Northampton County News: Breaking News

The organization, which represents more than 427,000 artists, wanted the county to pay a $2,343 fee to broadcast music in county buildings. Take the NEWS POLL.

Express-Times File Photo | BRUCE WINTERThe Northampton County Courthouse won't be playing any music this week.

Under the hushed conversations between attorneys and clients, under small talk of co-workers, under the rumblings of garbage cans being wheeled over tiles, something is missing.

Anyone wandering the halls of the Northampton County Government Center prior to Monday could hear popular musicians such as Cee Lo Green or Adele broadcast over the building's loudspeakers. This week, however, the music has stopped.

In an email to county employees last Friday, Northampton County Executive John Stoffa announced the music was turned off because of licensing fees. The American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers sent warning letters to the county in January ordering them to shut down the music or pay a $2,343 fee.

"The bottom line is that we do not have this money budgeted, and I'm not sure taxpayers would like us to pay for music to be played through our systems. Therefore, I have informed ASCAP that we will cease playing music at the end of March 2012," Stoffa said in the email.

He added that a similar group, Broadcast Music Inc., had not contacted the county but would be within its rights to seek licensing fees of its own if the county kept playing the music.

County Administrator Tom Harp said the county is exploring options like playing tapes or recordings over the loudspeaker, but he is not sure if that will meet licensing standards either. Until the county finds out for sure, the music will stay off.

"They were going to send the music police after us -- or maybe just the musical group The Police," Harp joked. He described Monday, the first day without songs coming over the speakers, as the day the music died, referencing Don McLean's classic song "American Pie."

The biggest problem may end up coming from the county's phone lines. Callers who were previously left on hold listened to the same music placed over the loudspeakers. Without the music, callers may become confused and think they've been disconnected, Harp said.

Should Northampton County pay to broadcast music over its phone lines and throughout its buildings?

According to its website, ASCAP represents more than 427,000 U.S. composers, lyricists, songwriters and publishers by collecting royalties of public performances of their songs. Local governments are billed based on their population up to a maximum of $63,825, according to the website.

Many county employees, most of whom declined to be interviewed, expressed surprise that an organization such as ASCAP could charge for music broadcast from a radio station.

Joann Silva, a clerk in the Northampton County District Attorney's Office, said she needs some music to be productive.

"It's like a morgue in here," she said as she listened to Foreigner's "Waiting For A Girl Like You" on 99.9 The Hawk over her personal radio. "I think it makes the work flow better."

Northampton County is not the only local government to receive a licensing warning from ASCAP in recent months. In October, Lopatcong Township grudgingly agreed to pay a $309 bill for playing music at its municipal pool over the summer. Phillipsburg was also hit with a bill for playing the radio for phone callers left on hold.

Two men are accused of breaking into the home, while a woman is accused of helping one of the men sell the copper to a scrap yard.

Police have filed charges against three people in connection with a January burglary of copper pipes out of a Lehigh Drive home in Lehigh Township.

Frederick A. Postie, 40, and Kerry Frank, 30, who are each in the Carbon County Prison, allegedly confessed to breaking into a home in the 4200 block of Lehigh Drive some time between Jan. 1 and Jan. 6, court document say.

Edward Hornung reported to police that someone had broken into his home and cut out all of the copper piping, stole tools and a heat exchanger near the furnace. Repairs and the lost tools are estimated at $9,000.

Postie was arraigned on charges of burglary, theft and receiving stolen property today by District Judge Robert Hawke, who set bail at $75,000 straight. An arrest warrant has been issued for Frank but court records indicate he has not yet been arraigned.

Stephanie L. Keck, 33, of the 200 block of East Catawissa Street in Nesquehoning, Pa., is accused of going with Postie to sell the copper in a scrap yard in Pottsville, Pa., court records say. Keck was interviewed March 15 in Schuylkill County Prison and she confessed, police said.

Keck was arraigned today on charges of burglary and receiving stolen property. Her bail was set at $75,000.

Lehigh Township police were tipped off after Frank allegedly confessed to the Lehigh Drive burglary to a Rush Township, Schuylkill County, police officer, who was investigating several burglaries involving the trio, police said.

Postie allegedly confessed to the Lehigh Drive burglary when police officers from other departments interviewed him in Northumberland County Prison. Then on March 1, Lehigh Township police interviewed Postie in Carbon County Prison and Postie allegedly confessed to his involvement.

By a 5-2 vote, Northampton County Council elected to purchase the 9,750-square-foot building at 999 Conroy Drive for $750,000.

Northampton County will begin to bring its historical documents back within its borders after county council voted tonight to purchase a Forks Township location to use as its archives building.

By a 5-2 vote, Northampton County Council elected to purchase the 9,750-square-foot building at 999 Conroy Drive for $750,000. The county plans on converting the building, which houses a plumbing, heating and air conditioning company, into an archives building by installing approximately $1.5 million worth of shelves, lighting and climate control devices at the facility.

Most of the county's hundreds of thousands of historical documents have been in storage at Iron Mountain, an Allentown information services company, since the former archives building was torn down in 2004 to make way for an expansion of the Northampton County Prison. County Executive John Stoffa called the decision to store the material at Iron Mountain shortsighted, saying the county has paid more than $1 million in rent to Iron Mountain since then along with accompanying fees any time someone wanted to access the information they contained.

"I just believe this is a terrific step forward," said Stoffa, who named the acquisition of an archives building as one of his priorities in January.

The decision to purchase the building had its detractors. Councilmen Lamont McClure and Tom Dietrich both supported the cause, but said the county could not afford to commit funds to the building. Between approving the West Easton treatment center lease, expected state cuts to human services, buying out the swaption and obligations to improve Gracedale, the two county councilmen said the county shouldn't tie itself down with another major project.

After the meeting McClure criticized his fellow council members, saying it would be more prudent to follow up on purchasing the property later in the year when they start laying the groundwork for the 2013 budget. The county only set aside $832,000 for the project, and the rest will come from the county surplus.

"I don't think any of us can say with any certainty what any of these big ticket items are going to do," he said.

Council President John Cusick dismissed those concerns, however, pointing out that between the savings in rent and revenue generated through access to historical deeds and documents, the building should be paid off within a few years. Cusick had previously criticized the county for not acting more swiftly to ensure historical documents weren't being lost to the inadequate conditions at Iron Mountain.

"I think when you look at our record in fees in the long term, this will be a good investment for the keeping of our records and history," he said.

That perspective was shared by Andy Daub, president of the Northampton County Historical & Genealogical Society. Daub said the county most likely possesses deeds signed by William Penn and other irreplaceable pieces of history in Iron Mountain, but the lack of proper climate control and other conditions put them all at risk. He urged the council to make the purchase before its vote.

"You've got to bite the bullet now, make the purchase and do the proper thing to secure those documents," he said.

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At the beginning of tonight's meeting, Northampton County Controller Stephen Barron warned council members to keep a close eye on information coming out of the Human Services department.

Barron presented council with minutes of a January human services mental health staff meeting, which noted a discussion about providing information to elected officials. The note said division head Kathleen Kelly instructed staff members to "not give too much information" to Barron and other elected officials because it is an election year for the county executive.

Barron, who noted it is not an election year for the position, urged council members to make sure they pay their due diligence before making votes about Human Services. The department is likely to face steep cuts from the state this year, and council members need to make sure they are getting accurate information.

"When you do cast your votes, make sure you’re making an informed decision," he said.

Stoffa said he was not aware of the discussion and that it is against county policy to withhold information from the controller or the council. He defended his administration's track record, saying, "Nobody communicates as much as this administration does."

Cusick and Councilman Scott Parsons agreed. Parsons noted that since taking office in January, no department has kept any requested information from him, calling their efforts "proactive."

Deputy Tom Bachik, a longtime Northampton County sheriff's deputy, recently asserted publicly that Northampton County judges have created security risks.

Express-Times File PhotoAll nine Northampton County judges on Monday barred a sheriff's deputy that complained about potential safety hazards from working their courtrooms.

A Northampton County sheriff's deputy, who claimed county judges were playing favorites among deputies and creating safety hazards, has been barred from working in any Northampton County courtroom.

In a court order signed Monday, all nine county judges forbid Deputy Tom Bachik from working in their courtrooms. The same order prevents him from having access to any secured areas or mediation rooms.

Northampton County Court Administrator James Onembo, who spoke Wednesday on behalf of the judges, declined to comment on the cause of the judges' decision, saying only, "I think the order speaks for itself."

Other than guarding courtrooms, deputies' duties include securing other government buildings, transferring prisoners and serving court documents.

Bachik said Wednesday neither court administration nor the judges have provided him with any explanation for his removal from the courts and that he did not know what sparked the order.

"There are nine people's signatures on the order. I would love to hear what they have to say," he said.

The order came one day after The Express-Times reported about letters written by members of the Northampton County Sheriff Deputy's Association accusing some judges of jeopardizing deputies’ safety and allowing some deputies to get out of unwanted assignments.

One letter singled out President Judge F.P. Kimberly McFadden, whom the union accused of creating a security risk when she ordered that Daniel Macon -- an admitted drug dealer who set up a botched assassination -- be transferred into state custody on a specific day.

Another letter criticized Judge Anthony Beltrami, who was not specifically named in the letter, for insisting a particular deputy be assigned to the upcoming George Hitcho trial despite safety concerns. Hitcho is accused of killing Freemansburg police officer Robert Lasso.

Bachik, the author of the second letter, said in an interview for the article published Sunday that while the union's concerns were brought up, they have not been addressed.

“I think the problems are there. It just hasn’t come to a head yet,” he has said.

Bachik, a county employee for 22 years, said he could not think of an order involving all the judges that barred someone from serving the court. However, he said he would continue to do his job as a county deputy.

"I don't know what I did wrong, so how can I stress over it?" Bachik asked.

Other members of the executive board could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

The letters faced criticisms within the union's own ranks. Walt Felton, the union's president, said he was not informed of the union's decision to send the first letter and did not learn about it until he and Deputy Brian Budraitis, the union's secretary, were called before McFadden for a verbal rebuke.

Felton criticized his fellow union board members for their actions, saying problems like that should be handled in-house.

"We are the arm of the judges, whether we like it or not," he previously said.

The order came up during the Northampton County Council meeting, where Councilman Lamont McClure asked how deputies could air their concerns regarding safety. He criticized the setup of the sheriff's department, which answers to the courts and the county, as a weakness of the county charter. McClure suggested making the county sheriff an elected position, as it is in other Pennsylvania counties. Luzerne County is considering making the position an appointed one.

"We need to consider putting this on the ballot," he said.

County Executive John Stoffa shot down the idea, saying that by making it an elected position, it increased the odds of getting someone unfit to run the department.

"You can elect a plumber. You want someone who is qualified," Stoffa said.

President Judge F. P. Kimberly McFadden sentenced the former Easton Area Middle School teacher on Tuesday.

Express-Times File Photo | MATT SMITHFormer Easton Area Middle School teacher Stephen Sullivan will serve four to 23 months in Northampton County Prison after a judge sentenced him on Tuesday.

Former Easton Area Middle School teacher Stephen A. Sullivan was sentenced to four to 23 months in Northampton County Prison for child pornography possession.

On Tuesday, President Judge F. P. Kimberly McFadden also ordered he complete community service during a five-year probationary period following his release from prison.

Sullivan's attorney, Dennis Charles, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Though initially scheduled for February, Sullivan's sentencing was delayed as Northampton County Judge Michael Koury, originally assigned to the case, recused himself to avoid questions of impartiality after questioning Charles about several threatening comments posted online.

Sullivan pleaded guilty to a child pornography charge in October.

In a raid of Sullivan's home, police said they found more than 2,600 images of child pornography. While he was initially charged with 100 counts of child pornography possession, the prosecution agreed to withdraw all but one of the charges in return for his guilty plea.

Sullivan, who taught in the Easton Area School District for nine years, was also charged in March with sexually molesting a 6-year-old girl. Those charges were dismissed, however, after he passed a polygraph and the girl's account of the molestations changed dramatically.

The 22-year-old and his 26-year-old co-defendant ditched the weapons stolen from the home after their Ford Focus broke down in the victim's driveway on Feb. 10, court records say.

AP File PhotoMarcus Walters, 22, of North Whitehall Township, is being held in Lehigh County Prison on $50,000 bail, according to court papers.

A 22-year-old North Whitehall Township man was charged for his part in an early February burglary at a Moore Township home where the suspects’ vehicle broke down in the victim’s driveway, according to court records.

Marcus Walters, 22, of the 2600 block of Levans Road in North Whitehall Township, faces burglary and related charges stemming from a Feb. 10 burglary of a home in the 200 block of Grouse Drive in Moore Township.

Walters and his co-defendant, David G. Keen Jr., 26, of Lehighton, who has already been charged with a Moore Township burglary along with some break-ins in neighboring municipalities, allegedly stole rifles and a bow from the Grouse Drive home.

Keen gave a statement to police about the burglary, saying that when the two had finished raiding the home and attempted to leave, Keen’s vehicle would not work, court papers say. The two men were reportedly trying to contact friends for a lift when the victim arrived home to see an unfamiliar Ford Focus parked in her driveway, court documents say.

Court papers indicate the men asked the victim for a ride before she refused and drove away.

Keen told police that, after the victim was out of sight, Keen and Walters took the weapons from the trunk of the Ford Focus and hid them in a tree line bordering the property, court papers say.

On Feb. 28, police went to the locations Keen described and recovered all the weapons except for a Marlin .22-caliber rifle which remains missing, court papers say.

When authorities searched the Ford Focus, they located a Target receipt for rubber gloves dated Feb. 9. Store surveillance showed a man purchasing the gloves that Keen identified as Walters, court papers say.

When officers interviewed Walters, the 22-year-old admitted to being present at the Grouse Drive burglary, but denied he knew they were at the home to steal property, court papers say. He told police his fingerprints may be on some of the items in Keen’s vehicle, but that once he learned they were stolen, he wanted nothing to do with them.

Police charged Walters with burglary, criminal trespass, theft and receiving stolen property. He was arraigned today before District Judge Robert Hawke in Lehigh Township. He is in Northampton County Prison on $50,000 bail, court papers say.

Walters’ preliminary hearing in the case is slated for April 12.

Mark Steven Smolow has been charged with robbery, burglary, theft, receiving stolen property, simple assault and false imprisonment.

Pennsylvania State Police arrested an Easton man Thursday after he allegedly bound and robbed a disabled East Allen Township man earlier in the week.

Mark Steven Smolow, 59, restrained an elderly man about 9:45 a.m. Monday at the man's home on the 7000 block of Versailles Square, police said. Smolow ransacked the home for valuables but was frightened off when a neighbor interrupted him, police said.

Police identified Smolow as a suspect and arrested him at their Bethlehem barracks Thursday. He is being held at Northampton County Prison in lieu of $200,000 bail on charges of robbery, burglary, theft, receiving stolen property, simple assault and false imprisonment.

The Red Cross provided the family of two adults and four children with lodging, food, clothing, shoes and toiletry items.

A family of six was displaced by an early morning fire on Hokendauqua Drive in Moore Township.

The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley was called at 4:39 a.m. to respond to a single-family house fire at 384 S. Hokendauqua Drive in the township, spokeswoman Janice Osborne said.

The Red Cross provided the family of two adults and four children with lodging, food, clothing, shoes and toiletry items.

The 58-year-old suspect runs a blind installation business with an address listed in Wilson Borough. He had been hired by the elderly East Allen Township family he allegedly victimized, stealing up to $75,000 in jewelry.

Express-Times File PhotoMark S. Smolow is in the Northampton County Prison in lieu of $200,000 bail, court papers say.

A 58-year-old Forks Township man hired to install blinds at an East Allen Township home allegedly duct-taped the hands of an elderly resident while he stole up to $75,000 worth of jewelry, according to court records.

According to police:

Mark S. Smolow knew the homeowners for more than 20 years and had done work in their home and neighbors’ homes many times in the past, according to homeowner Mary-Ellen Hyndshaw.

A neighbor found Hyndshaw's husband, 80-year-old George Hyndshaw lying on his living room floor with his hands taped together April 2 in the 7000 block of Versailles Square.

When Marry-Ellen Hyndshaw was called home, she discovered $50,000 to $75,000 in jewelry was missing.

Mark S. Smolow

George Hyndshaw was taken to St. Luke’s University Hospital in Fountain Hill for treatment of injuries to his head and chest suffered during the robbery.

The neighbor saw Smolow flee wearing a long brown wig, ball cap and fake mustache. Police investigating the break-in found footprints in the victim’s backyard, a Boston Red Sox cap on the victim’s deck, and a brown wig along with several pieces of jewelry along a tree line about 100 yards from the victim’s property.

Police said they believed Smolow wore a disguise during the robbery because he knew the victims could be familiar with him.

Police used identifying tags on the wig to track it to an Allentown store that sold the costume equipment to Smolow on March 15. He also purchased Spirit Gum glue and a fake Winchester Moustache from the store, police learned from store records.

Police arrested Smolow on Thursday and charged him with robbery, burglary, false imprisonment, theft, receiving stolen property and simple assault, court papers say. He is in Northampton County Prison on $200,000 bail.

Smolow, of the 2500 block of Middle Way, is the owner of a blind installation company called Modern Blinds and Drapes, with an address listed in Wilson Borough.

He was charged in September 2011 for failing to finish work at a Greenwich Township home where he was hired to install blinds, but authorities with the Warren County Prosecutor's Office said those charges were later administratively dismissed.

Smolow’s preliminary hearing is slated for 11 a.m. Friday before District Judge John Capobianco.

The 22-year-old is accused of sending threatening text messages to his ex-girlfriend after he saw her estranged husband's vehicle outside of the victim's Lehigh Township home.

AP File PhotoAaron Thomas German, 22, of Lehigh Township is Northampton County Prison on $20,000 bail.

A Northampton County man was arrested Sunday for allegedly sending threatening text messages to his ex-girlfriend while loitering outside her house, according to court records.

Aaron Thomas German, 22, of the 4100 block of Lehigh Drive in Lehigh Township, is charged with stalking with the intent to cause emotional distress and harassment. He was arraigned before District Judge Douglas Schlegel and sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $20,000 bail, which he had failed to post as of this afternoon.

According to court records:

Police responded at 12:39 a.m. Sunday to a house in the 1300 block of Blue Mountain Drive in Lehigh Township for a report that the caller's daughter was being stalked and harassed by an ex-boyfriend, later identified as German. The victim dated German for about a month, police later discovered.

The woman told police German sent her a text message at 8:14 p.m. on Saturday reading "Nice jeep," apparently referring to the car of her estranged husband, who was visiting her and had parked outside the house.

She told police that at 12:15 a.m. Sunday, she heard someone pulling on the storm doors leading to her basement and saw German's car parked outside.

At 12:23 a.m., the victim received another text message from German, reading:

"Pick out your last outfit. You did it now my boys are on their way. Time to find out who I really am. Suits and ties baby girl. Oozies j. greasers muah."

German also posted on her Facebook page, calling her a "slut."

German then started circling the house, blasting loud music, the victim told police. Police searched the area for German's vehicle but failed to locate it.

The victim said German threatened her when she broke off their month-long relationship on April 4.

A preliminary hearing for German is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on April 17 before District Judge Robert A. Hawke.

Asbestos remediation is also complete in Gracedale's basement and is under way in the courthouse's basement.

Northampton County has begun the cleanup of its courthouse law library, 11 months after the Environmental Protection Agency was notified about asbestos in it and other county-owned locations.

Workers with Prism, a Luzerne County environmental remediation company, began the process of removing asbestos fibers from the library room in the Northampton County Courthouse this evening. Workers were seen carting equipment up to the room, which has been off limits to county employees for months because of dangerously high levels of the carcinogen.

County Administrator Tom Harp said employees of the company will work on removing asbestos and contaminated materials such as reference books from the library for the next four to six weeks. They are scheduled to work 10-hour shifts from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. so as not to interfere with courthouse operations, he said.

It's the second time in five years that portion of the courthouse has needed asbestos remediation. In 2007, asbestos tiles were removed from that area as part of the renovations to the historic portion of the courthouse. County officials are at a loss to explain how asbestos wound up back in the library.

"We're very confident that with this approach, we'll get this area secure of any hazardous materials," Harp said.

In the meantime, county attorneys are exploring what if any legal recourse they have. Harp said there is no evidence to determine if the asbestos is new or has been there all along, and county attorneys are looking into the county's options.

"At this point, I think the investigation is still ongoing to some extent," he said.

The law library is the third location owned by the county to undergo asbestos remediation in the past few months. Portions of Gracedale's basement were reopened last week after more than a month of cleanup, and a storage area in the courthouse's basement is being scrubbed for asbestos as well.

Costs are quickly accumulating for the cleanup process. Harp originally estimated the county would spend about $140,000 remediating Gracedale's basement, but he said the county expects the final cost will be higher because the project suffered delays. Harp did not have an immediate figure available.

Prism was awarded a $90,408 bid for the library remediation, according to county documents. The county's asbestos consultant, SSM Group, will be paid an additional $46,500 to supervise the project and test it for lingering contamination, Harp said.

The county could face further expenses depending on the outcome of the EPA's investigation. Controller Stephen Barron contacted the federal agency in May 2011 about asbestos issues in the courthouse, Gracedale and the Wolf Building because he thought county officials ignored air quality complaints from employees. County Executive John Stoffa said at the time that fines were likely, but no word about the investigation has come down from the EPA for several months.

"It obviously isn't [a priority], otherwise we would have heard from them," Harp said.

A spokeswoman for the EPA said today there are no new updates in the investigation.

Ted Harris, a member of a county employee safety committee that has lobbied county council to investigate the asbestos problems, said the situation has improved slightly. Supervisors at Gracedale allowed committee members to have a voice and be kept involved in the cleanup process in that facility, but the same offer was not extended at the courthouse. Harris said he has no reason to believe anything is wrong with the cleanup efforts, but he said the committee was hoping for better communication from the administration.

"I have concerns about the law library in that the safety committee was not included in the final scope," he said. "That does not give us a comfortable feeling."

Neither County Executive John Stoffa nor any council members expressed a willingness to join the litigation against the zone, despite mostly negative comments about its effects.

Express-Times File PhotoNorthampton County Councilman John Cusick

Though municipalities and groups throughout the Lehigh Valley are beginning to take sides over Allentown's Neighborhood Improvement Zone around the hockey arena, Northampton County officials expressed their desire to stay out of the fray tonight.

At the end of Northampton County Council's finance committee meeting, County Executive John Stoffa asked council members for direction on endorsing or opposing the Neighborhood Improvement Zone. Organizations and municipalities are taking sides, Stoffa said, and people are increasingly asking where the county stands.

The zone legislation, which was crafted by the state legislature so it can only apply to Allentown, diverts all new state and local nonproperty taxes within the 130-acre zone around the hockey arena to fund construction and other downtown development.

Supporters of the development see the NIZ as a tool to dramatically redevelop Allentown's downtown, but opponents argue it robs surrounding municipalities and school districts of needed taxes.

So far, Upper Nazareth, Bethlehem and Hanover townships have filed lawsuits against the zone at the state level, and Hellertown, South Whitehall Township and Lower Saucon Township have expressed their intention to as well. Today the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation announced its endorsement of the zone.

Several county council members at the meeting expressed their personal views questioning how the zone helps Northampton County, but were unwilling to commit the county to a stance for the time being.

Council President John Cusick saw the NIZ as an unfair advantage for Allentown that stole the arena away from better suited locations in Northampton County, including areas in Palmer Township and South Bethlehem. Even worse, the mechanism that will fund construction will take money from municipalities' basic needs, Cusick said. Councilmen Bob Werner and Scott Parsons expressed similar opinions.

Rather than take direct action, though, Cusick suggested council request state officials to do away with the NIZ and restart the bidding process for the arena.

"I would urge our state representatives and senators to repeal that provision and allow us to compete on a level playing field," he said.

Stoffa said after the meeting he hopes the courts will make any potential county intervention unnecessary. Though it may create short term construction jobs in Allentown and attract businesses to the NIZ, Stoffa said the state funds being directed to the hockey arena would be better spent by diverting them to the state’s human services budget, which faces cuts between 20 and 30 percent. Further, it could make budget time even more difficult for surrounding municipalities.

“It’s a plus for the Lehigh Valley, but right now it’s a negative for Northampton County,” Stoffa said.

Monroe and Bucks counties have been targeted for potential fracking, but experts and officials agree Northampton County likely has no gas deposits.

Express-Times File PhotoNorthampton County Council approved a fracking fee, even though officials say there are no known natural gas deposits in the county.

Following the lead of counties across Pennsylvania, Northampton County Council approved an ordinance Thursday night allowing the county to charge a fee on companies fracking for natural gas within its boundaries.

The only catch? Northampton County has no known natural gas deposits.

Gas drilling is expected to provide millions of dollars in revenue across the state as energy companies look to tap into the Marcellus Shale, a swath of natural gas deep underground in parts of West Virginia, upstate New York, eastern Ohio, western Maryland and much of Pennsylvania.

The gas was previously out of the reach of conventional drilling techniques, but companies can now access the natural resource through hydraulic fracturing, a method that uses pressurized water, sand and chemicals to break the shale trapping the gas.

Under a state law signed last February, counties can implement fees on companies that frack for natural gas inside their borders.

Depending on the average gas price, these fees can range anywhere from $190,000 and $335,000 per gas well over a 15-year period, according to an analysis by the County Commissioners Association of America. Some of that funding will be distributed throughout the state, the analysis reads, but much of it will stay within the host counties and municipalities.

Northampton County Council passed that fee range Thursday by a 7-1-1 vote even though experts and elected officials doubt the county contains any natural gas deposits.

Dru Germanoski, the chairman of Lafayette College's geology and environmental geosciences department, said in an interview Wednesday Northampton County is surrounded by gas fields but most likely lacks any of its own. The Marcellus Shale stops in Monroe County, and other gas deposits are suspected to lie in rock formations in Bucks County, he said.

"I really couldn't imagine there would be any interest Northampton County," he said.

Council Solicitor Philip Lauer acknowledged as much Thursday, but said it was better to have the law on the books in case new discoveries are made.

The deadline to pass the fee schedule is Monday, so it would be in the county's best interest to pass it now, he said.

"The thought was there is no harm in having the ability to assess the fee if it is determined there are deposits within the county," he said.

The proposal sparked a debate between Councilmen Tom Dietrich and Bob Werner. Werner argued the Corbett administration, which he accused of backtracking on earlier funding promises, could eliminate the funding for counties without the law on the books. Passing it now served as insurance, he said.

"I think it only behooves us to make sure we have something in place to protect us just in case someone changes the game on us again," Werner said. Minutes earlier the council discussed the disappearance of funding for patients previously at the now closed Allentown State Hospital.

Dietrich, however, wondered aloud why the county was passing regulations on nonexistent issues. If the council passed the ordinance, he said hypothetically, why shouldn't it pass laws pertaining to areas at a national or international level as well?

"Our job is to preserve the limitation of government over people’s rights," he said.

Councilwoman Barbara Thierry was the only "no" vote to the ordinance. Dietrich voted present.

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Before the meeting, members of the Exchange Club of Nazareth and Northampton County officials rededicated the Freedom Shrine. The series of plaques in the lower level of the Northampton County Courthouse commemorate the people and documents that have preserved American rights and freedoms.

The council voted 7-2 to give WDIY a one-time $5,000 contingency grant toward their operating budgets. Dietrich, who joined Thierry in opposing the vote, argued the funding ought to come from the hotel tax fund, which provides money to other cultural entities in the county.

The ban includes, but is not limited to, trash, yard waste, campfires, bonfires, construction debris and fireworks.

Express-Times Photo | CHRIS POSTAn Allentown firefighter uses a rake to hunt for hotspots earlier this week after a brush fire near Constitution Drive.

Northampton County Council on Thursday passed a countywide burn ban, effective Sunday.

The ban includes, but is not limited to, trash, yard waste, campfires, bonfires, construction debris and fireworks, according to a news release from the county Division of Emergency Management Services.

The year is off to a very dry start. Normally, 11.39 inches of precipitation would have fallen, but only 5.41 inches have dropped so far, according to National Weather Service records.

There have been several wildfires, including one earlier this week that put homes at risk in Allentown and required a short evacuation.

"It is extremely important for all residents and visitors to respect this ban on burning in Northampton County. The extremely dry conditions warrant this ban," county Executive John Stoffa said in a news release.

Northampton County Emergency Management Services Director Robert Mateff said in the same release that his department would continue to carefully monitor the dry weather conditions carefully.

"The existing dry and dangerous burning conditions have created a great risk to residents in the county. A burn ban can help to minimize that risk," Mateff said.

The 36-year-old said he sold some of the jewelry that came from the burglaries, but denied having any part in the actual break-ins, court papers reveal.

AP File Photo

A Walnutport man who police say had a part in two Lehigh Township burglaries has been arraigned on the charges after authorities say stolen jewelry was found in his vehicle.

Thomas James Stauffer, 36, of the 200 block of Main Street in Walnutport, had stolen items in his possession from burglaries at residences in the 700 block of South Cottonwood Road and in the 3900 block of Naomi Drive in Lehigh Township.

Court records indicate the Naomi Drive home was burglarized on Jan. 16 and the South Cottonwood Road home on Feb. 8.

Both burglaries included forced entry into the homes and electronics, jewelry and prescription medication were found to be missing from the homes.

The Slatington Police Department had seized Stauffer’s vehicle in an unrelated crime where he was charged with conspiracy to commit theft and forgery. Jewelry found in the vehicle matched some of which was reported missing from the Lehigh Township burglaries, court records say.

During an interview at the Lehigh County Prison, Stauffer told authorities that any jewelry in his vehicle belonged to his co-defendant, 29-year-old Candice Chase, court documents say.

Chase faces receiving stolen property charges in connection with the Jan. 16 burglary on Naomi Drive.

Stauffer did admit to selling jewelry, but denied having any part in the burglaries, court records say.

Stauffer was charged with two counts of receiving stolen property. He was arraigned Thursday before District Judge Robert Hawke and bail was set at $50,000.

Jonathan Creveling was confronted at court by his now 14-year-old victim.

A 14-year-old girl today confronted the Bath man who sexually assaulted her, and a Northampton County judge sentenced him to a maximum of 10 years in prison for his crimes.

Jonathan Creveling, 31, pleaded guilty in January to aggravated indecent assault on a minor under the age of 16 and corruption of minors.

In court today, he again admitted to sex acts with the then 13-year-old girl at a secluded spot of a Moore Township farm. The girl said she was uncomfortable with his attention and asked him to stop because he was married and had a baby.

"I'm sorry for everything I've done," said Creveling, of the 100 block of Old Forge Drive. As part of his plea, police withdrew charges of involuntary deviant sexual intercourse and indecent assault.

Standing about five feet from Creveling, the victim hurriedly testified that since her encounters with Creveling over the week of July 4 she has been unable to focus at school and has difficulty trusting others. She sometimes struggles with depression, she said.

"I can't look at people the same way," the girl said.

The girl's guardian said the victim has been in her care off and on for several years, and the woman blames herself for what happened to the teenager.

"I failed to protect her. I failed," the woman said, her voice cracking with emotion.

Defense attorney Charles Gordon said Creveling, a married man and father of 12-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son, has enrolled himself in therapy in an attempt to take responsibility for his actions.

Creveling identifies more with children the age of his victim, Gordon said, but he knows there is something wrong with that.

"He took responsibility and at least made an attempt to discover why he acted as he did," Gordon said.

Creveling told police he was sexually abused as a child by the mother of a friend, but investigators could not confirm his account, according to court documents.

Assistant District Attorney Patricia Broscius argued that although Creveling was not designated a sexually violent predator, he exhibited predatory behavior. He pestered his victim into texting provocative photos to him, and court records show he sent her photos of himself naked.

Creveling's statements that the girl tempted him shows he does not fully grasp the nature of his crime, Broscius said, and she asked that he not be allowed unsupervised visitation with children, including his own.

"It's telling the defendant makes the claim the victim is partly to blame," Broscius said.

Northampton County Judge Michael Koury agreed and sentenced him to three and a half to 10 years in state prison and seven years probation. Creveling had been free after posting a $75,000 bail.

Theodore Symer, 43, allegedly threw pans full of hot cake batter at his girlfriend, bruising her forehead.

A Walnutport man has been charged with throwing pans full of hot cake batter at his girlfriend, according to court records.

Theodore W. Symer, 43, of the 300 block of Kiddie Lane, is charged with simple assault and harassment stemming from the Sunday incident. Symer was arraigned before District Judge Richard Yetter III in Wilson Borough and sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $3,500 bail.

According to court records:

Police responded at 6:35 p.m. Sunday to a report of a domestic disturbance at a house in the 300 block of Kiddie Lane. An officer spoke with the victim, who was "visibly shaken" and had a bruise on her forehead.

The victim stated her boyfriend, Symer, with whom she resides, had thrown two cake pans full of hot cake batter at her face, causing the bruise. Symer also grabbed the victim and threw her to the ground, the victim told police.

Symer has a preliminary hearing scheduled April 30 before District Judge Robert A. Hawke in Lehigh Township.

The driver was the only person in the 2002 Chevrolet pickup truck when it crashed into the tree in the Monocacy Creek. See PHOTOS.

A 20-year-old Lehigh Township resident was killed tonight in a one car wreck on Race Street in Bath borough, police said.

Kerry J. Queen, of Blue Mountain Drive, was the only person in the 2002 Chevrolet pickup truck when it crashed into a tree in the Monocacy Creek alongside the road at the Green Street Park, Colonial Regional Police Department said in a news release.

Queen crashed at 6:05 tonight and was pronounced dead at the wreck site by the Northampton County Coroner's office.

Police are investigating the cause of the crash and ask witnesses to call Sgt. John Harmon at 610-861-4820.

Authorities are not releasing any information about the wreck, but a dispatcher at the Northampton County 911 center confirmed a victim with injuries was flown by helicopter to the hospital.

Express-Times File PhotoPennsylvania State Police report a person was struck by a vehicle in East Allen Township.

Pennsylvania State Police are investigating a vehicle vs. pedestrian crash in the area of Route 512 and Silver Crest Road in East Allen Township. A person was flown to an area hospital with injuries, according to authorities.

A vehicle collided with a pedestrian about 10 this morning in an area that has been dotted with construction projects. State police at Troop M headquarters in Bethlehem confirmed someone had been struck in the area, but could not say more. A trooper explained police were still on the scene. WFMZ is reporting a construction worker was hit.

The pedestrian was flown by helicopter to St. Luke's University Hospital in Fountain Hill, according a Northampton County 911 dispatcher.

State police said they would make more information available following the investigation.

The 43-year-old female victim remained in the intensive care unit of St. Luke's University Hospital as of this evening.

Pennsylvania State police identified the 43-year-old woman who was struck this morning in a construction zone on Route 512 in East Allen Township.

Police say Alisa Rebecca Korsak, 43, was hit by Michael Andrew Wesnak, 51, at 10:14 a.m. on Route 512 at the intersection with Silver Crest Road. Police say Korsak was working with construction crews in the area when she was struck.

Police did not indicate the extent of Korsak's injuries, but police said earlier she was flown to St. Luke's University Hospital in Fountain Hill. A nursing supervisor there said the 43-year-old was still in the hospital's intensive care unit.

Though police gave no addresses for the victim or driver involved in the incident, public records indicate a woman matching Korsak's age and name lives in Coplay and a man matching Wesnak's name and age resides in Schnecksville.

Authorities said the crash remains under investigation and further information regarding the circumstances of the wreck were not released. Police said additional information, including whether Wesnak will face any charges in the wreck, will be made available at a later time.

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