From Emmaus Borough Newsletter:

The 2023 growing season will soon come to an end at the Emmaus Community Garden. Once again, all 56 plots were busy producing fresh, organic vegetables and fruit for area gardeners. Community Garden Commission members and volunteers continued maintaining a plot with tomatoes, peppers, squash, and other vegetables for the Plant-a-Row program, benefiting Lehigh County food banks. After a late and surprising frost, other gardeners raised everything from plump pumpkins to bouquets of basil, pounds of potatoes to bountiful beans within their 15' x 30' plots.

2022 Volunteer of the Year - Reds Bailey

Our Emmaus 2022 Volunteer of the Year recently retired as chair of the Emmaus Shade Tree Commission for many years. For his tireless

commitment to Emmaus and our healthy tree environment we have been fortunate to have Reds Bailey, a certified arborist as a vocal advocate for trees in our community.

Over the years Reds saw value in all trees and would seek ways to protect and preserve trees in Emmaus. He coordinated efforts with the Borough and made tree recommendations, personally made the selections; he advised property owners on selecting a new tree or, more often, troubleshooting a tree that was storm-damaged or suffering from disease. For years Reds has been the "go-to guy" when it came to diagnosing problems or assessing the structural integrity of older trees. Reds also conducted tree-planting demonstrations for Earth Day and held events at the Emmaus Farmers Market to educate residents on maintaining healthy trees. Between 2012 and 2020 he chose outstanding trees in residential landscapes to receive "tree awards," marked with a temporary sign. To learn more about volunteer opportunities with our Borough Commissions, please call Borough Hall at 610-965-9292.

Curb and Sidewalk Update

The Borough is required to replace its curb ramps with ramps that contain updated federal requirements. Replacement of a single curb ramp is $5,000: therefore, an entire intersection generally costs approximately $20,000. The Borough continues to apply for CDBG grant money through Lehigh County to work on these projects. In 2023, the Borough received $35,000 in CDBG money to do improvements.
We have been informed by the county that we should anticipate receiving $157,550 for 2024. These funds will be used to replace handicap ramps along Main, Chestnut, and some adjacent streets. As Penn Dot informed us that they plan to repave Chestnut and Main Street in 2025, we will be required to replace the ramps on our section of the cross streets during this time. This grant in 2024 will be a great help towards accomplishing this goal.

reprinted from Emmaus Borough Newsletter with permission

Voting for the 2023 election has officially commenced in Lehigh and Northampton counties. From now until October 23, eligible voters who have not yet applied for mail ballots can conveniently visit their county’s election office. In a process known as ballot-on-demand, they can apply for, complete, and submit their ballots all in one visit.

This year, voters will be making crucial decisions in several statewide judicial races, including the Supreme Court, as well as county-level offices such as Lehigh County commissioner and Northampton County Council. Additionally, multiple municipal races are underway.

One of the most fiercely contested battles is taking place in school board elections. Across the Valley, these races have become battlegrounds for ongoing debates surrounding curriculum, books, and LGBTQ student rights, resulting in highly competitive contests.

For those who wish to cast their votes in the November 7 election but are not yet registered, there is a deadline approaching. Voter registration applications must be completed by 5 p.m. on October 23. This can be done either online at www.pavoterservices.pa.gov or in person at your county elections office.

Third person dies from injuries in fiery crash that shut down Pa. Turnpike I-476

Over the weekend, tragedy struck on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension in Montgomery County, claiming the life of a third person involved in a horrific crash. According to Cpl. Joe May, a spokesperson for the state police, the passenger of a car that was struck by a tanker trailer on Saturday morning has succumbed to their injuries.

The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. in the northbound lanes near mile marker 26 in Worcester Township. The car was slowing down near another vehicle that had come to a stop due to a flat tire. Tragically, the tanker trailer collided with the slowing vehicle, resulting in a devastating fire. Both the driver of the tanker trailer and the driver of the car it struck lost their lives at the scene due to the intense blaze, as stated in a news release by the state police. The condition of the driver who had stopped to address the flat tire remains unknown.

The severity of the crash and the subsequent fire have made it difficult for authorities to confirm the identities of the victims. Consequently, the investigation continues, and the identities of those involved have not been disclosed. The crash led to the closure of I-476 in the area for several hours as emergency responders worked tirelessly to clear the scene and conduct a thorough investigation.

Road Work - October 16th -October 27th

Road reconstruction will begin on Alpine St, Fernwood St, and Banner St, starting Monday, Oct. 16th until Friday, Oct. 27th between the hours of 7:00 am and 5:00 pm Roads may be closed with detour signs posted. Alpine St trailhead will be closed.

Phillies lose 5-1 Diamondbacks force Game 7 of NLCS

Tommy Pham and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. powered the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 5-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in Monday night's game, forcing a thrilling Game 7 in the NL Championship Series. Pham and Gurriel Jr. showcased their prowess with back-to-back home runs, while Merrill Kelly's impressive performance included eight strikeouts.

As the tension mounted, Kelly showcased his determination. In the fifth inning, he retired Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, and Bryce Harper in quick succession, maintaining the Diamondbacks' 4-1 lead. Despite his strong showing, Diamondbacks' manager Lovullo decided to pull Kelly from the game, leaving the pitcher visibly frustrated. Kelly, who had thrown 90 pitches, seemed eager to continue, gesturing with his glove to emphasize that he had plenty left in the tank after striking out Schwarber and Harper.

The Phillies, usually formidable at home, struggled against the Diamondbacks' pitching prowess, managing only six hits and experiencing their first home postseason loss in seven games. Aaron Nola took the mound for the Phillies but couldn't contain the Diamondbacks' offense. Both Pham and Gurriel found the left field seats, marking the first homers Nola had allowed all postseason.

With the series now tied, the stage is set for an electrifying Game 7, where the winner will earn the opportunity to face either Houston or Texas in the World Series.

Eagles Beat Dolphins 31-17

Tommy Pham and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. powered the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 5-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in Monday night's game, forcing a thrilling Game 7 in the NL Championship Series. Pham and Gurriel Jr. showcased their prowess with back-to-back home runs, while Merrill Kelly's impressive performance included eight strikeouts.

As the tension mounted, Kelly showcased his determination. In the fifth inning, he retired Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, and Bryce Harper in quick succession, maintaining the Diamondbacks' 4-1 lead. Despite his strong showing, Diamondbacks' manager Lovullo decided to pull Kelly from the game, leaving the pitcher visibly frustrated. Kelly, who had thrown 90 pitches, seemed eager to continue, gesturing with his glove to emphasize that he had plenty left in the tank after striking out Schwarber and Harper.

Aaron Nola took the mound for the Phillies but couldn't contain the Diamondbacks' offense. Both Pham and Gurriel found the left field seats, marking the first homers Nola had allowed all postseason.

Kelly, who had faced challenges in Game 2, successfully navigated through this game, showcasing his resilience. Ketel Marte contributed to the Diamondbacks' lead with a run-scoring triple in the fifth inning, extending his postseason hitting streak to an impressive 15 games.

With the series now tied, the stage is set for an electrifying Game 7, where the winner will earn the opportunity to face either Houston or Texas in the World Series.

Really?

In 1860 a Democrat named Valentine Tapley of Missouri vowed never to shave again if Republican Abraham Lincoln were elected president. When Tapley died in 1910, his beard was 12' 6" long.

What’s another term for funambulist? Tightrope walker.

In 2005 British DJ Tim Shaw was interviewing British model Josie Marsh and joked that he’d leave his wife and children for her. At least he said he was joking. His wife, Hayley, was listening and didn’t think it was funny. Rather than call him out on the air, she went to eBay and listed his $40,000 Lotus Esprit Turbo sportscar for sale. The description read, “I need to get rid of this car immediately—ideally in the next two to three hours, before my husband getrs home to find it gone.” The car sold in five minutes.

Smile a Bit

A doctor, a lawyer, a little boy and a priest were out for a Sunday afternoon flight on a small private plane. Suddenly, the plane developed engine trouble. In spite of the best efforts of the pilot, the plane started to go down. Finally, the pilot grabbed a parachute, yelled to the passengers that they had better jump, and bailed out. Unfortunately, there were only three parachutes remaining.

The doctor grabbed one and said "I'm a doctor, I save lives, so I must live," and jumped out. The lawyer then said, "I'm a lawyer and lawyers are the smartest people in the world. I deserve to live." He also grabbed a parachute and jumped. The priest looked at the little boy and said, "My son, I've lived a long and full life. You are young and have your whole life ahead of you.

Take the last parachute and live in peace." The little boy handed the parachute back to the priest and said, "Not to worry, Father. The 'smartest man in the world' just took off with my back pack."

October 24: