Sen. Arlen Specter Dies

The former U.S. Senator fought a long battle with cancer.

Former U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter died Sunday, according to CNN, at age 82 in his Philadelphia home. Specter represented Pennsylvania in the Senate for 30 years. Specter started as a Democrat but switched to the Republican party before being elected to the U.S. Senate. The senator made headlines in 2009 when he switched to the Democratic Party. Specter announced his diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease in 2005. He underwent multiple treatments of chemotherapy and finally succumbed to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma Sunday. Sen. Pat Toomey released the following statement, “A man of sharp intelligence and dogged determination, Sen. Specter dedicated his life to public service and the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. His impact on our state and public policy …

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Obituary: Christopher S. Lloyd II

Christopher Scott Lloyd died Saturday, September 15, 2012.

  Christopher Scott Lloyd II, 31, of South Whitehall Township, passed away Saturday, September 15, 2012. Born in Allentown, he was the son of Joel W. and Lucille D. (Geist) Maletsky. For the past few years, he was the co-owner of 1-800 DryClean, servicing accounts throughout the Lehigh Valley area. He was a graduate of Parkland High School, class of 2000. Survivors: Father and mother, Joel and Lucille, brothers, Robert A. Maletsky and his wife BillieJean, and Cory J. Maletsky, all of South Whitehall Township, maternal grandparents, Richard and Shirley Seltzer of Allentown, paternal grandparents, Douglas and Jacqueline Lloyd of Coplay. He was predeceased by his biological father, Christopher S. Lloyd. Services: A memorial will be held at a …

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Crime News

Homicide Charge Filed Against Michael Lindgren

Lindgren is accused of beating his 77-year-old mother, causing severe head injuries that killed her. Services for Shirley Lindgren planned Saturday morning.

  Criminal homicide charges were filed Monday against Michael Lindgren in the beating death of his 77-year-old mother, Shirley Lindgren, at her home in Bethlehem’s Central Historic District. Lindgren was arraigned on the new charge before District Judge Roy Manwaring by videoconference from Northampton County Prison. Under Pennsylvania law, there is no bail for criminal homicide cases. One of two charges of attempted homicide was dropped. Lindgren is also accused of severely beating his father, John Ralph Lindgren, who like his wife suffered severe head injuries during an attack that took place at their 209 E. Wall St. home. Lindgren, 51, of 516 Hayes St., is also charged with two counts each of aggravated assault, simple assault and …

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Former U.S. Open Tennis Chair Merv Heller Dead at 65

Funeral services for Merv Heller of Bethlehem are set for August 28 at Central Moravian Church.

Mervin A. Heller Jr. of Bethlehem and formerly of Berks County died on Aug. 21, 2012 at St. Luke's Hospital following a prolonged illness. Heller was former chair of the U.S. Open tennis competition - one of the most prestigious events in sports. He was born June 10, 1947, in Reading, Pa., son of the late Mervin A. Heller Sr. and Rachel Turkington. Mervin will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Jan S. Heller of Bethlehem; daughters: Marnie A. Healey and her husband, Nathan, of Wyomissing, Christina Heller of Los Angeles, CA, Katie Heller of San Francisco, CA, and Jenna Berninger of Baltimore, MD; as well as his grandchildren, Ana and Vieve Healey. He was preceded in death by his aunt, Lillian Heller. He will be remembered for his dynamic …

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Band Member Dies, Orleans Levitt Show Canceled

Larry Hoppen, founding member of classic rock hit-makers Orleans, dies. Saturday night's show in Bethlehem is canceled.

  The Levitt Pavilion at SteelStacks show featuring the classic rock band Orleans scheduled for Saturday night has been canceled, the pavilion’s executive director announced today. Larry Hoppen, a founding member of the band, whose recognizable tenor voice sang lead on hits like “Still the One,” and “Dance With Me,” died on Tuesday. He was 61 years old. “We’re deeply saddened by this news, and our thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Hoppen’s family, friends and everyone who has been touched by this wonderful artist over the years,” said Robin Zaremski, executive director of Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks, through a news release. “We are in the process of looking for another artist to perform and we hope to make that announcement tomorrow.” …

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Former Moravian College VP Dies

Robert H. Smith had a 17-year career at Moravian College and Theological Seminary, retiring as Vice President of Administration in 1992. He was 79.

  Robert H. Smith, 79, of Nazareth, died Monday, July 23, 2012, at home in the presence of his wife, Marian A. (Knecht) Smith, who he was married to for the past 51 years. Born in Tatamy on July 17, 1933, he was a son of the late Willis F. and Helen C. (Schmueckle) Smith. He had a 17-year career at Moravian College and Theological Seminary, retiring as Vice President of Administration in 1992. While in retirement he was named Vice President Emeritus. He had previously served as Controller and Chief Fiscal Officer at Moravian. In addition, he worked at Plummer Precision Optics and at HDW Electronics. He was a member of St. John's U.C.C. in Nazareth where he formerly served as a Deacon and Chairman of the Wills & Memorial Committee. As a …

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Obituary: Dorothy Christiansen of Bethlehem

Pearson Funeral Home is handling the arrangements for Dorothy Christiansen.

The passing of a Bethlehem woman was noted earlier this week in a newspaper that serves the New York City borough of Staten Island, where she was born. Dorothy Christiansen died Monday, the Staten Island Advance reported. She was 76. Arrangements are being handled by Pearson Funeral Home in Bethlehem. According to the Pearson Funeral Home website, Christiansen graduated Summa Cum Laude from Moravian College, and earned a Master’s degree in Education from Lehigh University, while raising five children. Dottie taught at Lehigh Carbon Community College, at VIA of the Lehigh Valley (formerly Cerebral Palsy) and for the Colonial Intermediate Unit 20. In 1997, while working for the Intermediate Unit in Bethlehem Area schools, she was presented …

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Bethlehem Police Officer Laid to Rest in N.J.

Nearly 200 attended the funeral of Frank A. Rossnagle Friday in Phillipsburg, N.J.

  Nearly 200 mourners, including about 100 police officers, attended the funeral of Bethlehem Police Officer Frank A. Rossnagle Friday morning. The Mass of Christian burial was held at Ss. Philip and James Catholic Church, 430 S. Main St. in Phillipsburg, NJ. The church service was preceded by a funeral service at in the Doyle-Devlin Funeral Home, Inc., also in Phillipsburg. In attendance were dozens of his fellow officers from the Bethlehem Police Department, joined by other officers from Allentown, Easton, Emmaus, Forks Township, Pennsylvania State Police, Washington Township N.J., Warren County N.J., Hackettstown N.J., Mansfield Township N.J., and others. An honor guard was supplied by the Berks County Sheriff's Department, and the …

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City Police Officer Found Dead in N.J. Woods

Frank A. Rossnagle, 51, Bethlehem's property/evidence officer and historian committed suicide, according to a N.J. police department. His body was found Sunday.

  Updated: 5:55 p.m. The body of a Bethlehem police officer who apparently committed suicide was found in a wooded area of western New Jersey on Sunday, according to report in The Express Times. Frank A. Rossnagle, 51, had been an officer in the Bethlehem Police Department for more than 15 years, starting in 1997. Prior to that, he had worked as a police officer in New Jersey in Washington Township, which is not far from where his body was found in Mansfield Township. An entry on the Bethlehem Police Department’s blog paid tribute to the deceased officer today. It said that Rossnagle has been the property/evidence officer for the department for the past four years. He had also worked in the department’s Criminal Investigations Division for…

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