Another Transformer Incident In Allentown

Over 8,400 PPL customers in Allentown experienced a power loss on Wednesday evening due to an unforeseen incident that triggered a fire at an electric substation within the city.

The exact cause of the outage, still under investigation, initiated a fire at approximately 5:32 p.m. within the substation. Fortunately, the fire was swiftly extinguished without any reported injuries, ensuring no threat to the public.

Social media footage displayed flames emerging from the electrical substation located at 14th and Green Streets. Other videos and images captured a vivid, flashing green light in the sky resulting from blown transformers.

The majority of the 8,450 power disruptions occurred in Center City and the eastern sections of the city's West End, as highlighted on PPL's outage map. All customers had their power restored by 6:16 p.m., as confirmed by Roberts.

These outages impacted numerous traffic lights and street lamps. Mayor Tuerk mentioned that the city's traffic department deployed temporary stop signs at intersections and advised motorists to treat any non-operational traffic light-controlled intersection as a four-way stop. This power outage and fire incident marked the second occurrence this week involving an electric substation in the Lehigh Valley.

Iconic Valley Greenhouse Closes Down

Dan Schantz Greenhouse - a Lehigh Valley 40-year fixture announced it is closing on December 31.
A message posted within the greenhouse store situated at 2031 29th St. in Allentown conveyed gratitude to patrons and bid farewell, expressing appreciation for the relationships forged with their customers. "We are immensely thankful for being part of your most cherished moments," reads a segment of the note. Managing partner Patrick Flanley expressed the difficulty of closing the business and said that it was time to move on.

The Wettest December Ever Recorded

As of 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, December 27, 2023, marks the wettest December ever recorded in the Lehigh Valley, tallying 8.17 inches of rainfall, surpassing the previous 1973 record of 7.89 inches. Wednesday saw 2.05 inches of rain at Lehigh Valley International Airport, shattering the prior 1930 record of 1.55 inches for the date.

In Center Valley, the area experienced the highest rainfall at 3.03 inches. A flood watch remained active until 7 p.m. Thursday for Berks, Lehigh, and Northampton counties, as numerous creeks, streams, and rivers were at flood stage due to the excessive rainfall.

Pickleball Comes to the Valley in a Major Way

Pickleball enthusiasts have returned to the courts at a prominent venue in the Lehigh Valley following the reopening of the former Westend Racquet Club by St. Luke’s in South Whitehall Township.

On December 20, St. Luke’s University Health Network revealed the transformation of the previous tennis and racket club to accommodate pickleball and various other sports. Featuring a dozen NBA-grade hardwood pickleball courts and an additional twelve designated hardcourt pickleball courts, the Sportsplex also includes a pickleball-focused event center. Situated at 4636 Crackersport Road, just off Routes 22 and 309, the facility boasts 22 outdoor courts sprawling across 3 acres, providing ample parking for sizable tournaments.

Moreover, it is designated as the headquarters for Pickleball Lehigh Valley, which will offer coaching, open sessions, and competitive tournaments. Membership for the Sportsplex is priced at $30 per month, with a separate fee to utilize the courts, typically around $2.50 per hour, contingent on the time of day.

Pickleball, likened to badminton and tennis but played on smaller courts with wooden paddles and perforated plastic balls, is currently the fastest-growing sport in the United States.

High School Varsity Schedules

Emmaus Boys Varsity Basketball Schedule

Emmaus Girls Varsity Basketball Schedule

Emmaus Boys Varsity Wrestling Schedule

Emmaus Girls Varsity Wrestling Schedule

Events

Ahri Findling (Live Comedy at The Emmaus Theatre)
He was named an emerging comedian by the NY Post in 2020. Ahri performs in clubs and colleges all over the country and has opened for Nikki Glaser, Kyle Kinane, and Bret Ernst just to name a few.
Friday, January 12. 7:15 pm Door, 8 pm Show 18+
Admission: General: $20 Preferred Seating: $30 (First 3 rows)

Building Your Dream Life - Your Guide to Successful Healthy Habits

Creating daily habits and sticking to them can be difficult. Whether they are intentionally set or not, habits are the foundation of our lives. Creating the life we want for ourselves is not about what we do once or twice, it’s about what we do every single day, over and over again.

Join us for an exciting workshop at Vitality Natural Healthcare Center. This in-person gathering is all about creating daily habits and making those habits stick with neurology! Habits Expert Nikki Gingrich and Dr. Jess Crowley will share their tips and tricks to help you meet your health goals and create the life you want in 2024.
Vitality Natural Healthcare Center, 134 Main St. Emmaus. Admission - FREE

Really? Let’s Get Married

The upcoming 12/31/23—123123—marks the final day of the year, providing an effortlessly memorable date, particularly for events like wedding anniversaries.

Anticipation is high among Las Vegas chapels, expecting an unprecedented surge in couples exchanging vows on this Sunday. Ordinarily hosting between 450 to 550 ceremonies, they anticipate a potential tenfold increase in the number of weddings this year.

Melody Willis-Williams, president of Vegas Weddings, described it as a "double whammy," emphasizing the immense popularity of such special dates. Combining this unique numeric sequence with New Year's Eve, she anticipates it to be an extraordinary event.

Previously, the two most sought-after wedding dates in Vegas were 7/7/07 and 11/11/11.

Humor

Hear about the new restaurant called Karma?
There’s no menu: You get what you deserve.

I invented a new word!
Plagiarism!

A woman in labor suddenly shouted, “Shouldn’t! Wouldn’t! Couldn’t! Didn’t! Can’t!”
“Don’t worry,” said the doc. “Those are just contractions.”

A bear walks into a bar and says, “Give me a whiskey and … cola.”
“Why the big pause?” asks the bartender. The bear shrugged. “I’m not sure; I was born with them.”

What sits at the bottom of the sea and twitches?
A nervous wreck.

Why can’t you explain puns to kleptomaniacs?
They always take things literally.

 December 29