Bethlehem Tp Comm'rs Take Aim at ATVs (and I Take Aim at Online News)

After a rash of complaints about the noise and dust caused by all-terrain vehicles, Bethlehem Township Commissioners are on the brink of strictly regulating their use. A proposed ordinance, debated at Monday night’s meeting, would ban their use between dusk and dawn. They would also be required to stay at least 100 feet away from the property line of any adjacent owner.

Commissioner Tom Nolan said that the ordinance under consideration is similar to one already in place in Lower Saucon Township. He said “it’s time to place some regulations. The township is filling out. We don’t have much land.” President Mike Hudak agreed but made clear that “we’re not outlawing anything.”

(For the rest of the story, see The Bethlehem Press. This was an "overnighter" of Monday night's meetingof Bethlehem Tp Board of Commissioners. I am disappointed. Although it was apparently published in the morning, I missed it until last night, and it was buried. If I was unable to find it, I doubt Bethlehem Tp readers did.

This is poor presentation. There is no point to presenting readers with fresh meat daily if it is buried. Whatever daily story is being featured should be presented separately. Also, it is impossible to comment there. That destroys the interactivity on which I depend to make my stories better. If the Press papers want an online presence, they are going to have to do a lot more than I have seen.

As someone who has blogged 11 years, and who has made every mistake in the book, I can tell you there are four keys to having an effective online blog or news presence. First, be consistent. Try to present your readers with information at regular intervals. Second, if you are presenting something new to the readers, it should either be at the top or presented as a featured story. It should never be buried. Third, be interactive. I could understand requiring people to sign in or even moderating, but to be effective, this should be a two-way street. I learn as much from my readers as they learn from me, especially in this kind of story. Finally, use the opportunities the Internet provides. Post videos. Use scribd or other third party services to present documents.

Bird Painting Day For Green Pond Marsh

Back in August, I told you about artist Gwendolyn Evans. She presented Bethlehem Township Commissioners with watercolors of some of the 162 bird species who frequent the Green Pond Marsh. A lot has happened since then. For one thing, the Army Corps of Engineers has designated most of the marsh as a wetland, precisely as predicted by Jack Glagola.For another, developer Traditions of America is moving ahead.

Gwendolyn has already painted and given 56 of her Green Pond Marsh bird paintings to the Township. That leaves 106 paintings for her still to do. Gwendolyn is wondering if anyone else who is concerned about the detrimental effects of the development would consider helping her with her protest. Especially time consuming for her is the write-up she places on the back of each bird painting she completes.

Gwendolyn is looking for help. "Even if they have no artistic skill" she is looking for volunteers who can "look up and record the facts of each bird" for the backs of her drawings. She's also willing "to teach some folks to paint if they want to try."

Gwendolyn has scheduled a bird painting day on Saturday March 14, between 10 am and noon at 4430 Pond View Ct, Bethlehem, 18020. You can (1) collect and write info on back of painted birds; (2) cut out painted birds; or (3) paint birds (for those who can draw/paint a bit or willing to learn). If you'd like to do any of these things you can reach Gwendolyn at gwendolynevansart@gmail.com .

I think I can try to do cut outs, but don't know if they can trust me with scissors.