NORCO DA RACE: Incumbent Houck, Challenger Baratta Will Face Voters on March 28

It's official. Incumbent DA Terry Houck and his challenger, Steve Baratta, have both graciously agreed to face you, the voters for a candidates' night on March 28, 7 PM, at the Oliver Border House (15 Wood Street) in Nazareth. The public will be welcome. 

The format I described to both candidates is that each will be given an opportunity to make his case. Once that is finished, each contender will be permitted to rebut anything his opponent said. Then the floor will be opened up to audience questions. 

I will ask no questions, nor will I plant any.

The purpose of this event is to give two fine candidates (and persons), each of whom would make an excellent top prosecutor, an opportunity to make his case with you. 

Baratta and Houck are both Democrats. At this point, I'm unaware of any Republican who seeks nomination. I have heard rumors, but no names. 

Don't Count Russia Out

According to a rare editorial from The Institute for the Study of War, it would be a dangerous mistake to assume that Russia will fail in its invasion of Ukraine. "We cannot yet assume a Ukrainian victory, ...  and do not know how this war will end. We cannot say that Putin has lost strategically (despite endemic Russian tactical incompetence and repeated operational failures) simply because he has not yet won. Ukraine has inflicted devastating battlefield defeats on Russian forces. The Russian military will struggle to replace its substantial losses for years to come. Ukraine is poised to conduct further counteroffensives in 2023 after the ongoing Russian offensive in Luhansk Oblast culminates. Western unity behind Ukraine remains high, and Putin has lost ground in the global information space. Nonetheless, the Russian military remains dangerous, Putin’s objectives have not changed, and even a partial Russian victory would be crippling for Ukraine."

Here's what Putin has that Ukraine lacks - numbers. Russia has a population of 143 million to Ukraine's 44 million. His strategy is obviously to simply outlast Ukrainian power, hoping that our resolve to continue assisting will fade. 

Ancient Rome lost battle after battle, but won wars. Ask Phyrrus. Ask Hannibal. Ask the Sabines. It won because it kept coming back after devastating defeats until its enemy was completely worn out. 

So instead of cutting back on aid, now would be a time to double down. 

NorCo Candidate Nights?

This election cycle, I'd like to schedule candidate nights for county offices. The venue will likely be the Oliver Border House in Nazareth. I'm pretty opinionated and it would be unfair for me to host debates. But what I'd like to do instead is ask candidates to spend some time talking about their campaigns and respond to what the other candidate says. This would be followed by a question and answer session from the audience, excluding me. .  

There's going to be a contested primary in the DA's race, and I've already asked Terry Houck and Steve Baratta if they'd be interested in coming. In the general, I will attempt to schedule separate candidate nights for the judge and controller races. 

I'll let you know. I'd like to host these before mail-in ballots are out. 

Is Allentown's Downtown Improving?

On Friday, I gave you Mal Gross' Monday morning quarterback review on his father's five years as Allentown's Mayor. Jack Gross pushed policies that, in hindsight, proved to be wrong. He promoted the conversion of row homes into apartments and retail development along The Street (Hamilton St, also called Golden Acres, between 5th and 10th).  He made no effort to promote office development on Hamilton. Destroyed neighborhoods were an unfortunate byproduct of the urban development then in vogue pretty much everywhere. Gross drove residents away with one-way streets, parking meters and bright streetlights. Allentown's newest makeover is the state-subsidized Neighborhood Improvement Zone (NIZ) with upscale apartment buildings that attract empty nesters and young professionals who work at the hospitals or nearby law offices. From time to time. I now read that Allentown's downtown is empty most nonhockey nights and weekends. If this is true, and I don't know that it is, is this a bad thing?  Put differently, does a city need a bustling downtown in order to thrive? 

That's a question asked by Governing, using San Francisco as its example. Author Alan Greenblatt posits that these urban deserts are a result of the pandemic. Many office buildings are now empty because people are working remotely,  He adds this office recession is also happening in Miami, Austin, Salt Lake City and Boston. With fewer workers in town, restaurants also suffer. And so do city coffers. 

But what if a City downtown is actually replete with apartment buildings?  Does that avoid the problem? NIZ developer JB Reilly focused on a healthy mix of residential, retail and office. If streets are empty at night, it could be because residents are at home, like most of us. 

Here are my two questions? 1) Is downtown Allentown really deserted on nights and weekends?  2) Do you think the office-residential-retail mix brought by the NIZ* can return The Street to its glory days? 

After hearing what you have to say, I will seek out opinions from others who know a lot more than I do about redevelopment.

___________________

* The NIZ is controversial, but this post is NOT about the wisdom of this redevelopment tool, It's here. It's whether Reilly's vision can be seen as putting Allentown in a better position than other downtowns.  

Bethlehem Interfaith Group (BIG) to Host Candlelight Vigil For Ukraine Tonight

 A candlelight vigil commemorating the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including speakers and music, will be conducted tonight, 7:30 pm, at Bethlehem's Paytrow Plaza. (right by City Hall at 10 E Church Street, Bethlehem, Pa.)

From The Wall Street Journal: “Beijing is watching closely, to see the price Russia pays, or the reward it receives, for its aggression. What is happening in Europe today can happen in Asia tomorrow,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned the Munich Security Conference this month. “If Putin wins in Ukraine, the message to him and other authoritarian leaders will be that they can use force to get what they want. This will make the world more dangerous and us more vulnerable.”

Best Sources For Honest Ukraine War News

We all have confirmation bias. We want to read only those sources who will tell us what we want to believe. But what we want to believe and reality are two different things. In the case of the war in Ukraine, it's even tougher because it's half a world away. Russia has closed down a free press long ago. Ukraine, for military reasons, imposes restrictions on what information it wants to share. Where do I get my Ukraine news? 

The most reliable source is The Institute for the Study of War. It provides detailed military assessment on a near daily basis, with links to numerous open sources substantiating its assertions. For example, its February 23 assessment includes numerous maps and 75 links to open sources that confirm its conclusions. I place a high degree of confidence in what I read there. 

My second source is DW News. It's a German network, but is broadcast in English and strikes me as remarkably objective. It will host Russian viewpoints so you can judge for yourself. I am more likely to get European and UN viewpoints here than anywhere else. 

My third source in Ukraine is India's WION. India is a neutral who is buying Russian oil. It has no love for the US. 

For an understanding of what motivates Putin, I'd recommend Frontline's Putin and the Presidents. So far, it has eight videos from experts that include Julia Ioffe and William Taylor.

For a deep understanding of what motivates Ukraine, I recommend Anne Applebaum's Red Famine, which focuses on the deliberate starvation (Holodomor) of four million Ukrainians in 1932 by Stalin.  

Finally, I look at several sites on Telegram. These tend to be biased, so I am careful. 

The one person who blames the West for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and who actually makes sense at times is Professor John Mearsheimer. He thinks we made a mistake when we persuaded Ukraine to give up their nukes precisely because it would lead to Russian aggression. He argued against it long before Ukraine made the decision. Even if Russia's invasion is a result of our own mistakes, we need  to help Ukraine. As a member of the realist school of thought, Mearsheiner must know that iof we fail to assist Ukraine, we are in essence giving China a green light to invade Taiwan. 

Feel free to share links to what you consider good sources for news about the Ukraine War.

What Caused the White Flight From Allentown?

What caused the white flight from Allentown?  No doubt some of it was bigotry. But there were other reasons. Attorney Mal Gross actually blames his dad! His dad and grandfather were both  Allentown mayors. His grandfather was in office for four terms, including the Depression years. His Dad was in office just five years, from 1960-1964. He was ubiquitous in  Allentown and may have worked himself to  an early death. Mal Gross  incredibly well-written mini-biography about his dad's time in office, entitled "Jack's Five Years,." is a must-read for anyone who seeks to understand Allentown. It was a work of love, but brutally honest. With the best of intentions, we often do absolutely the wrong thing.  We're probably doing it now. 

It certainly was a different time. At that time, city council meetings always started late because city council members would decide everything in the back room before meetings got underway. There was no Sunshine Act. Nobody minded the secrecy. They just hated waiting. Gross insisted that meetings begin on time, This probably made Allentown a little more transparent. 

He had a great title but very little power. At that time, under a Home Rule Charter drafted by his father, the mayor was "only one vote of five on Council, which controlled all city affairs." It would be difficult to set any agenda in the "shifting sands of council votes on which the Mayor was required to stand." 

Ironically, Gross' chief opposition usually came from another Democratic City Council member, Bill "Bull" Ritter. (I'm told he was a phys ed teacher at Muhlenberg) 

Gross became upset when the 1960 census showed that the population had dipped two percent to 104,000. Though that was eventually corrected to show a slight increase,  "Jack knew that the long-range picture for population growth remained dark, and he never came to recognize that a declining city population might actually be an advantage if its quality were maintained. As a result he left as part of his legacy a need for population growth at all costs. In an effort to fulfill that legacy, city policy in the next 20 years encouraged conversion of homes to apartments to sustain the impression of population growth even at the expense of breaking up the community that had made up that population." 

Gross focused on downtown retail shopping. "Commercial office buildings in the downtown were no longer to be a priority. Neighborhoods in center city were to be sacrificed to retail shopping. Even the upper stories of Hamilton Street stores were allowed to decay. The value of the first-floor retail space would carry 'The Street' by itself. Jack was committed to maintaining The Street at all costs."

Hamilton Street, between 5th and 10th, was called Golden Acres, with Hess Bros as the anchor. 

In an ominous sign of things to come, a Two Guys discount store opened in Whitehall. In violation of blue laws, it was open on Sundays, too. Mayor Jack asked DA George Joseph to prosecute this  egregious violation. He refused. He noted he was a prosecutor, not a cop. He added that some Allentown shops ignored blue laws as well. 

Did the blue law violations really hurt Allentown? Mal disagrees with his father here. He postulates that the decline of Hess Bris,, and increase of one-way streets and parking meters were the real culprits. . "Allentown residents instinctively disliked one-way streets and parking meters. They may have sensed that parking meters and one-way streets for fast traffic killed neighborhoods." 

As Mayor Jack pushed apartments, neighborhoods died. 

"Apartments had become the mayor's answer to the lack of undeveloped city land for housing. There was, however, a fatal flaw in this hope. Apartments didn't serve the needs of the families who lived in the many blocks of rowhouses that formed the backbone of Allentown. The blue collar workers and their children who lived in these homes wanted larger houses with two-car garages and yards with grass, not apartments with no yards. Jack never grasped Americans' love of green grass. "

Around this time, Michael Gatti started the Ancient Oaks development in Lower Macungie.  Blue-collars could move into $12,000 homes with two-car garages and yards.  Similar developments followed, leading to an exodus of blue collars. 

"The grand apartments Jack hoped for never really materialized and the single-family row homes gradually became crowded apartments as the neighborhoods died. Allentown's population was misleadingly maintained, but not its 'people' as Jack knew them."  

Some other tidbits from this bio:

* Mayor Jack was the first Allentown politician to send out a mailer in his campaign for election. During his campaign, the whisper campaign against him was that he was a secret Roman Catholic. 

* Mayor Jack would have dinner with the zoning hearing board before every meeting to make sure his wishes were known. He sat in the front row of their meetings as well. 

* Mayor Jack gave committeemen a dinner and drink at the Elks along with a box of Gross pretzels before his election.  Reporters got dinner and drinks, but no pretzels. 

* Mayor Jack introduced JFK when he came to town, but was not a fan. He preferred LBJ or Adlai Stevenson. 

* Mayor Jack got statewide news coverage over, of all things, a speeding ticket. 

* Mayor Jack suffered from numerous illnesses as a child and even moved to California for a time. He had to drop out of college because of the Depression.

* Mayor Jack coaxed Mack union workers to make wage concessions to prevent the company from moving. It worked, but Mack eventually moved some operations anyway.  

* Mayor Jack, like JFK, wore lifts in his shoes so he'd appear taller. 

* The ethnic make up of Allentown in 1959 was mostly Pennsylvania Dutch, with some Irish, Jewish and Italians. (I believe the Syrian migration began in the '60s.)

Putin's Invasion of Ukraine Began in 2014, Not Last Year

I've seen numerous media accounts commemorating a year of conflict in Ukraine after Vladimir Putin's February 22, 2022 invasion. The war in Ukraine actually started in February of 2014. That's when Russia seized Crimea. 

Putin invaded as a result of  Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity. in which the country returned to its 2004 Constitution and removed a pro-Russian President.  Protesters wanted an end to government corruption and Russian oligarchs. 

In 2014, Ukraine was totally unprepared for the Crimean takeover. Its military melted. 

Things were different last year. The military was certainly better, but what astonished me most was the resilience shown by the Ukrainian people, who greeted invading Russians with molotov cocktails instead instead of bouquets. The US offered to fly President Volodymyr Zelensky out of the country. "The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride, said Zelensky, a former comedian who turned out to be a statesman while statesmen all too often look like clowns. 

Ukraine has the help of 50 nations who understand that it's in everyone's strategic and security interests to have a stable, prosperous and free Europe and a free world.  

Ukaraine also has bipartisan support from the United States. Yes, there are a few isolationists on the left and right, juts as there were before WWI and WWII. 

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell made his resolve clear last weekend at a security conference in Munich. "Republican leaders are committed to a strong trans-Atlantic alliance. We are committed to helping Ukraine. Not because of vague moral arguments or abstractions like the so-called ‘rules-based international order.’ But rather, because America’s own core national interests are at stake. Because our security is interlinked and our economies are intertwined."

After a stealthy and gutsy 10-hour train ride, President Joe Biden spoke on the streets of Kyiv: "One year later, Kyiv stands. And Ukraine stands. Democracy stands."  

What do the Russians do?

Lie and die. 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made this pledge after taking over Crimea: "We have absolutely no intention of — or interest in — crossing Ukraine's borders." This was a lie. 

According to Forbes, it's possible that as many as 270,000 Russians have been killed or wounded in Ukraine. But if you call it a war, you're next. 

Public's Help Sought For Broadband Study

FROM NORTHAMPTON COUNTY:  County Executive Lamont G. McClure announces that Northampton County has contracted with Design Nine, Inc. of Blacksburg, VA to provide a broadband study and is asking for public participation to help facilitate the study.

Design Nine will analyze existing broadband assets in the county including those offered by local telecom service providers, cable companies and government organizations that provide communications services through schools and first responders. The company will analyze the types of broadband services available, broadband use patterns, gaps in existing coverage, and make recommendations to the County as to how to improve service.

“We know that access to affordable broadband will often be the difference between success and failure for our residents and businesses in the 21^st century economy” said County Executive Lamont McClure.

A key part of the Design Nine data collection process is a public survey from both businesses and residents regarding their current broadband connections. Residential and business surveys will be made available to the public at select locations throughout the county, the U.S. Mail, as well as online via social media and the web. These surveys will provide detailed broadband usage and coverage data needed to complete the study.

The survey collection period will run through April 17, 2023 and a survey report will be prepared for review shortly thereafter. The study will serve to guide the implementation of a modern broadband network for the county. The study will serve as a detailed guide for engineering and communications construction firms that might be selected to design and construct a 21^st century network.

The lack of adequate broadband access is a predominant concern for agriculture, education, tourism, and manufacturing as well as emerging industries such as life sciences, technology, and health services. The data gathered will provide the knowledge needed to help local leaders and stakeholders make prudent decisions about the next steps required to expand broadband access in Northampton County.

The online survey may be found at:

https://tinyurl.com/NorthamptonResidential  

https://tinyurl.com/northampton-business

        https://www.facebook.com/CountyExecutiveLamontMcClure/

Jimmy Carter's Final Days

 Although many deride Jimmy Carter as one of our worst Presidents, few would disagree that he was an incredible human being. He is one of very few Christians who actually was a Christian.  The New York Times has published an op-ed about Carter now that he's in his final days. Although the praise of his failed presidency is a bit tough to swallow, no one can deny that he "was probably the most intelligent, hard-working and decent man to have occupied the Oval Office in the 20th century."  Here's what Steve Thode, a Republican, has to say:

The op-ed clearly pitches to the Times' largely leftist readership while completely neglecting many of Mr. Carter's character traits that many of us on the right respected and admired.

Jimmy Carter graduated from the Naval Academy and served with distinction in the Navy. No Democrat president since Carter even gave a thought to serving in the military. And, the Democrats haven't nominated a candidate for president who served in the military since 2004.

Carter was an evangelical Christian in the best sense of the word. He was kind and generous. And also humble. He didn't use the presidency as a launching pad for the accumulation of massive wealth. He and Rosalyn returned to the same house in Plains when he left office, and his personal life was never the subject of any form of scandal. He was the Harry Truman of his generation.

In other words, I would have loved to have Jimmy Carter as a neighbor.

Politically, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the op-ed neglects completely the economic disaster that was 1980. Those of us who lived through those days remember 15% mortgage interest rates; 18% auto loan interest rates; and, 13% inflation. The author also glosses over the Iranian hostage crisis. I believe the combination of an economy in shambles and the hostage crisis were what ended Carter's re-election hopes.

Bill Clinton, however, had what most people would view as a successful two terms as president. But, his personal life? Gimme a break!  And, his lust for wealth and power post-presidency combined with his already well-known personal dalliances are certainly not the qualities I would want in a neighbor.

Jimmy Carter, I believe, will be remembered as a less-than-successful president, but a model ex-president. Other past, present and future presidents should celebrate the standard Jimmy Carter set for former presidents.  Sadly, I doubt most will.

Is It Time For Pa to Finally Abolish the Death Penalty?

Even as a prosecutor, I've always opposed the death penalty. I realize that's something of a minority view, even among Democrats. I'll admit that I'm unsure whether I would still feel that way if someone murdered a person I care about. I'd like to think I'd remain opposed like the survivors of the Tree of Life Massacre in Pittsburgh. Last week, Governor Josh Shapiro admitted his own shifting views, but said his thinking has evolved over time and is now opposed to the death penalty. Instead of just granting reprieves, as other Governors have done, Shapiro is calling upon the General Assembly to once and for all do away with the sanction of death. Here are some of his remarks, made at Mosaic Community Church in West Philly:

As Attorney General, I had the privilege of seeing our criminal justice system up close as the chief law enforcement officer. 

Through that experience, two critical truths became clear to me about the capital sentencing system in our Commonwealth: The system is fallible, and the outcome is irreversible.  

I have painstakingly considered every aspect of Pennsylvania’s capital sentencing system, reflected on my own conscience, and weighed the tremendous responsibilities I have as Governor.   

And I am here today in this Church to tell you I will not issue any execution warrants during my term as Governor. 

When an execution warrant comes to my desk, I will sign a reprieve each and every time. 

But I want to go further.  

Through many administrations, Governors have called on lawmakers to reform the system.  

To study what changes could look like.  

They’ve been open to the idea that our capital sentencing system is flawed, but fixable. 

I believe that misses the mark. 

That’s why today, I’m respectfully calling on the General Assembly to work with me to abolish the death penalty in Pennsylvania – once and for all. 

I know that there are people on both sides of the aisle who agree with me on this, and there are those who don’t. 

I believe we should work together. 

Pennsylvania should do what 25 other states have done in outlawing the death penalty or refusing to impose it – including many of our neighbors such as New Jersey, Maryland, and West Virginia. 

This must be bigger than studying this issue or reviewing the system.  

We shouldn’t aim to just fix the system.  

The Commonwealth shouldn’t be in the business of putting people to death. Period.  

I believe that in my heart. 

This is a fundamental statement of morality. Of what’s right and wrong.  

And I believe Pennsylvania must be on the right side of this issue. 

I know there is more work to be done, but today we are taking an important first step towards progress.  

Saucon Valley School District Approves After School Satan Club at Middle School

If you're the parent of someone attending Saucon Valley Middle School, you're in luck. That's because the school district has approved the After School Satan Cub to host gatherings after school hours. It launches March 8. This is an alternative to schools hosting the evangelical Good News Club. According to Wikipedia, After School Satan Clubs do not teach children to believe in supernatural beings named Satan or perform Satanic rituals.

Some people's heads are going to explode. 

Baratta Attacks DA, Cops For Failing to Protect Sikhs From ... Sikhs

A rumāl, which looks an awful lot like a durag,
is worn inside a Sikh temple

The one thing I hate about nearly all organized religion is the infighting. Whether it's Presbyterians or Sikhs, it's hard to make a convincing case that you're on the path to salvation when you're unable to keep your own house in order. 

That's what's happening in an ongoing dispute between two factions of Sikhs at Guru Nanak Sikh Society of Lehigh Valley. It's existed at least a decade. It's been chronicled in Lehigh Valley Live, and includes accusations that one group of seven has pulled a priest off the altar, dragged congregants outside and sawed off locks. As noted in the article, police have responded to each complaint. But anyone familiar with the Constitution should know that one must tread lightly and avoid interfering with the free exercise clause of the first amendment. According to DA Terry Houck, there are two open criminal investigations and he has met with the leadership of each faction twice in the last month alone. Both factions think they control the temple, but neither has a court order saying they do. That apparently doesn't matter to Houck's primary opponent, Steve Baratta. 

A lawsuit seeking a preliminary injunction against the sect of seven was filed February 15.  Interestingly, it was filed by J Alexander Short, an immigration lawyer who works for Ray Lahoud. He's Baratta's biggest supporter. 

In addition to the lawsuit, there was a "protest" at the temple on Monday. Baratta was guest speaker. Here's what he posted on his Facebook page: "Today I was proud to be with the leaders of Guru Nanak Sikh Society of Lehigh Valley and stand up for their constitutional right to practice their religion safely in their place of worship. The current District Attorney and law enforcement have neglected to protect these people and this Temple from harm. On the bench I was honored to provide equal treatment and as District Attorney I pledge to provide fair justice for all."

In addition to attacking the District Attorney, Baratta attacked police officers who have responded to each complaint. 

I'm getting pretty sikh of his negativity. 

National Review Commends Biden on Trip to Ukraine

National Review is no fan of President Joe Biden. It is a conservative publication that frequently criticizes both Biden and Democratic policies. But even this critic acknowledges that Biden's visit to Ukraine took "guts." It involved a trans-Atlantic flight to Poland followed by a 10-hour train ride to Kyiv. He and President Volodymyr  Zelensky walked the streets of Kyiv even as air raid sirens wailed away. For the entire tip, he was in what is called Russia's WEZ (weapons engagement zone). Though Russia was notified he was on his way, there is no way anyone could assure his safety. 

One thing is clear - Biden made it to Kyiv before Putin did. 

Presidents have visited combat zones before, but I've never seen the President inside the capital of a nation at war with a world power.  The closest examples I can think of are (1) the clandestine meetings between FDR and Churchill in the Atlantic, where wolfpacks of U-boats roamed the seas; (2) Lincoln's 1864 visit to Fort Stevens while it was under fire by Jubal Early's rebel forces. "Get down, you fool!" shouted one office at Lincoln. His name was Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., future Justice of the United States Supreme Court; and (3) Lincoln's 1865 visit to Richmond just two day's after it was evacuated. He was accompanied by a few sailors and his son Tad. 

While Biden was reassuring Ukraine in Kyiv, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell affirmed GOP commitment to Ukraine. "My party’s leaders overwhelmingly support a strong, involved America and a robust transatlantic alliance. Don’t look at Twitter, look at people in power.”

NorCo's JJC Has Never Been a Money Maker

At last week's Northampton County Council meeting, Court Administrator Jermaine Greene had to run a gauntlet through Council members Tara Zrinski and Kevin Lott when he asked that supervisors at the Juvenile Justice Center get the same pay as lieutenants at the jail. This has been their modus operandi with Greene and no one else.  Neither Council member bothered to show up for the committee meeting the previous day in which the upgrade was vetted. Zrinski explained she had to be somewhere else,. That somewhere else just happened to be a petition signing event in her own race for Controller. Lott offered no explanation for his absence. One of his complaints is that the Juvenile Justice Center, which does accept children from counties with no facilities, should be a money maker. In fact, at one point, he made a motion for a "sustainability" study. He claimed that we had to pour $4 million onto the place last year, and something needs to be done. 

If Lott was talking about a county golf course or a zoo, I could see merit in a sustainability study. But it's not. It is a detention center for children who need rehabilitation. It is not supposed to turn a profit. And it never has. Despite what others seem to think, Northampton County's Juvenile Justice Center has never turned a profit. As the flow chart below demonstrates, expenses have always exceeded revenue. It has never come close to breaking even. 

So there's your sustainability study, Mr. Lott.

During that very same meeting, Council member John Brown stated that the JCC had a $2 million profit when he was Exec. Greene even agreed with him.  Here's the reality. In each of Brown's four years as Exec, the JCC lost money. 

Pearl Buck, daughter of a missionary is the person who first noted that the test of a civilization is the way it cares for its helpless members. I think that includes children in need of placement. 

If you want a Kids for Cash scheme, go a few counties north. If you want to farm your children hours away from their families, go a few counties west. If you want a real juvenile justice center, you're in the right place. Whether it makes money is no indicator of success. Whether it helps children and their families is what matters. 

JJC Flowchart by BernieOHare on Scribd

After 25 Years, Nor-Bath Trail To Extend Into Bath

After 25 years, the NorBath trail between Northampton and Bath Boroughs will actually be between Northampton and Bath Boroughs. Parks Director Bryan Cope made this announcement to Northampton County Council last week. 

Currently, the trail extends from Jacksonville Park in East Allen Township, just outside of Bath, and extends west through Bicentennial Park and into Northampton. From there, you can easily hop onto the D&L Trail.  You can ride about 0.3 mile east of Jacksonville Park until you run into a tree, which is exactly what I did last summer. 

Construction of the extension into Bath will take place late this year or, more likely, next year. 

Depending on where the trail ends in Bath, this could be good news for local businesses. 

Bethlehem Landfill Foes Seek Support From NorCo Council

A trio of Lower Saucon Tp residents voiced their opposition to the Bethlehem Landfill expansion last week. They are seeking the county's help in fighting a conditional use hearing scheduled for February 27 at 9 am. 

Late last year, Lower Saucon Tp Council, by a 3-2 vote, changed the zoning in that area to allow the landfill to double in size and add 30 years to its existence. Though a procedural and substantive challenge is pending in the courts and the zoning hearing board, the landfill is pushing for a conditional use before the litigation can be resolved. 

A conditional use, decided by Lower Saucon Tp Council, is a use that is permitted so long as criteria set forth in the zoning ordinance are met. Reasonable conditions can be imposed. 

Ginger Petrie, who actually is a part in this litigation, owns a farm next to the landfill. "They're going to destroy the side of a mountain," she warned, She indicated that 60% of the garbage coming to the landfill is from NY and NJ. 

Laura Ray, who is running for Township Council, indicated that 3,000 dump trucks are at the landfill each month  She indicated that leachate form the landfill (a mixture of garbage and rainwater that she calls garbage soup) flows into the sewage treatment center. SDghe said 1.8 million gallons of this garbage soup flowed into the treatment center in December containing chemicls and radioactive material that the treatment center lacks capacity to filter. That water then makes its way to the Lehigh River.  

Victoria Opthof-Cordaro, the last to speak, is another Lower Sacon Tp Council candidate. She copnceded that the county has no authority to intervene in municipal zoning, but then argued that it does because the county has invested so much moiney in the D&L Corridor.

UPDATED: NorCo Council Members Zrinski and Lott Double-Team Court Administrator Jermaine Greene

Wednesday, NorCo Court Administrator Jermaine Greene was at a Personnel Committee hearing to seek approval of salary increases for six supervisors at the Juvenile Justice Center. That department has been short-staffed for the past few years. Caseworkers are paid $16.46 an hour, and the union representing them has rejected a contract containing a significant pay increase. It has demanded arbitration, but the union's pick for an arbitrator retired. While waiting for the union to select an arbitrator, Greene wants hefty increases ($10,000 and more) in the annual salaries of six supervisors. This went through committee without issue. But two Council members who failed to show up at the committee hearing - Kevin Lott and Tara Zrinski - threw up all kinds of roadblocks last night. This is just the latest in a long series of attempts to prevent the courts from staffing their operations, and Greene noticed. 

Greene wants his supervisors, who must have college degrees, paid the same as Lieutenants at the jail. But this was clearly unwelcome news to Jim Irwin, who represents the union of caseworkers without a contract.  

Juvenile Justice is down 32 caseworkers. It's a statewide problem, and many counties have no detention facilities. This shortage has prompted juvenile court judges to ask the Governor to pay more money to staff.  

Lott and Zrinski seem painfully unaware of the statewide crisis, 

Lott started the double team effort. He complained that the county isn't making money from the Juvenile Justice Center, as though it exists to make a profit. He then said an operational study for Juvenile Justice is needed, even though he opposed one for Gracedale. 

Then Zrinski jumped in. She though it important to note these raises were for nonunion jobs, as though that is a sin. Then she said she was uncomfortable with the assertion that the Juvenile Justice Center should be making money, even though this was the point being made by Lott, not Greene. She also questioned whether the courts had money for these increases, even though Greene had already assured Council he had the money.   

Lott also wanted a sustainability study, but denied he had any intention of closing down the Juvenile Justice Center. It would cost the county more money to ship juveniles out than it currently pays to keep them here, according to Greene. 

After being in front of Council for nearly an hour, Greene finally had enough. "I'm coming before this Council, asking for an upgrade. ... The last time I was here for an upgrade, I was answering questions for 25 minutes from this side (pointing at Lott and Zrinski). Mr. Kostura (jail) comes up, he doesn't get one question. What's going on here? ... I think it's a little personal. It's politically motivated and I don't like it. It's not fair." 

Lott and Zrinski are Executive Lamont McClure's most reliable rubber stamps, but he has offered the union workers exactly what Jermaine Greene recommended and was actually praised by Greene the previous day. 

The rubber stamps apparently missed the memo. 

The upgrades were then approved 8-0. Council member John Cusick, who was at an annual open house for his students, was absent. 

At the end of the meeting, Lott again suggested he wanted an operational and sustainability study at Juvenile Justice. Zrinski huffed that "we should be able to ask questions freely without accusations of our intentions." She noted that, 20 years ago, she even interned at Juvenile Justice. "I did yoga with young men to try to escalate their anger." 

I see. 

Cuckoo! 

If Lott or Zrinski really had good intentions, as they insisted a bit too strenuously, they would have been at the committee meeting. 

(Updated 9 am)

Chamber Official Tapped as NorCo's New Information Officer

NorCo Exec Lamont McClure announced at County Council's meeting last night that he has poached an official from the Greater LV Chamber of Commerce to replace Becky Bartlett as Chief Information Officer. Becky has recently retired. he has hired Brittney Walen, a 2014 Bloomsnerg U grad, to help keep the public informed about a myriad of county issues. 

Waylen will be participating in efforts to educate voters about election issues and the dangers posed by fentanyl. 

NorCo Council Mum on Myers' Twitter Account

As predicted, Northampton County Council did absolutely nothing concerning the inappropriate behavior of its President on Twitter. No explanation was given or sought. 

Hostility Between Exec and NorCo Council Makes Them Both Look Bad

Yesterday should have been a good day for Northampton County. As I told you last month, the County had received proposals for both a pay study and a Gracedale performance review. The chosen bidders were ready to provide presentations. But Council members still complained. The Executive interjected himself without being recognized. The Council Solicitor was "disappointed" by the ""tart"  reply he received from the Executive to a strange request to produce the Requests for Proposals that Council itself had previously approved. Council member Ron Heckman accused the administration of doing an "end run" around what Council wanted, which presumably was the actual bids for a pay study and nursing home review. 

Nobody looked very good. Everyone looked just a bit petty. This internecine warfare does nothing but prevent good government. It needs to stop. 

Having said that, let me tell you about the proposals.

Pay Study. - The Request for Proposals (RFP) was accessed by 54 potential bidders. Two bids and one no-bid (a potential bidder who advised the county it would be making no bid) were received. One bid was disqualified off the bat because of a cover letter stating the process would be confidential when it should be public. The one bid that impressed Finance Director Steve Barron was from Bolton, a fairly large consulting firm based in Maryland. Its pay study would be limited to nonunion workers because Council Solicitor Chris Spadoni warned Council that a pay study of union wages is arguably an unfair labor practice. The pay study would be completed in 12 weeks at a cost of $64,500. 

Vargo Heffner complained about the pay study being limited to nonunion, but what I don't understand is that she presided at the meeting in which the decision was made to seek a nonunion pay study only. She was complaining about an RFP that she herself approved. 

Gracedale Performance Review. -  The Request for Proposals (RFP) was accessed by 47 potential bidders. Four bids were received. Three were from outside the state, and one wanted over $600,000. The bid Barron liked was from Affinity Health Care,  which already does the mock surveys for Gracedale and is located in the state.  It was for $39,980. Affinity has worked with 16 county-owned nursing homes in its 26 years of operation. Council member Lori Vargo Heffner questioned whether Affinity could truly be independent. "The truth is the truth," responded a representative. She said she would be contrasting what is happening at Gracedale against the industry standard. 

Council member John Cusick asked that resolutions be prepared for March,

Under the Administrative Code, the county could have formed a committee to review the proposals and have a Council member (not a clerk) as part of that committee. Finance Director Steve Barron opted against a committee because he wanted to get the proposals to County Council as soon as he could. This bothered some Council members. 

As I understand things, Council member Lori Vargo Heffner wanted Barron to form a committee to review the proposals with a Council Clerk being a participant. She implied a lack of transparency.  But that's untrue. I reported on this blog on January 27 that the bids were in. Nobody hid anything. 

But here's what's weird. According to Vargo Heffner, Barron failed to respond to queries from the Council Clerk about the bids that were received. Barron countered that the RFP was online and the bid opening was attended by the Controller and any member of County Council (or the public) could have been there.

"All we wanted to know was how many bids we had and we couldn't get a simple answer," she complained. She had earlier asserted that staff was unable to get a Yes or No answer on whether bids were received. 

When she told Barron that staff had requested this information several times, he answered, "Those things should be vetted in public."   

After the meeting, Barron said he had provided this information to Council clerks, but they wanted him to form a committee to review the bids. He felt it was more important to present the bids to Council at a public meeting. 

My assessment is that there appears to have been a misunderstanding fueled by mutual distrust. 

It's pretty clear to me that both Council and the Executive branch should be trying to work together instead of being at odds about everything. Council member Ron Heckman made this point, He also shut down Exec. Lamont McClure for interrupting the meeting without being recognized. 

McClure needs to recognize that, like it or not, County Council is a separate and equal branch of government. County Council needs to recognize that how an RFP is processed is purely an administrative function, even if it is pursuant to a county council ordinance. 

By the way, Council members John Brown and Kevin Lott completely missed these presentations. Council member Tara Zrinski phoned in, but uncharacteristically said nothing. She was scheduled to be at a campaign event in her Controller race at 6 pm and obviously missed at least some of a critical meeting about two very important topics.  

Michael Colón To Seek Re-Election to Bethlehem City Council

From Michael Colón: Today I’d like to officially announce I will be seeking reelection to my seat on Bethlehem City Council in May’s democratic primary election. Serving the citizens of Bethlehem has been a rewarding and humbling honor since I took office in 2016. An honor I value as one of the highest forms of service to the community. The next three months I’ll continue to be out in the community, in our neighborhoods answering what questions I can for the citizens of Bethlehem while asking for another four years as their representative on Council.

When I first ran for Council in 2016 we were still talking about the pros and cons of switching to single hauler trash system. Four years ago we were navigating the merger of our 911 system with the Northampton County 911 Center. Our country and our city have changed in the last four years. As we continue to recover from the pandemic Bethlehem has budgeted millions of dollars to help our community organizations and service providers bring their missions to our citizens. In the wake of ongoing discussions on how we provide police services we have supported our police department as it has expanded its community policing efforts and implemented a social worker to further assist those in need. City Council worked together in 2022 to pass legislation requiring members to recuse themselves from votes where they would have a financial conflict including campaign contributions.

The next four years will require us as a community to keep our focus on ongoing issues such as the affordable housing crisis while also preparing for whatever challenges come at us next. While I’ve been in both the majority and minority on major City Council votes I will continue to be someone who cares about access to city services, community taxpayer needs, and positive outcomes when engaging our local government.

Since my last election I’ve been unanimously voted as President of City Council, pursued a master’s degree in public administration through Kutztown University where I’m a few courses from graduation, and have started serving as a trustee on the Foundation for the Bethlehem Area School district and board member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, while continuing to volunteer where I can. My wife Erin and I reside in West Bethlehem where we are raising our infant daughter Emilia. I’ve always loved calling Bethlehem my hometown and want to continue making it an attractive place for families and businesses to enjoy the same opportunities I have.

Blogger's Note: My misguided brother, who has the misfortune of being a Republican, tells me two Republicans are also seeking City Council seats.  Colon, however, is someone who should appeal to both parties. 

The Dalai Lama's Shitter

From time to time, I play Hearts with the Angel of Death. His inability to beat me is the only reason I'm still alive. He's a terrible player. That's something you should keep in mind when he comes for you. He's been awful busy reaping souls of late, what with COVID, flu season, mass shootings, earthquakes and that special military operation in Ukraine. So he decided to take a little holiday in Vermont, of all places, He likes maple syrup. He's ensconced at some historic hotel in the very same room in which the Dalai Llama once stayed as a guest. He thought my readers would like you all to see the Kundun's shitter. It's getting lots of use, thanks to that maple syrup. 

The Angel of Death wants you to know he'll be back on the job Friday. 

Will NorCo Council Hold Myers Accountable?

Today and tomorrow, Northampton County Council will meet. It is more likely than not that Council President Kerry Myers was using his Twitter account to interact with phishing accounts disguised as scantily clad women. He demonstrated very poor judgment, both as a person and supposed leader. This follows a Sunshine Act violation in his first meeting. Will County Council do the right thing and remove him if he fails to resign as President? 

Their decision to appoint him was a mistake. He had already demonstrated that he uses foul language and is a demagogue. He actually threatened them with consequences when the tabled a proposed black elections commissioner because she was employed by a candidate. He had already undermined the authority of the Sheriff by stating he'd refuse to follow orders if he were a Deputy. But Council member Ron Heckman nominated him, and he was elected thanks to votes from all five Democrats, including himself. They did this because this is an election year, and they wanted to give him an edge in his campaign for re-election. The Democrats on County Council chose partisanship over good government.

County Council includes two women who should be offended at his objectification of women,. And the women who posed for those pictures almost certainly are victims o0f abuse. Will these female Council members object to Myers or will they let him slide because he is, after all, a fellow Democrat? 

My guess is that no one will say a word. 

What about the Republican council members? I'd love to blame them, but they had no part in the election of Kerry Myers as Council President. 

If the Democrats on Council believe in good government, they will at least ask Myers for a public explanation. But they will exalt politics over good government and brush this under the rug.  

The NorCo Controller Race - Acta Non Verba

There are two candidates for NorCo Controller, John Cusick and Tara Zrinski. Both are members of County Council. One of them, Cusick, cares deeply about county government and spending. The other, Zrinski, is a political opportunist who has run in five elections over the past six years. She suddenly claims that she really, really, really, really, really cares about county finances. Her actions on County Council tell a much different story. Acta non verba. 

In her five years on County Council, Zrinski has never bothered to introduce a budget amendment. She's simply willing to rubber stamp whatever she's given. 

Let's look at the year 2017. 

At the 2018 Budget meeting, she had little to say about a $450 million spending plan. That's because she considered three environmental resolutions more important. Council member John Cusick voted No to some minor budget amendments. They failed to include the cost of a new, state-mandated voting system, which is a core function of county government. Zrinski was more concerned about a resolution endorsing the use of solar panels, which she just happens to sell. She insisted on reading her solar panel resolution in its entirety.

Cusick was perplexed. "Before we save the planet, we need to provide the voters of Northampton County with a state of the art voting system," he pointedly remarked. 

The difference between Cusick and Zrinski here is that Cusick was focused on core county functions and the county's budget. Zrinski was more interested in her own budget. 

Finally, before the County purchased the Human Services building, County Council was told that it would need to float a $26 Million bond. The county's financial advisor gave Council an excellent presentation explaining all the details of this underwriting.  Zrinski skipped this important financial meeting to attend a political rally. 

Thode Predicts Interest Rates Will Continue to Rise

Blogger's Note: Steve Thode has been this blog's go-to numbers cruncher. Here's what he's saying about inflation and our rising interest rates: 

The year-over-year CPI came in at 6.4%. Overall, for the whole basket of goods, inflation increased 0.5% for January over December; the "core" - which removes energy and food - increased 0.4% for January over December. Food, alone, is up 11% year-over-year. That's a reality most of us know all-too-well.

The labor market remains excruciatingly tight, especially among entry level positions. For example, restaurants and retailers are still not fully-staffed. Many chain restaurants continue to block off whole sections of seating because they don't have enough staff; retailers have "darkened" many cash registers due to a lack of cashiers. Please tip as generously as you can when you dine out. Servers have it really tough these days.

Understaffing at low-wage positions pressures employers to raise wages well above the "official" minimum wage. That places upward pressure on wages well up the line. This will become painfully apparent as unions negotiate new contracts. They will demand "catch-up" provisions for inflation already endured by their rank-and-file as well as a boost in real wages. And, good for them!

As I said more than a year ago, I believe the Fed will continue to raise interest rates as long as the job market remains tight.

Curbing inflation will be a long, drawn out process. Or, as Kirk Douglas famously said to Jane Greer about her pending demise in Out of the Past (one of our favorite movies, BTW), "It won't be quick. And it won't be easy."

The Myers Defense to His Twitter Account

Yesterday, I told you that it's likely that NorCo Council President Kerry Myers was using his Twitter account to tweet to phishers disguised as scantily clad women. Screenshots of his exchanges were sent to me by "Go Rovers." Last night, I received two anonymous comments. The first almost certainly was posted by Myers himself. I am sharing both of these comments, as well as my replies.

Comment One (from Myers?):"So, your favorite county executive recruits his most incompetent office holder to run for Controller to oversee his books. He recruits his friend an appointed employee to run for county council. He also recruits two others to run for him and that is OK. Sorry, not Ok just sad, but oh well. He is doing everything he can to compromise the separation of powers in the county, with your help and that is OK. Every goofy idea he has is brilliant by your blog.

"Yet an anonymous source "ROVER', who may or may not be related to a candidate sends you this and you run with it. An old man may or may not look at pictures online that are less revealing than the beach and you are horrified and shocked and he should resign immediately.

"Is the fact that he is the only African American on council part of your problem? The fact that some of these women are white. Stop playing games with people's lives and if you are sincere, worry about the real issues you ignore in county government operations and not girly pictures.

"What nonsense."

My reply: My favorite county exec was John Stoffa. You point out that McClure recruited two of his rubber stamps to run for Council and controller, and then falsely state that I am ok with it and am actually helping. Anybody who reads this blog knows I came out very hard against both Kraft and Zrinski bc they are rubber stamps who only care about themselves. I have done this in several posts so, like Kerry Myers, you are a liar.

You complain that I am relying on an anonymous source without noting that you also are anonymous and may in fact be Kerry Myers. I have relied on anonymous comments since I began in 2006, and this post had screen shots directly from your twitter account.

Like Kerry Myers, you are now playing the race card. No, Kerry, my problem with you is unrelated to your race. It is bc you are a demagogue, a bully, undermined our Sheriff and never apologized, use vulgar language at Council meetings, are lazy and actually pretty dumb. It is bc you continue to disgrace your office by stupidly interacting with phishing accounts. It is bc you lie when you say someone impersonated you.

Like Kerry Myers, you would note the race of the women involved. This is your own racism showing.

Finally, you say I should worry about the real issues in this county. I do, and you are one of them. You are the President of County Council and yet were stupid enough to get involved with phishers, and now are lying about it. You have resisted a health center, wanted to give a tax break to a warehouse, threatened council members when they refused to install a conflicted elections comm'r.

I am angry that Dems on Council elected you President even though you are the worst possible person for the job. You are going to lose your re-election, but why not do the community a favor for once and resign now.

Comment Two: "Interesting points. Agree that Myers comes off as a demagogue and a bully but then so does McClure and Dertinger. McClure abuses his privilege to speak at council meetings and uses it to promote himself and his projects. So, Myers as council president is not as important or influential as a county executive.

"Also, the comments about the candidates running is worrying to me. Word is that McClure handpicked all the dems running except for Myers. For that fact alone I would vote for Myers. Too bad a republican isn't running in this area. Keegan's husband is president of Easton School District (ROVER?) and he and Myers do not get along. Myers was once the President of the Easton School Board. Myers now is head of th Boosters and in conflict with the district, So the Keegan candidacy is troubling."

My Reply:  My agenda is and has always been good government. Kerry Myers is an example of bad government, a point you concede. So we agree on that point. You claim McClure and Dertinger come off as demagogues and cite McClure's constant use of courtesy of the floor and county exec report to promote his agenda. He is doing what he is permitted to do. There is nothing wrong with an Exec who takes every opportunity he is given to win over reluctant Council members. That is democracy, and I much prefer that to back room deals. You say that "word is" McClure handpicked candidates who are running. I agree that it is suspicious, but guess what? Others can run, too. In D1, there are lots of active people who could take on Kraft. That's where Lori Vargo Heffner lives, and she could recruit someone. In D2, where Myers is running, you claim the candidacy of Ms. Brauchie-Keegan may be the result of Myers antics at EASD. If that is so, then McClure had nothing to do with recruiting someone to run against Myers. You can't have it both ways.

Incidentally, Myers is a man who said that if he were a Deputy Sheriff, he would disregard orders of the Sheriff bc it might put his life in danger. That was an outrageous statement, completely untrue and was uttered to undermine the authority of a good and decent man. Myers has yet to publicly apologize for those remarks. I would never vote for a person like that, but his Twitter account adds fuel to his bonfire.

Though Solar Industry is Booming, Jobs Are Declining

Recently, Northampton County Council member Tara Zrinski announced her candidacy for Controller. She needs a job with a decent salary ($85,000) and complete benefits. Selling solar panels might sound the wave of the future, as fossil industry jobs are replaced by a clean energy workforce. Unfortunately, the opposite is happening. Yes, the installation of solar panels has increased by 60% between 2016 and 2021, but the number of solar jobs has declined 11%. Construction workers on solar farms are busy, but that's about it. 

The notion that green jobs will replace fossil industry jobs appears to be untrue, at least in solar energy. 

RIP Ed Redding and Ladd Siftar

I completely missed two recent deaths among those who were involved in Northampton County government.

Ed Redding passed away on November 22, 2022. He was Northampton County Solicitor. 

Ladd Siftar died January 29. He served four terms on Northampton County Council. 

R Rated Post: Is NorCo Council President Using Twitter For MILF Exchanges?

Warning: Some of the pics below are a tad racy. 

Northampton County Council Democrats started the new year by letting politics interfere with good government. They voted to install Kerry Myers as Council President knowing he has a penchant for foul language and loves to hear himself talk almost as much as Ron Heckman and Tara Zrinski are in love with the sound of their voices. They elected him even though he asks questions that have already been answered and will often participate by phone even though he is retired and at home. They chose the worst possible Council member as President because they wanted to give him a talking point in his race for re-election. Myers started things off with a Sunshine Act violation when he failed to ensure that the agenda was online 24 hours in advance of his first real meeting. A the last meeting, he phoned in. Ron Heckman had to preside. Now comes the icing on the cake. There is credible evidence that Myers was using his Twitter account like a man whore - to accost scantily clad women. He denies this, but frankly, his explanation makes little sense.   

On Thursday night, in a story about John Cusick's candidacy for NorCo Controller, I first received this comment about NorCo Council President Kerry Myers' Twitter account: "Well @KerryLMyers44 on twitter might be Kerry Myers from County Council. If it is WOW!"

I checked Myers' twitter account on Friday, and did see one instance of him acting like a horndog, but you know, every dog is entitled to one bite. I called a friend better versed in the Twittersphere than I, and was told to go back and look at "tweets and replies." I did, but by then the Twitter account was gone. Poof! Then I got this comment late Friday afternoon: "Saw the Myers twitter. Funny how it’s now deleted. What a creeper. He should resign." 

Later on Friday night, i received two comments telling me the Twitter account has been deleted.

Myers also posted this message on Facebook. "I was informed about an account on Twitter pretending to be me. Sharing inappropriate content I had nothing to do with account and it was reported to Twitter and Deactivated. I apologize for any confusion but I had nothing to do with it."  

From what I was able to see before the account was deleted, I know it was his account, and not someone pretending to be him. I know this because the tweets did deal with coaching and Easton High School. So I believe that what Myers meant to say is that someone hacked into his account. If someone was masquerading as him, Myers would be unable to seek a password reset or provide an email address to delete the account. 

The account was his, and has the same "44" following his name as appears on his Facebook page. 

I was prepared to accept Myers' explanation (with suspicion) until I received the email below from "Go Rovers.' It includes screenshots of exchanges that Myers may have had with seven different women. This is credible evidence that the NorCo Council President engaged with women on social media inappropriately, and in doing so he demeaned all NorCo elected officials.

He should step down as NorCo Council President. If he refuses, he should be removed. Frankly, he should resign from County Council. 

First, we know this was his account, not someone else's. That's the only way he could delete it so quickly.  

Second, when an account is hacked, you see a spike in followers. That was not the case with Myers' account. From what I remember before he deleted his account, he has at most 50 or 60 followers. 

Third, his response to a woman who said she wanted an old man? "I like your thinking lol." Who but an old man like Myers would post an answer like that?

So do I think this was him? Absolutely. This is not proof beyond a reasonable doubt, but Caesar's wife (or in this case, husband), should be beyond reproach. 

The real fault here lies with Council Democrats. They let partisan politics trump good government.  

Go Rovers Email:

I recently saw the comments about Kerry Myer’s twitter account. In his comments on Facebook he mentioned the account pretended to be him and he had nothing to do with it. 

Funny that the account disappeared soon after that comment was posted on your blog.  

You can see below that the account is definitely his and even commented on an Easton football post.

Then comments on the photos appeared. They appeared for months.

He is a coach and a community leader. This is not the behavior we should have in our coaches and leaders. 

His Facebook explanation is a lie. I hope you and the community don’t fall for it. 

He was commenting on these pictures. They can be found by digging though the archives of the internet. 

Please see all the attached screen captures.  

Sincerely,

A Concerned Rover