UPDATED: 9:05 p.m. Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan endorsed City Councilman J. William Reynolds to be the next mayor of the city at a campaign rally before about 100 supporters in Payrow Plaza next to City Hall on Friday afternoon. “This city has always turned to a culture of invigorating leadership as opposed to a more cautious, status quo, stand pat, ‘let’s test the winds’ kind of approach,” Callahan said. “That was true when Don Cunningham was elected at the age of 31, 15 years ago. It was true when I was elected at the age of 34, ten years ago. “On those occasions, every time, the …

  In their last scheduled face-to-face meeting before Tuesday’s Democratic primary, Bethlehem's mayoral candidates continued to argue over negative campaigning. J. William Reynolds charged that Bob Donchez had spent more than $100,000 on negative advertisements against him. Donchez countered that “95 or 96 percent” of his campaign mailers have been positive. The ones that were not, Donchez said, were a legitimate effort to educate the voters on Reynolds’ record. “If he thinks that 95 percent of his ads were positive, I’m not sure we want him in charge at City Hall because there’s a math …

  Two incumbent Bethlehem city councilmen—Bob Donchez and J. William Reynolds—are seeking the Democratic Party nomination to be the city’s next mayor. Donchez, 63, is serving his fifth term on council. He is a retired teacher who worked for 35 years in the Allentown School District and most recently served as a legislative aide to state Reps. Joe Brennan and Dan McNeill in the 133rd Legislative District. Reynolds, 31, is serving his second term on council. He is currently a social studies teacher at William Allen High School in Allentown. Before then, he was the chief legislative aide to …

  Democratic mayoral candidates J. William Reynolds and Bob Donchez will be featured on WDIY, 88.1-FM’s weekly public affairs program, Lehigh Valley Discourse, on Thursday from 6 to 7 p.m. The weekly program on the Bethlehem-based public radio station is hosted by Alan Jennings, executive director of the Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley, a non-profit anti-poverty agency. A news release from the radio station said Jennings and the two candidates will discuss their vision for the city in a program that will have a “relaxed, conversational style.” That would be a departure from …

  Bethlehem Mayoral Race Candidate: J. William Reynolds Age: 31 Family:  My parents are John and Rachel Reynolds, both professors. They raised me and my 4 siblings—Scott, Molly, Joey, and Elizabeth—right here in Bethlehem. We grew up right across the street from Liberty High School. Political party affiliation: Democrat Tell us about your educational background: I attended Thomas Jefferson Elementary School and Northeast Middle School. I graduated from Liberty High School in 1999 and then went on to Moravian College. I majored in political science, minored in history and graduated Magna Cum …

  Bethlehem Mayoral Race Candidate: Bob Donchez Age: 63 Family: Wife, Jayne A Donchez; Son, Robert M Donchez; Daughter, Kristen Donchez McGinley Political party affiliation: Democrat Tell us about your educational background: Liberty High School, 1968; Kutztown State University, December 1972; Graduate Courses Tell us about your professional/business background: Educator for thirty five years in the Allentown School District. Serve on many community and civic boards and organizations. Why are you running for Bethlehem mayor? I believe  my extensive government experience combined with a …

  Bethlehem’s two mayoral candidates took verbal swings at one another during a debate Tuesday night as each claimed the other was the first to take a cheap shot in what has become a heated Democratic primary contest between two members of City Council. In the debate hosted by the League of Women Voters of Northampton County at PBS39 headquarters, J. William Reynolds came out swinging first, charging during his opening statement that “dirty politics has dominated” Bob Donchez’s mayoral campaign. By the end of the evening, Donchez alleged that Reynolds had attacked his integrity first. Much of…

  With three weeks to go before the primary election that will likely determine who Bethlehem’s next mayor will be, there will be three more forums during which the public can hear the two candidates debate and discuss the issues. City Council colleagues Bob Donchez and J. William Reynolds have met at least twice before in mayoral candidates forums. They differed on very few issues at the first one hosted by the city’s Latino community at the Fowler Hispanic Youth Center in South Bethlehem. They’ve also met once at a forum hosted by a West Bethlehem neighborhood group. Now in the campaign’s …

  Democratic mayoral candidate J. William Reynolds on Thursday promised to be an advocate for marriage equality for gays and lesbians, pledging that, if elected, he will not officiate at any weddings unless he is allowed to officiate at all weddings. Same sex couples are not permitted to wed in Pennsylvania. Nine states and the District of Columbia will issue marriage certificates to gay and lesbian couples. "One of the ceremonial functions mayors have is to officiate weddings if they choose," Reynolds said at a news conference at Payrow Plaza early Thursday evening. "Well I am here today to …

  Democratic mayoral candidate J. William Reynolds suspended all campaign activities for the day on Tuesday “out of respect” for all the families that were affected by the bombing of the Boston Marathon. Laura Collins, Reynolds’ campaign manager, said Monday was an emotional day for Reynolds and his supporters. Two campaign volunteers ran in the marathon, Collins said. They came away unharmed but shaken, she said. Reynolds issued a statement about Boston in response to a media inquiry concerning a news conference held by his primary election opponent Bob Donchez. Reynolds declined, instead …

  Bethlehem’s two mayoral candidates disagreed on whether City Council’s structure needs to change to better represent certain neighborhoods, but little else during the first of four scheduled face-to-face meetings between the two Democrats Thursday night. While J. William Reynolds said he favors changing council to add seats that represent specific parts of the city, Bob Donchez said he thinks that kind of change is unnecessary for a city as small as Bethlehem. The candidates’ forum at the Fowler Hispanic Youth Center in South Bethlehem was planned and hosted by the city’s Latino community. …

  If Mayor John Callahan does not eliminate private home trash collection before he leaves office, you can expect that his successor will allow private contractors to continue picking up Bethlehem residential trash. At a news conference Wednesday, Democratic mayoral candidate J. William Reynolds said he favors leaving trash collection in the hands of private haulers. However, he said he would aim to layer on a system of “zoned hauling” in which trash collection would only be allowed on specific days in specific neighborhoods. “Residents should not have to look at trash on their block 24-7,” …

Surrounded by past police commissioners and representatives of the city’s police union, Democratic mayoral candidate Bob Donchez pledged Thursday that maintaining a safe city will be his number one priority if he is elected. The five-term city councilman said he would examine increasing the number of uniformed police officers, support the continued maintenance of the city’s independent 911 communications center and look at re-establishing fire apparatus at the Dewberry Avenue station, which was recently converted to an EMS-only facility. “Public safety is a key component of economic …

  Democratic mayoral candidate J. William Reynolds on Tuesday laid out a five-point strategy aimed at strengthening Bethlehem’s neighborhoods, the core of which, he said, is to give residents “the resources to make a difference on their own block.” Among the things Reynolds proposed is re-examination of the city’s rental unit inspection laws with an eye toward increasing the frequency of inspections and cracking down on illegal conversions of single-family homes. Reynolds also proposed altering the structure of City Council to include a mixture of district and at-large seats to give more of a…

  Democratic City Councilmen Bob Donchez and J. William Reynolds are the only official candidates for Bethlehem mayor, according to an unofficial list of candidates released by the Northampton County Election Office. The deadline for filing nominating petitions was Tuesday. Barring any write-in campaigns, the whole issue of who will replace John Callahan as the city’s 12th mayor could be decided on May 21, Primary Election Day. With the mayor’s office, city controller’s office and four City Council chairs up for grabs, only one registered Republican – Chris Morales – filed nominating papers. …

  City Councilman Bob Donchez officially launched his campaign for mayor this morning, touting his 17 years of experience in city government in front of about 150 supporters at the Historic Hotel Bethlehem. “Bethlehem … like most cities faces challenges. Strong, experienced and mature leadership will be needed,” Donchez said. “I believe my past leadership and my vision for the future can and will continue to move Bethlehem forward.” Donchez said he intends to outline his vision for the city over the course of the campaign, but outlined his four top priorities: “a fiscally responsible and …

  The biggest challenge facing Bethlehem is continuing to make its neighborhoods appealing to middle-class families, according to City Councilman J. William Reynolds, who officially announced his candidacy for mayor on Tuesday. He made the announcement surrounded by about 50 supporters on the front steps of his Elizabeth Avenue home to emphasize his commitment to neighborhoods as he kicked off his campaign. “Every day families make decisions,” Reynolds said. “‘Should we move to Bethlehem? Should we stay in Bethlehem? Should we send our kids to school in Bethlehem?’ “For the past 15 years, …