Latest CMS Gracedale Rating - "Much Below Average"

The latest Medicare rating for Gracedale is out and it's pretty bad. It has dropped to just one star - "much below average." It is a precipitous drop from its 4-star rating - "above average" - in February. I have previously told you about a rash of substantiated complaints brought against the home, which no doubt play a role in the latest rating. 

Donald Trump Has Named His Successor

Sen. Mark Kelly (D. Ariz.) is a retired Astronaut and Navy Captain. During his vaunted career in the navy, he flew 39 combat missions during Desert Storm. He and five other members of Congress angered President Trump recently when they told US service members to refuse to follow illegal orders. On his own social media platform, Trump called them all "traitors" and accused them of "SEDITIOUS BEHAVOR, punishable by DEATH!" Trump lemming Pete Hegseth, ever eager to please the boss, wants Kelly recalled to active duty and court-martialed. 

I believe Trump has actually just named his successor. 

Kelly is exactly what this country needs, a centrist who is willing to and has worked with Republicans to get things done. He is certainly a notch above career politicians like Gavin Newsom, Josh Shapiro, Rahm Emanuel and Kamala Harris. 

NorCo Council Rejects Budget Amendment That Would Give LVPC Over $1 Million in 2026

Back in October, during a budget hearing for Northampton County Council, the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission (LVPC) requested $965,500 for next year. That's a problem. Executive Lamont McClure has only set aside $625,000 for the bi-county venture. At last week's budget amendment meeting, Council members John Brown and Lori Vargo Heffner tried to give LVPC an additional $461,375 by taking the money from Grow NorCo future grants. They failed. Five votes are needed to move something forward for consideration on December 4, when the budget is adopted. Only four Council members supported the increase. Two Council members - John Goffredo and Ron Heckman - might have given a fifth or even a sixth vote, but they were absent

LVPC, which serves both Lehigh and NorCo, plans regional land use, transportation, recreation, economic development, storm water management, and environmental impact studies. It reviews about 300 subdivision plans a year, just in Northampton County. Most importantly, it provides technical assistance to smaller local governments that have no planners. But does this justify what is 50% increase in the county contribution next year? Lehigh County thinks so and has already voted to. give LVPC what it wants. 

NorCo is a different story. 

"Why do we want to give Lehigh Valley Planning Commission all this money?" demanded Council member Ken Kraft.  "You heard them when they were here. They have a huge budget surplus." 

Council member John Brown supported an increase and said it was part of the agreement we have with our sister county. But in the eyes of Kraft and many others going back to former Council President Wayne Grube, we are treated more like the ugly red-headed step-sister.

Kraft went on a tear.  "I didn't tell them to move into a new building. I didn't tell them to incur all this new debt that they did and I don't think our taxpayers should pay for that. And 90% of it was in salaries alone. ... I think they need to figure out how to pay their bills without handouts. I'm a strong No. .... I can't believe we're doing this." ... "It's ludicrous to give this kind of money to them when they said most of it is for salaries. Remember, they are the people who brought you the warehouses all over the county. They told every one of these little municipalities back in Walt Dealtry's days, if you remember, to change their zoning and planning to allow what happened. And then in the future, we're like 'Oh my God, there's warehouses and cars and everything everywhere.' Who gave us that? The LVPC. ... They have a lot of reserves. We should have their reserves."

"For us to be so far off from Lehigh County is concerning to me," responded Council President Lori Vargo Heffner. She also told Kraft that some of the municipalities in his district rely on LVPC for planning.

Council member Jeff Warren, donning his Solomon costume, is willing to cut the baby in half. He is willing to give LVPC some of what it wants, but not all. 

In the end, a motion to sweeten the LVPC handout by $461,375 failed in a 4-3 vote. Council members Vargo Heffner, Brown, Jeff Corpora and Tom Giovanni voted Yes. Kraft, Warren and Kelly Keegan voted No. 

Expect to see another effort to provide this money to LVPC when the full Council meets on December 4. 

Jeff Warren's Proposal for Public Database of Blighted Properties Panned by NorCo Council

By a 6-2 vote, Northampton County Council voted last week to reject a proposal (you can read it here) by Council member Jeff Warren to establish a public database for blighted properties inside the county. He only had support from Council member Kelly Keegan. 

Warren, who is running for State Rep and would probably like to be Council President next year, claimed that blighted properties and absentee landlords are becoming more prevalent, and thinks a county-wide public database, administered by the county, would apparently shame owners into remediating code violations. "We have a ton of properties that are being neglected," said Warren, who added that this is "an aging community."

It certainly is, and I'll be the first to admit I am very blighted. I am listed as such on several public databases.

After reading the resolution in its entirety, which took about five minutes and with the usual rhetorical emphasis at certain points, Warren gave an equally lengthy sermon in response to a question from Council member Ron Heckman, who simply wanted to know how much it would cost. After about five minutes of pontificating, Warren eventually admitted he did not know.

Heckman, who incidentally has great hair but is otherwise also blighted, had his own soliloquy. He pointed out that the county exists for very limited purpose (courts, county bridges, election and administration of human services) and is barely able to do that. "We have an infinite need and finite resources," he said. "I don't want us to get into zoning and code enforcement or anything like that." He derided Warren's proposal as "more empire building than anything else." He said Warren's idea is "far afield" from what "county government is all about." 

Council member Ken Kraft, who once served on Bethlehem's Zoning Hearing Board, agreed with Heckman. "This is overreaching," he said. "This is not in our purview. ... We don't set zoning codes. We don't set those laws. They've nothing to do with us." He added that when Wilson Borough's Dixie factory "went to Hell" for 40 years, the municipality did nothing to correct it.

Kraft is also blighted. 

Of course, Warren had to respond again. He admitted that the state is considering a statewide database, which has passed the House. This begs the question why the county would need to do it as well.   

By the way, what the hell is blight anyway? Some might think pink flamingos look great while others think they are tacky. Some people like the natural look in their yards while others insist on mowing every 30 seconds. Council member John Brown noted that definition is far from uniform. 

I am concerned that this could be weaponized to shame elderly and low-income property owners who simply lack the resources to maintain properties to the highest standard. As for absentee landlords, do you really think they will care if their blighted property is listed on a public website?  That's why they are absentees. 

So yes, like Kraft and Heckman, I agree this is way beyond why county government exists. But unlike them, I think this is a terribly stupid idea. 

73 Court-Appointed Employees to Get $450,410 Raise

At last week's meeting of Northampton County Council, a pay raise totaling $450,410 was approved for 73 court-appointed employees. Thy include domestic relations conference officers, probation officers, pretrial services officers, law clerks, supervisors and even the court's accountant. The salaries were approved mostly by a 7-1 vote, with Ken Kraft dissenting and John Goffredo being absent. (You can see the numerous positions involved here.)

Earlier that week, President Judge Craig Dally told Council that the majority of these employees were at one time part of a union, but disbanded in 2019. When that happened, these employees should have been moved from union to career service PayScales, but they were never moved over as they should have been. 

Were these employees being punished for decertifying from a union? What I can say is that when they disbanded, the county initially refused to give them a retroactive 2% payraise that was slotted for career service workers that year. Two of Council's former members, both of whom just happened to be union agents, wanted to stiff these workers. And initially, they succeeded. "They made the choice to leave the union and that was their choice," said Kevin Lott at the time. He was among four Council members (including then Council member Tara Zrinski and now Council President Lori Vargo Heffner) who voted to deny these workers a pittance that would cost the county a grand total of $69,000 for 64 court-appointed professionals. 

Though this raise was eventually passed, these former union members were never moved over to the higher career service PayScales. 

"I wasn't aware of this," said Judge Dally. "Had I known, I would have come here sooner." 

Judge Dally was under the impression that these raises were going to be part of the 2026 budget, but was that never happened, either. 

This could be a misunderstanding. It could also be an administration intent on punishing employees for having left the union.  

Interestingly, the one Council member who balked at this migration was Ken Kraft, himself a former union agent. He was more than willing to let these employees stew in the wages of an expired union contract that was at least 6 years old. 

These raises are effective now, not next year. Judge Dally told Council he had the money in his budget to cover it. 

Proposal to Double NorCo's Rainy Day Fund Fails By a 4-4 Vote

At last night's meeting, Northampton County Council nixed a proposal to double its rainy-day fund from 5% to 10% of general fund expenditures. The measure, which required five votes to become county law, was supported by Council members John Brown, Jeff Corpora, Tom Giovanni and Lori Vargop Heffner. It was opposed by Council members Ken Kraft, Kelly Keegan, Jeff Warren and Ron Heckman. Council member John Goffredo, who could have tipped the balance one way or the other, was absent.

Before the vote, incoming Executive Tara Zrinski told Council that she already has serious reservations about the budget proposed for next year. (I outlined them here). She also opposes doubling the rainy-day fund. "Let's call this what it is," she said. "It is an unfunded mandate that fails to meet our statutory and moral obligations while burdening future administrations and misleading the public on fiscal stabilization." She called the 10% figure an "arbitrary hurdle that is out of step with the intent of GASB (Governmental Accounting Standards Board) That intent, she asserted, is "clarity and transparency, not artificial inflation of reserves for optics over substance." 

She is particularly irked that Council would even consider this ordinance in the face of a proposed budget that already "slashes essential services" like two prison rehabilitation programs. She noted that a 10% rainy-day fund would require her administration to pony up approximately an additional $8 million. She added her displeasure at the failure to fund the pension fund for retirees. "This is not good government. It is an act of willful neglect."

Council member Ron Heckman said he agreed with many of the points made by Zrinski as well as Council member Ken Kraft's warning the previous day that doubling the rainy-day fund would make a tax hike necessary. He agreed that "10% is a bit of a reach," and proposed increasing it to a more manageable 7%. His suggestion failed. Only Council members Vargo Heffner, Giovanni and Corpora agreed with him. The remaining members present (Kraft, Keegan, Corpora and Brown) voted No. 

John Brown argued that the rainy-day fund needs to be doubled as a matter of fiscal responsibility. "I believe we'd be having a very different conversation today if the state budget had not passed," he observed. Just two weeks before, he noted that 170 county employees were in danger of being furloughed. He did agree that NorCo finances are in dire straits, and predicted that in mid-January, the county will have to take $10-15 million from the general fund for Gracedale to cover a deficit. 

Heckman, like Kraft the day before, said there would need to be a tax hike to find the money. Keegan pointedly asked Brown if he'd support a tax hike to double the rainy-day fund. He said No, but provided no suggestions about where the county could find the money. 

Vargo Heffner proposed changing the effective date of the new rainy-day fund until 2028, but that measure died for lack of a second.  

She then warned, "We're going to have to raise taxes anyway. It's coming. Just plan on it." 

So ends the attempt to beef up the county's rainy-day fund. 

Should NorCo Council Double Its Rainy-Day Fund Even If It Means Tax Hike?

Over the past year, NorCo has watched the money well run dangerously low.  On the federal level, there was a record-setting shutdown because Democratic senators refused to go along with a continuing resolution to keep the government going with a continuing resolution. There was similar gridlock from the state, which was unable to adopt a budget until very recently. In the absence of federal and state funding, important human services administered through the county were in serious danger of interruption. Had the crisis continued, there is little doubt that the county would be forced to use its rainy-day fund. But is it set high enough? Executive Lamont McClure has proposed $8.6 million in next year's budget for what is more technically known as its stabilization fund. That is slightly more than the 5% of the year's expected total spending and this complies with current county law. But NorCo County Council is poised to vote tonight on a new ordinance that would require 10% of a year's expenditures to be kept in reserve.  The only way that money could be spent would be with the approval of County Council. 

This ordinance is set to take effect at the beginning of 2027. It will basically force incoming Exec Tara Zrinski to seek a tax hike to garner the funds needed for this surplus. Is this a good or bad idea? This is a subject that was discussed at a Council committee meeting last night. 

Though the ordinance is sponsored by Council members John Brown and Jeff Corpora, it was President Lori Vargo Heffner who took ownership last night. "I'm the one who initiated this," she said, explaining that the convergence of the federal and state shutdown made her think an increase is necessary because there is "no wiggle room" at 5%. "If something like this happens again, we're in trouble. We don't have money." 

Council member Ken Kraft opposed the idea. He agreed that the combined shutdown and budget impasse put the county "in a pickle," but that the only way to increase that rainy day fund in 2027 would be to propose a tax hike next year, and this would be unfair to incoming Exec Zrinski. Council member Kelly Keegan likened the situation to moving out of a house and shacking the new owner "with a hideous color of pink."

Council member John Brown explained that the rainy-day fund was much higher but was reduced by $11.8 million in last year's budget. He said the fund was used to balance the budget instead of being kept in reserve for emergencies. Brown tried to restore the funding in last year's budget, but his efforts failed because his proposals would have thrown the budget out of balance. "That's what led us to where we are today," he concluded.

Kraft countered that what McClure (and County Council) did was still in compliance with county law because the rainy-day fund was still higher than the required minimum. "I understand what you're trying to do by tying [Zrinski's] hands, but I don't really want to do that at this point to a new administration." 

There is speculation among some that this is actually a mean-spirited effort to force Zrinski to raise taxes during her first year in office. The counter argument is that a larger reserve is really necessary. Aside from emergencies like those faced this year, the county is going to have to pay more if it wants to keep good employees, keep the retirement fund fluid and continue paying health benefits. 

If the Council members who support this increase have no political motives, then I'd suggest that they also pledge to increase the tax rate to enable incoming Exec Zrinski to do their biddibg. Let the political faoout, if any, be on them and not on her. 

NorCo's Final Turnout in Municipal Races Has Nearly Doubled Since 2015

At yesterday's meeting of Northampton County's Elections Commission, Voter Registrar Chris Commini said he was "elated" by a 40.2% turnout in what is usually considered a sleepy municipal race. He has good reason to be pleased, if not also a little tired. Review of previous elections results reveal that turnout in municipal elections has nearly doubled since 2015. In that year, turnout was 21.13%. It increased in 2017 (22.54%) and 2019 (28.05%). This increased to 32.50% in 2021 and 33.18% in 2023. While kitchen table issues are probably the main reason for this increased interest, it's undeniable that mail-in ballots (MIBs), ballot-by demand (called "early voting" by some), and drop boxes have made voting more convenient. Provisional balloting has also played a role in ensuring that votes are counted.

Election day ballots (61,339) still outnumbered MIBs (30,542) by a factor of nearly 2 to 1. In addition, people uncertain of their status are voting provisionally. In this year's race, 343 provisional ballots were counted. 

Do drop boxes help increase turnout? According to Commini, 6,400 votes came in from the 7 drop boxes throughout the county. In addition, 457 voters exercised "ballot by demand" at the courthouse and another 44 received MIBs at the Fowler Center.

There are risks to MIBs. If you wait too long to use the post office, you run the risk of having your ballot arrive too late to be counted. You could forget to sign or date the return envelope. But the biggest issue is the problem of "naked ballots." These are ballots from voters who fail to place their MIB in a secrecy envelope to ensure that their vote is private. If a voter makes this mistake, his vote will be automatically invalidated. Elections Solicitor Michael Vargo said ballot sorting machines can sometimes sense that there is no secrecy envelope, and in those cases, attempts are made to contact the voter. But even with this precaution, he said that there are still a "regrettable number" of naked ballots that are only discovered on election day when the envelopes are opened. Those ballots are voided.

How about write-ins? Registrar  Commini said there were a staggering number of 9,400 write-ins, but only 593 were legitimate. There were 114 ties, mostly in races for judges of election and other elections workers. Those ties will be decided by a casting of the lots on Friday. 

Were there problems with the machines on election day? Commini reported that one precinct in Forks was supplied with an additional voting machine because of long lines. At Gracedale, a machine broke down and a replacement was provided. In a Lower Saucon precinct with three machines, one machine had a broken interior cable, but the judge of elections said he could make do with two. In Lehigh Tp, one precinct experienced a power outage, but machines were able to operate on battery until power was restored.  

Two problems occurred before election day. One involved MIBs for Easton's West Ward City Council race. The other concerned the voting machine ballot design for cross-filed candidates.  

Easton West Ward's City Council race was between Julie Zando Dennis and Sharbel Koorie. As a result of human error, one voter received the wrong ballot. Commini said he thought this was an "isolated" error but nevertheless took action. He determined that 50 ballots went out to the affected precinct on October 1, the same day wrong ballot was sent. Attempts were made to contact these voters by phone and email. New ballots were sent to these voters as well. 29 voters returned a replacement ballot. 12 voters returned the original ballot. 2 requested to keep original ballot, 3 went to the precinct and voted provisionally or surrendered their ballot to be able to vote on the machine. 4 did not return the ballot or vote in person. 

I have previously written about the ballot design on voting machines for cross-filed candidates, who are listed only under one party. This differs from the design on write-in ballots. President Judge Craig Dally has concluded that the ballot design as it appeared on the voting machine is legal, but Commini and Vargo were both questioned about the possibility of making the voting machine ballot identical to what appears on the mail-in ballot, which makes no party differentiation. Both said they would need to discuss this possibility with the voting machine vendor.   

Elections Comm'r Scott Hough complained that the county refused to schedule a "special meeting" the day before the election, which Solicitor Vargo told him was logistically impossible. It was, after all, the day before the election. But Hough said that when things go south, as they sometimes do, it is the elections commission that gets scapegoated. 

He also found it odd that the elections office refused to allow him and another Commissioner to view the machine ballot on the machine, especially when their signatures are on the ballot. He and other members agreed the elections commission needs to have more than four scheduled meetings a year and should be able to review the ballot before it becomes official. 

Before the meeting ended, Commini expressed his thanks to his Deputy, Amy Hess, who has been a steady hand in years of elections. He appreciates his staff, who actually conduct four elections in one cycle (MIBs, ballot by demand, precent voting and satellite offices). He was also grateful to employees in other departments, from maintenance to court administration, as well as retirees. 

Though there are bumps in the road in nearly every election, especially municipal races, this was about as good as it gets. 

Under Gracedale's Former Administrator, Home Was Cited Six Times

At last week's Human Services Committee meeting, NorCo Council member Kelly Keegan effusively praised Gracedale Administrator Michelle Morton for the "great job" she was doing. She was apparently unaware that at the time she was extolling Morton, the Administrator had already made plans to resign. She has since done so, making the county's nursing home the 23rd different job she's held since 1983. 

Morton was employed at the county from mid-March to mid-November, just eight months. It's hard to believe that someone who quit almost as soon as she started would know or care much about retention. But did she do a "great job"? The state's department of health was there almost as often as she was and found six instances in which Gracedale was out of compliance with regulations providing for proper nursing at Medicare and Medicaid long-term care facilities. 

4/16/25: The home was found to have failed to treat stage 4 pressure ulcers (bedsores) on the back of one resident, and footcare for another resident. 

6/25/25: Three residents suffered physical and mental abuse at the hands of a mentally unbalanced agency LPN who thought she was performing an exorcism. She was alone in a room with these three residents for two hours with no supervision. It was actually a resident, and not Gracedale, who called 911. (I wrote in detail about this yesterday.) 

8/1/25 to 8/10/25: Gracedale failed to provide the minimum nursing care of 3.2 hours per resident per day on August 9 and August 10. 

9/19/25: A resident with a propensity for wandering and who consistently removed his alert bracelet was supposed to be checked on every 15 minutes. He left the facility and was found four hours later by police about a mile away from the home. 

9/25/25: Another resident with dementia and a history of wandering was supposed to be checked on every 15 minutes. He left the facility on September 20. He was located by police on September 21, 2025 at 6:52 a.m., at a convenience store approximately two miles from the facility and was taken to the emergency room for evaluation. He was returned to the facility at 9:30 a.m. Review of facility documentation revealed that the resident's assigned 1:1 staff member left the assignment at 8:00 p.m. on September 20, 2025, and was not replaced. The resident was left unsupervised and did not have 1:1 observation, per his physician's order and care plan.

10/2/25: Another resident eloped and was "in immediate jeopardy." I have written about that incident here. 

Based on a reader's suggestion, I looked at inspection reports for Lehigh County's Cedarbrook over the same eight months. I found just one failed inspection for missing or damaged privacy curtains in one nursing unit. 

Whatever Happened to Gracedale's Exorcist? Did Gracedale Drop the Ball?

Like most nursing homes across the country, Northampton County's Gracedale has had a problem attracting and keeping nurses since the onset of COVID.  It has attempted to fill the void by bringing in nursing care from outside agencies. These nurses are paid far more than actual employees, which does nothing to help staff morale. Plus, I wonder how many of them are committed to anything more than a high paycheck. Earlier this year, I told you about one of these agency nurses, an LPN who decided she needed to perform an exorcism on one of the nursing home's residents.  What has happened to her? Let me tell you.  

On June 23, Octavia Lasha Robinson, age 43, was an agency LPN working at Gracedale. She came in from Morristown, NJ, a one-hour trip. According to Upper Nazareth Tp police officer Zach Dugan , she was charged that day with the abuse of a care-dependent person (i.e. resident) at Gracedale by striking, shoving, kicking and threatening her.  Robinson was also charged with simple assault and harassment.  When the officer entered the resident's room, he personally witnessed the Robinson shoving her fingers in the victim's mouth, saying the demons needed to come out. He also saw blood on the assaulted resident's chest and bedding. He placed Robinson in custody and took her to Lehigh Valley Hospital for an involuntary emergency health evaluation. 

Court records reveal that she waived her case into criminal court in late July and is scheduled to appear in court on December 2. Through a professional bail bondsman, she has posted $25,000 bail. No attorney has formally entered an appearance on her behalf. 

Was Robinson Licensed to Work in Pa? 

New Jersey's Division of Consumer Affairs lists Robinson as a Licensed Practical Nurse, but her license is listed as a "single state" license. At the time of this assault, which was before Pennsylvania entered into a 40-state nurse licensure compact, it appears that a nurse with a "single state" license could only practice within the geographical boundaries of the state in which she was licensed. It is questionable whether Robinson ever had the proper credentials to work at Gracedale. Robinson's license in New Jersey is suspended pursuant to an interim consent order on October 17.  

Health Department Report Indicates That a Resident, Not Gracedale, Called 911

This matter was also investigated by the state Department of Health, which concluded on June 25 that Gracedale had failed to keep residents free from abuse or neglect.  There were three residents in the room in which the LPN performed what she thought was an exorcism. 

From the state's report:

In a verbal statement dated June 23, 2025, Resident 2 stated that LPN 1 woke her and told her to put on a PPE gown to protect her from the demons. Resident 2 stated that LPN 1 would not allow her to leave the room or go to the bathroom. She then watched LPN 1 hit Resident 1 on the chest and back and shove wash cloths and towels down her throat. Resident 2 called 911 from her personal cell phone at that time.

In a verbal statement dated June 23, 2025, Resident 3 stated that LPN 1 gave her a PPE gown to put on and a wet wash cloth to clean her hands. Resident 3 could see LPN 1 hitting Resident 1 on the chest and back and sticking her fingers into Resident 1's mouth. Resident 3 also stated that LPN 1 sprinkled water on her numerous times.

Resident 1 was transferred to the emergency room (ER) for evaluation and found to have had petechial hemorrhages (tiny spots of bleeding) to the hard palate (roof of the mouth) and periorbital (around the eyes) edema (swelling). Her upper and lower lip were noted to have been swollen and a slit was noted to her lower lip. She was observed having some difficulty closing her mouth. Nursing documentation dated June 24, 2025, at 12:00 a.m., upon the resident's return from the ER, noted that Resident 1 stated, "I was so scared. I thought I was going to die."

In an interview on June 25, 2025, at 10:30 a.m., Resident 3 stated that the incident was horrific and that she had been scared.

According to the state's report, it was actually a resident, and not a staff member, who initially called 911. 

What about the staff? 

In a written statement dated June 23, 2025, Nurse Aide (NA) 2 stated that LPN 1 entered Resident 1's room (A3, Tower 7) at approximately 1:00 a.m. to provide care to Resident 1 while NA 2 was attending to other residents in the room. LPN 1 remained in the room after NA 2 left. NA 2 also stated that around 2:45 a.m., the call bell to the room was activated and when she went to respond, LPN 1 slammed the door in her face and told her to get out. There was no evidence that NA 2 reported the incident or that staff intervened until approximately 15 minutes later when a call was received from the 911 call center.

Apparently, 911 called Gracedale in response to the roommate's complaint. It was only then that three registered nurses intervened. So this unbalanced LPN was allowed to remain alone, with no supervision, for two hours without anyone taking notice. 

How does Gracedale plan to address this matter? 

By 7/18/25, Director of Nursing or designee will train and implement a new "Rounding Sheet" to verify that nursing supervisors are physically visiting each floor and speaking with staff during the shift to identify any potential concerns in resident care / treatment. The form is to be signed by both the nursing supervisor and the charge nurse. They will note any concerns for follow up on the floor. The QAPI Coordinator will monitor / audit this form weekly for 4 weeks, then monthly for compliance and will address any non-compliance with the shift supervisor. Results will be reviewed at monthly QAPI meeting.

By 8/1/25, Staff Development team will retrain staff regarding abuse recognition and prevention, including 1st step of stop the abuse if it is witnessed and ensuring safety of all residents, recognizing potential red flags and removing alleged perpetrator from the premises, including calling police as was done in this instance.

Gracedale's response is in effect a concession that nursing supervisors really dropped the ball. Moreover, the claim that Gracedale called the police is inaccurate. It is a resident who called 911, and 911 actually called Gracedale. 

It's impossible to know when someone just might snap, as obviously happened here. But iGracedale nursing supervisors failed to supervise the staff.  A mentally unbalanced LPN who may not even be licensed in Pa was left alone with three residents for two hours before anyone noticed. Finally, the nurse's aide who had a door slammed in her face should have taken immediate action. I would think that would have clued her in. 

This is one of just six violations noted by the Department of Health during Administrator Michelle Morton's brief tenure. I'll tell you about them on Tuesday. 

Gracedale Update: Day Care Open, Census Up, Falls Down, Impaired Resident Leaves, Administrator Quits

At their November 6 Human Services Committee meeting of Northampton County Council, Gracedale Administrator Michelle Morton provided members with an update concerning the nursing home. She reported that current census is 501 residents. and that daily nursing care (hours of nursing care per resident per day is 3.2 at the facility/ The home is rated at 3 stars(average), according to the most recent Medicare report. She noted that falls by residents are at their lowest point in the past four years, and that a free daycare for staff is finally open. She failed to answer whether she's leaving the home, but I'm reliably informed that she has since resigned after a tenure of just 8 months. 

Council member Kelly Keegan was effusive in her praise for Morton. "Gracedale is our moral obligation," she said, adding that "[l]ots of people like to stomp all over it." ... Your results are so great. You should be proud of it. .... I'm sure that all the negative things you heard - they just bring you down."

Gracedale is considered a "moral obligation," and if that is so, County Council has a moral obligation to provide oversight, especially given the turnaround and financial losses. 

Council President Lori Vargo Heffner told Morton, "I hope you'll continue to tell us whatever you need to tell us," she said, adding that Council wants to know how it can help and hates to see so much money going to agency nursing. 

Council member Ron Heckman was surprised to learn that though Morton pledged that she would look "at all the information that has been given to me," she never looked at an operational assessment of Gracedale performed in 2023. That assessment concluded that the home needs to pay more to staff. Human Services Director Sue Wandalowski said this omission was her mistake and had a copy sent to Morton during the meeting. 

Morton failed to disclose that the home was recently cited after it allowed a resident to discharge himself without having a physician determine that he had the capacity to safely discharge himself, which placed him in immediate jeopardy. The resident "had diagnoses that included problems related to living alone, altered mental status, history of cerebral vascular accident (a stroke, a medical condition involving the interruption of blood flow to a part of the brain resulting in brain damage), muscle weakness, cognitive communication deficit (difficulty with communication from impaired cognitive function), metabolic encephalopathy (brain dysfunction from metabolic disturbances), and below the knee amputation. Review of the care plan revealed that the resident had a performance deficit with activities of daily living, limited physical mobility, impaired cognitive function, and short-term memory loss, and his discharge plan was uncertain."

A physician's assistant allowed the resident to discharge himself against medical advice and without conducting a required capacity evaluation. The resident left with his belongings, no medications, no confirmed or safe destination, and had only a wheelchair for transportation. Ten minutes later, police called to ask what the home was doing.

Catholic Bishops Think ICE Has Gone Too Far, Too

On Tuesday, I told you about a member of my family who buys real estate in Philly. He remodels them and then either rents or sells them. The person who does the remodeling for him, Eduardo, is a legal permanent resident who has been here many years. On Monday of last week, he was detained by ICE because he left his green card at home. He was released on Friday, after losing five days of work and incurring the expense of a lawyer. I said then, and I'll repeat it now, that I have no problem with the removal of immigrants who have serious criminal records (violent crimes, drugs, theft). But I do have problems with doing sweeps of Home Depots, construction sites and restaurants. I do have problems with stopping someone simply because he is a bit darker in color. I do have problems with the unlawful arrests of legal permanent residents, citizens and veterans. And while I have no problem with those of you who are Trumpers, I am appalled that some of you think we all should all be required to present our papers on request to masked ICE agents. You may not like to hear it, and I am sorry to say it, but it really is fascism.  

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has just voted overwhelmingly (95%) for a special message condemning ICE tactics.

As pastors, we the bishops of the United States are bound to our people by ties of communion and compassion in Our Lord Jesus Christ. We are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement. We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants. We are concerned about the conditions in detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care. We lament that some immigrants in the United States have arbitrarily lost their legal status. We are troubled by threats against the sanctity of houses of worship and the special nature of hospitals and schools. We are grieved when we meet parents who fear being detained when taking their children to school and when we try to console family members who have already been separated from their loved ones. 

Despite obstacles and prejudices, generations of immigrants have made enormous contributions to the well-being of our nation. We as Catholic bishops love our country and pray for its peace and prosperity. For this very reason, we feel compelled now in this environment to raise our voices in defense of God-given human dignity.

Catholic teaching exhorts nations to recognize the fundamental dignity of all persons, including immigrants. We bishops advocate for a meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws and procedures. Human dignity and national security are not in conflict. Both are possible if people of good will work together.

We recognize that nations have a responsibility to regulate their borders and establish a just and orderly immigration system for the sake of the common good. Without such processes, immigrants face the risk of trafficking and other forms of exploitation. Safe and legal pathways serve as an antidote to such risks.

The Church’s teaching rests on the foundational concern for the human person, as created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27). As pastors, we look to Sacred Scripture and the example of the Lord Himself, where we find the wisdom of God’s compassion. The priority of the Lord, as the Prophets remind us, is for those who are most vulnerable: the widow, the orphan, the poor, and the stranger (Zechariah 7:10). In the Lord Jesus, we see the One who became poor for our sake (2 Corinthians 8:9), we see the Good Samaritan who lifts us from the dust (Luke 10:30–37), and we see the One who is found in the least of these (Matthew 25). The Church’s concern for neighbor and our concern here for immigrants is a response to the Lord’s command to love as He has loved us (John 13:34).

To our immigrant brothers and sisters, we stand with you in your suffering, since, when one member suffers, all suffer (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:26). You are not alone!

We note with gratitude that so many of our clergy, consecrated religious, and lay faithful already accompany and assist immigrants in meeting their basic human needs. We urge all people of good will to continue and expand such efforts. 

We oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people. We pray for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement. We pray that the Lord may guide the leaders of our nation, and we are grateful for past and present opportunities to dialogue with public and elected officials. In this dialogue, we will continue to advocate for meaningful immigration reform. 

As disciples of the Lord, we remain men and women of hope, 
and hope does not disappoint! (cf. Romans 5:5)

May the mantle of Our Lady of Guadalupe enfold us all in her maternal and loving care and draw us ever closer to the heart of Christ.

Future NorCo Exec Raises Concerns With 2026 Proposed Budget

NorCo Executive Lamont McClure has proposed a budget for next year, which is currently under review by County Council. Whatever they decide, incoming Executive Tara Zrinski will inherit it. And she has noticed some problem areas concerning the pension fund, stabilization fund, the elimination of two programs at the jail and county contributions for open space and a required watershed study. Here's what she has to say:

As Northampton County Controller, I have reviewed the proposed 2026 County budget and followed the public hearings over the past several weeks. While I appreciate County Council and the administration for their ongoing commitment to fiscal responsibility, I have significant concerns about underfunded areas that pose long-term risks to our county’s financial stability.

One of my most pressing concerns is the inadequate funding for retiree obligations, including pension and Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) such as retiree healthcare. The latter is not as concerning because of limited eligibility for future retiree healthcare since the 2010 resolution vacating the County’s obligation to extend healthcare to retirees that don’t meet the longevity threshold.

Deferring these commitments may appear to balance the budget in the short term, though, but it places future budgets—and taxpayers—at greater potential risk. With volatile market conditions, rising healthcare costs, and the continued drawdown of our emergency stabilization fund, the county’s financial margins have grown too narrow to absorb additional shocks.

While County Council proposed an ordinance increasing the stabilization fund from 5% - 6%, they have not indicated from where these funds will arise. In order to balance the budget they have to take money from one pot and place it in that stabilization fund. I’m deeply concerned about reductions in funding to core county programs, which is already apparently happening particularly within our Department of Corrections with this current proposed budget.

The proposed elimination of programming such as LEAP and Pinebrook Services represents a step backward for initiatives that have proven effective in rehabilitation and reducing recidivism. At a moment when we are uncertain whether we can sustain payroll for essential human service employees in children and youth services into 2026, cuts to these successful programs are especially troubling. If we cannot sustain these line items this year, it calls into question how we will maintain them in future years without new or additional sources of revenue.

Additionally, the proposed budget fails to include county contributions to Open Space Initiatives or Farmland Preservation—longstanding commitments to protecting our environment and quality of life. I am also concerned that the statutory obligation to fund the Pennsylvania Act 167 Watershed Study has not been accounted for in this proposal.

My concerns are not political; they are fiduciary. It is my legal and ethical duty as Controller to identify systemic risks that could undermine Northampton County’s fiscal health. County Council has asked thoughtful questions throughout the hearings, but it will be critical that they act decisively before adopting a final budget.

I will continue to carefully analyze the proposed budget and raise awareness of any additional risks. Transparency, accountability, and long-term financial sustainability remain my top priorities as we work to secure a stable future for Northampton County.

ICE Is Going Too Far

When he campaigned for election, Donald Trump did his best to paint a dark image of a country suffering an invasion at the hands of millions of foreign criminals and terrorists. He did what he does best - he pandered to our darker natures. It is one thing to say that an immigrant with a serious criminal record should be deported. Most of us would agree.  But Trump went further, dehumanizing our immigrants, even those here legally, as pet-eating "animals". Now that he's President, Trump has gone after our immigrant population with the same gusto that Hitler displayed in going after Jews. Hitler used brown-shirted SA (Sturmabteilung) thugs while Trump has designated mask-wearing ICE agents. As of last week, ICE had 66,000 people in detention camps, the most it has ever held in a single week.  But how many of these detainees are actually pet-eating cartel members?  According to CATO, which is no left-leaning think tank, about 7% of detainees are violent criminals. 65% had no convictions. Over 90% had no serious criminal convictions. In fact, as of October 16, ProPublica reports that at least 170 US citizens have been detained. 

While a majority of American voters certainly supported a crackdown on illegal immigration and the deportation of illegal violent criminals, I doubt they expected the tactics being used by ICE to target just about anyone who looks a little different. And now it has happened in my own family.

A member of my family is currently dabbling in real estate. He buys small properties in Philly and then rehabs them and wither rents them out or sells them. He found a fellow named Eduardo to do most of the remodeling work for him. Eduardo spends a lot of his time going to local Home Depots and other hardware stores to get the materials he needs. Apparently, ICE is focusing on Home Depots and construction sites to conduct its sweeps because Eduardo was stopped after visiting one last week. 

He is a lawful permanent resident with no criminal record. He is just a hard worker. He was asked to produce his papers, which he does not carry on his person. He explained he could get them, but ICE just detained him.

That was on Monday of last week.

In the meantime, the real estate tycoon in my family had texted Eduardo about the cabinets and flooring on one of his projects. 

Fortunately, ICE did allow Eduardo to contact his wife. She got him a lawyer, and he was released from detention on Friday. 

He returned to work that day.

Now I know many of you voted for Trump. But I doubt you expected this overkill which, like it or not, is eerily similar to the tactics used by Hitler. 

I am not calling him Hitler, but I am making very clear that we are on a dangerous path. I suspect this ICE over-reach, which goes far beyond what we expect of  our country, played a part in last week's Democratic victory. It's not that Democrats are being embraced so much as a rejection of Trump's excesses.  

US Senate Deal to End Federal Shutdown

As I write this blog, the U.S. Senate is actually in session, arguing for and against a deal that will end the record 39-day federal government shutdown. This shutdown has led to a suspension of SNAP (food stamp) benefits, canceled flights across the country, federal layoffs and payless paydays for numerous government employees. Though Republicans have a majority in both the House and Senate, they have been unable to prevent a shutdown because Senate rules require 60 votes to end the debate. 

The key sticking point for Democrats has been Republican refusal to extend subsidies under the Affordable Care Act for one more year. 

Under the deal, the government will be funded through the end of January. Senate Republicans have promised a vote on the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies during the second week of December. There is no guarantee that the vote will pass or that the House will bring the matter to a vote. 

Seven Democrats and one Independent support the legislation to end the shutdown. They are Dick Durbin (Ill), Jeanne Shaheen (NH), John Fetterman (Pa), Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev), Maggie Hassan (NH), Tim Kaine (Va), Jacky Rosen (Nev) and Angus King (Me). 

Although voters appear to have held Republicans responsible for this shutdown, the truth is that Democrats have been happy to cut off our noses to spite our faces over health care subsidies. that were set to expire at the end of this year. As consequential as this will be for many Americans, it is less painful than it is to starve children. 

Enough is enough already. 

NorCo Council Appropriates $4,000 for Centenarian Luncheon on November 10

At their November 6 meeting, NorCo Council voted 8-0 to appropriate $4,000 from their contingency fund for this year's annual centenarian luncheon on November 10 at Green Pond Country Club. Executive Lamont McClure had postponed the event as a result of the state budget impasse. 

Council member Ron Heckman said it was a "sad state of affairs" that the county was unable to come up with $4,000 from a half billion-dollar budget to honor people who've lived even longer than him. 

Council member Ken Kraft, participating by phone, was unable to vote. The other eight Council members voted Yes. 

NorCo Council Considers Increasing Rainy Day Fund From 5 to 10% of General Fund

At their November 6 meeting, Northampton County Council introduced an ordinance that will increase its stabilization, or rainy-day fund, from 5 to 10% of the general fund. It's what former Council member Ron Angle liked to call the "seed corn." If passed, it will become effective in January 2027. This, it has no impact on the stabilization fund proposed for next year by Executive Lamont McClure. 

His proposed rainy-day fund for next year is $8.6 million, slightly above the minimum required by a current Council ordinance. This has been a sticking point with Council members John Brown and John Goffredo, who argue it should be higher for precisely the kind of emergency created as a result of the current state budget impasse. 

McClure, however, has long maintained that letting this money sit unused amounts to overtaxing county property owners. As Executive and before that as a Council member, McClure has long argued for leaner rainy-day funds.

NorCo Elections Comm's to Meet November 18, 3 PM

Acting Administrator Michael Colon announced at last night's meeting of NorCo Council that the Elections Commission will meet on Tuesday, November 18, 3 pm, in County Council chambers. Since they are meeting in Council chambers, it will hopefully be available on YouTube. At that meeting, Elections Registrar Chris Commini will give his report on the most recent election. 

Colon did discuss a few problems encountered in the days leading up to the election.

In Easton City Council race for District Two, a voter received a mail-in ballot for another district. The elections office nullified the ballot and provided this voter with the correct ballot. It also reached out to the 48 people in that district who received ballots that day (by email, phone or call) to give them the option to get new ballots and have the ballot sent nullified. These votes will be segregated and counted separately. It should be noted that even if all of them received the wrong ballot, it makes no difference because the winner, Julie Zando-Dennis, won by over 300 votes. 

Colon also addressed the machine ballots for school district candidates who were cross-filed, who are only listed once and only on the Democratic side of the ballot. (The cross-filed candidate appears on the side of the Governor's party He noted this change was made necessary by the 2019 changes to the Election Code. I believe this interpretation of the Election Code is incorrect, but the President Judge has a different view. His opinion matters a bit more than that of a dumpster-diving blogger. 

Finally, Colon addressed the situation in which two elections commissioners asked to see Executive Lamont McClure to view the physical machine. One of these Comm'rs, Scott Hough, said that McClure walked out without even acknowledging them. But Colon told County Council that McClure simply was unaware at the time he left that the Commissioners were there to see him. 

Colon also said that the request for an elections commission meeting on the day before the election was simply impossible as the Registrar is busy that day.  

Tax Break For Luxury Apartments at Wilson Borough's Dixie Cup Fails With NorCo Council

Kristen Bertucci is with the Recovery Partnership, a nonprofit that provides mental health recovery services in the Lehigh Valley. At last night's NorCo Council meeting, she provided a list of human services vendors who have received no or only partial payments from the county for the past five months as a result of the state's inability to adopt a budget. Her own staff has been laid off, and she wonders if they'll be there if and when the state legislature finally gets its head out of its ass. To make matters worse, she notes that SNAP (food assistance) benefits "for the most vulnerable in our community" have been suspended as a result of the federal shutdown. She said this deprives many people of their "most fundamental human need." The only constant she has observed is a "complete disregard" that taxpaying citizens receive from all levels of government. "These actions tell us that we don't matter, at least not as much as a bond rating or in comparison to a real estate taxpayer. " she concluded, and she's right.  The county has stopped paying human services vendors. Human services caseworkers, who investigate abuse claims against seniors and children, have possible furloughs hanging over their heads like the sword of Damocles.  Against this backdrop, County Council was being asked to give a 20-year real estate tax break amounting to as much as $29 million to an out-of-town developer with no experience. He has already received handouts from the state and wants even more.  The noble purpose of this largesse? Luxury apartments at the old Dixie Cup factory in Wilson Borough. He was able to find the money to buy the Planet Fitness building next to the Dixie Cup factory, but wants government to help him build high-end apartments. 

I'd say the only idiots who would support this type of obscenity would have to be snorting cocaine. In fact, that's precisely what Stan Margle, the Wilson Borough lawyer who pushed this project before County Council and insulted them in the process, is accused of doing. 

Last night, after months of delay between the developer and an industrial development authority, County Council was finally asked to voter on the matter.

Council member Jeff Warren bloviated over the phone and apparently thinks the tax break should be granted because his grandfather once worked at Dixie. He called this decaying hulk of a factory a historic building. He contended we already give tax breaks to multimillion dollar corporations "out the wazoo."  I'm uncertain how this argument is even logical, but there it is. His real argument is the promise that the apartments will be built with trade union labor. 

Other Council members had different views. John Goffredo said the county is making no payments for pensions this year and predicts it will soon have to raise taxes. John Brown argued that the developer's willingness to contribute $1 towards affordable housing is too low. Ron Heckman said he does not think a TIF should be awarded for one building with one developer. He said the county should be more concerned about human services. Lori Vargo Heffner said she's opposed to a tax break at a time when county finances are uncertain. 

County Council voted to reject the tax break in a 5-4 vote. Goffredo, Brown, Vargo Heffner, Heckman and Tom Giovanni voted No. Voting Yes were Kelly Keegan, Jeff Warren, Ken Kraft and Jeff Corpora. 

After the meeting, the county issued a news release attacking its own County Council. Here's a portion of the news release, using county resources to attack a branch of its own government:

“The council was presented with a straightforward plan to breathe life back into a site that has sat empty for 42 years,” said County Executive McClure. “They continue to prove themselves to be the most useless county council in home rule history.”

“At a time when action was needed, Council dropped the ball, turning a chance for progress into yet another chapter of missed opportunity.”

If he thinks this Council is bad, wait until next year. 

Frankly, there is no compelling reason for this handout. The only jobs it will produce will be temporary union jobs that will end once the apartments are complete.  It will make housing more unaffordable. Nearby landlords will increase their rents. And no one will see any increase in tax revenue for 20 years, if then. 

PJ Craig Dally Denies Ballot Challenges Filed by Cross-Filed Nazareth Area School Board Candidates

In a well-considered Opinion and Order issued yesterday, President Judge Craig A Dally denied petitions to correct ballot errors filed by Nazareth Area School Board candidates Wendy Whiteash and Linda Stubits. Both had cross-filed and expected to see their names listed under both parties, which is precisely how cross-filed candidates appeared on a ballot prior to the massage changes to the Election Code enacted in 2019. Instead, they were listed only once, as "Democratic/Republican," on the Democratic side of the ballot. They were listed on the Democratic side because cross-filed candidates are listed under the party of the Governor in office. Both are Republicans, and they argued that the way they were listed would discourage partisan Republicans from voting for them. Both candidates, incidentally, won their election on Tuesday. 

Though they acted pro se, Judge Dally notified the county of their concerns and conducted a two-hour hearing on Friday. Although he acknowledged that he has the authority to issue an Order to correct a "mistake or omission" in a ballot, he noted that he is also bound by strict rules of statutory interpretation that prevent a judge from disregarding the letter of the law under the pretext of "pursuing its spirit." He then went on to point out that the current Election Code provides that, for cross-filed candidates, "[t]heir name shall be printed once."

In a footnote, Judge Dally observes that the 2019 changes to the Election Code under Act 77 were the very same that instituted mail-in balloting as well as the elimination of straight party voting. He concludes this change "effectively eliminated the requirement to list cross-filed candidates on both sides of the ballot as voters could no longer vote for candidates only from one of the parties with a single mark or act." He also pointed out that Act 77 was challenged and upheld by the state supreme court. 

In addition, Judge Dally contends that this is matter that should have been brought to the Elections Commission. He received no evidence that the Elections Commission failed to properly review the ballot before the election.

I very much appreciate the time Judge Dally took to weigh these concerns, although I disagree with his conclusions. It is true that Act 77 provides that the name of a cross-filed candidate shall be listed once, but it never states that the name shall be listed "only" once. The conclusion that the name shall be published only once is itself a matter of statutory interpretation that goes beyond the language of the statute. 

It's also true that Act 77 eliminated straight party voting, but even if a candidate is listed under both sides as a Democrat and as a Republican, it is still impossible to vote straight party. This double -labeling just prevents voters from thinking that a cross-filed candidate whose name is listed under a Democratic Governor is actually a Democrat. It also would prevent voters from thinking that a cross-filed candidate whose name is listed under a Republican Governor is actually a Republican. 

I am aware that Act 77 has been upheld, but not on this issue. 

I'd agree that the Elections Commission would be the proper venue for this challenge in the first instance. But unfortunately, the Court was never presented with evidence that the Elections Commission was itself never provided with an opportunity to review the ballot. 

Finally, I'd contend, under Judge Dally's interpretation of Act 77, it violates the Pa Constitution requirement that all elections be "free and fair." There is nothing fair about penalizing a cross-filed ballot by restricting her to one side of the ballot. But unfortunately, courts have no authority to raise constitutional issues on their own and operate from a presumption that all statutes are constitutional. 

I'd hope that the state legislature revises Act 77 or that the language be challenged in a future action in which the courts and parties have more time to consider all issues. 

PJ Craig Dally Denies Petition to Correct Ballot Challenge Filed by Wendy Whiteash by BernieOHare

Unofficial Election Results - Dems Sweep Northampton County Races!

All Democrats running for county seats in Northampton County have prevailed. This is what the unofficial election results show as of about 10 pm on election night. There were 61,339 in-person votes and 28,587 provisional ballots cast, and turnout was 39.2%, substantially higher than the 32.5% turnout in the municipal election four years ago. This Democratic victory mirrors what has happened in New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia and New York City. Democrats have kept their majority on the Pa. Supreme Court as well. Though this is a municipal election, appears to be an indication that voters are unhappy with the course changes made by Republicans and Donald Trump on a national level.

It's a pretty clear message to Trump even though his name appeared on no ballots. Voters appear to be concerned about his expansion of executive power. They support the removal of illegal immigrants who have committed crimes, but do not support the tactics used by the cowboys with ICE against people who might be here illegally but are working hard.  They appear to be uneasy about the federal government shutdown, which has led to a suspension of SNAP.  They appear to be unhappy about the state shutdown, which has made it more difficult for Pennsylvanians with limited incomes to get to and from work. Ironically, this Democratic victory comes despite a recent poll reporting that 68% of Americans saying that Democrats are "out of touch." 

In NorCo, it was an uneventful race. Yes, there were some problems with mail-in ballots for one Easton City Council race. Yes, there is an unresolved dispute over the ballot configuration for cross-filed candidates. But the election itself ran very smoothly. I received only one complaint about the machines throughout the day. The complete results were posted online by 10:30 pm, which might be a county record. 

The top vote getter was Democrat Jeremy Clark, who handily defeated Republican James Fuller in the race for judge with 59.7% of the vote. This makes sense because Clark actually practices law in this county and ran a campaign. Fuller practices in Monroe County and was basically invisible

Democrat Tara Zrinski easily beat Republican Tom Giovanni in the Executive contest with 59.03% of the total vote. Zrinski is a seasoned campaigner who was actually able to raise money. This has previously been her downfall. Giovanni, who is admired and respected by both Democrats and Republicans who know him, failed to raise the money needed to reach voters. He also declined to debate Zrinski, which would have helped voters learn more about him. 

The Democratic sweep of the County Council races was a shock to me, as I expected John Goffredo and Sam Elias to win. Although the Lamont McClure faction of the Democratic party tried to squeeze Lori Vargo Heffner out, she was the top vote getter (48,658 votes), followed by former Gracedale administrator Dave Holland, Wind Gap Borough Council member Jason Boulette, Hellertown's Theresa Fadem won, despite doing nothing. Nadeem Qayyum came in fifth, even though he is a Democratic socialist and will no doubt try to pursue the same agenda his wife, Taiba Sultana, pushed in Easton.. 

Republican Sam Elias ran a great campaign but was still 9,000 votes behind the 5th place Dem. Incumbent Council members John Brown and John Goffredo decided to raise no money. That was a mistake. Both were defeated in their bid for re-election. 

The votes are still unofficial. I expect formal canvassing of the vote later this week and next week, at which time provisional ballots will be counted if valid. 

Democrats now will have a 8-1 advantage in NorCo Council in 2026, which should be smooth sailing for Executive Zrinski. 

In the only disputed Easton City Council race, Democrat Julie Zando-Dennis beat Republican Sharbel Koorie, 705 to 384. So even if 48 MIBs were improperly sent, which the elections office concedes is possible, it makes no difference. 

In the Nazareth School Board race, Linda Stubits and Wendy Whiteash won seats despite the way their ballots were configured as cross-filed candidates. 

Despite what appears to have been a blue wave as the pendulum swings from red to blue, there were Republican victories. Republican Rob Kemmerer defeated Democrat Ellen Kingsley in the Wind Gap area race for magisterial district judge with nearly 60% of the vote. Kemmerer is a former probation officer and had the support of many Democrats. 

In heavily Republican areas of the slate belt and northern tier, Republicans still won. Republican Janet Sheats defeated Democrat James Barnes for Supervisor.  Jonathan Erler beat Democrat Courtney Gilmour in Upper Mount Bethel. 

Judges Sam Murray and Paula Roscioli were easily retained.

NorCo's Mail-In Ballot Tally As Of 8:22 PM

The mail-in ballots are going predominately to Democrats. This will change as the returns come in from the precincts for those who voted in person. There were 28,587 MIBs counted (not including those being brought in from drop boxes today. 

Judge: Jeremy Clark has 21,346 votes to 6,802 for James Fuller in the judge contest, giving him 75.79% of the vote.

Executive: Tara Zrinski has 21,111 votes to 6.997 for Tom Giovanni, giving her a 75.06% of the total.

County Council: Democrats lead in the race for five seats. Dave Holland - 20,154, Lori Vargo Heffner - 19,986; Theresa Fadem - 19,348;  Jason Boulette - 19,245; and Nadeem Qayyum - 17.684. 

Magisterial District Judge: Ellen Kingsley is leading Robert Kemmerer, 1,375 to 924. 

UPDATED 9:45 pm: In the last Executive race, there were 22,672 MIBs total and 48,526 votes on election day. Total turnout was 32.50%. So far, the turnout this year is 31.7%. That figure should climb. 

As of 9:32 pm, with 29.7% of the precincts reporting, the Democratic lead is beginning to shrink but still holds strong in most races. Republican Bob Kemmerer has overtaken Ellen Kingsley in the Wind Gap area MDJ race. 

UPDATED: Any Problems at the Polls?

The turnout in this year's municipal race is expected to be light. This post exists so that you can report any problems you experience when voting in person. If you have any problems with the machines, or notice that machines are not operating properly, please share that information, stating both the location and time of your problem. If you experience improper influence inside the polling place, please share. Hopefully, all goes well. 

1:20 PM UPDATE: So far, reports have been positive. One Easton voter called me to state that she used the machine to select 4 of the 5 Democrats running for County Council, excepting Nadeem Qayyum. But when she prepared to cast her ballot, she noticed the light for the Republican candidate (Juan Martinez) on the opposite side of Nadeem was lit up. She went back and eventually got it right but is concerned that other voters may not notice this issue. She wonders if the machine gets glitchy when it gets moved. She contacted the elections office. 

4:30 PM UPDATE: I have visited five precincts in my area and have been told turnout is good for an off-year election. Nobody reported any trouble with the machines. Moreover, there have been no complaints in court of which I am aware. 

NorCo Elections Comm'rs Rebuffed in Attempt to Call Special Meeting Over Ballot Issues or Even Examine Ballot

In response to ballot issues that have arisen over mail-in ballots (MIBs) in an Easton City Council race and the ballot itself in school board races, all five members of the NorCo Elections Comm'n last week requested a special meeting for Monday. On Friday, they were advised that elections officials were too busy to conduct a meeting on the day before the election.

Yesterday, Elections Comm's Scott Hough and Julie Geissinger visited the elections office anyway and asked to see the machine ballot for the Nazareth Area School Board races. They were refused by Elections Registrar Chris Commini, but claim they were told the ballot would be made available if Executive Lamont McClure approved.

They went to his office and told the receptionist why they were there. Instead of meeting with them, Elections Comm'r Scott Hough claims McClure just walked out without acknowledging them. 

Under the Election Code, Elections Commissioners have an obligation to ensure that all ballots are accurately printed. (25 P.S. 2969). They also have the duty to "inspect systematically and thoroughly the conduct of primaries and elections in the several election districts of the county to the end that primaries and elections may be honestly, efficiently, and uniformly conducted." (25 P.S. 2642(g)). It appears they have been stopped from exercising their statutorily mandated duties. Moreover, all members of the public - not just elections commissioners - have the right to inspect the ballots (25 P.S. 2968). 

Judge Tosses Sultana Lawsuit Over Campaign Signs Calling Her "CRAZY CHAOTIC CRIMINAL"

Sultana Libel Ruling by BernieOHare

In a 23-page Opinion filed yesterday, Northampton County President Judge Craig Dally has tossed a defamation lawsuit brought by Taiba Sultana against PA CITIZENS PAC, a political action committee formed by immigration attorney Ray Lahoud. The lawsuit was filed in response to campaign signs that called her "CRAZY CHAOTIC CRIMINAL." The court also rejected defmation claims based on Facebooks statements that called her anti-semitic and a "complete nutcase," among other things. 

At the time these "CRAZY CHAOTIC CRIMINAL." signs circulated (before they were vandalized by her children), Sultana was an Easton City Council member seeking the Democratic nomination for the state house against incumbent Bob Freeman. She lost that race and was also defeated in a May primary to retain her seat on City Council. 

Judge Dally concluded (you can read his Opinion above) that these statements were mere opinions. "[S]uch assertions alone, while annoying, offensive, and rude, do not give rise to a claim for libel and further, do not imply the existence of any undisclosed defamatory attacks." 

In addition, the comments were made without the actual malice required for libel lawsuits brought by public figures. "[S]he has not established with clear and convincing evidence that the identified statements are actually false or that they were made with reckless disregard for the truth." In fact, Judge Dally notes that local news outlets reported on her missed meetings and the criminal accusations that she beat her adult son. He referred to a Supreme Court decision noting that those who enter the political arena "must expect that the debate will sometimes be rough and personal."

In her Complaint, Sultana contended that a PA CITIZENS PAC claim that Sultana has unpaid municipal liens comes from a "dubious source of information". That dubious source is me. While I plead guilty to being a bottom-feeder, I pride myself on giving you premium garbage. There are actually two open municipal liens against Sultana. One is for $1,592.63 and was filed 6/10/24 at 2024-ML-5167. The second, filed 4/18/24 at 2024-ML-3404, is for $922.24.   

She also failed to establish that she suffered any special harm as a result of being called names. She claimed she received unwanted online messages and lost her campaign for state house as a direct result of being called "CRAZY CHAOTIC CRIMINAL" but never produced either these messages or proof that she lost the election as a direct result of the campaign signs. "[T]his Court cannot conclude that her standing in the community has been grievously fractured nor speculate as to the impact of the publication of the statements on the outcome of the primary election."

Sultana was represented by Allentown Attorney Matthew Mobilio, but he withdrew from the case in October.  PA CITIZENS PAC was represented by Attorney Stephanie Steward of the Goudsouzian law firm. 

Ray Lahoud, who formed and funded PA CITIZENS PAC, had this remark: "I appreciate the Court's thoughtful analysis. Ms. Sultana protests about rights and freedoms for all, but is against those rights for individuals that oppose her beliefs. Shame on her."

Sultana told Lehigh Valley News that she intends to appeal. She accused Lahoud of defaming her "“to destroy an immigrant woman who dares to stand up for her community.”