NorCo Conducts Naturalization Ceremony at Jacobnsburg

From Pa Courts: Northampton County and the Northampton County Bar Association held a Naturalization Ceremony Thursday at Jacobsburg State Park Environmental Education Center, 400 Belfast Road, Nazareth.

 The ceremony was held outdoors, directly across the street from the Environmental Education Center at Jacobsburg State Park.

 

Northampton County President Judge Craig A. Dally presided over the ceremony, during which 29 individuals took the Oath of Allegiance and officially became United States citizens.

 

“Today we celebrated one of the most meaningful responsibilities of the court,” President Judge Craig A. Dally said. “Welcoming new citizens is a powerful reminder of the values that unite us and the opportunities that citizenship provides.”

 

“This ceremony is a hallmark not only for the new citizens, but for our entire community,” said Michael A. Santanasto, president of the Northampton County Bar Association. “We are proud to support and recognize this important milestone.”

 

A reception sponsored by the Northampton County Bar Association was held immediately following the ceremony under the pavilion for all attendees.

Blogger's Note: Naturalization ceremonies are among the most positive experiences I've ever had inside a courtroom. They are happy occasions, usually involving entire families from so many different cultures. There is usually music before the event and refreshments later. 

 

A Prescient Message From Jefferson

Years before the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson penned an essay he called A Summary View of the Rights of British America. He did so while eating fresh cucumbers and lettuce. After finishing, he was on his way to deliver it in Williamsburg, but those cukes got to him and he had to suspend his trip and spend most of the next day or so in the loo. But his essay continued its trip and once it arrived, it became the equivalent of what today would be called a viral tweet. No less a person than George Washington spent 3 shillings for several copies. Though I care little for Jefferson the man, his words are another story. They ring just as true today as they did ion 1774. 

Let those flatter who fear; it is not an American art. To give praise which is not due might be well from the venal, but would ill beseem those who are asserting the rights of human nature. They know, and will therefore say, that kings are the servants, not the proprietors of the people. ... The whole art of government consists in the art of being honest. Only aim to do your duty, and mankind will give you credit where you fail. 

A good leader surrounds himself with those willing to speak truth to power, not lemmings.  

Ron Beitler Proposes "Resign to Run" Law in Lehigh County

I often tell my evil Republican brother that the term "thinking conservative" is an oxymoron. But Lehigh County Commissioner Ron Beitler, a conservative-leaning independent, has proven me wrong. He has proposed a referendum under which voters could decide whether a county official who decides to run for office should first be required to resign. 

Here's what Beitler said on his Facebook page:

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: 𝗶𝗳 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝘅𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁.

First, NO ONE is forcing anyone to run for higher office. It's a choice. Public office should not become a taxpayer-funded campaign platform for a career in politics. (staff time, communications, facilities etc)

I also don’t think politicians should be the ones deciding this question. Whether you support or not... 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀. And this legislation allows that. Voters, through referendum, would decide what their expectations are for elected County officials whose salaries and benefits they pay.

According to WFMZTV-69, Beitler's proposal is opposed by Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley, who is running for the state senate. He argued that such a requirement would mean that only the wealthy would be able to run for office and added that voters who dislike the practice of elected officials running for another office could simply refuse to vote for the candidate. 

Resign-to-run laws exist in one form or another in six states. I find the practice of running for two incompatible offices simultaneously to be particularly offensive. This often happens when a State Rep. decides to run for a state row office or the state senate and his current job at the same time. I do refuse to vote for such candidates. 

On a county level, such a law makes sense if the office seeker holds a full-time county position like Executive, Controller, Coroner, etc. Running a campaign for another office might result in an official neglecting the job he is paid to perform. I personally have no issue with a part-time elected official like a Commissioner who decides to run for something else.   

Rahm Emanuel Two Word Description of Dems - Weak and Woke

When Rahm Emanuel first began working for Bill Clinton, he claims he was 6'2". By the time he was done working for both Clinton and Barqack Obama, he said his height had dropped to 5'8". That's because he refused to be the sycophant that usually surround those in power. Anyone with executive authority needs someone to tell him when he's full of shit. Emanuel was that person, and he has a message for Democrats if any of us is listening, There is little doubt that we will win big in the midterms. But that's primarily because Trump has been so bad, not that we've been much better. We can still be dismissed with two words - weak and woke. That's no recipe for long-term success. 

A few days ago, Emmanuel sat down for an interview with Katie Couric's Next Question podcast. He repeated nearly every criticism of Democrats that he leveled when he sat down with Bari Weiss nearly a year ago. While he concedes that it's unlikely he'll emerge as a Presidential front-runner, he hopes that he can move Democrats in a direction that focuses on pragmatism and centrism. 

While Trump is focused on putting his mug on a $250 bill and is using his office to enrich himself and his family, 50% of our students are unable to read at grade level. He will leave office $4 billion richer than he was when he went in. So he's convinced that voters will hold Trump and the GOP accountable in November. But, and this is a big BUT, the worst thing Democrats could do is hold days of impeachment hearings that eventually go nowhere and enable Trump to play victim. Instead of that, Democrats need to return to issues that matter:

We did things that were really ridiculous. We let a border get out of control. When it came to public safety, we talked about defunding the police. When it came to an ethnic group, we called them Latinx and nobody else in that group ever identified themselves that way. And then rather than worry about classroom excellence, we were worried about bathroom and locker room access. So [voters] were angry. And look at all the polling that's out there. Look at all the focus groups out there. Democrats tell you, "Stop talking about these cultural issues, conveying that these are priority issues when we should be talking about raising the minimum wage, expanding healthcare uh opportunities and health care and cost control, making sure people have money for their retirement." I mean, the other day as an education, I said two things. 

One, if you do two years of national service, we'll give them money for a down payment on a home. I believe if you give something back to the country, we're going to start you off on the journey of the American dream. Amy [his wife] and I have we're empty nesters with a second home. I'm getting a mortgage deduction. It's crazy. And you have families that can't get a mortgage. They can't get a down payment. That's not how this is supposed to work. 

Second, people are going into the poor house to give their kids a college education. So I said allow them to get a three-year degree, not a four-year degree. Cambridge and Oxford do it. You make less than $200,000, tuition is free. Tuition doesn't go up higher than inflation by the year. Stop putting the family behind the eightball and all they get is an invoice. 

The whole premise of the American dream, the home, retirement, education, healthcare, every one of those pieces is broken. And our party should spend every day laser focused on restoring not only the access, but the confidence in the premise that you and I grew up with, which is when you and I said get ahead, we're getting ahead of our parents. We're going to leave mom and dad in the dust. Now you're lucky if you get out of their basement.

Emanuel believes Democrats got occupied by the college faculty lounge. He gave as an example a college professor who said health care workers are part of the "caring economy," and this expression was then coopted by Biden, but not the actual healthcare workers. 

Now, some professor at some university came up with this term and a bunch of knuckleheads in Washington adopted it and were popularizing it. And I and nobody, like the term "Latinx" ever ever in America used it. Nobody except for two non-tenured professors working at getting tenured. The caring kind of no, it's called a nurse. It's called a home healthcare worker. But we were using terms that didn't refer to anybody. I'll give you a classic out of Joe Biden's last state of the union. He got up there and somewhere in the speech when he went off the text used the term illegal immigrant. He got barked at by a bunch of Washington interest groups and the next day he said I misspoke. I should have said undocumented. I don't know. People understood what he meant. 35:2135 minutes, 21 seconds. And we had the, as I said, the cultural police arrested you without your Miranda rights even being read to you.

Of all the Democratic presidential hopefuls, my own thinking aligns most closely with that of Emanuel. So obviously, he has no chance. 

All About Easton's Safe Harbor

Easton's Safe Harbor is both a drop-in center and homeless shelter for adults who've fallen on hard times. If you think that its clients consist solely of drug addicts or alcoholics, think again. Sarah Stehlin, Director of Development at the shelter, told NorCo Council last week that five of its current residents are seniors who lost everything as a result of online scam artists. She mentioned that while providing an overview of the facility. 

Safe Harbor is actually the product of Lafayette students and local church leaders concerned about the homeless problem. Back in the '80s, students were actually letting them stay in fraternity basements until the school caught wind of what was happening. Students then staged a camp-in at Easton's circle, and Easton decided to establish the building at 536 Bushkill Street for shelter use. A meal center was first, in 1990, followed by the shelter in 1992. 

Currently, there's a 50-bed shelter, 28 of which are set aside for women. The meal-center operates five days a week. There are also plans (and funds) in place for a renovation that will include apartments. 

In 2016, Safe Harbor noted that it had a lot of repeat clients In response, the Arise program was started to address the root cause of whatever it was the caused a person to become homeless. Individuals are assigned case managers and a curriculum of 66 foundational life skills covering things like budgeting. good tenant skills and healthy relationships. They are also required to perform community service. 

After doing this for 10 years, Stehling told County Council that individuals who complete the Arise program are 81% less likely to re-enter a shelter program.

NorCo Dems Dump Matt Munsey in Favor of the Black Baron

Matt Munsey first became Chair of Northampton County Dems in a 76-63 putsch against Walt Garvin. Since that time, his focus has often been on the more extreme elements of the party while ignoring more traditional and moderate candidates. He undercut candidates like Sal Panto and was accused of texting talking points to his challenger in a Mayoral contest.  He collaborated with the GOP to undermine public confidence in voting equipment. He has actually even "forgotten" to email endorsement meeting notices to candidates seeking office. In contravention of party rules, he operated without a treasurer for at least three years. In short, he has played games and has often been more of a hindrance than a helpful hand. Yet he has somehow survived votes of No Confidence, criticism from elected officials like Lamont McClure and attempts to force him out of office.

Last night, his luck ran out. By a 78-53 vote, Matt Musey lost his seat as Chair to Baron Vanderburg.

I first met Baron at a candidates' night hosted by the NAACP on Easton's south side. I drank too much coffee and really had to go to the bathroom badly. He was kind enough to escort me through all the caverns and tunnels to a place where I could finally use the facilities.

I had no idea I was being helped by none other than the Black Baron. 

Vanderburg made history when he was sworn in as Palmer Tp's first ever black supervisor. He has also served as an Easton School Board Director. 

Zrinski Keeps NorCo Council Informed About Specific Departments

At last week's meeting of NorCo Council, Executive Tara Zrinski continued the trend she started of delivering detailed reports about what specifically is happening in various departments. I already advised you what she had to say about the election as well as her responses to questions about the parking deck replacement. Here's a summary of what she had to say. 

Parking Deck. - Zrinski, who walked the Washington Street hill last week, acknowledged, "It wasn't easy." I've previously told you about a contract for a lease at Shiloh Baptist Church on Easton's south side and shuttle service to and from the courthouse. I've also told you that the county is negotiating a lease for additional parking at St. Anthony. In addition to what she reported last week, she told me yesterday that the county was in discussions for parking with Easton, but "the closest parking garage would be totally cost prohibitive, costing thousands of dollars per employee, per month. A gravel lot on Lehigh Drive was proposed, but the City was unable to guarantee 150 spots. 

Human Relations Comm'n. - Members have been selected and nominations will be presented at the next County Council Personnel Committee meeting. 

Gracedale. - Zrinski will present her "continuum of care" concept at the next Human Services committee meeting. 

GLP-1. - This latest weight loss medication has increased health care costs to the county by $1 million. 

Hotel Tax Grant applications. - will open 7/10 for eligible applicants. 

Human Services. - has reduced out-of-home juvenile placements to 156, which is half what it was 5 years ago. Instead, diversionary services are prioritized. "It's kind of nice to "make sure that children are staying within their family, and that they're getting the help that they need to keep that family intact."

Parks Department. - has planted over 800 trees. Renovations are near completion at Wy Hit Tuk Park in Williams Tp. 

Corrections. - Has been placing inmates in crisis in inpatient facilities that focus on treatment, which has saved the county $500,000 this year. 

Fiscal Affairs Director. - Will be announced in late June

State of the County Address. - Zrinski's first "State of the County" address will be on June 24, 4:30 pm at the National Industrial Museum of History. 

Zrinski Pledges No Cage Match at Courthouse Campus For Nation's 250th Birthday Bash

'Let the games begin!'

In line with the most hedonistic traditions of ancient Rome, President Donald Trump is planning a UFC cage match on the White House south lawn for June 14, which is both Flag Day and his 80th birthday. 

"We who are about to die salute you!" 

In ancient Rome, the unwashed masses at least were able to attend gladiatorial events for free at a stadium that seated 100,000 people. But if you want a ringside seat at this tacky spectacle, it will cost you between $1 and $1.5 million. The rest of you can watch via Paramount. 

NorCo Exec Tara Zrinski herself alluded to this at Thursday night's County Council meeting. America 250 is "really not about, you know, concerts at the White House or, you know, boxing rings or whatever they're called. What is that, in an MA thing? Yeah. We're not putting one of those on our lawn."

NorCo Council Approves Alternative Parking Arrangements After Some Tough Questions

At their Thursday night meeting, Northampton County Council voted 7-0 (Ken Kraft and Dave Holland were absent) to approve a $1,250 per month license agreement with Shiloh Baptist Church for 150 parking spaces during the 18 months it will take to raze and build a new parking deck at the courthouse campus. This parking deck is on Easton's south side, so a shuttle will also be needed to ferry employees and jurors from there to the courthouse. They did so after some tough questions from Council member Nadeem Qayyum. 

Public Works Director Mike Emili told Qayyum that the monthly rate was based on what the county had paid to St. Anthony's in the past for parking at their lot, which is located just two blocks away. He acknowledged that a lease agreement is being finalized there as well. 

Qayyum wanted to know whether the county explored the possibility of renting out space at Easton's 3rd Street parking deck, which is only about a half mile from the courthouse but all uphill. He indicated the price at Shiloh is 166% higher than getting a permit in Easton. 

Emili said that there is insufficient space at Easton's parking deck, but that deck is pretty much empty during the day. Its use is heaviest in the evening, according to city officials. They will let me know how much space they have available on a daily basis sometime next week. 

Emili said a shuttle would run every 15 minutes between Shiloh and the courthouse. On jury days, a bus will be used. 

Executive Tara Zrinski said, "We are also looking at the work from home policy to modify that to reduce the number of individuals, and we believe that, uh, these two strategies (alternative parking and remote work) together will get the people who need to work on premise here, and the people who can work from home occasionally will be able to do so."