The Slate Belt Senior Center recently held the 35th annual Senior Games event.

Recently, 153 seniors from the Bath, Nazareth, Cherryville, Bethlehem-Old York Road, Easton's Forks, Slate Belt, Country Meadows and Northampton centers competed in the 35th senior games at the Slate Belt Senior Center. The golden agers vied in various activities to win medals. On hand to assist were volunteers from the Lehigh Valley Aging in Place. Pictured, Country Meadows resident and medal winner Erma Flowers, 100, seated with Chris Swope, fitness director, Jeanne Picket, 99, and Debbie Rundle, fitness coordinator. Emma and Jeanne exercise daily. (Courtesy photo)  

Officer Chris Leidy of the Lower Saucon Township Police Department received the Nathan Ogden Award on Wednesday.

Home invasion, assault and theft. Shots fired in the presence of children.

It was a terrifying time for the citizens involved, but Officer Chris Leidy remained strong and steady in bringing the family justice, according to his colleagues. 

Every year, the Northampton County Chiefs of Police Association presents the Nathan Ogden Award to an officer who excels in the profession. 

This year, the 16th annual award was presented to Leidy, a veteran of the Lower Saucon Township Police Department. 

Given Wednesday at the 911 facility in Upper Nazareth Township, the award is named after Deputy Sheriff Nathan Ogden of the Northampton County Sheriff's Department, who was killed in the line of duty on Jan. 20, 1771. 

Officer honored posthumously with Ogden Award

Much like the namesake of the award, Leidy is described as being brave and persistent in his career.

In the aforementioned case -- following a three-and-a-half year investigation -- Leidy's efforts and preparation for presentation to a Northampton County investigative grand jury led to the arrest and apprehension of David Bermudez, who was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison. 

In 2010, his diligence was once again prevalent during a robbery investigation that came to a close after nearly five years. Once again, Leidy played a pivotal role in arresting the suspects, extraditing them from Florida and gaining convictions for armed robbery and other crimes. 

Leidy also weighed the costs and benefits of implementing a K-9 program in Lower Saucon Township, and ultimately initiated the program, serving on the force's first K-9 Team. The K-9 program continues today.

In 2005, he was promoted to the first full-time detective position in the department, earning responsibilities involving overseeing the evidence room, juvenile protocol and social media, in addition to criminal investigations. 

Leidy was hired in 1997 as a part-time patrolman and promoted to full-time patrolman in October 1998. 

This isn't the first time his efforts have been recognized, however. He was awarded the Pennsylvania Governor's Highway Safety Award for Enforcement in 2000 and township police commendations for DUI enforcement in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003.

He also received a commendation as a patrolman noting his persistence, attention to detail and communication skills related to solving and recovering restitution for a criminal mischief case involving 13 youths at a township park. 

"As an association of police chiefs, we like to recognize one of the officers for a job well done," said Palmer Township Police Chief Larry Palmer. "It's an honor for us to do that."       

Alyssa Mursch may be reached at amursch@lehighvalleylive.com. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. 

The annual tradition takes place on July 4.

The Bath Regional Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the annual kazoo parade and patriotic program that has become a Nazareth Independence Day tradition.

The event will take place on Tuesday, July 4.

Those wishing to participate in the parade should meet at Nazareth Area High School at 9:30 a.m. Walkers will be separated into divisions, all assigned different patriotic songs to play on the kazoos, which have been donated by Lafayette Ambassador Bank.

The parade route will be as follows: from the high school turn up South Liberty Street and make a right onto Belvidere Street. Follow until Main Street and make a right up to the circle, go half way around and turn onto West Center Street and end at council chambers.

Once at council chambers marchers will be greeted by local elected officials.

The grand marshal of the parade this year is Nazareth's own Harry Adams, a World War II veteran from the US Naval Air Core. Adams will be driven in a car sponsored by Wind Gap Chevy Buick.

Kids can catch candy donated by Sam's Club of Easton.

Faith Gabriele will provide patriotic music for entertainment.

For information call 610-759-9188 or visit www.nazarethchamber.com

Easton and Nazareth took home the cheerleader honors.

Freedom's Joe Young and Allen's Malik Talib took home the John "Doc" Harlacher Spirit Awards at the McDonald's Lehigh Valley All-Star Classic on Thursday night at Nazareth's Andrew S. Leh Stadium.

The award winners were selected by the coaches based on the players' practice habits.

Easton's Kirsten Mathis won the cheerleader's spirit award.

The Red Rovers' Abbey Heimbach and Nazareth's Jenny Parsons won the cheerleaders' Ms. Congeniality awards.

Josh Folck may be reached at jfolck@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshFolck. Find Lehigh Valley high school sports on Facebook.

Morningstar Senior Living Inc. is building a new indpendent living campus for senior citizens in the Nazareth area.

Independent living for senior citizens is planned for a new facility in Upper Nazareth Township.

Northampton County Council voted Thursday to issue up to $34 million in bonds through its General Purpose Authority to Morningstar Senior Living Inc. for the development known as Heritage Village, on West Beil Avenue.

Representatives estimated in 2014 the overall project could cost up to $80 million.

The bond money will go toward 48 cottages and townhomes and infrastructure development including streets, sidewalks, walking trails, storm water management basins, and all major utility connections.

The homes are part of a development that will include over 140 residences for folks age 60 and older. Construction began on the first phase in April.

Morningstar also operates the senior care facility Moravian Hall Square in Nazareth.

Tax-exempt organizations like Morningstar are eligible for tax-exempt bonds or bank financing.  While the county issued the bonds, Citizens Bank is the primary lender with Univest Bank and Trust Co. as a second bank partner.

Morningstar is solely responsible for paying back the debt and the county is not liable in any way.

Just how healthy is the Lehigh Valley?

People would pay an entrance fee and then monthly fees to live in one of the cottages or townhomes and have access to nursing and health care provided by Morningstar. Residents will also receive housekeeping, maintenance, lawn care and snow removal services as part of their basic monthly fees.

The entrance fee costs from $225,000 to $500,000 and the monthly fees range from $1,700 to $5,000, according to Morningstar's website.

"Heritage Village is a continuing care community that offers both continuing care and life care and is regulated by the Pennsylvania Insurance Department," Morningstar President and CEO Sue Drabic wrote in an email. 

Upper Nazareth Township has approved the first phase of the development. Drabic said there are plans for up to six phases.

County council approved the bond issuance 8-1. Councilman Ken Kraft, who voted no, questioned if $34 million was needed to build 48 homes. He also asked Morningstar Chief Financial Officer Christopher Hunt if the project would use local construction companies that paid prevailing wages.

Hunt said the company plans to use two local contractors for the work.

Morningstar also operates Senior Solutions, which offers planning and assistance to senior citizens in the Lehigh Valley.

John Best is a freelance writer. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook.

Widening Main Street at Braden Park in Tatamy would require a retaining wall that officials don't want.

Tatamy's mayor said the borough is being bullied into accepting roadwork it doesn't want.

Duke Realty is paying to widen Main Street due to traffic created from its three huge warehouses in the Chrin Comerce Center. One of the three is an Amazon fulfillment center in Palmer Township. The other two are under construction.

Duke wants to add a left-turn lane on Main Street at Bushkill Drive near Braden Park. But Tatamy Mayor Anthony Jaskowiec said he doesn't want the road widening to carve more land from the already small community park.

The plan would require a retaining wall where there's a steep slope into the park.

"They want to put in a wall there that isn't in the best interest of the community," Jaskowiec said. "These retaining walls have a life of 20 to 30 years. Somebody has to pay to rebuild them."

Jeff Palmquist, Duke's senior vice president for the northeastern U.S., said the wall would allow the borough to retain more parking spots at the small park.

This would be the second time a road widening has cut into park land. Jaskowiec said the area of home plate used to be the pitcher's mound before the last road widening. The ballfield had to be moved back to make room.

He said the wider road will put the intersection closer to the entrance to the park, making it dangerous for traffic entering and leaving.

"People coming out of Braden Park will be at risk," the mayor said. "We're very concerned about the short amount of turning radius there between the driveway and the road."

Duke Realty opens Amazon fulfillment center

Palmquist said the state transportation department, not Duke Realty, identified the intersection as congested and in need of widening. All parties agree on the need for a left-turn lane on the opposite side of the intersection to allow cars headed west on Main Street to turn left onto Bushkill Drive.

But PennDOT doesn't allow a turn lane on just one side of the intersection, Palmquist said. He's required to put them in on both sides, he said.

PennDOT spokesman Sean Brown didn't have any specific information about the project and said he'd look into it. Generally speaking, PennDOT's goal is to work with municipal governments for the best possible outcomes on road projects, he said.

Jaskowiec said he'd prefer to shift the wider road away from the park, not into it. If that doesn't work, he's in favor of scrapping the left-turn lane. The lane would be for traffic heading east on Main Street and turning into a construction business and tire seller on the north side of the road.

"How many cars are making that left-hand turn there?" Jaskowiec said.

The mayor said the borough recreation committee opposes the road widening. Borough council will likely discuss the situation at its July meeting.

Palmquist said he wants to arrange a meeting with Duke, PennDOT and Tatamy representatives to figure out a solution everyone can live with. Jaskowiec agreed it's important for the borough to be heard by all parties.

"We want to be involved in that process before anything gets submitted," Jaskowiec said.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.

Police seized the rifle used and a single casing from the Bushkill Township property.

A Bushkill Township man is accused of shooting his dog in the head after the animal bit his arm.

Charged is Dean Anthony Tomsic, 56, of the 300 block of Old Allentown Road.

Township police on Monday were called to Tomsic's home for a reported intoxicated male threatening to burn the house down. A female victim was visibly shaken up and crying when officers arrived, adding Tomsic had shot his dog, police said.

Officers found Tomsic walking from the back of the property, smelling heavily of alcohol, having trouble keeping balance and slurring his speech, according to police. Officers questioned a cut on Tomsic's left forearm. He allegedly replied his dog bit him and he "put an end to it."

Tomsic then allegedly told officers the bite would never happen again because he "shot the dog" dead with a rifle. The gun, he allegedly told police, was stored at his mother's house and he drove to retrieve the firearm after being bit.

Investigators found "Lucky," the deceased mixed-breed dog, with a single gunshot wound to the head. The animal was chained up on a lead line when it was shot, according to police.

Horse farm operator charged with cruelty

Seized by officers was a .243 Savage long rifle, which contained a round in the chamber, from a bedroom gun cabinet, as well as a single .243 Winchester brass rifle casing from the property, police said.

Police said the round removed from the gun was the same make and caliber as the recovered casing. Tomsic refused medical treatment at the scene, police said.

He is charged with animal cruelty, making terroristic threats, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness. He was arraigned before District Judge Douglas Schlegel, who set bail at $20,000.

In lieu of bail, Tomsic was taken to Northampton County Prison.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

The summer is jam-packed with carnivals, fairs and more.

The team scored 15 runs to move onto to its 3rd game of the day.

Lehigh Valley scored two runs in each of its first three games in the Carpenter Cup softball tournament at FDR Park in Philadelphia.

In its fourth game of the tournament on Wednesday afternoon, Lehigh Valley's offense broke it in a big way.

Lehigh Valley scored four runs in the first inning, three in the second and eight in the fourth as it ran away with a 15-0 five-inning victory over Suburban One/Bicentennial Athletic.

"We just reminded them, 'hey, you've been hitting the ball since you're 7 or 8 years old. Just go see it and hit it. Stop pressing. Just relax, trust your teammates behind you, see what the pitcher's throwing.' And they did a good job with it. Sometimes one hit just opens up everything and that's what happened in that game," Lehigh Valley coach and Parkland assistant Blake Morgan said.

Lehigh Valley will play Delaware County West in another elimination game at 5 p.m. Wednesday

After Whitehall sophomore Rachel Arner singled and Southern Lehigh junior Danielle Barnes reached base on an error with one out in the first inning, Parkland junior Chelsea Morgan had an RBI single. Following a walk by Bethlehem Catholic junior Alexa Panuccio to load the bases, Northampton junior Heather Alich hit a three-run triple to make it 4-0 Lehigh Valley.

"I think when you have a new team and you're not used to playing with each other, it's easy to press and be tight. But I think we all kind of relaxed and just kind of let loose and played the game," Chelsea Morgan said.

"We had a little difficulty getting our bats going for a couple games. But this game they just woke up and you can definitely tell by all of our 15 runs," Alich said.

Lehigh Valley made it 7-0 in the second inning with a trio of triples. Bethlehem Catholic junior Jess Indelicato, Barnes and Morgan all had triples in the frame. Barnes' triple drove in two runs and Morgan's hit drove in a run.

"After the first inning, we scored a couple runs and we just kind of learned more about the pitcher (Cara Fabiano) and where she was throwing. We communicated really well, batter to batter, whether it was an out, a single or whatever it was, we could communicate to each other and learn from it," Chelsea Morgan said.

Lehigh Valley then scored eight runs in the fourth inning. Nazareth sophomore Daphney Adams had a two-run single in the frame. Blue Eagles junior Sky Esterly added an RBI single and Nazareth junior Paige Hahn also had an RBI single in the inning. Panuccio had two RBIs in the fourth, driving in a run in her first at-bat with a groundout and then hitting an RBI single her second time at the plate. Emmaus junior Alexis Ruth walked in the fourth inning and later scored after a lengthy rundown between third base and home plate.

Emmaus sophomore Hannah Palinkas struck out six and allowed only one hit and three base runners in four innings to earn the victory. Panuccio closed the game by allowing a hit and striking out two batters in the fifth inning.

Arner reached base three times and scored three runs for Lehigh Valley. Panuccio also reached base three times and had two RBIs.

The victory means a third game of the day for Lehigh Valley.

"For me, playing a tournament, I'm kind of used to it. It's not that big of a deal," Alich said. "But all day in the heat, it definitely wears on you over time. All you have to do is stay hydrated and keep eating and you're good to go."

Josh Folck may be reached at jfolck@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshFolck. Find Lehigh Valley high school sports on Facebook.

Testing showed traces of the intoxicant in marijuana in the suspect's blood following the incident, police said.

A Walnutport area woman was under the influence of the intoxicant in marijuana when she struck emergency medical technicians with her car then fled, according to police.

Charged is Tracy M. Thompson, 46, of the 800 block of Hickory Road in Lehigh Township.

Moore Township police at 1:10 p.m. April 27 were called to the 2600 block of Parkside Drive for a reported pedestrian crash. Witnesses described the offending vehicle as a silver Nissan fleeing south on Mountainview Drive then east onto Community Drive.

The witnesses, who are both emergency workers, told police they were sent to the Klecknersville Fire Co. parking lot by another witness to help Thompson, who was seated in a car, police said.

The witnesses reported Thompson's pupils were constricted and she was "acting out." When the emergency workers told Thompson they needed to call police, she replied, "F--- that," and began to leave in the Nissan, striking two of the EMTs, police said.

A township police officer spotted Thompson backing out of a residential driveway and she struck the patrol cruiser, according to police. Thompson pulled into an unknown driveway to call her daughter instead of pulling alongside the road, police said.

Driver leads police on chase from Slate Belt into N.J.

When asked by police if she was taking any prescription medication, Thompson allegedly stated she was taking the painkiller oxycodone. Police said they found multiple medications in Thompson's purse.

Police said due to a prior medical condition, Thompson was physically unable to perform roadside sobriety tests. A blood test conducted at an area hospital showed three traces of THC, the psychoactive substance in marijuana, in Thompson's system, according to court records.

Thompson is charged with two counts aggravated assault, two counts aggravated assault by a vehicle, two counts attempted simple assault, four counts driving under the influence of a controlled substance and two traffic violations. She was arraigned Wednesday before District Judge Robert Hawke, who released her on $10,000 unsecured bail.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

These seniors thrived in multiple sports for their schools.

The highly sought-after wide receiver spent a year at the Peddie School in New Jersey but has re-enrolled at Nazareth.

After a year away, one of the Lehigh Valley’s top high school football talents is coming back for his senior year.

Jahan Dotson officially enrolled back at Nazareth Area High School Thursday morning following a year at the Peddie School in New Jersey, he confirmed to lehighvalleylive.

The wide receiver, who earned all-state honors with the Blue Eagles as a sophomore, has garnered widespread attention in the recruiting world. He holds an array of scholarship offers, including the likes of of Alabama, Clemson, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, UCLA and USC.

When he announced his decision to leave Nazareth and attend the Jersey prep school, he held five offers. He said the academics and school would prepare him for the next level. The four-star recruit was putting together a strong junior campaign when he broke his leg while stepping in at quarterback in Peddie’s sixth game of the season.

Now, Dotson will come back to a Blue Eagles team that will be dealing with the graduation of top playmakers like quarterback Travis Stefanik and wide receiver Julian Liaci, among others.

In his two seasons at Nazareth, Dotson broke all of the school’s receiving records. The 6-foot, 165-pound wide out left with 125 receptions for 1,866 yards and 25 touchdowns.

Greg Joyce may be reached at gjoyce@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @GJoyce9. Find Lehigh Valley high school sports on Facebook.

Police in a few months will say goodbye to interviewing victims in a garage and handcuffing suspects to the wall.

The Bushkill Township Police Department soon will have more room than just a two-car garage to conduct business.

In May, township supervisors approved an expansion of the municipal building at 1114 Bushkill Center Road that will be used to give police a little more elbow room.

Supervisors unanimously awarded a $749,000 bid to Wind Gap-based Nu Cor Management Inc. Supervisor Jason Smith was not present for the vote.

Currently, the township's 14 full-time and four part-time police officers operate out of a makeshift workspace in a garage at the municipal building. They also use three offices in the building. However, the space is limited for police to conduct their business, according to Police Chief Michael McLouth.

"You bring in a victim of a crime and it's an embarrassment to interview them in a garage," McLouth said.

Police use the municipal building's meeting room to conduct interviews when it is available, he said.

The police headquarters right now do not have secure holding cells, according to McLouth. Police seat prisoners on a bench and handcuff them to the wall when needed.

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"Supervisors know that we operate at a professional level and they want to give us some housing that we can work out of in a professional manner," McLouth said.

Township engineer Robert Collura said plans are for a 4,000-square-foot expansion. Construction is expected to begin in July and be completed by March, though the work could be finished by the end of the year, he said.

The township was awarded a $240,000 Department of Community and Economic Development grant to help pay for the expansion.

McLouth said police have been working out of the garage at least since he started with the department in 1997.

"We're trying to move our police department into the 21st century," McLouth said.

John Best is a freelance writer. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook.

Robert Blacie, 24, of Upper Nazareth Township, grew the marijuana in his home.

An Upper Nazareth Township man was sentenced to three years of probation after police found thousands of dollars worth of marijuana and a cache of weapons in his home.

Police seized an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle, two shotguns, a handgun and four other long guns when they raided Robert Blacie's home in the 400 block of East Beil Avenue.

These 40 marijuana plants were seized from an Upper Nazareth home.Courtesy photo 

During the Sept. 2 raid they found 40 marijuana plants in the basement that could have yielded up to 80 pounds of marijuana with a street value of $120,000.

Another five pounds of packaged marijuana found in the home was worth about $8,000 on the street, police said.  Blacie also had cups with marijuana seeds growing in his bedroom.

Upper Nazareth police called the bust one of the largest marijuana sting operations in township history. It resulted from a monthlong investigation.

Defense attorney Steven Mills said Blacie has complied with regulations while on bail, completed a treatment program and has strong family support. He turned over glowing letters from Blacie's family and friends to the judge.

"Basically he did everything in his power to mitigate this situation," Mills said.

Nazareth-area drug raid nets guns, 5 pounds of pot and plants

"I just want to apologize for being here today," said Blacie, who works for an installer of heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment. "I put my family under a tremendous amount of stress for the past couple months."

Northampton County Senior Judge Leonard Zito cited Blacie's background and letters of support as reasons to keep him out of prison.

Blacie pleaded guilty to one felony count of marijuana possession.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.

They drove there in one's grandparents' brown Buick, and the other brandished and cocked a silver handgun, cops say.

Two Slate Belt males already incarcerated for four armed robberies were charged this week with a fifth holdup, court records say.

Ezekial L. Dingle, 21, of the 400 block of Raspberry Lane in Bangor, had allegedly told police he committed five robberies at area stores with Alan H. Oren Jr., 17, of the first block of Bunny Trail in Washington Township, Northampton County.

Both were arraigned Thursday before District Judge John Capobianco on felony and related counts for allegedly robbing the 7-Eleven at 14 E. Lawn Road (Route 191) in Upper Nazareth Township about 11:05 p.m. April 30.

The two drove there in Oren's grandparents' brown Buick SUV, and Dingle "showed" the clerk a silver handgun and "cocked it" inside the convenience store, according to police.

"I'm sorry," Dingle reportedly told police he said to the clerk. "I'm gonna rob you."

A review of register records revealed the pair fled with $277.

No one was reported physically injured.

The pair were taken into custody about 1:30 a.m. May 4 by Easton police after robbing CVS at 1520 Northampton St. in Wilson Borough, and that's when Dingle admitted to the spree, police had said.

Dingle and Oren are also charged in armed robberies at 10:55 p.m. April 30 of Penn Jersey gas station at 989 W. Pennsylvania Ave. in Plainfield Township; at 11:38 p.m. April 30 of Sunoco at 2960 Linden St. in Bethlehem; and at 2:13 a.m. May 1 of Penn Jersey Food Mart, 975 Mount Bethel Highway in Upper Mount Bethel Township.

Robbery suspects charged in Bethlehem, Slate Belt holdups

Dingle told police Oren did not enter any of the stores and acted only as the driver.

Another alleged accomplice, 18-year-old Christopher M. Rauh, of the 700 block of Garibaldi Avenue in Roseto, was charged in the Upper Mount Bethel robbery, and told police he acted as a lookout inside the store.

In the Upper Nazareth 7-Eleven robbery, Dingle is charged with two counts of robbery, four counts of conspiracy and single counts of firearms not to be carried without a license, possession of a weapon, theft, receiving stolen property and reckless endangerment.

Oren was charged with four counts of conspiracy (two for robbery and one each for theft and receiving stolen property).

Dingle was ordered jailed in lieu of an additional $500,000 and Oren was ordered held in lieu of an additional $250,000, on top of previously set amounts.

Both face a preliminary hearing in the Upper Nazareth case tentatively scheduled July 6 before Capobianco in Nazareth.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

The state's streams, including those in the Lehigh Valley, have been part of a trout survey for the last several years.

Pennsylvania has about 86,000 miles of flowing waters, and a state program has been working to determine which are home to wild trout populations.

In 2010, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission launched the Unassessed Waters Initiative, which involves state officials, conservation groups and citizens attempting to study the rivers, streams and creeks statewide that support wild trout.

So far, more than 3,000 streams totaling over 21,000 miles have been surveyed by the fish and boat commission.

Streams with large numbers of wild trout are a sign of excellent water quality, according to Trout Unlimited Mid-Atlantic Policy Director David Kinney. They're also popular with anglers.

Trout Unlimited is a national conservation group that has been helping the state survey streams.

"The water has to be exceptionally clean for there to be a naturally producing population of trout," Kinney said.

The waters receive different classifications based on the size and number of trout counted in a particular section of a stream.

Streams designated as Class A trout waters -- those that support a significant population of naturally produced trout -- receive special protections from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection during permitting processes. Nearby wetlands and associated tributaries also are eligible for increased protections.

"Whatever work you do around that water, you need to make sure that water remains to be high quality," Kinney said.

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Trout are measured and counted by using a method called electrofishing. A surveyor will typically go into a stream wearing a backpack containing a 40-pound battery- or gas-powered generator connected to a large "wand." The wand emits a low voltage current in the water, which stuns and immobilizes the fish so they can be more easily collected and counted.

The fish are then released back into the water.

While wild brown trout and even rarer wild rainbow trout populations have been found, 95 percent of the wild population counted are wild brook trout, according to a state report.

Northampton County currently has 14 stream sections considered to be Class A trout waters and Lehigh County is home to 16 of the same designation. One designated section of Monocacy Creek runs through both counties.

Next month, the fish and boat commission will consider designating an unnamed tributary of the Little Bushkill Creek as a wild trout water.

Terry Kleintop, who is on the Plainfield Township Planning Commission, Environmental Advisory Council and is a Bushkill Stream Conservancy member, said the wild trout designation for the tributary that runs through Plainfield Township would be a good thing.

"The program could be a benefit to many municipalities so they can see what is going on in their streams," Kleintop said.

Here's a rundown of the Lehigh Valley stream sections given Class A designation:

NORTHAMPTON COUNTY
Bushkill Creek from Tatamy's southern border to a private bridge off Route 2019;
Bushkill Creek from the dam at Binney & Smith to the 13th Street bridge in Easton;
Frys Run;
Martins Creek from its headwaters to the Bangor sewage treatment plant;
Martins Creek from the dam 0.6 km upstream from intersection Route 1015 and Old Franklin Hill Road to its mouth;
Monocacy Creek from the Route 987 bridge to the Route 248 bridge;
Monocacy Creek from the upstream boundary of Gertrude Fox Conservation Area to Illick's Mill dam;
Monocacy Creek from the Illick's Mill dam to the Schoenersville Road bridge;
Nancy Run;
Saucon Creek;
Unnamed tributary to the Delaware River;
Unnamed tributary to the Lehigh Canal;
Unnamed tributary to the Lehigh River;
Waltz Creek

Video tour of the Valley's covered bridges

LEHIGH COUNTY
Catasauqua Creek;
Cedar Creek;
Hosensack Creek;
Iron Run;
Little Cedar Creek;
Little Lehigh Creek from Smith Lane bridge to Spring Creek;
Little Lehigh Creek from Spring Creek to Wild Cherry Lane bridge;
Little Lehigh Creek from 0.4 km upstream of Country Club Road to the Fish Hatchery Road bridge;
Little Lehigh Creek from Fish Hatchery Road Bridge to just upstream of Bogerts Covered Bridge;
Ontelaunee Creek;
Saucon Creek;
Schaefer Run;
Spring Creek;
Trout Creek;
Unnamed tributary to Ontelaunee Creek;
Unnamed tributary to Saucon Creek

TRAVERSING BOTH COUNTIES
Monocacy Creek from Schoenersville Road to the Lehigh River

John Best is a freelance writer. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook.

Upper Nazareth Fire Department and Plainfield Township Volunteer Fire Company gain new funds.

Two Northampton County fire departments will receive Department of Homeland Security grants through the federal government.

U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Lehigh Valley, announced the awards this week to the Upper Nazareth Fire Department and Plainfield Township Volunteer Fire Co.

Upper Nazareth will get $102,858 and Plainfield Township will receive $136,191 to buy self-contained breathing apparatus units. Firefighters and rescue workers use the devices to provide breathable air in dangerous environments.

Cartwright, a member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, said firefighters have the breathing units now but they're outdated and in need of replacement.

The competitive awards are made available through Assistance to Firefighters Grants. The program will award $310.5 million nationwide this funding cycle to first-responder organizations.

Caitlin Srager is lehighvalleylive.com's Student Achievement Award intern. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

Main Street in Tatamy was repaved from June 12 through June 22.

It took more than 30 years for dips, cracks and crevices to develop on Main Street in Tatamy.

And it took about three weeks to rip up the road and rebuild it.

The tiny borough's main drag was included in a $6.4 million resurfacing project in Allentown, Bethlehem, Bath, Nazareth, Tatamy and Forks and Upper Nazareth townships.

Work commenced on intermittent nights from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. from Monday, June 12 through Wednesday, June 21. Workers will be back one night this week to add a final top coat.

Borough secretary Deanne Werkheiser estimates Main Street was converted from a dirt road into a concrete highway in the 1930s. The last major resurfacing was at least 30 years ago, she estimated.

The road is a key through-way for residents and businesses in Forks Township to get to the new Route 33 interchange.

The state transportation department estimates it carries 6,740 to 8,473 vehicles per day.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.

The Pa. Department of Education tracks the average SAT score of all public high schools. We took a deep dive into the data.

It wasn't immediately clear if anyone was hurt.

A two-vehicle crash caused a traffic problem Monday morning at Route 248 and Jandy Boulevard in Lower Nazareth Township, authorities said.

Route 248 was closed northbound, according to an emergency dispatch, and a Northampton County dispatch supervisor confirmed the vehicles were still in the road about 20 minutes after the 6:53 a.m. crash.

It wasn't clear if anyone was hurt, the supervisor said.

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