2013 General Election Results for the Easton Area

The results of the general election held Tuesday are not yet official, but preliminary results and unofficial vote counts, with all polls reporting, are as follows for races pertinent to those in the greater Easton area.
(Winner names are bolded)

Easton City Council

District 1, four-year term                    
Roger Ruggles (D) uncontested                    
District 2, four-year term                    
Jim Edinger (D) - 402 votes           
Kim Yedlosky (R) - 138  votes                  
District 3 , four-year term                    
Sandra Alercia Vulcano (D) uncontested

Wilson Borough Mayor                    

Four-year term                    
David S. Perruso (D) uncontested                    

Wilson Borough Council

Ward 1, four-year term                    
Louis Starniri (R) uncontested                    
Ward 2, two four-year terms                    
Leonard Feinberg (R) uncontested
Ryan Woodring (D) uncontested
Ward 3, four-year term                    
David L. Jones (D) - 142 votes                     
John C. Lippincott (I) - 55 votes 
                    

Forks Township Supervisor                    

Two six-year terms
Robert H. Egolf (D/R) - 1,601 votes 
Erik J. Chuss (R) - 1,174 votes                  
Bonnie Nicholas (D) - 698 votes                                        
One two-year term
Edward M. Moore (R) - 1,152  votes                    
Blandine Mballa-Fankeu (D) - 609 votes    

Palmer Township Supervisor         

Two six-year terms
Jeffrey A. Young (D/R) - 2,191 votes 
K. Michael Mitchell (D) - 1,200 votes                  
Franklin W. Lambert (R) - 1,151 votes 

Williams Township  Supervisor               

Six-year term 
Raymond Abert  (D/R) uncontested                   

West Easton Mayor                 

One four-year term                    
Gerald W. Gross (D) uncontested
                    

West Easton Borough Council                    

Four four-year terms
Thomas Nodoline (D) - 90 votes                    
Daniel DePaul (D) - 88 votes                    
Louis Niko (D) - 81 votes                                      
Timothy L. Jones (D) - 76 votes                     
Tricia Mezzacappa (R) - 46 votes 

Glendon Borough Council                    

Two-year term                    
Donald Young (R) uncontested

Stockertown Mayor                    

Four-year term                    
Charles Davis (D) - 105 votes           
Eric Wenzelberger (R) -  66 votes 
                    

Stockertown Borough Council                    

Two-year term                    
Kathleen M. Zdonowski (R) - 75 votes   
Robin Davis (D) 70   
Three four-year terms                    
Carl A. Zito (D) - 86  votes   
Robin Davis (D) - 79 votes  
Rosemarie Wenzelberger (D) - 77 votes   
Kathleen M. Zdonowski (R) - 72  votes 
Paul J. Zaboy (R) - 65 votes   
Eric Wenzelberger (R) - 56 votes 

Stockertown Tax Collector

Concetta Marakovits (D) 112
Bernard Roy (R) 54
                    

Tatamy Mayor                

Four-year term                     
Anthony Jaskowiec (R) - 172 votes 
Ronald Fox (D) - 39 votes 
                

Tatamy Borough Council                     

Three four-year terms                    
John Nadolski Jr. (R) uncontested                    
Michael A. Racz (D) uncontested                
Robert J. Hayes Jr. (R) uncontested

Easton Area School District School Director

Region 1, four-year term                    
Baron Vanderburg (D) uncontested                    
Region 2 , two four-year terms             
Michelle Price (D/R) uncontested                
Robert Obey (D/R) uncontested                    
Region 3, two four-year terms                    
Dominick Buscemi (D/R) uncontested                    
Matt Monahon (D/R) uncontested
                    

Wilson Area School District School Director

Region 1, four-year term
Linda Ann Baskwell (D) - 128 votes                
Janis E. Krieger (R) - 117  votes                                     
Region 2, four-year terms                    
Scott R. Wamsley (D/R) uncontested                    
Tony Verenna (D/R) uncontested                    
Region 3, four-year term                    
Bill Wallace (D-R) - 709 votes                     
John Cusick (D-R) - 290 votes 
            

District Magistrate 03-2-05                                    

Six-year term                    
Antonia Grifo (D/R) uncontested
                    

District Magistrate 03-2-06                    

Six-year term                    
Daniel G. Corpora (D/R) uncontested                                 

Northampton County Executive                    

Four-year term                    
John Brown (R) - 18,277 votes       
John Callahan (D) - 16,808 votes 
                    

Northampton County Council                    

Five four-year terms
Peg Ferraro (R) - 19,256 votes 
Glenn Geissinger (R) - 17,105 votes 
Seth Vaughn (R) - 16,852 votes 
Hayden R. Phillips (R) - 15,667 votes 
Mathew Benol (R) - 15,162 votes 
Ronald R. Heckman (D) - 14,731 votes 
Deb Hunter (D) - 14,521 votes 
Gerald E. Seyfried (D) - 14,466 votes                  
Christen Borso (D) - 13,200  votes                                 
Tom O'Donnell (D) - 13,171 votes  s

Easton Area High School Student Evacuated Again

Classes were disrupted at Easton Area High School again this week when students were evacuated this morning at around 10:50 a.m., after an undisclosed but presumably threatening message was found scribbled on a bathroom wall, Interim Superintendent John Reinhart said in a message on the district website.

Students returned to the building 18 minutes later, at 11:08 a.m.

Administrators are meeting to discuss the potential responses to address interruptions to instruction such as the one today and the bomb threat last week that also caused the school to be evacuated, the district said.

Time may be taken from scheduled vacations or tacked onto the end of the school year, the administration said, adding that anyone found guilty of causing such interruptions will be expelled from EAHS.

Certain lavatories may be closed in response to the messages, and the administration is considering adding more security personnel as well.

School officials urge students with any knowledge of who may have been involved with the event today and/or the one last week to "present this information to a responsible adult as soon as possible."

Easton Area High School Evacuated for Bomb Threat

Students were evacuated this morning after a bomb threat was discovered at Easton Area High School around 8:45 a.m., the district said in a release about the incident.

Classes were disrupted for about 35 minutes while while district police, security, administrators, Palmer Township police and fire officials swept the building. After finding nothing, students were allowed back into the building at about 9:45 a.m. and classes resumed, school authorities said.

Preliminary Primary Election Results for the Easton Area

The results of the Pennsylvania primary elections held Tuesday are not yet official, but preliminary unofficial vote counts as of late in the evening are as follows for races pertinent to those in the greater Easton area:

(presumed primary winner names are bolded)

In the race for Easton Area School Directors - Region II, on the Republican side, with 88 percent of precincts reporting, for two seats: 
41% / 78 votes, Michelle  Price
32% / 60 votes, Robert  Obey
27% / 51 votes, Pat Vulcano Jr. (incumbent)


In the race for Easton Area School Directors - Region II, on the Democrat side, with 88 percent of precincts reporting, for two seats:
42% / 354 votes, Robert Obey
37% / 312 votes, Michele Price
21% / 181 votes, Pat Vulcano Jr. (incumbent)

In the race for Easton Area School Directors - Region III, on the Republican side, with 64  percent of precincts reporting:
35% / 328 votes, Dominick Buscemi
35% / 328 votes, Matt Monahon
29% / 273 votes, Robert Moskaitis (incumbent)

In the race for Easton Area School Directors - Region III, on the Democratic ballot, with 55  percent of precincts reporting:
38% / 390 votes, Dominick Buscemi
36% / 372 votes, Matt Monahon
26% / 264 Robert Moskaitis (incumbent)

In the race for Wilson Area School Director - Region 1, on the Democratic ballot, with 100 percent of precincts reporting:
61% / 72 votes, Janis Krieger
39% / 47 votes, Linda Ann Baskwell

In the race for Wilson Area School Director - Region 3, on the Republican side, with 100 percent of precincts reporting:
50% / 83 votes, Bill Wallace
50% / 82 votes, John Cusick

In the race for Wilson Area School Director - Region 3, on the Democrat ballot, with 75 percent of precincts reporting:
50% / 84 votes, John Cusick
50% / 84 votes, Bill Wallace

For Forks Township Supervisors, Democrat primary, with 75 percent of precincts reporting, for two seats: 

39% / 248 votes, Robert  Egolf
35% / 220 votes, Bonnie Nicholas
26% / 166 votes, Blandine Mballa-Fonkeu

For Palmer Township Supervisors, Democrat primary, with 71 percent of precincts reporting, for two seats: 

43% / 349 votes, Jeffrey  Young

34% / 273 votes, K. Michael Mitchell
24% / 192 votes, Franklin Lambert

In the Northampton County Common Pleas Judge primary race on the Republican ballot, with 99 percent of precincts reporting:

48% / 3,933 votes, Jennifer Sletvold
20% / 1,636 votes, Chris Spadoni
18% / 1,443 votes, Abe Kassis
14% / 1,184 votes, Tom  Carroll

In the Northampton County Common Pleas Judge primary race on the Democrat ballot, with 99 percent of precincts reporting:

32% /  4,206 votes, Jennifer Sletvold

29% / 3,790 votes, Abe Kassis

27% / 3,510 votes, Chris Spadoni

11% / 1,473 votes, Tom Carroll

In the race for Northampton County Executive, Democratic ballot, with 99 percent of precincts reporting:

50% / 6,808 votes, John Callahan

28% / 3,805 votes, Glenn Reibman

22% / 2,916 votes, Lamont  McClure

For Northampton County Council, Republican primary, with 99 percent of precincts reporting, for five seats:
18% / 5,033 votes, Peg  Ferraro (incumbent)
17% / 4,707 votes, Hayden Phillips
16% / 4,508 votes, Glenn Geissinger
14% / 4,000 votes, Mathew Benol
14% / 3,887 votes, Seth Vaughn
12% / 3,448 votes, Frank Hesch III
8%  / 2,212 votes, Tricia Mezzacappa

For Northampton County Council, Democratic primary, with 99 percent of precincts reporting, for five seats:
17% / 5,704 votes, Deb Hunter
15% / 5,289 votes, Ronald Heckman
14% / 4,835 votes, Gerald Seyfried
13% / 4,519 votes, Christen Borso
11% / 3,938 votes, William Wallace
11% / 3,923 votes, Tom  O'Donnell
11% / 3,715 votes, Kerry Myers
7%  / 2,332 votes, Jason Toedter

For Northampton County District Judge 03-2-05, covering College Hill, Downtown, and most of the West Ward in the City of Easton, on the Republican side, with  86 percent of districts reporting:
43% / 126 votes, Antonia Grifo
38% / 112 votes, Sharbel Koorie
18% / 53 votes, Tony Bassil

For Northampton County District Judge 03-2-05, covering College Hill, Downtown, and most of the West Ward in the City of Easton, on the Democrat side, with  100 percent of districts reporting:
40% / 333 votes, Antonia Grifo
22% / 180 votes, Lance Wheeler
17% / 137 votes, Sharbel Koorie
13% / 107 votes, Time Prendergast
8%  / 68 votes, Tony Bassil

Easton City Council Committee Discusses Violence Prevention

By Christina Georgiou

While crime in the City of Easton overall was down last year, six homicides combined with national headline news of shootings, especially the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, have local officials hoping to head off future violent incidents before they happen.

The Easton City Council public safety committee meeting Tuesday evening brought together police, local school officials, social agencies and others to discuss ways to make the city a more peaceful and better place for all, starting with resident youth.

Easton Councilman Jeff Warren, who heads the committee, said there are many factors involved in local violent incidents that have occured, including drug abuse, gangs, transplanted social values coming from outside the area, lack of education, mental health issues, to name but a few. He also praised the work the city's local service agencies do as having positive benefits to offset problems that plague some city neighborhoods.

"I think we need to not reevaluate the programs, but some of our strategies for reaching youth," Warren said. "I agree with what the mayor has said--we can't arrest our way out of this problem."

When it comes to school safety, in the wake of the Connecticut shooting deaths, police in Easton, as well as Forks and Palmer townships, are focusing on stopping by the schools more often, at varied times, and patrolling hallways. They're also talking with school staff, especially at the elementary schools, said Easton Area School District security coordinator and school police chief Louis Coxe.

More school safety measures are likely in coming weeks and months too, Coxe said.

"We're considering (more) cameras, entrances and exits, swipe cards," he said. "We don't want to waste any money. (All three local police departments and the school district) are going to put our heads together and do what we think is best to protect our children."

Mayor Sal Panto said he plans to hold a forum on community safety issues sometime in March at EAHS, likely on a Saturday. He added that the discussion is likely to include a wide variety of viewpoints from around the community, in addition to school personnel and law enforcement.

But curbing violent incidents and improving overall public safety in the city is not just about keeping kids safe in school, Warren noted.

"(It's) not only so (students) don't become victims of crimes, but so they don't become perpetrators as well," Warren said.

Easton Weed and Seed Director Laura Accetta, whose agency works with some of the most disadvantaged individuals and families in the city, agreed.

"Problems don't start in the schools. They start at home, and then the schools have to deal with it," she said.

Accetta estimated that of the 4,000 or so inmates at Northampton County Prison, some 2,600 of them take medication for mental illnesses. She added too that a large number of those released on supervised probation are also parents.

Added stresses, such as lack of employment and education, constant financial pressures, lack of food security, and sometimes substance abuse are also factors that lead to difficulties for children that contribute to neighborhood issues.

"This is normal to these children," she said.

Easton Area Community Center Director Anita Mitchell agreed, adding that children that attend the center often don't immediately see alternatives to violence because they haven't been taught otherwise.

"The don't realize that this isn't the world they see on TV," Mitchell said. "It takes so long for talking--to explain we can solve this with words, not our fists."

Panto noted that violence isn't just an urban issue.

"Everyone is having an issue with the culture of violence," he said, noting that recent mass shooting incidents have all happened in more affluent suburbs. "There's a vast amount of violence out there. The kind of violence that happens in the city is different from in the suburbs, but they all have problems."

He added that he thinks the amount of violence on TV and in video games, to some, makes it socially acceptable.

Easton Area Middle School Principal Charlene Symia said that positive reinforcement for children is something she's found to be more effective than negative punishments.

"We have some disconnected children that are facing things no one should face," she said.

The school district is working on "the Medici Group", a parent-suggested program that will help connect those kids with community leaders and other role models so they can share stories and positive messages of encouragement to succeed.

"We're going to work with these children to give them that message of hope," she said. "We teach, we model, and we reinforce positive behavior. We're expanding on it now."

Mitchell agreed a multi-faceted approach is needed to improve the current situation.

"I think it's really important that the agencies and the school districts start working closely together," she said. "Some kids feel they really don't have anybody."

Accetta agreed.

"The teachers have a hard enough time just teaching their classes. We can't expect them to be social workers too," she said. "But if there was someone to send them to..."

Those present seemed to agree that people working through their various agencies working together would provide the best outcome, though nothing was formally decided Tuesday evening. All said the meeting was a precursor to the larger community forum planned for March.

For his part, Panto also said the city plans to buy some houses to sell to working families to help them build equity.

"Many neighborhoods don't have role models," he said. "If we can bring in working families that can be role models...It takes more than parks and sidewalks. It takes houses."

Warren noted that while solutions won't be easily found to problems the community faces, talking about the issues is a good start.

"Even though we're just discussing, from discussions come solutions," he said.

Updated on Thursday, January 24 at 11:31 a.m. to correct the last name of EACC Director Anita Mitchell.

School District Seeks Public Input in Search for New Superintendent

The Easton Area School District is seeking approximately 8 to 10 community members to serve on a finalist screening committee for its Superintendent of Schools search in the spring of 2013.

Those wishing to be considered for membership on the screening committee should send a letter of interest with their name, address, occupation, email, telephone number, and a statement indicating why they wish to participate in the process.

The deadline for filing a letter of interest is January 4, 2013.

Letters of interest may be forwarded by email to this address, or sent via regular mail to:

"Easton Search" 
John Freund Esq.
King, Spry, Herman, Freund, and Faul, LLC
1 West Broad Street
Bethlehem, PA 18018

The EASD is also conducting an online survey to determine the characteristics in a new superintendent and which issues the district faces that matter most to the community. The information gathered will be analyzed to help the school board select a new superintendent, according to a statement posted at the beginning of the survey. Public input is confidential and anonymous.

To participate in the survey, click here. (Participants must live in a community served by the Easton Area School District.)

The new superintendent will replace Susan McGinley, whose contract was not renewed by the school board earlier this year.

"Eating Real in Easton" Aims to Promote Healthy Eating

Today is "Food Day Lehigh Valley" and Easton will host one of the 17 events planned to celebrate the day and promote healthy eating habits.

Hosted by the Bethlehem-based Kellyn Foundation, a number of activities and events are scheduled to take place at Centennial Park, South 12th and Ferry streets, and at the Easton Area Community Center, 901 Washington St., including:

• at 1 p.m., a general cleanup of the outdoor gardens at Centennial Park, home of Easton's Weed and Seed program.
• at 3:30 p.m., Easton Middle School students will put new soil and mulch donated by Scott's Miracle-Gro in the gardens to prepare them for next spring's vegetable plantings of "Real Food".
• at 5 p.m., at the Easton Area Community Center, the Kellyn Foundation will show how to prepare the food that will be served later and will highlight the benefits of "Real Food". There will also be special guests and English/Spanish recipes to take home
• 5:30 p.m., dinner, with local apples donated by Bechtold's Orchards.
• 6 to 7 p.m., educational table displays will promote knowledge and involvement

The Kellyn Foundation has presented a "Farm to School" program to all third grade classes in the Easton Area School District in the past few years, and promotes the benefits of choosing fresh, locally grown foods as a core part of its mission.

According to the Food Day national website, Food Day is a nationwide celebration and a movement for healthy, affordable, and sustainable food, and the organization aims to promote safer and healthier diets, support sustainable and organic farms, reduce hunger, reform factory farms, and .support fair working conditions for food and farm workers.

For more about "Eating Real in Easton", click here. To see other Food Day Lehigh Valley events, click here.

To read more about the Kellyn Foundation, visit their website at www.kellyn.org