State Dems Pushing Garvin For Norco Chair

Late last week, state Democrats emailed this youtube video to local Dems, entitled "Meet Walt." It's ostensibly about something called "Demfest 2010," but its real purpose is obviously to promote Walt Garvin (pictured on the left) as Norco's next Dem chair.

Garvin's opponent, Michael Laws, is running precisely against this kind of insider politics, where a certain chosen few run things and everyone else is silenced. Last year, the county party elite actually endorsed Ann McHale for county exec against incumbent Democrat John Stoffa.

Stoffa's sin? Bipartisanship. A willingness to work with everyone. A desire to do the right thing, as opposed to what is best for one party.

Garvin was part of the LongDem machine working against Stoffa, and this video demonstrates that neither he nor his supporters understand that we are tired of being told what's best for us. We prefer to make our own mistakes.

There oughta' be a Laws.

Lehigh County GOP has a New Chair

When DA Bill Platt would look into my eyes, I always felt like I must be a mass murderer or something. When I'd bring a client to him for a guilty plea, I'd often start pleading guilty myself. Now he's a judge, and if I ever have to appear before him for one of my unpaid parking tickets, I'm a goner.

Bill Platt's son, whose name is Bill Platt, looks just like his dad, although he claims he's nicer. Last night, he stepped down as Lehigh County's GOP chair after the party faithful sacrificed a few hapless Democrats. I was invited, but saw their wicker baskets just in the nick of time.

So who's the new boss? In what is certainly no surprise, Wayne Woodman was elected chair over Grant Carter by a vote of 92 to 58.

The big surprise last night is that Kim Beitler, who works as the GOP office manager, was nominated from the floor and beat Gael Coffin by a vote of 77 to 70 for the position of Vice Chair. Some argue that it's a "conflict" for Kim to work for the GOP and be its Vice Chair, but that sounds a little silly.

Kim is also a neighborhood watch leader in Allentown and is a fixture at City Council meetings.

Do We Really Need Tipstaffs?

They may be relics of a time long gone, but they're still here. I'm speaking of tipstaffs (also called tipstaves), who have evolved into something like glorified butlers for judges. Just a few years ago, they were still driving jurists to work every day. They are appointed individually, it's usually a political plum or someone related to the judge or his secretary.

Lehigh County and Northampton County have two tipstaffs for each judges, although Lehigh calls half of these "court criers." In Northampton County, salaries ranges between $19,425 and $28,245.

In both counties, full benefits are paid.

During Bloody Mary's reign, a tipstaff was shoved into the mouth of a religious dissident to prevent him from speaking before he was burned at the stake. Now I could see why Henry VIII needed them, but now that we've stopped throwing people in the Tower, aren't they a bit anachronistic?

True, a tipstaff can hunt down a lawyer while a judge is busy, but can't a deputy sheriff do that just as effectively or better? Frankly, I've long felt these are unnecessary appendages, and these court officers often detract from judicial decorum. I've seen them shove lawyers and, a few years ago, they regularly stole newspapers from the law library.

If Northampton County were to eliminate these patronage jobs, it is conservatively estimated that the savings would be $600,000 per year. Lehigh County could save slightly more.

Now it may very well be that these are indispensable court officers and the world as we know it might come to an end if we did away with them. But I also believe it is time to ask judges to justify what certainly seems like a perk. For too long, people have been afraid to question judges. That's how you end up with the cronyism and corruption recently discovered in Luzerne County.

Update (10:20 AM): Both The Morning Call and Express Times have stories about this, along with the claim by court officials that this is just revenge for Senior Judge Franciosa's decision against Angle. Perhaps this is why the Courts should have listened when Angle asked them, twice, to recuse themselves from consideration of Morganelli's politically motivated quo warranto action. And to be honest, I am the person responsible for this cost-saving idea. I first proposed doing away with tipstaffs in 2001 and renewed that argument last week. No one should be above scrutiny, not even judges, especially when it comes to patronage jobs.

Larry Kisslinger Shares Some Little League Memories

I've lost all my old baseball pictures, but was delighted to receive something from former Bethlehem City Council member Larry Kisslinger, who also served on the Bethlehem Housing Authority and as Northampton County's Republican chair.

Larry played in Tri-Village Little League, which included the tough kids from Northeast Bethlehem's low-income public housing neighborhoods. He's proud of those roots, and rightfully so.

This 1955 team picture of the Sons includes Larry Kisslinger, kneeling at the bottom left. His brother Jack is standing above Larry's left shoulder with a hat he borrowed from the Whiz Kids team. Jack was a catcher and led the league that year with 8 home runs.

Joe "Bossman" Long is not included in this pic, but his brother Mike (last kneeling opposite of Larry) played 1st base. Another Bethlehem legend, Bobby Stocklas, is kneeling second to Larry's left.

"I know and played with all Seyfried, Romig, Stocklas and other successful folks who grew up in Public Housing," says Larry Kisslinger.

Bethlehem Wants Your Input on New Zoning Ordinance

Zoning 2010 June Public Meetings Flyer Eng

Callahan Has Four Different Positions on TARP

LV Congressional wannabe John Callahan spent months running from Pelosi's health care overhaul, refusing to take any position at all until it passed. Then he finally decided he supported it, a day late and a dollar short.

To make up for his lack of leadership on the health care overhaul, Callahan has staked out four inconsistent positions on the Wall Street bailout (TARP). LV Congressman Charlie Dent supported that, along with President Obama and Senator John McCain, as a temporary response to a crisis. He has since voted to require all repaid funds be used to pay down the deficit.

Position #1: Callahan campaign manager Justin Schall, an alum to ex-Congressman Eric ("Wanna' have a tickle fight?") Massa, claims his boss would have voted for TARP, just like Dent.

Position #2: Callahan campaign manger Justin Schall, an alum to ex-Congressman Eric ("Do you like gladiator movies?") Massa, claims his boss would have voted for one bill, but not another bill a week later. Dent campaign spokesperson Gregg Bortz wonders whether "we had a financial crisis one week and not the next."

Position #3: Callahan campaign manger Justin Schall, an alum to ex-Congressman Eric ("You ever seen a grown man naked?") Massa, claims his boss would have voted TARP completely.

Position #4: Callahan supports a proposed $100 billion bank tax that will make credit less available to individuals and small businesses, and that would be assessed on institutions that didn’t even take TARP funds. Despite Callahan's support, the Senate dropped the tax from its new bailout legislation for many of the same reasons Charlie Dent opposes it.

“It’s increasingly obvious that John Callahan doesn’t know what he’s talking about, period,” says Shawn Millan, Charlie Dent's campaign manager. “His campaign says one thing, then comes up with a completely absurd effort to change its message, and now completely reverses itself. Some advice to John Callahan – if your Washington-based campaign manager knows so little about where you stand on important issues, consider replacing him.”

Hey Sean, ever spend any time in a Turkish prison?

Angle Appeals Franciosa Decision to Court of Final Error

Not wasting any time, Northampton County Council Prez Ron Angle on Monday appealed Senior Judge Franciosa's ruling that the Bulldog is barred from sitting simultaneously on Bangor's School Board and Northampton County Council. Although DA John Morganelli outwardly claims to be interested only in determining the law, watch how fast he tries to claim that the appeal is moot because Angle has already resigned from the school board.

Easton Attorney Brian Monahan represents Angle. He's the very lawyer who, when he ran for District Judge in 2007, was victimized by a series of vicious anonymous mailers. It was later determined they were sent by political consultant Thomas "Scissorhands" Severson, who eventually pleaded guilty to deceptive campaign practices. Those charges were filed by the state AG because Morganelli refused to lift a finger. You see, Severson was also Morganelli's campaign consultant. They are also big pals, and Morganelli always made sure his annual druig forfeiture mailer was printed and mailed by Scissorhands.

Monahan lists the following issues for review by the state supremes:

1) Whether the Trial Court improperly denied Defendant's Motion Seeking Disqualification Recusal of the Judges of the Third Judicial District [Northampton County]?

2) Whether the Elected Office of Northampton County Council Member and School Director of the Bangor Area School District are compatible?

3) Whether the Trial Court improperly granted [DA Morganelli's] Motion for
Judgment on the Pleadings and finding that Defendant is prohibited from simultaneously holding the elected countywide position of Northampton County Council Member and School Director of the Bangor Area School District pursuant to Sections 104 and 107 of the Northampton County Home Rule Charter?

4) Whether the Trial Court's reliance on Northampton County Home Rule Charter at Sections 104 and 107 [348 Pa.Code §1.1-104-107] for the forfeiture and ouster of the Honorable Ronald L. Angle from the Office of County Councilman violates Article IX, Section 1 of the Pennsylvania Constitution which allows a Home Rule Charter to exercise any power or perform any function not denied by this Constitution?

5) Whether the Court of Common Pleas of Northampton County's jurisdiction in the within matter is completely abrogated by Article VI, Section 2 of the Pennsylvania Constitution? Fox v. Swing, 409 Pa. 241, 186A.2d 124 (1962); Commonwealth v. Lucas, 632 A.2d 868, 534 Pa. 293 (1993).

6) Whether the District Attorney of Northampton County lacks authority, standing, and capacity to bring the within action pursuant to Article VI, Section 7 of the Pennsylvania Constitution, which provides the exclusive method for removing elected civil officials from office? See: South Newton Township Electors v. South Newton Township Supervisors, 838 A.2d 643 (2003) and In Re: Petition to Recall Reiss, 665 A.2d 1162 (1995).

7) Whether the Trial Court's Orders of Court of June 4, 2010 and June 10, 2010 requiring your Defendant to forfeit his position as a Member of Northampton County Council, prohibiting your Defendant from simultaneously holding positions as a Member of Northampton County Council and School Director of the Bangor Area School District, and prohibiting your Defendant from participating in official Northampton County Council Proceedings as a representative from District 4 violates Article VI, Section 7 of the Pennsylvania Constitution which is the exclusive method for removing elected civil officers from office? See South Newton Township Electors v. South Newton Township Supervisors, 838 A.2d 643 (2003) and In Re: Petition to Recall Reiss. 665 A.2d 1162 (1995).

8) Whether the Trial Court's Orders of June 4, 2010 and June 10, 2010 requiring your Defendant to forfeit his position as a Member of Northampton County Council, prohibiting your Defendant from simultaneously holding positions as a Member of Northampton County Council and School Director of the Bangor Area School District, and prohibiting your Defendant from participating in official Northampton County Council Proceedings as a representative from District 4 violates Article I, Section 5 of the Pennsylvania Constitution by disenfranchising the votes of those that duly elected your Defendant, the Honorable Ronald L. Angle, to the position of County Council Member and School Director in violation of Article I, Section 5 of the Pennsylvania Constitution?

9) Whether the Trial Court's Orders of June 4, 2010 and June 10, 2010 disenfranchise the votes of electors who cast ballots for the Honorable Ronald L. Angle for Northampton County Council Member and School Director of the Bangor Area School District without due process of law?

Little Known Baseball Fact

Did you know that Jerry Seyfried, former Northampton County Executive and world-acclaimed archer, at one time played Little League baseball? That's right. He tells me he played with guys like Bossman Joe Long, who developed his waxed moustache when he was nine.

Jerry has forwarded this little known baseball fact, and I want to share it with you.

The first testicular guard (Cup) was used in baseball in 1874. The first helmet was used in 1934. It took 60 years for men to realize that the brain is also important.

Photo Credit: Jeff Kaboly

Hear Kathy Frederick's "Windy" Story on NPR

LC's 4th Street Bridge to Close For 4 Months

Lehigh County’s Fourth Street Bridge, connecting Fourth Street in Allentown to Fifth Street in Whitehall, will be closed to traffic and pedestrians for approximately four months beginning Monday, June 21. The bridge will undergo superstructure repairs including the replacement of bridge support bearings, endwall repairs, replacement of expansion joints, and drainage system replacement. Detour signs will be posted.

This major bridge rehabilitation project is yet another in a long list of bridges either repaired or replaced under County Executive Don Cunningham’s commitment to improve the condition of Lehigh County’s 47 bridges. Earlier this year Executive Cunningham and Commission Chair Dean Browning cut the ribbon on the brand new Linden Street Bridge.

Replacements of Lehigh River crossing bridges in both Whitehall and Coplay and the replacement of the aging Reading Road Bridge in Allentown, are currently in planning.

Joint Statement Regarding Villa v. O'Hare

The following is a joint statement by both Bill Villa and me, which ends his litigation against me. Pursuant to this agreement, I will accept no comments.

"The lawsuit filed by Bill Villa against Bernie O'Hare in January 2010 has been settled. In 2008, Mr. O'Hare filed a private criminal complaint against Mr. Villa, accusing him of harassment. In 2009, a magisterial district judge found Mr. Villa guilty of that summary charge. Mr. Villa appealed that ruling, and in January 2010 the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas overturned that conviction and dismissed Mr. O'Hare's harassment case. A civil lawsuit followed, in which Mr. Villa accused Mr. O'Hare of malicious prosecution in regards to the harassment charge. That lawsuit has now been settled.

"Mr. Villa and Mr. O'Hare both regret their ungentlemanly actions that led to court proceedings over the past two years. Mr. Villa and Mr. O'Hare both regret and apologize to each other for any references, conclusions, descriptions or perceptions they have expressed, or permitted to be expressed on their blogs, in relation to the prosecution, litigation, and the underlying events that led to the legal proceedings. They have agreed to not discuss or allow future discussion of these matters or each other and their immediate family members, living or dead, on their respective blogs or on any other blog and to terminate all current or considered litigation against each other for their respective actions prior to the date of this agreement."

Will Rick Daugherty Remain Chair of Lehigh County's Dems?

Lehigh County's Democrats will reorganize tonight, 7 PM, at Allentown's IBEW Hall. LVPoliblogger Chris Casey portrays the choice as one between "the same old dysfunctional paranoid leadership" and "new, dynamic people with some energy."

From what I've pieced together, it looks like political consultant Courtney Robinson is trying to stage a Rick Daugherty coup, but has already been outmaneuvered. Robinson is being backed by Allentown Council Prez Mike D'Amore, who is trying to send a message to Pawlowski. But Daugherty has the support of all the other top elected officials in the County (Cunningham, McCarthy, Pawlowski, etc).

So Robinson will run for Vice Chair, but he's running right into Walt Felton, who has recruited somewhere around 40 newly committee people. They are ready to crown Walter Vice Chair,

It now appears that Robinson was behind all those Rob Hopkins' challenges to Walter Felton's state committee candidates. These people were also elected as county committee people and will likely make Robinson's attempt futile.

The surge of Latino and black committee people recruited by Felton might produce a new breed of party activists, but it's too early to say.

Update (9 AM): Allentown City Council Prez Michael Donovan has weighed in. "Mr. Daugherty has criticized me for publicly challenging the Mayor of Allentown, which is actually my duty at any time I conclude that the Mayor is not acting in the best interests of the city. As far as I am concerned, Mr. Daugherty is to stay neutral in party matters and focus on competition among political parties, not within parties." I agree. That's why Joe Long was such a mess in Northampton County.

Busted at Panera's

Although I do most of my blogging from my estate here in Nazareth, I like to mix things up now and then. So on Sunday, I gave my servants the day off and headed to Bethlehem's Panera Bread. I love it there. There's fresh bread, lots of electrical outlets for Wi-Fi, fake fireplaces, great views of the real Monacacy and lots of coffee. On the down side, a nice place like that is bound to attract tons of gorgeous women, and I have a rough time letting them all down gently. Yesterday, for example, a beautiful woman in her Sunday best sat only about 25 feet away from me. She pretended to be pecking away on her new smart phone, but it was obvious she wanted me. As she left, she smiled and said, "Bye." I'm pretty sure that was intended for me.

See what I mean?

Despite these distractions from women clearly turned on by my hairy back, I usually can get a lot of reading and writing done. Yesterday was no exception. Having finished early, I went through my youtube routine, doing my weekly search for videos of local politicians. When I finished that, I watched a few videos for fun. I really like Utada Hikaru, a pretty Japanese singer and songwriter who divides her time between Tokyo and NYC. Both of her parents, are classically trained musicians. I have to admit she is sexy.

I was enjoying Utada when some frumpy old bag, with seven hairs on her head, loudly interrupted me.

"Excuse me sir, you'll have to move to the back if you want to watch that."

At first I though it was a store worker and that it must be getting close to quitting time, but she was just another customer, and she was pissed. She shrieked, "You're watching naked women. Don't you realize there are children here?"

There weren't. I insisted on showing her the video, showing a fully clothed Utada.

"That's still offensive," she shrilly insisted, while others stared at me, mouths open, mango chicken pieces cascading out.

Man, she really made me feel like a dirty old man. But there was no nudity or even partial nudity, so I don't know why she was so worked up.

Maybe I shouldn't have been masturbating.

Senior Judge Franciosa Was Chief Bagman For Local Dems

Last Spring, Northampton County's Bar Association evaluated judicial candidates for the first time in over forty years. The reason for this unusual timidity by lawyers can be summed up in two words - Michael Franciosa.

It was 1966 when then Bethlehem Attorney Al Williams, Jr, ran for judge. In those days, there were only two other county judges, and it really meant something to be elevated to the bench. Williams' opponent was Easton Attorney Michael Franciosa.

During the election, Williams received a higher bar association rating than Franciosa. This led to sour grapes - charges of anti-Italian and anti-Easton bias were hurled back and forth. Things were so acrimonious that the bar association really hesitated before evaluating judicial candidates again, and even now, it remains controversial among lawyers.

Franciosa had to wait until 1970 before his Ascension into the judicial heavens. What his official biography fails to tell you is that, to increase his visibility, Franciosa was elected "treasurer" of the Northampton County Democratic Committee. That's when real political bosses like Justin Jirolanio ruled the realm. Lots of money, in paper bags, went to the polls on election day. Completely legal, too.

One of the runners who grew up in that machine atmosphere, on Bethlehem's south side, is DA John Morganelli.

That's just another reason why it's hard to accept Franciosa's denial of bias in the politically-motivated quo warranto proceedings against Northampton County Council Prez Ron Angle.

Busy Judicial Employees Have Time For Angle News Conference

Senior Judge Franciosa's five-page order, entered last Thursday, threatened to disenfranchise 1/4th of the Northampton County's voters unless Ron Angle stepped down from Bangor School Board. This bright idea, first proposed dy DA John Morganelli on Wednesday, makes a mockery of both Home Rule Charter and U.S. Constitution. Unwilling to hurt the Slate Belt voting public, Angle announced his school board resignation during a Friday news conference.

I missed the show because I was with my grandson all day. But it was well attended. Everyone - from Bill White to Sarah Cassi to WFMZ - was there. But none of these sources mentions something the Bulldog himself observed. It was probably no big deal to them, but it bothers Angle. About six court employees - law clerks and judges' secretaries who refused to identify themselves - were in the audience. They certainly had every right to be there. They also had no obligation to identify themselves. Perhaps they even skipped their lunch break on a Friday afternoon just to listen to Ron's pearls of wisdom. More likely, they were there because the unbiased Court Administrator wanted them there.

Of course, no actual judge attended. Not on a Friday afternoon. They're too busy working out of their NCC "home offices".

Angle's question? If six judicial employees have time during the middle of the day to attend one of his news conferences, could the Courts really be as busy as they claim? Angle has previously called for a 5% reduction in all departments, including the judiciary.

Senior Judge Franciosa Takes Judicial Notice of a Lie

Below is Senior Judge Michael V. Franciosa's bizarre five-page Order, filed late Thursday afternoon. You can read it yourself and reach your own conclusions. I'll make the following observations:

1) Franciosa sure pats himself on the back. He uses words like "painstaking," "comprehensive," and "searching" to describe a decision that ejects someone from office without even a passing reference to something called the people's will, except for the 1977 vote to enact the Charter.

2) Franciosa does incredibly argue that the people's will would be thwarted if he were to allow Ron Angle to continue participating on Council because they voted for the Home Rule Charter. Of course, that argument is a fallacy, relying on the assumption that everyone interprets the Charter exactly like him.

3) Franciosa again concedes it is a "ambiguous statutory provision," but refuses to give the benefit of the doubt to the person against whom the Charter is being enforced.

4) Franciosa's reference to a "cumbersome reinstatement process" for Angle, in the event of a reversal, is nonsense. If the State Supremes reversed Franciosa, there is no mechanism providing for Angle's subsequent reinstatement.

5) Franciosa's refusal to allow Council to fill an Angle vacancy is a violation of the Home Rule Charter, the very instrument he pretends to be enforcing. Section 105 requires Council to appoint a person to fill a vacancy created by an elected official's removal from office. After noting that the voters approved the Home Rule Charter by referendum and stressing the danger of frustrating the will of the voters, he completely negates a provision, failing to provide Council itself with notice or opportunity to be heard.

6) By insisting that Angle's office - a district seat - remain in limbo during the appeal, Franciosa thumbs his nose at the right of Slate Belt voters to elect their own representatives. That's not just a basic right of the Home Rule Charter, but the right to vote is embodied in five different amendments to the US. Constitution. Are Slate Belt residents now second class citizens? Isn't this just as arrogant and prejudicial as the poll taxes once imposed in the deep South to suppress the black vote?

7) Francisoa takes "judicial notice", without a request from either party, that "County Council has in the past operated for a considerable period with an unfilled vacancy." That is simply untrue. At no time since the inception of Home Rule has a Council vacancy gone unfilled for more than thirty days. Although a judge is permitted to take "judicial notice" of facts susceptible to "accurate and ready determination," Franciosa took judicial notice of a lie.

Under the Pennsylvania Code, "A party is entitled upon timely request to an opportunity to be heard as to the propriety of taking judicial notice and the tenor of the matter noticed. In the absence of prior notification, the request may be made after judicial notice has been taken."

Since Franciosa's Order has essentially interfered with the workings of Council and the people they represent, and since he has done so on the basis of a falsehood, I suspect Council may intervene in this matter and ask Franciosa to reconsider an Order that appears to be tainted by bias.
Franciosa Stay Denial

Update (9:30 AM): I must have forgotten to spellcheck this post and have just corrected a number of typos. My apologies.

Senior Judge Franciosa Disenfranchises Slate Belt

"You're cunning; you'll figure it out."

According to Northampton County Council Prez Ron Angle, those are the words Court Administrator James Onembo used when discussing Senior Judge Franciosa's confusing missive filed late yesterday afternoon. If Angle refuses to give up his school board seat by Monday, Franciosa has decided to let him keep his Council seat, but he won't be able to participate in any way. So effectively, if Angle refuses to step down, Judge Franciosa has left the Slate Belt without any representation on Council, disenfranchising 1/4th of the County.

This was the most ridiculous argument DA John Morganelli advanced during Wednesday's stay hearing, but it's the one Franciosa bought.

What's even more amazing is that County Council - which never was even a party to these proceedings - is somehow barred from appointing someone to fill the void left by Angle. In addition to thumbing their noses at Slate Belt voters, Franciosa and Morganelli have completely gutted Home Rule Charter provisions concerning Council vacancies, destroying the very document they claim to be protecting.

Franciosa takes "judicial notice" that Council has previously gone for extended periods with a vacant slot, but no vacancy has ever lasted longer than thirty days.

People of good will can certainly have different views about the dual office prohibition in the County's Home Rule Charter. But Franciosa's over-reaching Order, which attempts to bind someone not a party to the proceedings, smacks of bias. Morganelli's antics, in which the dual office prohibition is ignored for Democrats while enforced against a Republican, demonstrates his bad faith. Finally, Onembo's snide comment to Angle pollutes the entire bench.

An angry Ron Angle told Express Times reporter Doug Brill, "It's pretty evident Judge Franciosa is senile, and it's pretty evident (President) Judge (F.P. Kimberly) McFadden is looking the other way because she knows it."

Incidentally, Angle is due in Court today on an unrelated matter. His judge? Franciosa.

I'm sure he'll get a fair shake now.

The Junk Drawer on NPR's "All Things Considered"?

If you've never visited Kathy Frederick's popular Junk Drawer humor blog, do yourself a favor and get over there. She's living proof that you can have no interest in politics and still have a twisted mind.

As a matter of full disclosure, I should tell you that she's paid me off. I won a Major Award for leaving the 10,000th comment posted there. It's a refrigerator magnet, but I carry it with me everywhere. You never know when you might need a refrigerator magnet.

Kathy has an entire series of posts related to a frickin' plastic bag, called Windy, stuck for the last two years in some tree at Lehigh University's campus. She has shot videos, composed haikus and even baked cakes for Windy's birthday parties.

Now you might thingkshe's been committed by now, but something worse has happened. Today, NPR'S "All Things Considered" is interviewing both Kathy and Ian Frazer, who has apparently devoted his life to freeing plastic bags from trees.

Kathy is delighted. "I wanted to get the Windy story out there," she explains. She'll let me know when the program is expected to air, and I'll fill you in then.

Kathy also likes bacon shoes.

Photo Credit: Yes, I stole this picture from Kathy's blog. Don't tell her.

TD Bank Going Green at Bethlehem's Five Points

What is a LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) building? It's a green building certified by the US Green Building Council. On Thursday, Bethlehem planners unanimously approved a "Leed Platinum" TD Bank at Five Points. Chairman Larry Krauter stated, "This might be the first time we've had a LEED Platinum , at least during my time on the Commission." Platinum is the highest certification possible. This carbon neutral design is also a first for TD Bank in the Lehigh Valley.

TD Bank plans to build between five and ten "green stores" this year, which will reduce energy consumption by 50 percent compared to previous designs. Nearly 20 percent of the bank's energy will come from onsite solar panels, including a solar drive-thru canopy.

Plans for this proposed carbon friendly bank, located at the site of an existing gas station and convenience store, ironically call for fewer trees along Broadway and Wyandotte Street than provided for by City Ordinance. Environmentally sensitive or not, a bank is still a bank, and needs to be visible. Bethlehem resident Bob Pfenning proposed a trade off, recommending that planners allow TD Bank to plant trees acceptable to the City at some other location.

"Money does grow on trees," quipped Planner James Fiorentino, and bank representatives readily agreed to this solution.

Speaking of trees, Freedom Lawn Care's plan for a landscaping business at the southeast corner of Cherry Hill and Ringhoffer Roads, was also unanimously approved. Owner John Inglis told planners he will store stone, mulch and other landscaping supplies at this 3.34 acre site, which his truck fleet will then deliver to various customers. There will be no retail sales.

Calling All Comrades

When Joe Long was elected Northampton County Dem Bossman four years ago, it was a hushed up affair. In fact, his election occurred before many committee persons knew they had been elected.

In a hopeful sign, the Northampton County Dem web page actually contains a notice about the next election. It's scheduled for next Thursday, June 17th, in Courtroom #1 at the Northampton County Courthouse, 669 Washington Street Easton, PA 18042. Check in is at 6:30PM, but the meeting itself does not start until 7:30PM.

According to the notice, "Guests are welcome to observe. Only those elected committee persons shall have the right to vote. At this meeting committee persons will elect the County Chair and the Vice Chair who will serve for the next four years. Therefore, it is imperative that all committee persons attend."

I've told you before that Joe Long's preferred successor is Walt Garvin, who chaired the Elections Commission and was an unsuccessful candidate for County Council last year. Garvin is opposed by Michael Laws, who will take steps to ensure that "everyone can participate in a big tent. Not just a certain few."

What about the Chairman of Vice? Most of you are probably thinking of me, but by-laws provide that if a male is elected chair, the vice-chair must be female.

And then there's some kind of mating ritual.