Slate Belt Overcomers in Christ

Grace United Methodist Church is offering a Christ-centered recovery program for people struggling with co-dependency, addictions and other issues. The program is held at the church each Wednesday at 7 PM. Grace United Methodist Church is located at 404 East Mountain Avenue in Pen Argyl. For more information, call 610.863.4811 or email graceumc@epix.net.

Slate Belt & Nazareth Chambers Sponsoring Golf Classic

The Slate Belt Chamber of Commerce and the Nazareth Area Chamber of Commerce will hold the Seventh annual Scholarship Golf Classic at Woodstone Country Club on Monday, June 11. The tournament raises money for their annual scholarship fund. This past year the Slate Belt Chamber of Commerce awarded scholarships to students in five Slate Belt school districts. Event tee sponsors are needed along with prizes and golfers. All sponsors will be recognized during the event either on the Wall Hall of Fame Board or on a tee sign. For more information, contact the Slate Belt Chamber of Commerce at 610.863.0315.

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.

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, June 13. 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.

Plainfield Fire Company Bloodmobile Site

Plainfield Volunteer Fire Company is a weekly bloodmobile site. Blood drive hours are every Thursday from 3 PM to 7:30 PM and every other Tuesday from 3 PM to 7:30 PM. The Plainfield Fire Company is located at 6480 Sullivan Trail. To learn more about volunteer opportunities at this site and nearby areas, visit www.GiveAPint.org or call 800-223-6667.

Dally Warns Against Lyme Disease

With summer to officially begin June 21, Rep. Craig Dally (R-Northampton) reminds residents of the dangers of Lyme disease.

As with many illnesses, the first line of defense against Lyme disease is prevention. The best ways to prevent tick-borne illnesses is to avoid tick-infested habitats, use personal protective measures such as repellents and protective clothing, and frequently check for and remove attached ticks when in an infested habitat.

Second, early diagnosis is an additional measure to ensure safety. In fact, most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with antibiotics, especially if treatment is begun early in the course of the illness. However, left untreated or inadequately treated, the infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system, resulting in increasingly serious complications requiring intensive therapy.

Lyme disease can infect several different parts of the body making diagnosis difficult because symptoms vary from person to person. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic circular skin rash called Eythema Migrans (EM).

EMs are usually the first sign of infection, occurring at the site of the tick bite. The rash, which occurs in approximately 70 percent to 80 percent of infected persons, is typically evident after a delay of three to 30 days. Moreover, one of the distinctive characteristics of EMs is that they gradually expand over the course of several days, reaching nearly 12 inches in diameter.

Residents are encouraged to visit Dally’s Web site and click on “Lyme Disease” for more information.

Northampton Community College Announces PTK Officers

Northampton Community College is pleased to announce the officers for the Tau Gamma chapter of Phi Theta Kappa honor society for the ’07-’08 academic year.

President: Ivy “Lynn” Fox, Easton
Vice President, Scholarship: Ryan W. Vanderhoff, Bangor
Vice President, Leadership: Robert Kinitz, Bethlehem
Vice President, Service: Kristen Merwarth, Bethlehem
Vice President, Fellowship: Ellen Stocker, Easton
Recording Officer/Secretary: Lauren Nation, Bethlehem
Treasurer: Jennifer L. Lomerson, Mt. Bethel
Public Relations Officer: Raymond Herron, Easton

To qualify for membership in this international honor society, students must be enrolled in an associate’s degree program, have at least a 3.5 grade point average, and participate in community service activities. In the past, NCC’s Tau Gamma chapter has sponsored a used book drive, and a Halloween candy and book drive for Easton Hospital’s children’s unit. The chapter also collected food and served a meal at Trinity Ark soup kitchen, and collected garbage and beautified grounds around NCC’s Fowler Family Southside Center.

American Legion Hosting Waggin’ Tails Adoption Day

Waggin’ Tails Pet Rescue, a no-kill all-volunteer animal rescue organization, will hold an adoption day on Saturday, June 17 from 10 AM to 2 PM at the American Legion in Gilbert. Many wonderful dogs will be available to meet with potential adopters. Anyone interested in adopting a dog must fill out a pre-adoption application with veterinary and personal references and have a home inspection prior to adoption. The American Legion is located on Route 209 in Gilbert. For more information, call 570.992.4185 or visit www.waggintailsrescue.com.