ICEOUT Receives Three Unconfirmed ICE Observations in Easton Area

ICEOUT is a nationwide map through which people can report ICE observations in their community. It is maintained by People Over Papers, a 501c3 nonprofit. 

The map includes an unconfirmed report that ICE was observed at the Easton Recreation Office, 123 S 3rd St, Easton, PA at 1:47 pm. The report indicates that 15 agents in 5 or more cars were there. Another unconfirmed report, including a photo, indicates that ICE was seen outside the vacant LA Fitness Center in Wilson Borough on January 31 at 1:30 PM. Two vehicles and about 5 agents are spotted. A third unconfirmed report indicates four vehicles were spotted the same day at 10 am at 2403 Butler Street in Wilson Borough. 

NorCo Council Lawsuit Over Audio Visual Upgrades Still Pending

Back in October, Northampton County Council sued former Executive Lamont McClure over audio and visual upgrades to County Council's meeting room. Ron Heckman, a former Council member, was participating in meetings remotely and routinely complained that he was unable to hear or see what was happening. When he would speak at meetings, his voice would often cut off, and no one could hear him. It was suggested that he might be responsible himself for his technical difficulties, but he insisted that this was a systemic problem that the Executive branch chose to ignore. 

Northampton County Council actually adopted an Ordinance for these upgrades in late 2023. According to the terms of this Ordinance, the upgrades were to be completed by June 2024. Then Exec McClure vetoed the Ordinance, but the only Council member who voted to sustain that veto was then Council member (and now Executive) Tara Zrinski. 

The total cost of these upgrades is unknown but is well within County Council's contingency fund. 

With the recent election and inauguration of Tara Zrinski as Exec, I thought County Council and the Exec would reach some sort of agreement. But instead, the matter is currently in the hands of Northampton County Court. The County Exec maintains that a complaint for Declaratory Judgment is an improper form of action. I personally think a Mandamus action is probably more appropriate but am unsure whether the court wishes to exalt procedure over substance. 

Former NorCo Custody Master's Suit Against Court Has Been Stayed

Federal District Court Judge John Gallagher has stayed the lawsuit that Northampton County's former Custody Master, Lisa Tresslar, has filed against Court Administrator Jermaine Greene and President Judge Craig Dally. His Order, filed on January 13, is at the request of both sides. 

In her action, Tresslar maintains that she is the victim of retaliatory action for exercising her first amendment rights concerning major changes imposed by the court in the way that custody cases are handled. The court has denied any retaliatory act and adds that that it is in any event imbued with legislative immunity because the changes to procedure were a matter of court rules adopted by the judiciary. 

Both sides previously have filed Motions for Summary Judgment, which were argued in December.

A stay of this sort is often an indication that the parties are attempting to settle their differences.