In Wake of Margle's Drug Charges Wilson Borough Looking For New Solicitor

On Tuesday, I told you that local attorney Stanley Margle, who is facing drug charges, was jailed for refusing to provide a drug-testing sample to pretrial services. Although he's presumed innocent, he's still required to comply with bail conditions. He learned the hard way just what can happen when they are ignored. According to the docket sheet, which sometimes can be a day or two behind real time, he was still jailed as of last night. Lehigh Valley Live has reported that Margle has since provided a sample, so the court might be inclined to release him. ... Or not.

As I mentioned, Margle was still Wilson Borough's Solicitor as of their reorganization meeting in January. That may be changing soon. Wilson Borough is now looking for a new Solicitor. Proposals are due February 20.

A post about a local attorney going through hard times is going to attract a lot of interest, especially when he has public clients. Years ago, I wrote about another local lawyer who was stealing money from clients and his own firm to pay for his drinking and gambling addictions. He never forgave me and once accosted me at a high school basketball game. 

I understand the anger. As most of you know, I am an alcoholic. Not a former alcoholic. There's no such thing. If you can't handle booze, you can never handle it and should always refer to yourself as a current alkie. I am very fortunate that I am one of the last of the true alcoholics, meaning that I was only using booze and no other drug. I am also grateful that one stint in rehab and one year of daily AA meetings have kept me sober. 

When confronted with the reality that an addiction is interfering with matters that mean something to you, most addicts and alcoholics will blame anything but their addition for their problem. In Stanley's case, it is a mysterious "rogue cop." Certainly not cocaine. 

Eventually, the lucky among us hit bottom. It finally dawns on us that we are addicts or alcoholics and it's something we can't outsmart. 

In my case, I hit bottom after the Disciplinary Board saw through my bullshit and recommended that I be suspended. I actually wandered off to the Delaware Gap National Recreation Area, where I was gonna' off myself. I don't know what happened because I told no one about my problems, but a good friend who practiced law with me somehow found me and talked me down. His nickname was Sunny. To this day, I don't know how he knew or how he was able to find me. 

My sincere hope is that Stanley has hit bottom and that he now realizes he's not smarter than his addiction. He still has a lot to offer this world and believe he can make an excellent contribution to this world if he meets his problem head on and fights it like the good lawyer he was a few years ago. 

I Got Distracted

I only had one post on Monday and am only getting back into writing mode now. Let me explain why.

I am, as most of you know, an alkie. Though I quit drinking in 1985, I still have what I would call an obsessive personality. I tend to get addicted to things. Some of these, like fatty food, are bad for me. Others, like exercise, can be good unless I overdo it. At one time, my motto was, "Anything worth doing is worth overdoing."  That has led to problems.

I leave it to you to decide whether my blogging penchant is positive or negative.

Lately, I've been distracted by another one of my negative additions. I love online strategy war games. In the past, I have missed days of work while sitting at home, in command of some fictional army. I also tend to spend money on it, too.

So yesterday, I was so caught up in online war games I neglected to post. I could tell you I was held up by basketball, but that would be a lie. You may laugh, but this is just one of my many problems.

If you think video game addiction hits only young teenagers, I can say it gets me too at times.

Agent 25: The Fight Against Addiction

I was busy on Saturday attending the VIA All-Star High School basketball tournament in which various seniors throughout the Lehigh Valley donned their high school uniforms for the last time. It was a bittersweet moment for many parents and grandparents, as well as the seniors. While I was at Northampton Community College, Agent 25 attended BREAKING THE CYCLE – COMMUNITIES AGAINST ADDICTION organized by Blueprints for Addiction Recovery (Blueprints, Inc.) at East Hills Moravian Church, Bethlehem. It was a town hall event designed to turn the tide in favor of lifelong sobriety and recovery.

Addiction to opioids and other drugs has been around since the 1800s. Every effort to combat it has failed. This includes the 1980s War on Drugs, criminalizing addiction and locking up dealers and users. Sentencing drug dealers to death makes great headlines, but fails as a strategy. But the prison population has exploded. We’ve gone from eight state prisons to over thirty in just Pennsylvania alone.

These are the observations of five panelists that include a former addict who now owns recovery houses in Lancaster County; a doctor from the Philadelphia area and a former addict himself who now treats addiction; a former Philadelphia Philly who is a former alcoholic and addict; a former addict who is in long-term recovery who is now a counselor and clinical director and finally Dale Kerns, an electrician by trade from Delaware County who is a candidate for US Senate and the sponsor of the legislation “Addiction is not a Crime”.

Jim Crossan the clinician challenged those in attendance to take the fight against addiction and make it as powerful as the movement started by the Parkland (FL) students. He emphasized the point, as did others, that overdoses, drug and alcohol, kill more Americans than guns annually. A fact that is overlooked by most including the press.

Dale Kerns, candidate for US Senate, made the case for decriminalization. He applauded the Bethlehem and Bangor Police Departments for their program that allows and encourages addicts to walk into their police stations and ask for help without worrying about arrest and prosecution. He encouraged other departments to do the same.

Matt Reeves, a soft-spoken, former addict explained what lead him down the path to addiction. He explained what his early life was like. Loving parents and family, good education and not wanting for anything. If you looked at his high school years one year he’d be the preppie, the next year a jock and finally a skateboarder. Always struggling with his inner self to fit in. The last phase lasted until someone actually asked him to skateboard. Life was still OK until it spiraled out of control in State College. Drugs had rendered him unable to function. He had hit rock bottom. Today, in recovery, he owns and operates recovery homes.

Paul Fletcher had three “cups of coffee” in the big leagues with the Phillies in 1993 and 1995 and the Oakland A’s in 1996. He spoke about his struggles with alcohol and drugs. His struggles took him to the brink of attempting suicide and cost him his marriage. He explained that in the minor leagues it was common for a keg of beer to be in the locker room post game and as a veteran a large cup of beer was always waiting for him at his locker postgame. Two years into recovery he gives back by speaking at events like Breaking the Cycle and working in the recovery field.

Dr. Raymond Bobb, D.O. expressed the need for the education system taking a lead role in this fight. The fact that drugs, alcohol and addiction aren’t a part of the curriculum is disheartening. Even in medical school, the subject isn’t given the attention needed. Twenty, thirty and forty years from now history books will certainly include the fact that we failed fighting addiction unless we change the way we are fighting it.

As Jim Crossan suggests, the effort that our high school and college students are putting into gun control and gun legislation needs to be put towards addiction, and in particular the opioid epidemic.

The panel hopes that next year, the main stream media will cover events like Breaking the Cycle. The fight against drug and alcohol addiction is just as, or even more important, than gun control.

Former NFL Lineman Alvin Powell Will Talk Drugs at Nazareth High School

Alvin Powell, a former National Football League (NFL) lineman with the Seattle Seahawks and Miami Dolphins, will address his battle with drag and alcohol addition at Nazareth High School on Wednesday, April 19, at 6:30 pm.

He is a crack cocaine addict who at his worst was living in a church, spending his time “looking for deals to get money to buy cocaine”. He was an embarrassment to his friends and family. “I couldn’t die quick enough” he says.

Having hit bottom, he has dedicated his life to helping others break through the crises brought on by the shackles of addiction and to prevent youth and others from ever walking down the destructive path of drugs and substance abuse.

Through his Saving Station Foundation he has spoken at hundreds of high schools, universities, sports associations, corporate events, conferences and First Nation communities. Alvin generously shares his compelling and unedited life story of how drugs ruined his NFL career, profoundly affected his family and almost took his life.

The event is sponsored in part by the Northampton County Drug and Alcohol Division and will be attended by several Drug Court participants.

Hanover (Lehigh) and McNeill To Host Heroin, Opioid Addiction Town Hall Tonight!

I will be at a NorCo Council Committee hearing at 6 pm, but as soon as it ends, I'll be heading to this Town Hall at Days Hotel in Allentown at 3400 Airport Road. It starts at 7 pm. Parents and students are welcome to as questions and share their insights.

Among elected officials here in the Lehigh Valley, Dan McNeill has done more than anyone, with the possible exception of the DAs and judges. Unfortunately, they deal with the aftermath. McNeill would like to preventit from getting there.

McNeill's St. Patty Day Fundraiser to Fight Heroin and Opioid Addiction

Dan McNeill, State Representative from the 133rd District, is running for re-election against Republican Dave Molony. So having a fundraiser is to be expected, and he is. But instead of raising money for Miked Fleck or Fed Ed or even himself, he has pledged to send whatever he gets to combat heroin and opiod addiction.

“This epidemic is tearing families apart throughout the Lehigh Valley, and I’d rather see the money we raise go to fighting this problem than to pay for another campaign mailer,” said McNeill. “I’m tired of hearing about another young life lost to heroin, and the money will be better spent on educating or treating these young men and women from this often deadly addiction.” McNeill states that he is researching where to donate the money.

His St. Paddy Daty Fundraiser, is actually scheduled for the day after. It will be at 6:00 p.m. this Friday, March 18, at the American Club Pavilion in Coplay. (300 Cherry St).

McNeill hosted a standing-room only Town Hall Meeting at Whitehall High School on February 24, and is planning on another at The American Club Pavilion on Wednesday, March 30. When i get more details, I'll let you know. “I want to keep the conversation going, to try to reach as many parents and young adults as we can. If we can keep just one young adult from traveling down the path to addiction, or help them get into recovery, then all of this will be worth it,” concluded McNeill.

For more details, contact Celeste Dee, who is with the Friends of Dan McNeill, at cdee@advantagepep.com.

Morganelli Supports Amnesty For Drug OD Whistleblowers

DA John Morganelli

District Attorney John Morganelli has joined the bipartisan chorus supporting changes in state law that will guarantee immunity to minor drug offenders who report drug overdoses to emergency responders. At a June 16 news conference, he referred to legislation currently being considered by State Senate majority leader Dominic Pileggi. A similar proposal unanimously passed the State House in May. "Saving lives should take precedence over prosecuting minor drug cases," reasoned Morganelli.

A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that drug overdose deaths have doubled between 1999 and 2010. Many of these are from prescription painkillers, which have killed more than 15,500 people in the United States since 2009. In addition to the fatalities, emergency department visits for prescription painkiller abuse have doubled in the past 5 years to nearly half a million.

In Northampton County, the problem is acute. According to the Pennsylvania State Coroners Association, 149 people died in Northampton County from drug overdoses between 2009 and 2013. By contrast, in Lehigh County, there were only 40 deaths. In Monore County, there were only 32 deaths.

Northampton County has a larger number of colleges than Lehigh or Monroe County.

Morganelli calls the proposal, which still allows the prosecution of drug dealers and drug induced homicides, "reasonable legislation to encourage individuals who are aware that someone is in harm's way as a result of a drug overdose to contact 911 without fear that the good deed could land them in jail."

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 34 states have introduced bills this year to minimize the number of drug overdose deaths. Morganelli added that 19 states already have some form of amnesty.

In Pennsylvania, Governor Corbett signed legislation in 2011 that provides legal amnesty to underage drinkers who call emergency authorities to help a friend with an emergency, alcohol-related, illness.

Who's the Real Hero, Bar Bouncer or Cop?

On August 11, 2011, Freemansburg police officer Robert Lasso was killed in the line of duty, while responding to a domestic disturbance. He suffered a shotgun blast to the face.  While a distraught Freemansburg Chief of Police subdued the shooter, a highly decorated Bethlehem police officer was the first to arrive on the scene. He tried to save Lasso's life, repeatedly administering CPR. But he was too late. Lasso succumbed.

Maybe he blames himself for not being fast enough. I don't know the guy. But what I do know is that almost two years later to the day, this Bethlehem police officer was despondent about the Lasso tragedy. He tried to cheer himself up with a concert and the company of other police officers. He medicated himself the best way he knew - with alcohol.

The result was an off-duty drunk driving accident with no injuries. In fact, the accident happened partially because this officer mistakenly thought he saw a pedestrian, and swerved.

That officer is Richard Hoffman, the very person being crucified before Bethlehem City Council. Council never heard the Lasso story. Nor do they know of Hoffman's commendations.

I sat in stunned amazement on Monday night when Karen Dolan told a bar bouncer at Molly's Grille that he was "quite heroic."

I understand that Molly's is an after-Council hangout, but bar bouncers are no heroes. Sorry.

The real heroes are the men and women out there who will aid a battered spouse, assist a stranded motorist, help a lost child or try to save someone's life. The cops. The firefighters. EMTs.  The police officer who consoles a five-year old crying boy whose mother has just been shot by his own father.

When Northampton County DA John Morganelli recently proposed establishing a mental health court, he pointed out the special needs of veterans, who put everything on the line for us. We recognize their sacrifices and the stress they suffer as a result of serving in a hostile environment.

But we seem to have no sympathy for the police officer, who puts his life on the line every time he wears that uniform. He sees all the pain and misery in what can be a very cruel world, and it's no secret that many police officers and other first responders end up suffering from the same post-traumatic stress that we now recognize as a problem in the military.

I spoke to a long-time Bethlehem police officer who is also a veteran yesterday. He told me that, overall, service as a police officer is more stressful than the military. What makes things even worse is that most departments are ill-equipped to deal with officers in distress.

What might help Bethlehem and other police departments is mandatory counseling after stressful events. If they are involved in a homicide, it's bound to effect them. But most cops would rather die than ask for help. They would consider that a sign of weakness. That's why it really should be mandatory.

"This is a human being," Wade Haubert reminded Council on Monday night. Police officers themselves need to be reminded of that from time to time.

Former NorCo Elections Comm'n Chair Jailed Over DUI

Nicole Schlener, who has served as an Elections Commissioner and was at one time its chair, is in Northampton County jail, serving a 90-day minimum sentence as a result of her conviction for DUI as a second offense.

Now going by the name Motchos, her entrance into jail was delayed because she suffered a brain aneurysm and other medical complications. While attempting to recover from that ordeal, she was assaulted by a boyfriend who slammed her head against the wall several times.

She is the former wife of Bethlehem firefighter James Schlener, who lost his job as a result of his own DUI during a time when he had called off sick.

Schlener's term as an Elections Commissioner expired in December.

Beware the Bogeyman

When Garrett Reid's drug and alcohol abuse finally landed him in jail, he told the sentencing judge that he did not "want to be that kid who was the son of the head coach of the Eagles, who was spoiled and on drugs and OD’d and just faded into oblivion.” That might be precisely what has just happened, with word of his death in a Lehigh dorm room on Sunday morning.

When we think of "The Alcoholic," our mind's eye conjures up images of some unshaven derelict, staggering down the street in a tattered raincoat with a bottle in a paper bag. When we imagine "The Druggie," it's usually some walking corpse with track marks all over the place.

The bogeyman. Zombies.

In truth, it's me. It's Garrett Reid. It might even be you. But the stigma associated with this disease is still so strong that people are terrified of voluntary rehab centers, especially located near a high school or park.

Now I don't know what the hell an alkie or druggie is supposed to do to a high school kid. Eat his brains? Bethlehem residents, most of them very bright, were scared to death of Abe Atiyeh's proposed treatment center at Center and Dewberry.

I know their fear was very real, but it was also very irrational. And now they're carousing with a bunch of drunks and druggies at Musikfest, the very people who might have been helped by a Malvern in the Lehigh Valley. They certainly aren't helped in prison. Garret Reid could tell you that.

If he were alive.