Bethlehem Press

I received notice for jury duty recently. I've never had the privilege of going through the juror selection process yet alone serve as a juror.

But I met up with Kathleen Thierer, a juror who participated in the George Hitcho Jr. trial, the man found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Freemansburg officer Robert A. Lasso, and I got a better appreciation of serving on a jury.

What was it like going through the juror selection?

For the first time since its inception in 1992, Wreaths Across America was observed in the Lehigh Valley. Wreaths Across America, a nonprofit organization, was founded to continue and expand the annual wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester.

The borough of Hellertown will soon see improvements to some of its roads in town.

Council unanimously approved accepting a Streetscape grant during its Dec. 17 meeting.

The borough in 2010 was awarded Transportation Enhancement funding for improvements to the intersection of Main and Easton roads and for improvements to the outdoor space around the municipal building, said Borough Manager Cathy Kichline.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has approved a 2013 rate schedule that will result in overall toll-revenue growth of 3 percent. It entails a 10-percent toll increase for cash-paying customers and a 2-percent toll increase for those who pay with E-ZPass. With the increase, E-ZPass customers who currently see as much as a 17 percent savings on Turnpike tolls will save about 25 percent starting next year. The new rates became effective Jan. 6.

Each fall millions of monarch butterflies migrate from Canada and the eastern US to central Mexico.

"The monarch is the only insect that migrates like this," says John Drummond, General Biology Laboratory coordinator at Lafayette College. To celebrate the monarch's migration, the Gertrude B. Fox Environmental Center at Illick's Mill partnered with WDIY to hold a Butterfly Bash followed by a sold out Butterfly Ball in the evening.

The Cancer Support Community of the Greater Lehigh Valley honored some of its most dedicated volunteers at a luncheon and award ceremony in the event center at Blue Grillhouse earlier this fall.

Three awards were given out to six people and organizations who have worked with the Cancer Support Community over the past several years.

Heman Patel of East Penn Business Machines Inc. and Rob Vaughn of 69 News were honored with the distinguished service award.