Bethlehem Press

Bethlehem City Council Solicitor Chris Spadoni was having a rough night. A former prosecutor, he was batting 0 for 4 in objections to testimony during Abe Atiyeh's quest for zoning approval of residential drug and alcohol treatment centers at 2110 Center St. and 2349 Linden St. With no success, he argued that Atiyeh's engineer David Harte lacks the qualifications to describe the management and operation of a drug and alcohol treatment center.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) provides funding to redevelop crucial areas. According to Steve Kehs and Tammy Wetzel, strategic planners at Triad Associates, it's getting harder to find those areas.

At the Sept. 20 Planning Commission meeting, Kehs and Wetzel reported that Bethlehem has done "tremendous work" since its last Blight Study in 2002. But blight still exists, predominately at Bethlehem Steel properties on the South Side. After that, the Pembroke Road corridor, which includes a portion of Stefko Boulevard, has numerous vacant and deteriorated properties.

Bethlehem City Council Solicitor Chris Spadoni was having a rough night. A former prosecutor, he was batting 0 for 4 in objections to testimony during Abe Atiyeh's quest for zoning approval of residential drug and alcohol treatment centers at 2110 Center St. and 2349 Linden St. With no success, he argued that Atiyeh's engineer David Harte lacks the qualifications to describe the management and operation of a drug and alcohol treatment center.

Thursday, October 11

LEPOCO solidarity group's "Migrants' Passage and Their Hopes On Their Journey" with Leonila Romero Gonzalez, St. Luke's Church, 417 N. Seventh St., Allentown. Call 610-691-8370 or visit www.lepoco.org for information.

Saturday, October 13

UNCIO Columbus Celebration, 9:30 a.m., Bethlehem City Hall Plaza, 10 E. Church St. followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the Columbus Memorial, Bethlehem Rose Garden, Eighth Avenue between Broad Street and Union Boulevard.

Wednesday, October 10

Lehigh Co. Commissioners, 7:30 p.m., public hearing room, Lehigh County Gov. Center, 17 S. Seventh St., Allentown.

Thursday, October 11

Bethlehem Water Authority, 3 p.m., 85 W. North St.

Bethlehem Planning Commission, 4 p.m., Town Hall

Monday, October 15

BASD regular board, 7 p.m., East Hills M.S. auditorium, 2005 Chester Road.

Bethlehem Twp. Commissioners, 7 p.m., municipal building, 4225 Easton Ave.

Fountain Hill Zoning Board, 7 p.m., 941 Long St.

Habitat for Humanity, developer of 17-acre neighborhood called Minsi Ridge on the slopes of South Mountain, would like to be excused, at least for now, from installing sidewalks along the west side of James Street and the south side of Aaron Street.

Citing the topography and remoteness of this site, located near the Sands Casino, Habitat asked the city's planning commission for a deferral at its Sept. 20 meeting. But a confused board tabled the matter, uncertain whether a deferral or outright waiver is the most appropriate solution.

Bethlehem area resident, longtime writer for Sports Illustrated and author Jack McCallum regaled about 20 people Oct. 2 at the Bethlehem Area Public Library with stories about the NBA stars featured in his latest book, "Dream Team."

Due to the increased number of students in classes, the school board voted 5-4 Sept. 11 to hire an additional fourth-grade teacher.

School board members Charles Bartolet, Lanita Lum, Sandra Miller, Ralph Puerta and Sharon Stack supported the hiring. Susan Baxter, Edward Inghrim, Bryan Eichfeld and Michael Karabin opposed the measure.

During the meeting parents told members of the school board its budgetary cost-cutting measures are affecting the quality of education offered by the school district.

The South Bethlehem Historical Society discussed a plan that would attempt to get more young people interested and involved in the history of the borough at its Sept. 11 meeting.

"To keep a historical society or anything that delves back into history, you need the participation of younger people," Lucy Flynn said. "You have to really dazzle them and get their families involved."