Not long ago, I told you that as many as three current members of Northampton County Council were considering a bid for the state house. Two of them were just re-elected in November. It now appears that a fourth Council member who was just elected in November is considering a bid for Lieutenant Governor.
Former Executive John Brown, who finished fifth in the NorCo Council race, finished last in a straw poll conducted by the Central Pa GOP. He garnered one vote.
Panella, a graduate of DeSales University and Widener University School of Law, has been practicing law since 2016. His father, Jack Panella, is a Superior Court Judge,
This appointment follows an executive session, which is specifically permitted for personnel matters. It nevertheless drew a vociferous objection from long-time City watchdog Steve Antalics. "This is not good government," he complained of the back door meeting. He warned Council members that they were starting their political careers "with a black mark against you."
Panella stated that "hard work ain't easy, but it's fair and honest." He indicated that most of his work is municipal. His law office serves several boroughs and townships as Solicitor.
He denied he was affiliated in any way with anyone on Council or in the City.
The appointment was adopted by a vote of 6-0.
City Council has one lawyer, but Mayor Willie Reynolds has four. Solicitor Jack Spirk and the Mayor have appointed three part-time city solicitors to handle day-to-day legal issues that invariably arise. They will each have duty days.
These three assistants are Matt Deschler (he has served Bethlehem for several years), Loren Speziale ( Gross McGinley Law) and Maraleen Shields (Fitzpatrick, Lentz & Bubba) .
These are all excellent attorneys.
In a less sanguine move, the City has hired Lehigh Valley With Love (LVWL) as a contracted communications office. I personally think Reynolds should handle his own propaganda. Willie told Council that outreach to Spanish-speaking City residents is parthetic, but I see no indication that LVWL's George Wacker has any deep knowledge of Spanish or even English, for that matter.
City Council is also accepting applications for a 7th member until January 25.
Steve Thode, who is keeping track of the COVID-19 data for this blog, is reporting that the Omicron variant might finally be on the way out. Here's his latest.
On Friday, I told you that Lehigh County Controller and State Senate wannabe basically put his foot in his mouth when he objected to plans to combine much of Allentown and Bethlehem into one state senatorial district. "[W]e don't need a ghetto," he told a redistricting committee. The backlash was fast and furious. Of course, his political opponents took him to task, and this was reported y most of the news outlets. I told you that The Morning Call, which has allowed Pinsely to promote himself on their pages, was strangely silent. But that was wrong. The Morning Call did, in fact, report on Pinsley's ghetto remark. It also noted the instant rebuke he received at the hearing. So Pinsley has been tagged by both dailies, WFMZ-TV69 as well as two local blogs.
I personally have no reason to believe Pinsley is any more bigoted than I. His remark is just another example of the subtle racism or classism ingrained in many of us. But rather than apologize, Pinsley said he was making a comparison to the Warsaw ghettos in which Jews were segregated. I find this explanation more offensive than his original remark. It;s clearly dishonest.
Notwithstanding his ghetto remark, Pinsley embraced MLK in an email message today.
"It is because of citizens like Dr. King that I am running for Pennsylvania State Senate," he tells his followers."
On Saturday, I drove up the northeast extension and then along Rte 80 and 15 for college basketball games between the Lycoming College Warriors and the DeSales Bulldogs. After traveling along roads once used by the Muncy Indians and underground railroaders, I arrived just in time for a double header with both men and women teams playing. It cost me $3. Attorney Chris Spadoni, an alum, had threatened me that he'd be there. I thought he was messin' with me. But when I ambled into the gym, he was there.
Lycoming is located in Williamsport, a pretty river town nestled in a valley of the Appalachian mountains. It;s the home of Little League and Reptileland. I expected to see fracking trucks tearing up the roads, but there were none.
"Welcome to the Harvard of North Central Pennsylvania," said Spadoni.
I have to admit it's a beautiful campus. Though it was freezing, Chris took me on a brief tour.
Lycoming, like DeSales, is a D3 (Division 3) school. If you play a sport at a D3 school, you are a student athlete, not just an athlete. Those schools, including the coaches, pay attention to the academics.
I asked Chris was he thought of the school. "It changed my life," he told me." He went there as a wrestler, but soon found himself involved in numerous other activities. Even a play!
Now I know how he came by his courtroom theatrics. He'd make a good Falstaff. Hamlet, not so much.
Chris told me went to Lycoming as the son of struggling immigrants and was accepted. He was proud to say that the school today specializes in getting financial aid for students. So if you have a child or grandchild looking for a college, you might consider the Harvard of Northern Central Pa/
Chris threatened to take me to Mass at St. Joseph the Worker, but I told him I'm pretty much banned at all churches.
Lycoming lost both the men and women basketball games to DeSales. The men's game was quite close. The Bulldogs were down by 10 points at one point, but managed to win the game with 1.2 seconds left. Mason Barnes managed to toss in a running, one-handed floater with 1/2 seconds left in the game.
The Bulldogs, now at 14-1, will see the Warriors again on February 19. But this game will be at DeSales.
While I have nothing against Mark Pinsley personally, I am leery of opportunistic politicians who springboard from one office into another. And that's Mark Pinsley. Almost immediately after his election as a South Whitehall Tp Commissioner,he announced he was running for Pat Browne's State Senate seat. He had not even been sworn into one office, but was running for another. After losing to Browne, he immediately ran for Controller and won. He's politicized that office with audits having nothing to do with county finances because he intended to run against Phil Armstrong. But then he dropped that idea to consider a run for Lt. Governor. Then he abandoned those plans to run again Browne again. But redisticting has thrown a monkey wrench into his constant electioneering. Pinsley might have been drawn out if the district and he's hot about it. So he made the trip to the land of midnight payraises. There he had to make up a reason for being opposed to a plan that makes it impossible for him to run. So he opposed the idea of combining Bethlehem and Allentown because "we don't need a ghetto."
This story was broken by WFMZ-TV. It was also covered by Lehigh Valley Live and blogger Michael Molovinsky. MM sagely adds, "[Pinsley's] promoters, aka Morning Call editorial staff, made sure that the story didn't appear on their pages. Expect the paper to shortly host a damage control editorial by Pinsley."
This is what people mean when they say The Morning Call plays favorites. The paper has been one of Pinsley's biggest fans. It has been remarkably silent when he does something stupid, like his vapid suggestion for both a Lehigh County sales tax and an earned income tax on ghetto residents in the middle of a pandemic. It even promoted his actually promoted his inane initiative to bring in blimps to ease LV traffic congestion.
Wait a second, you might say. You play favorites, too, O'Hare. I do. But I have never pretended to be objective. I've only promised to be honest. The Morning Call is neither.
By the way, Pinsley said that his use of the word ghetto was a reference to what Jews endured during WWII in Warsaw.
He must think we're really stupid.
Nicole Romanishan was one of five County Council candidates in Northampton County's November 2 election. She finished sixth, behind John Brown, by 31 votes. She is also one of five Republicans who refused to respond to my questionnaire. That may have made no difference, or it may have cost her 31 votes, too. We'll never know. But Romanishan thinks an unholy trio of her fellow Republicans have cost her a victory. Instead of claiming that Democrats stole the race, she's blaming a tainted threesome from the GOP.
The Express Times reported on the filing of this suit back in December. The Defendants are Gloria "General Lee" Snover, her brother Gerry Pritchard and Cindy Miller, a Lehigh Township supervisor. Romanishan is represented by Scranton barrister Lawrence Moran. I waited until now to see if there's been a response. As of now, there is none.
According to Romanishan, the state Republican party prepared palm cards to be handed out at the polls, seeking support for all Republican candidates. This includes Romanishan. But between the time that the state party prepared these cards and the time they were handed out to Lehigh Tp voters, Romanishan's name was crossed out. The lawsuit contends that this was the unlawful conversion of a gift from state Republicans.
On its face, this lawsuit seems dubious. I have no reason to believe that Snover, who chairs the NorCo GOP, would try to sabotage a Republican in a contested race. I am equally unclear on what might have motivated her brother or Cindy Miller. But let's assume this happened. How can Romanishan prove that this is what caused her to lose? That seems like a real stretch, especially since most voters discard palm cards almost immediately.
She claims the palm cards were a gist from the state GOP. Shouldn't the state party be suing as well?
Steve Thode, who has been faithfully keeping track of the COVID-19 data, notes that the Omicron peak here in the Lehigh Valley is 3.75 times higher than what we witnessed last winter. His report:
I do most of my writing at night, and did so as usual last night. But there are times when I mistakenly save my story as a draft instead of publishing it. That was my mistake last night, and I failed to check my blog this morning because I was rushed. Sorry for the error.
PrimeCare Medical furnishes healthcare services at the Northampton County jail. As a result of an explosion of new COVID-19 cases, it has recommended that the work release program be suspended. The county is listening to its medical advisers. It has suspended this modified type of confinement, in which inmates can go out into the community and work to pay off fines and costs. This suspension should last two months.
In addition, the court is scouring the 635-inmate population to consider possible furloughs for nonviolent offenders.
It's safe to day he's qualified. He served 18 years on Bethlehem City Council and another eight years as the Christmas City's Mayor. He oversaw 579 city employees, conducted regular negotiations with three unions and spent approximately ten hours a week on matters related to personnel.
As a city council member, Bob served on the Public Safety, Community Policing, Finance, Public Works, Parks & Public Property and Community Development committees. He's also been a member of numerous boards, from Hispanic Center to Lehigh Valley Planning Commission.
Donchez is a south side boy who grew up with derelicts like Frank Flisser (NorCo's first County Council Clerk) and John Morganelli (now looking down on us from the judicial heavens)
He's the son of a cop who was willing to go against the grain and speak out about some mischief in Bethlehem's police department with a DA named Bernie O'Hare. Bob's dad paid the price. He was demoted for speaking out. He would eventually be proved right and was restored to his rank just before his death.
Finances were tough for Bob, but he managed to put himself through school and resolved he would try to help others in his public life.
I've disagreed with Bob at times, but I know he always had the best interests of the City at heart and have high regard for him. I believe he will excel in helping county workers during a time in which inflation has outpaced their salaries.
McClure, of course, is delighted. “We are fortunate that the Mayor has agreed to bring his extensive toolbox filled with experience to help us manage one of the largest workforces in the Lehigh Valley," he said.
Now, if I were a good reporter, I would have nailed down the salary. But as you all know, I am flawed.
I'm pretty sure I don't owe him any money, so I will be happy to see Bob.
There's currently a strike at the Coca Cola bottling plant in Bethlehem. Teamsters Local 773 have called the strike over proposed changes to retirement and health care benefits. Given the current shortage of qualified truck drivers, this is clearly a short-sighted move by ABARTA, the Pittsburgh-based company calling the shots at this bottling plant. In addition to trying to impose a reduction when there;'s a shortage of qualified labor, the company men have also called on cops to ease tensions that are going to escalate when we bring in scabs.
In the past, police have often served as thugs for the ruling class. Striking workers have been killed, even in Bethlehem. But just as obviously, a visible police presence can also serve as a deterrent.
Bethlehem City Council VP Grace Crampsie Smith, who had no problem voting for a budget that reduced the city's public safety workers, is questioning the wisdom of a police presence, Her concerns appear to be just as myopic and as ill-timed as ABARTA's attempt to screw its workforce.
Crampise Smith is pandering to the Teanmsters, but is forgetting there's another union in this picture, FOPStar Lodge #20 represents Bethlehem police officers, and has distributed an email to counter the red herrings and outright misinformation from Crampise Smith.
In response to a recent news story about the presence of Bethlehem Police Officers at the Coca-Cola facility. The story quotes City Council members who claimed constituents had concerns with police presence at the Coca-Cola facility in the City of Bethlehem. Chief Kott explained why an officer is assigned there and what the officer’s role is while assigned to the Coca-Cola facility.
The City Administration and Police Department have a long-standing policy that allows private businesses to contract and pay for police services. The assigned officer’s wages are paid by the business directly to the city. That assigned officer is not pulled from a shift to cover extra-duty assignments and would otherwise be off-duty.
In 2012, FOP Star Lodge #20 agreed to a contract in which extra-duty assignments would no longer be calculated towards the pensions of officers hired after 2012. We have reached a point where post-2012 officers make up a majority of our officers. In that same 2012 contract, Star Lodge #20 agreed to a Healthcare package in which Bethlehem officers pay the highest health-care contributions of the police departments in the Lehigh Valley.
When Police Officers are constantly villainized by the most privileged members of our society, the officers of Star Lodge #20 still take the greatest pride in serving our community and keeping Bethlehem safe. It is disheartening that even with the exemplary service to its citizens, our officers are again under attack. Rather than stand up to announce Bethlehem Police Department as one of the best departments in Pennsylvania, Council Member Crampsie-Smith questioned the impartiality of our officers working at the Coca-Cola facility. All in the same breath, Crampsie-Smith followed-up with an ambush of our retirement earnings. The cruelest part of it is, Council Member Crampsie-Smith proclaims it under the guise of “daughter of a police chief”.
In order to pander to one union, Crampsie Smith has thrown another under the bus. Or perhaps it's a truck. It's something she has done before. Just ask firefighters.
Late last week, I told you Omicron infections have hit Gracedale. At the time of my story, 2 residents and 22 staffers had tested positive. Residents who test positive are placed in an isolation ward until they recover. Workers quarantine at home. This latest surge exacerbates a pre-existing staff shortage, so the Pa. National Guard has been asked to assist. It is sending six soldiers to help out.
These guardsmen are non-medical personnel. They will pass out food trays and water, transport patients, answer call bells and generally facilitate the non-medical needs of the residents. They will be at Gracedale, the largest public nursing home in the state, for five days.
During the last election cycle, Executive Lamont McClure came under harsh criticism for hosting the national guard once before. In the wake of a staff shortage and surge in infections, it appears to be a responsible solution. "The Guard has always come when we've called, " observed an appreciative McClure. The home's administrator, Jennifer Stewart-King, said residents come first.
In addition to the nursing home, 15 of 682 inmates at the jail were positive as of January 4. Inmates who test positive are segregated from the rest of the jail population.
Noting this latest surge, McClure is urging everyone who can get vaccinated to do so. He also recommends masks in public (they are mandatory inside county buildings) and urges those with symptoms to get tested.
The County has established a testing drive-thru at t 3100 Emrick Blvd. Bethlehem Township, 18020. Hours of operation have been expanded this week: Monday/Wednesday/Friday from 8:00AM – 4:00PM and Tuesday/Thursday from 10:00AM – 6:00PM. The drive-through testing center is located in the parking area to the rear of the Coordinated Health Building and is separate from patient parking and routine patient care. No appointment is needed for this free test. You can also get a vaccination there, but need an appointment. I understand the drive-thru is busy but you will be through in about an hour.. Unfortunately, there's been a four-day delay in getting test results. If yoiu have symptoms, you should isolate yourself until you get the results.
Steve Thode, who has been faithfully tracking the LV numbers since the inception of this virus, observes that new records are being set daily:
Today, Lehigh reported 1,640 new cases one day after the previous single-day record of 1,339 new cases was reported.
Meanwhile, NorCo reported 1,144 new cases. That beats the previous record of 1,046 new cases on New Year's Eve.
Obviously, the combined total of 2,784 new cases is a new single-day record.
Cases have surged more in Lehigh than NorCo. Over the past week, Lehigh/NorCo combined have reported a record 13,439 new cases of which more than 57% (7,661) were in Lehigh County. More than 2% of the entire population of Lehigh County has tested positive during the past week. No speculation as to why the surge has been higher in Lehigh County.
At their final meeting last year, Northampton County Council passed a payhike for themselves ($12,500 in two years), the Controller ($85,000 in two years) and the Exec ($120,000 in four years). Executive Lamont McClure vetoed it, so Council voted last night whether to override the veto. Six votes are needed to override a veto. Council voted on the payhike for each office separately.
Controller - Only Tara Zrinski and John Brown supported McClure's veto. The veto failed.
Executive. - Tara Zrinski. John Brown, Tom Giovanni, John Goffredo, Ron Heckman and Kerry Myers all supported the veto. The veto holds.
Council. - Tara Zrinski, John Brown and Kevin Lott supported the veto. The veto failed.
So everyone will get a raise but the Executive.
"Why create a health department when we can't afford the level of government we have now?" asked then Council member Ron Angle. "Why lead people on such a trip if you don't have the ability to buy a car?"
At the time it was under consideration, it would have cost both counties about $500,000 per year and would have absorbed separate health departments within the cities. McClure indicated last night that the annual cost of a stand-alone county department would be $1.6 million per year. But he added that the County will be receiving at least $33 million from the federal government this year, which would solve funding for several years.
There was a question whether a regional department would have been beneficial to anyone outside the cities. Would someone in Portland or Slatington really be helped the same way as someone living in the heart of the Lehigh Valley's cities? Proponents thought so, but others were dubious.
This includes then Council member Lamont McClure. He opposed a regional public health department. He continues to be skeptical of a regional approach and last night worried about an "unresponsive bureaucrat" ignoring the rural areas of the county/ He believes a stand-alone county agency, however, would be more responsive.
If a county public health department made a difference in fighting the pandemic, this would be a no-brainer. But as McClure himself acknowledged last night, they made none. His argument, however, is that a county health department can perform numerous other public health initiatives, from rabies warnings to drug addiction to maternal care. There are still numerous negatives.
First of these is the concern that we are creating an unelected "unresponsive bureaucrat" who is just as likely to ignore areas away from Bethlehem and Easton as the reviled bi-county health department. We all think of the cities as most in need of public health because of the underlying poverty. But there's a need in places like Bangor, too. Several students at their schools describe a cesspool of overt (not subtle) racism and poverty, where drug sales are just as common as in any urban core. Public health might make a difference, but would a county health department really give a shit about anyone outside the cities?
Second, I am very concerned that McClure might be bailing out a financially distressed Bethlehem, which raises taxes as often as a bulldog farts. He indicated last night that he's been discussing the matter with Mayor Willie Reynolds. This might be more of a Bethlehem bailout than an actual desire to address public health.
Third, public health officials are currently about as popular as elections officials. They are subjected to threats, harassment and even doxing. Creating a public health department could certainly create the impression that government officials are chipping away at our right to live our own lives as we see fit. Under the Local Health Administration Law, an unelected health department has very broad powers to "prevent or remove conditions which constitute a menace to public health." That's way too broad and, at least in my view, an unconstitutional overreach.
I do support the idea of a study and would even support a county health department if (1) its powers were extremely limited to prevent over-reach; (2) it serves all county citizens equally, not just those in Bethlehem or Easton; and (3) our local nonprofit hospitals prove in-kind services.
Northampton Country officials are reporting that, as of January 4, there are two COVID-19 among Gracedale residents. They have been moved to an isolated ward set up in the eqarly stages of the pandemic. In addition, 22 staff members have tested positive for the virus and are currently in quarantine.
How would you like to see the area around Minsi Lake developed? Would you like to see more active recreation opportunities or prefer the hiking trails to remain the way they are? Northampton County is seeking public input for its Minsi Lake Corridor Greenway and Stewardship Plan on Wednesday, January 12, 2022 from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM at the Pocono-Slate Belt Shooting Association’s Clubhouse, 744 Lake Minsi Drive, Bangor, PA. This meeting can be accessed online or by phone at 1-412 447-5128 (Conference ID: 855 183 688# - audio only) The final plan will be presented and the community is invited to comment.
During a six-minute reorganization meeting yesterday afternoon, Lori Vargo-Heffner was elected President of Northampton County Council in 2022. She received votes from all eight of her colleagues, both Democrat and Republican. She abstained from voting for herself. A Council President receives an extra $500, so it would be a conflict of interest for her to vote for herself.
Council voted unanimously for Kerry Myers as Council VP.
Finally, Council voted to retain Chris Spadoni as their Consigliere.
Northampton County Council is a nine-member board consisting of five Democrats (Lori Vargo-Heffner, Kerry Myers, Ron Heckman, Kevin Lott and Tara Zrinski) as well as four Republicans (John Cusick, John Brown, Tom Giovanni and John Goffredo).
Northampton County Council has beefed up its contingency fund (over the veto of Executive Lamont McClure) with plans to fund a much needed salary study, a third-party independent review of Gracedale and a review of the county's IT services.
At Gracedale, there are two very different narratives about the quality of care and employee morale. It's also quite clear that there's widespread resentment over meager salaries as well as salary compression. Finally, the IT services being supplied to the county are woefully substandard. In addition, Council needs to consider a Home Rule Charter overhaul.
While shopping at the grocery store last night, I ran into a NorCo retiree who read my New Year's Eve blog about a COLA for retirees in 2022. "Tell McClure we want that COLA," he instructed me, adding that McClure did indeed promise one for this year.
McClure will keep his word. In a conversation with him after my blog published, he assured me that he has every intention of seeking a COLA for retirees this year, and will also ask the Retirement Board to make it retroactive until January 1. Since the Exec basically controls the votes on this board, a COLA appears to be likely.
I still believe this should have been done last year.
Steve Thode has been tracking the COVID-19 data for this blog from the onset of the pandemic. Here's his latest:
For the month of December, Lehigh County recorded a total of 11,464 new COVID cases while NorCo recorded a total 10,872 new cases. That's a new single month record for both counties.
The combined total for Lehigh/NorCo of 22,336 new cases for December smashes the old record set in December 2020 when 16,836 new cases were recorded for the two counties.
December ended with Lehigh/NorCo setting a new record for 7-day new cases with a total of 8,027 new cases reported between Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. By comparison, this is almost 85% higher than the peak 7-day case rate last winter which was set on January 10, 2021:
Blogger's Note: Though Omicron is raging, it may be less severe. One recent study suggests it spares the lungs.
I follow a local basketball team whose players are regularly tested. Though showing no symptoms, three starters (and one or two others) tested positive yesterday and will be unable to play or practice for five days. Before they do, they must visit a cardiologist.
All players have been vaccinated.
