Grace Crampsie Smith Says Goodbye to Bethlehem City Council

When Grace Crampsie Smith decided to run in the Bethlehem Mayoral primary against Willie Reynolds, she chose against simultaneously running for her City Council seat. That alone sets her apart from the usual politico. It is very common to see State Reps. run for re-election to that seat while trying to get elected to the state senate or a state row office. It is also common to see local politicians run for two-year and four-year terms simultaneously. Cramsie Smith had a little more respect for the people who put her in office. On her way out the door in her final meeting as a Bethlehem City Council member, she delivered a statement on the importance of separate but equal branches of government.  

As my term comes to an end, I just want to give my thoughts, as well as my wishes, for my city's council and administration moving forward.And again, you know, I want to give some quotes just on what I think is really important about government at every level, the local and state and federal level.

And, you know, again, not everything is relevant to everyone on council and administration, but some things that I say are, first of all, healthy disdain of one man rule was the basis of our Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of our great country. And the essence of good government is to be an independent thinker and voice, and the work to ensure all levels of government are recognized, powerful and strive for high quality of life for all of our residents.

If one level of government suffocates another level, the cause of the people and our Constitution suffers.

It's unfortunate that while there has been certainly good times and recent months and years, I felt the need to defend myself against attacks on my professional experience and my personal character by certain council members as well as certain administrative individuals, just because I really was trying to do what I thought was best for the community. And that's unfortunate, and I really feel that's not the way government should work.

My hope is that moving forward, all of city council will be objective in thought and action, tolerant of the beliefs opposite of their own and recognize and exercise their power as an equal, separate, and significant level of government within our city.

My hope is that destructive mannerisms, both non verbal and otherwise, toward others; desist, desist, and decorum is maintained, maintained, fitting of elected officials.

Many people have commented to me about their perceived lack of decorum and negative mannerisms among certain council members and administrations while attending meetings.

And this has been truly disheartening to me and a disservice to our community and those we serve. I think it's important that we all remember, it is an honor and a privilege to serve our community at both the administrative and legislative level. It is neither a crown nor a sword.

Being on the right side of history matters more than being uncomfortable. That's what it's all about.

Thank you very much.

Zrinski To Announce Her Cabinet on Friday

Northampton County Executive Tara Zrinski plans to announce her cabinet on Friday at 10 am from the Northampton County Courthouse rotunda.

ICE Out of Control

ProPublica, a Pulitzer-prize winning online investigative journalism news site, has published a report documenting 40 separate instances during which ICE agents using chokeholds, carotid restraints, kneeling on necks, outright choking and strangleholds. It's the type of excessive force that would get any local police officer fired. There have been no repercussions to ICE officers even though chokeholds and carotid restraints are banned by the Department of Homeland Security.

This report comes in the wake of the homicide of Renee Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross. Right after putting three bullets into her face, either Ross or another ICE agent called her a "Fucking bitch." Rather than investigating Ross for the possible excessive use of force, the DOJ is instead focusing on his victim's ties to groups opposing ICE 's aggressive enforcement tactics. This in turn has led to the resignation of four federal prosecutors.  

As tragic as this homicide is, ProPublica starts its report by stating, "Immigration agents have put civilians’ lives at risk using more than their guns." It reviewed video footage with 8n former law enforcement officers who conclude "this is what bad policing looks like."

One person put in a chokehold was a 16 yo American citizen whose undocumented father was driving him to school. 

A husband with an undocumented wife and a 1 yo child was told by ICE agents to give her up or he would be arrested and his child sent to foster care. He chose his family and was subjected to a carotid hold. This blocks 70% of blood flow to the brain and can be fatal. He went into convulsions and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. ICE later claimed he was faking it. He was denied medical assistance. 

Since the beginning of 2025, there have been 24 shootings by immigration agents. Six people have died. ICE agents have shot at moving civilian vehicles 13 times, a practice banned by most police departments because it is simply too easy to hit an innocent civilian. 

Without question, a majority of the American public thought that immigration was out of control under former President Joe Biden. That's why Trump was elected. But now it is ICE that is out of control. 

Pa. Senator Amanda Cappelletti has proposed legislation that would ban ICE arrests within 1000' of any state-owned or leased property without a judicial warrant. In my view, this does not go far eneough. ICE agents should also be banned from carrying out any activities within 1000' of any school. Moreover, it is time to reinstate the common law principle that prevents authorities from arresting a party or witnesses attending court. If a person knows he might be detained, he'll be less likely to appear. This is in derogation of the Pa Constitutional provision that "[a]ll courts shall be open; and every man for an injury done him in his lands, goods, person or reputation shall have remedy by due course of law, and right and justice administered without sale, denial or delay."

Right-Wing British News Site Slams Pa Governor Shapiro

If you want proof that Pa Governor Josh Shapiro is eyeing a run at the Presidency, look at who's attacking him. A right-leaning British news site called UnHerd, which masquerades as a challenge to think again, is pretty much parroting whatever Trump trashes or extols at any given moment. Along with telling us that fossil fuels are still king and that Trump will get his hands on Greenland, it has now run a story bashing Shapiro. The problem with this story is that it is fairly unpersuasive, with the exception of taxpayer-funded expenses at his private home. 

The story makes light of the dramatic action he took in 2023, when a heavily traveled portion of Interstate 95 collapsed. In 12 days, Shapiro had the highway back in action, much to the relief of Philly commuters. But what about Harrisburg?, complains author Ryan Zickgraf, who actually hails from the Chicago area. You see, his ebike and car were stolen last year.  And a cRaZy lady stole his cat. And porch pirates steal Amazon packages, too. 

Well Ryan, let me clue you in. Shapiro is the Governor of Pennsylvania, not Harrisburg's Mayor or its City Council. Unlike Donald Trump. he recognizes that his powers are limited. 

Zickgraf does make one valid observation. Renovations to his private residence outside of Philly included security upgrades, which even Zickgraf concedes are understandable at a time when nutjobs are intent on killing public officials. But they also include $290,000 for landscaping and groundskeeping. I'd agree that this should be explained, and I'll bet they were made necessary by the security upgrades. But it could be a lot worse. He could be accepting the unconditional donation of a $400l million luxury jet from Qatar. 

I think this attempt to muddy Shapiro only makes him look pretty good. Having said that, he's certainly not my top choice as our next President. 

Gracedale Cited Seven Times Since March 2025

I have previously told you of six separate substantiated complaints brought against NorCo nursing home Gracedale during the time that Michelle Morton was its Administrator. I'm unsure whether she has quit her job as she had indicated. but I can tell you that the home was hit with another citation on November 18, 2025, for failure to have "a minimum of 1 nurse aide per 10 residents during the day, 1 nurse aide per 11 residents during the evening, and 1 nurse aide per 15 residents overnight."

According to the state Department of Health, Gracedale failed to meet these minimum staffing requirements in 7 of 21 days reviewed. 

For its part, Gracedale promised to be in compliance by the beginning of this year and added this legal gobbledygook: "The corrections set forth in this document do not constitute admission or agreement by the provider of the truth or facts alleged or the conclusions set forth in the statement of deficiencies. The Plan of Correction is prepared and executed solely because it is required by provisions of the Federal and State Law."

The current CMS rating for Gracedale is just one star (much below average) because of both health inspections and quality control. Moreover, the home has been red flagged for potential issues related to abuse. 

This could explain why the census is below what the budget has projected.  

We All Make Mistakes - Amy Zannelli Endorsements For MDJ in 2021

Zanelli was charges last week with judicial misconduct in her role as a Magisterial District Judge. You can read the details here.

Lewis Shupe is Seventh Democrat to Announce Candidacy For Pa. 07 Congress

I've known Lewis (Lou) Shupe a long time. He and Robert Trotner are the founders of The Lehigh Valley Coffee Party, which I believe was formed in response to the Lehigh Valley Tea Party. I've always like Lou, who is affable and down-to-earth. I even voted for him (write-in) when he ran for Congress in 2024. But he was never a "qualified" candidate. He failed to obtain the 1,000 signatures needed to run. He also failed to raise or spend $5,000, which is how the FEC determines if someone is qualified. He failed as a Congressional candidate in 2018, too, but never made it on the ballot. Most recently, the Democratic party refused to select him as their candidate in the special election for the Pa. House-22 race. I expect his candidacy this time around, like the last two times, to have absolutely zero impact on this year's primary. 

Lou did send me his announcement on Friday, and I'll post it below.

ALLENTOWN, PA — 1-9-26— Lewis Shupe, a renegade Democrat and longtime local activist, today announced his candidacy for the United States House of Representatives in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District.

“I am running for Congress because our democracy has been steadily weakened by moneyed interests, constitutional erosion, and a political class that no longer answers to voters,” said Shupe. “The people of PA-07 deserve representation that puts democratic power back where it belongs—with the registered voter.”

Shupe is campaigning on a platform centered on systemic reform and civil liberties, including:

• Publicly funded elections to end the dominance of special interests

• Reversing the trends of constitutional infringements and restoring civil liberties

• Single-payer, universal healthcare as a human right

• Restoration of the Fairness Doctrine to promote accountability in broadcast media

• Harnessing the power of registered voters to strengthen democratic participation and oversight

A retired and disabled professional with more than 35 years of experience in information technology, Shupe brings a systems-level perspective to public policy. Over his career, he wore many hats—problem-solver, analyst, and advocate—developing a deep understanding of how large, complex systems succeed or fail.

“Congress is broken not only because Americans are divided by all manner of foreign interference, but because the system has been engineered to ignore them,” Shupe added. “This campaign is about structural reform, restoring trust, and building a government that works for everyone—not just those who can afford to buy access.”

Additional policy positions and campaign information can be found at http://www.shupeforcongress.com.

MDJ Zanelli Accused of Keeping "Book of Grudges," Hostile Work Environment, Numerous Absences

Amy Zanelli is the Magisterial District Judge in West Bethlehem and Fountain Hill. But her days as a jurist may soon be over. The Judicial Conduct Board has finally taken action against her for numerous infractions of the Code of Judicial Conduct.  Before I get into that, I have to tell you that I have been warning you about her since 2015. Her are links to numerous stories about her.

Finnigan Henpecked Over Hanover Fowl Ban (She appeared before Hanover's Board of Supervisors, seeking a change in a ban on backyard chickens. There's nothing unusual about that, but what was totally bizarre to me was that she insisted on flashing her badge as a NorCo Human Services caseworker..)

Why You Need to Vote For Dennis Pearson For LC Comm'r (In this story about her primary campaign for LC Comm're, I tell you that she was once employed in NJ's Child Protective Services, but was fired in 2012 because she refused to return to work after receiving a number of leaves of absence under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Though she refused to work, she dropped in on her office one day to deliver Avon products to co-workers. Zanelli appealed her termination and lost. She told me she was a victim of discrimination.)

LC Comm'r Race: Candidate Chicken Lady Cries Fowl (In an email to me, before blocking me, Zanelli claimed she had been "exonerated" In Jersey. That is pure horse shit).

Judicial Candidate Amy Zanelli Supports Looting, Lies About Being Fired (When running for MDJ, Zanelli actually stated that looting was an appropriate response to slavery. Say what? And she also took me to task for pointing out her termination in Jersey and later, in NorCo.  She called them "false accusations and fake news. With that said, this would not be the first time in history that an intelligent, well-spoken, beautiful woman has intimidated a man who then feels the need to spread rumors and lies in an attempt to tear her down."  The problem with her denial is that her own lawyer actually admitted that she was terminated in Jersey, appealed, and lost her appeal. She was also terminated in NorCo, as per her own lawyer in a custody dispute.)

Zanelli Embellished Her Social Work in Jersey (When running for MDJ, she told a fawning Josh Popichak that her "ability to see things others didn't led me to go into investigative work on a state level for the State of New Jersey. ,,, I specialized in sex crimes and homicides and abuse and neglect for children ... ." She was a caseworker, not Phillip Marlowe. She also claimed she had to move her because she had been targeted by the bad guys).

Amy Zanelli's Nonjudicial Behavior in Custody Trial (While running for MDJ, Zanelli was in the middle of a custody battle. This is how then President Judge Michael J Koury, Jr., characterized her demeanor: "Mother's demeanor varied from happy to openly hostile. ... Mother repeatedly referred to the custody trial as a 'circus.' ... Mother accused opposing counsel of  'play[ing] semantics and stated that her questioning was 'crap.'")

MDJ Candidate Amy Zanelli Kicked Out of Fountain Hill Pool (While running for MDJ, she was ejected from Fountain Hill's Pool for interjecting herself when a manager admonished some unruly teens).

Zanelli Neglected Children in Jersey, But Wants to Be a Judge (Here I append a New Jersey rejection of her appeal from her termination as a caseworker. Incidentally, The Morning Call had this information as well, but refused to publish it. I guess the paper lacked the desire to do its job, which is to cast a glaring spotlight on public officials)

Amy "Karen" Zanelli Detests Three-on-Three Hoops (In August 2019, she summoned police over a group of minors playing three-on-three hoops, with Latin music playing. Police took no action).

Why was Amy Zanelli Fired in Northampton County (She was a probationary caseworker who did not want to work.)

Magisterial District Judge Amy Zanelli Under Investigation By Judicial Conduct Board (This is when I told you, in September '24, that she was under investigation.)

Despite clear evidence that she's a wackadoodle, she was pushed by LC Exec Tom Muller when she ran for County Comm'r. And that board actually made her their Chair. Then, when she ran for MDJ, she was pushed by outfits like LV4ALL (who agree with us) because she checked the right boxes as a gay woman who supports progressive causes. The dying news media either ignored information handed to them (Morning Call) or drooled over her (Saucon Source). 

Her backyard chickens have come home to roost. In the Complaint filed by the Judicial Conduct Board, she is accused of the following: 

(1) Maintaining a "Book of Grudges" about individuals who appeared before her, including a lawyer she referred to as "Just a Dick." 

(2) Maintaining a desk calendar with explicit sexual messages like "Bedroom Pants He'll Have to Slide Through If He Wants That Pussy."

(3) Denying a Defendant his Constitutional right to hear the evidence against him or to cross-examine the victim.

(4) Rude behavior to a county employee: "I am the judge, and you are just the fucking secretary." She also used profanity such as "cuntrageous" in courtroom settings.

(5) Numerous late arrivals and absences, which obviously denies litigants the right to a prompt disposition.

(6) Conducting Zoom hearings without authorization. 

Here's the Complaint.

 

Complaint Against Magisterial District Judge Amy L. Zanelli, 1 JD 2026 by BernieOHare

Videos Contradict Trump Administration Account of ICE Shooting in Minnea...

This is pure evil! A physician was denied the ability to render aid, and the Ice cowboy who shot and killed this woman just left the scene.

Holland Cautions That Gracedale Might Need County Contribution This Year

Dave Holland is a newly elected member of Northampton County Council. We're lucky to have him because he was once a Gracedale Administrator when Premier managed the home and turned it around. He attended a meeting at Gracedale this week and cautioned fellow members of Council last night that a county contribution to the home might be needed this year. 

The home is budgeted to require no county contribution, but that's based on the assumption that census will be 520 or greater. As of yesterday, census was only 500.

Holland went on to explain that Gracedale relies on what he calls "supplemental non-operating revenue" as opposed to the revenue received from the residents. This includes the IGT and has in the past included COVID funding. "Those funds are probably not gonna be as available moving forward. ... it's important for you to know that, and I think it's important for the public to know that that may be coming down the road based on some of the unknowns of that non-operating supplemental income."

Zrinski To Name Cabinet Officials ... Tentatively ... On Tuesday, January 13

In her first report as NorCo Executive, Tara Zrinski told County Council last night that she will be announcing ... tentatively ... her new cabinet on January 13. She wants the suspense to build. Any new cabinet official will need to be confirmed by Council.

At least one of those appointments might be known. Mark Aurand, who served as Zrinski's Deputy Controller, is her interim Administrator. He explained the county's liability policy to members last night. 

Interestingly, Council never even mentioned that they need to appoint a Controller to replace Zrinski.