Ronald H. Cann Scholarship Awarded to Benjamin Whitmer

BANGOR- Merchants National Bank is pleased to announce the recipient of the annual Ronald H. “Pete” Cann Academic Scholarship award. Benjamin Whitmer will be awarded this year's scholarship. Whitmer, the son of Cathy E. Yost, Assistant Vice President and Commercial Lender at Merchants National Bank, will begin his sophomore year at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, where he was on the Dean's List for the Spring Semester. He is also a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity, and plays Australian football. His major in college is Civil Engineering.

The Board of Directors of Merchants National Bank established the Scholarship in 2003 to honor past President and Director Emeritus, Ronald H. “Pete” Cann. Cann retired that year after fifty years of service with Merchants National Bank. He passed away August 27, 2004. The scholarship is awarded each year to children of the Bank's employees and Directors who are students beginning their second year of college or trade school. The program was initially funded by members of the Board of Directors of MNB, and is also supported by contributions from bank employees.

“It's a pleasure to recognize Benjamin's achievements by awarding him this year's scholarship in honor of Pete Cann,” commented Richard M. Hotchkiss, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Merchants National Bank. “Pete was such a well respected, kind and fair leader, and would be proud to support the education of such a fine student as Benjamin. Pete was one of the best and this award is very special. I'm happy to be part of keeping his memory alive in MNB,” added Hotchkiss.

“I appreciate your generosity and commitment to education,” expressed Whitmer. He added, “I hope to use what I learn in college to someday help the people of the Lehigh Valley and the Slate Belt.”

Annual St. Rocco’s Festival

MARTINS CREEK- The annual St. Rocco’s Festival will be held from Thursday, August 9 to Sunday, August 12 on the grounds of St. Rocco’s Roman Catholic Church in Martins Creek. The old-time Italian festival has become famous for its great food, entertainment, rides, games and devotion to the 14th Century saint who devoted his life to caring for the ill along the Italian-French border. The St. Rocco’s parish was established in the 1930’s and has become a popular attraction in the area. Entertainment will be provided each night from 7 to 10 PM. DJ B&B Light and Sound performs Thursday; The Joe Reichel Band on Friday and Lynn Marie Karaoke on Friday. St. Rocco’s Festival has become famous for its “Porketta” sandwiches and “Crispelli.” Each year thousands from the area, and outside the area, attend the festival. Please call 610.258.9059 for more information.

Friends of Bangor Public Library to Discuss “The Audacity of Hope”

The Friends of the Bangor Public Library’s book discussion group will meet Tuesday, August 14 from 7 to 8 PM. The group will discuss Barack Obama’s book, “The Audacity of Hope.” The Friends of the Bangor Public Library’s Book Discussion Group is open to the public. Any interested in joining the club may stop by the Bangor Public Library and place their name on the signup sheet. For more information on the club, call Sherry Darr at 610.588.7316.

Cruise Night at Washington Twp. Fire Hall

The Washington Township Fire Company is sponsoring a car show and cruise from 4:30 to 9 PM on Friday, August 10. The car show will be held at The Washington, located at 920 Washington Boulevard/Route 191 in Washington Township. There will be hot dogs, hamburgers, Jacktown ice cream, a DJ, door prizes and 50/50 drawings.

Renovated Washington Elementary School Holding Open House

Following months of renovations and a new addition, Washington Elementary School is holding a community open house event on Thursday, August 16. The surrounding community is invited to visit between the hours of 4 and 8 PM.

Grucela Legislation Requiring Developers to Chip In for Local Schools Being Considered

The House Local Government Committee met at the Upper Mt. Bethel Township Municipal Building on August 2 to consider legislation introduced by state Rep. Rich Grucela that would address rapidly expanding residential developments and their impact on school districts’ funds for educational programs.

The legislation (H.B. 72) would allow school districts to impose education impact fees on new residential development. The fees would enable a school district to develop programs and facilities necessary to accommodate increased student enrollment due to new development in the district.

“All across the state, and notably in Northampton County, new housing developments are being built too quickly for school districts to keep up with,” Grucela said. “With new housing units come new school-aged children, and that means our school districts have to constantly find ways to accommodate more students while still providing a quality education. But right now there are many districts that may have to offer sub-par education in overcrowded conditions.

"A lot of school districts are looking for additional sources of revenue to meet growth demands for school buildings. Meanwhile, housing developers rake in huge profits. It’s time for the developers to share the burden they help create when they set up shop, build a new community and skip town with the profits while leaving school districts to cope with the costs.”

At the hearing, Washington Township resident Sherry Darr and Upper Mt. Bethel Township residents Robert Gerwig and Tom Lilli cited concerns about the proposed Marshfield Village, a residential development near Route 611 that could potentially add thousands of residents to the township.

Bangor Area School District Superintendent John Reinhart also expressed opposition to the project, saying that Marshfield Village, which would be constructed on land meant for industry, would result in crowded schools, higher taxes and less job growth for the area.

“This is a perfect example of where my legislation would benefit the community,” Grucela added. “Marshfield Village has the potential to add almost 2,000 new students to the Bangor Area School District, and the developers can leave the school district footing the bill for their education. Ultimately, that’s going to be passed on to the taxpayers in the form of higher property taxes.”

Also testifying at the committee meeting were Committee Chairman Robert L. Freeman, D-Northampton; John Reinhart, superintendent, Bangor Area School District; Dr. Tim Kelsey, professor, Penn State University Department of Agriculture; John Rice, township solicitor; Christopher Baj, school board member, East Stroudsburg Area School District and member of the Pennsylvania School Boards’ Association; Mark Mitman, Pennsylvania Builders Association.

Slate Belt Little League Fall Registration

Slate Belt Little League is holding registration for its fall league from 10 AM to 12 PM on Saturday, August 11 at the Slate Belt Little League Complex. Boys and girls who will be ages 9, 10, 11 and 12 by April 30, 2008 are eligible. The cost of the registration is $30. Each child must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and have a copy of his or her birth certificate. The Slate Belt Little League Complex is located on Route 512 in Upper Mt. Bethel Township.

2nd Annual Car Show on Broadway in Bangor

The Bangor Business Association is sponsoring a car show and cruise from 1-6 PM on Saturday, August 11. The show will take place on Broadway in Bangor which will be closed down. Vehicles of all makes, models, or years are invited to participate. To pre-register, call 610.588.5853. All vehicles must be registered no later than 3 PM on the day of the show. There will also be food, music, raffles, plaques and trophies. In the event of rain, the show will be rescheduled for Saturday, August 18.

Slate Belt Band Holding Free Concert and Picnic at East Bangor Park

The Slate Belt Band is hosting a free concert and picnic at East Bangor Park on Sunday, August 12. The concert begins at 4 PM and the picnic to follow. The concert and picnic are open to the community. Bring your lawn chair and a covered dish to share.

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, August 12 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.

Stasis Performing at Musikfest on August 8

Local band Stasis is scheduled to perform at Musikfest 2007 on Wednesday, August 8. The performance will run from 7:30 to 9:00 PM at Plaza Tropical.

Slate Belt Heritage Center Holding Monthly Historic Presentation

The Slate Belt Heritage Center will hold its monthly historic presentation on Thursday, August 9 at 7 PM. The speaker for the evening will be Peter Grobeleski who will lecture on the history of Sandts Pharmacy in the Pen Argyl. 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 Janet Miller at 610.588.3434 or visit www.slatebeltheritage.org.

Bangor-Roseto Presbyterian Parish Holding Peach Festival

The Presbyterian Parish Bangor-Roseto will hold its annual peach festival at 5 PM on Friday, August 17 on church grounds. Hot dogs, BBQ, salads, beverages and Jacktown ice cream also be available. Live music, a cake walk and games are all part of the festival. The church is located at 332 Kennedy Drive in Bangor (behind the Med-9 building). The festival will be held rain or shine.

Pen Argyl Area High School 2007 Yearbook Distribution

2007 Pen Argyl Area High School yearbooks will be distributed from 11 AM to 1 PM on Saturday, August 11 in the main pavilion at Weona Park.

Blue Valley Garden Club Holding Meeting

The Blue Valley Garden Club will hold its monthly meeting at 7 PM on Monday, July 9. The guest speaker will be Kathy Uhler of Pocono Wildlife whose lecture is titled, “Conflict With Wildlife and Horticulture.” The club will also arrange a garden basket to be auctioned at the Blue Valley Farm Show. The meetings are held the second Monday of each month at the Blue Valley Farm Show Building located on American Bangor Road in Bangor. For more information, contact Doris at 610.588.6271.

Dental Van Returning to the Slate Belt

Families First has announced that St. Luke’s Hospital and Bethlehem Partnership’s free mobile dental office will visit the Slate Belt in August. The dental van will be stationed at Plainfield Elementary School from Monday, August 6 to Friday, August 10. Slate Belt children ages 3-18 are invited to take advantage of dental exams, cleanings, fluoride treatments, x-rays, cavity filling and baby tooth extraction. All participants must have pre-registered by Wednesday, August 1. For more information, contact Bonnie Richardson at 610.863.2263 or richardsonb@epix.net.

Elyssa Cohen’s Artwork on Display at the Slate Belt Museum

A two-week exhibition of artwork by Elyssa Cohen, artist and photographer from Mount Bethel, will be on Saturdays, August 4 and 11 and Sundays, August 5 and 12 at the Slate Belt Museum. The museum is located at 2214 North Delaware Drive in Mount Bethel, on Route 611 just north of the Route 512 intersection and 2 miles south of the Portland-Columbia bridge to Interstate 80 in New Jersey. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged.

Philadelphia Force Hosting Relay For Life

The Philadelphia Force professional softball team will be hosting Relay For Life Day at the Force on Sunday August 19. Pre-game activities begin at 12:30 PM and the game begins at 1:05 PM. The Force play their home games at Bicentennial Park in Allentown.

A portion of the ticket sales will benefit the American Cancer Society Relay For Life. There will be raffle drawings from local businesses and for Relay For Life gear. All proceeds from the raffle will benefit the Relay For Life.

As part of the opening ceremony a cancer survivor will be given the chance to toss out the first ball. Cancer survivors should contact Rosemarie at the 610.921.2329, ext 3109 for more information. The Relay For Life will also have an information table set up to answer questions you may have about the Relay For Life and also information about the local services and the American Cancer Society.

The Relay For Life is the signature event of the American Cancer Society, a community gathering where everyone can participate in the fight against cancer. No matter who you are, there’s a place for you at Relay.

For more information regarding the Relay For Life Day at the Force, contact Rosemarie at 610.92.2329, x3109 or rmurphy@cancer.org.

Stroudsburg Aglow Meeting on August 11

Stroudsburg Aglow will meet at 9 AM on Saturday, August 11 at St. Peter’s United Methodist Church in Saylorsburg. A $2 donation will graciously be accepted. Following refreshments, Fellowship will begin at 9:30 AM with speaker Ruth Eckert. Ruth and her husband Richard, both licensed ministers at the Worship Center, raised four children in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. She wrote a pamphlet titled “Snuffed Out” following the death of their 25 year-old-son due to drugs.

Lehigh Valley Thunderbirds Classic Car Show

The Lehigh Valley Thunderbirds car club is holding a classic car show at 6 PM on Friday, August 10 at the Northampton County 4-H Center located at 777 Bushkill Center Road in Nazareth. The car show is in conjunction with the Northampton County 4-H Club and is part of the annual 4-H Fair. For more information, call 610.746.1970.

Nazareth High School Class of 1955 Holding Reunion

The Nazareth High School Class of 1955 is reuniting for a clambake at 12 PM on Thursday, August 16 at Bady’s Grove in Wind Gap. There will be food and beverages throughout the day. The bake begins at 5 PM with choices of strip steak, lobster or chicken. Call Charlie Henry at 610.252.8795 or Jane Roberts at 610.759.3847 to make reservations.

Monroe Garden Club Plans September Meeting

The Monroe County Garden Club will meet at 11:45 AM on Wednesday, September 12 at Hughes Eastern Monroe Public Library located on North 9th Street/Route 611 in Stroudsburg. The program will be "Floral Projects Demonstration," presented by Mindy from Spring Leaf Flowers. The design for the month is "Grand Mum's Garden," a design using chrysanthemums in an antique container, in honor of Grandparent's Day. The horticulture display will be Coleus - 3 cut stems, different varieties. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the monthly tournament. Entries must be made before 11:15 AM for judging. Check your Member Yearbook for rules. Anyone interested in gardening is welcome. The Monroe County Garden Club is a member of District II-III Garden Club Federation of PA and National Garden Clubs. For more information, call President Caryl Rosenberger at 201.213.1830 or email monroecountygardenclub@yahoo.com, or visit http:/gardencentral.org/pa/monroecounty.

Pet Health Discussion and Seminar at Waggin' Tails

Waggin’ Tails will host a pet health discussion and seminar at 1 PM on Sunday, August 12 at the Waggin Tails office on Rt. 209 in Brodheadsville. Vyolet, a veterinary technician, animal communicator and healer, will share what she has learned from 25 years experience in the veterinary care community. This is for both new and experienced pet owners. Learn exactly what to expect from your veterinary care provider and questions you should ask about surgery, vaccines, medications, foods and more. Vyolet will also discuss the difference between Western and Eastern medicine for animals and the difference between conventional and holistic veterinary practices as well as training and behavioral problems. The cost is $25 per person. Call Vyolet at 570.619.6016 reserve a spot.

LVAC releases ARTIX Passport 2007-2008

Lehigh Valley Arts Council Offers the ARTix Passport to Arts and Business CommunitiesThe Lehigh Valley Arts Council (LVAC), a nonprofit arts-services umbrella organization serving the Greater Lehigh Valley region, has once again joined forces with the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce to strengthen the relationship between the arts and business communities in the Valley.

In this unique venture, LVAC will provide each paid member of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce with an ARTix Passport to the Arts, a buy-one, get-one-free ticket voucher to 24 participating arts and cultural organizations throughout the Lehigh Valley. The ARTix Passport to the Arts has a retail value of $500.

To further extol the economic benefits of the arts in the Lehigh Valley and promote ARTix, Forte will be making brief presentations on the arts economic impact at various Chamber sub-council meetings and promoting the passport in the Chamber's newsletter.

The ARTix Passports are effective July 1, 2007-June 30, 2008, and will be mailed to Chamber members in July. Members of the Lehigh Valley Arts Council automatically receive ARTix as one of their membership benefits.

"The Arts Council offers ARTix as an invitation to Chamber members to join in getting the message out: The Arts Mean Business!" Forte added. "We encourage all Chamber members to explore the arts and keep our local economy flourishing."

Participating organizations in ARTix include such arts and cultural venues as: Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre, The Crayola FACTORY, PA Shakespeare Festival, PA Sinfonia Orchestra, Lehigh County Historical Society and Godfrey Daniels-to name a few.