Ex-Hellertown Police Chief Charged with Theft and Forgery

Former Hellertown police Chief Robert W. Shupp III has been accused by the Northampton County district attorney’s office of fraudulently acquiring nearly $123,000 in borough funds - allegedly done through falsifying time records, seeking petty cash for fictitious investigations, and misappropriating drug forfeiture funds.

Shupp surrendered on Monday and was released on his own recognizance. The alleged crimes are said to have taken place between 2015 and this year. Shupp resigned from his position after the Hellertown Borough Council uncovered discrepancies in the payroll. This matter was subsequently referred to the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office, which then redirected it to the district attorney.

According to the affidavit, funds seized by the borough police during drug investigations were supposed to be stored in a safe within Shupp’s office, accessible only to the chief via a passcode. However, when investigators opened the safe, they found a mere $32.58 instead of the expected $19,800.

Between 2015 and 2023, Shupp purportedly acquired $23,390 from petty cash for supposed drug investigations. He provided forms justifying these requests, naming about six witnesses, all of whom turned out to be borough officers, and former officers from various departments, none of whom could recall signing the forms.

New East Penn School Board Will Recruit Crossing Guards

The Board approved an agreement, recently endorsed by Emmaus, assigning the task of hiring up to eight school crossing guards to the school district. Under this arrangement, the borough will cover 50% of the compensation for these guards.

Various schools across the Lehigh Valley region have been allocating more funds to address the shortage of crossing guard positions.

Emmaus, which formerly relied on volunteer crossing guards, faced a reduction in the roster due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Borough officials indicated that only four volunteers could be retained following the pandemic's effects.

LVHN Launches Health Center in Macungie

The Health Center at Macungie, the latest addition to the Lehigh Valley Health Network, commenced operations on Tuesday (Dec. 12). The three-story medical office building hosts HNL Lab Medicine, Children’s ExpressCARE, Lehigh Valley Physician Group (LVPG) practices covering family medicine, orthopedics, and cardiology. The HNL facility will include a pediatric-certified phlebotomist and specially designed draw rooms for children. Additionally, it provides outpatient adult rehabilitation services along with cardiac and vascular diagnostic testing facilities.

Situated at the former Weis Market site on 3369 Route 100, the Macungie campus is home to Lehigh Valley Hospital – Macungie, currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2024.

Addressing a regional healthcare gap, LVH–Macungie establishes a vital medical campus and introduces healthcare services previously unavailable in the area. The upcoming facility will encompass a full-service emergency room, an inpatient medical unit, and ambulatory diagnostic services. Operating as a licensed and accredited acute care hospital, LVH–Macungie will offer continuous services, open 24/7. Furthermore, the hospital will provide in-house services such as lab testing, imaging facilities, and pharmacy services. Outpatient imaging services, including X-ray, ultrasound, CT scan, and MRI, will also be available.

After 38 Years of Service, Dedicated Township Official Bids Farewell

Kathy Rader, a former township staffer turned Upper Macungie Township supervisor, concluded her tenure with a final meeting alongside the board last week. In recognition of her remarkable service, spanning from her start in 1985 as a township employee to her tenure as an elected official since 2006, she received a standing ovation. State Representatives Mike Schlossberg and Ryan Mackenzie honored her dedication by presenting citations from Harrisburg, expressing gratitude for her extensive service.

Emmaus’ Standout Defensive Lineman, Mario Landino, Commits to Indiana University

Mario Landino, a defensive lineman, recently committed to Indiana University. He had initially committed to James Madison earlier in the summer despite receiving offers from Rutgers, Coastal Carolina, UConn, UMass, Kent State, Akron, Buffalo, Temple, Navy, Air Force, and Army. However, Landino withdrew his commitment from JMU on December 4 and received an offer from IU on the same day. He visited Bloomington, Indiana, over the weekend.

Hailing from Emmaus, Pa., Landino stands at 6-foot-4 and weighs 255 pounds. He is regarded as a three-star recruit by 247Sports Composite. Having observed his performance in several home games, I can attest that he lives up to the hype surrounding his abilities.

Six Players from Emmaus Included in the All-State Field Hockey First Team

The Pennsylvania Field Hockey Coaches Association Class 3A first team, announced on Friday, featured six players from the PIAA Class 3A state champion Emmaus team. Emma Cari, Emmy Horner, Autum Kernechel, Haley Kvacky, Morgann Orobono, and Melea Weber were crucial contributors to Emmaus's victorious campaign, securing its 15th state championship this season.

High School Varsity Schedules

Emmaus Boys Varsity Basketball Schedule

Emmaus Girls Varsity Basketball Schedule

Emmaus Boys Varsity Wrestling Schedule

Emmaus Girls Varsity Wrestling Schedule

Soul Sisters’ Studio 
Afternoon with Spirit Medium January 14, 2024, 104 pm
https://www.soulsistersemmaus.com/events/

Entertainment at the Emmaus Theater

Lynyrd Skynyrd Returnsto Musikfest

The band is known for hits like “Free Bird” and “Sweet Home Alabama.” Ticket sales will commence for ArtsQuest members at noon on Wednesday, with general public sales starting at 10 a.m. on Friday. Prices for tickets range from $35 to $109 and can be purchased at Musikfest.org.

This marks the third headliner announcement for the festival in recent weeks. Two weeks ago, Ludacris, the rapper and actor, was unveiled as a headliner for an August 10 performance at the Wind Creek Steel Stage. Last week, the country music sensation Old Dominion was announced as the second headliner. They are scheduled to perform on August 6 at the Wind Creek Steel Stage.

Really?

Australia is wider than the moon.
Scotland chose the unicorn as its national animal.
Avocados are not vegetables.
The Eiffel Tower gets taller in the summer.
An 11-year-old accidentally invented ice pops.
Sloths can hold their breath longer than dolphins.
Venus is the only planet that spins clockwise.
British military tanks are equipped to make tea.
The real name for a hashtag is octothorpe.

Humor

What do you call a lazy kangaroo? A pouch potato.
I used to run a dating service for chickens, but I was struggling to make hens meet.
Why do we tell actors to "break a leg?" Because every play has a cast.
What does a pig put on dry skin? Oinkment.
What do you call it when a snowman throws a tantrum? A meltdown.
My uncle named his dogs Timex and Rolex. They're his watch dogs.
Did you hear about the guy whose left side was cut off? He's all right now.

 December 13