Bethlehem Throws Party for New Greek Sister, Corfu [Video]

Bethlehem makes official and then celebrates new sister city relationship with music and dance from the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox community.

Bethlehem Throws a Party for New Greek Sister, Corfu

The City of Bethlehem signed official documents solidifying its sister city relationship with Corfu, Greece, in a two-hour ceremony in City Hall Friday night.

  Bethlehem completed the next step on its journey to the Mediterranean during a two-hour ceremony in Town Hall Friday night in which Mayor John Callahan signed a series of official documents, solidifying Bethlehem’s sister city relationship with Corfu, Greece. The signing ceremony, attended by Corfu Mayor Ioanis Trepeklis and a delegation from the island, also received an extensive showing of support from Greek-Americans from the Lehigh Valley, in particular, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral, St. Nicholas Academy (the church’s pre-school) and the St. Nicholas Greek language school. The evening’s itinerary included much of what would be expected during any similar official government program -- presentations of colors and singing of …

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Learn How Your City Government Works

Bethlehem Citizens' Academy, an 11-week program on the inner workings of city government, will start in April. Registration starts Monday.

  The Bethlehem Citizens’ Academy, a weekly program designed to educate city residents about how their government operates, will begin in April, the city announced Friday. Online registration for the course will begin at 9 a.m. Monday at www.bethlehem-pa.gov/about/citizensacademy/. The program is limited to 25-persons per session. Classes for the spring 2013 session will begin on Wednesday, April 3, 2013 and will take place at various working locations within the city. Participants enrolled in the Citizens’ Academy will attend one, two-hour session per week, for 11 weeks. During each session, participants will view in-depth presentations and demonstrations of the inner workings of local government. “The purpose of the Citizen’s Academy was…

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How Will Sequestration Cuts Affect Bethlehem?

Friday's possible government spending cuts triggered by sequestration could affect residents of Bethlehem.

  The Bethlehem Health Bureau could lose funding for vaccinations, health screenings and for surveillance of communicable diseases such as tuberculosis and bacterial meningitis, if automatic federal "sequestration" spending cuts take effect on Friday. According to Bethlehem Health Director Kristen Wenrich, sequestration could also threaten HIV testing and women’s health initiatives, such as screenings for breast and cervical cancer and clinics for low-income expectant mothers and children. Passengers at Lehigh Valley International Airport may have to wait in longer lines for security checks. And desperate homeowners facing foreclosure might not be able to get help from the Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley. Statewide, cuts …

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'Main Street Mayor' Gordon Mowrer Feted by City

City erects Main Street monument to Gordon Mowrer, who was mayor from 1974 to 1978 and credited with halting urban renewal that would have changed historic downtown's character.

  Mayor John Callahan led a tribute to one of his predecessors at a ceremony this afternoon dedicating a Main Street monument to Gordon Mowrer. Mowrer, who was mayor between 1974 and 1978 and again in 1987, is generally credited with putting a halt to planned urban renewal projects that would have put a wrecking ball to many buildings in Bethlehem’s historic downtown. Callahan unveiled a brick wall and plaque in front of the fountain at Main and W. Market streets proclaiming Mowrer the “Main Street Mayor.” The plaque features a portrait of the former mayor and testifies to Mowrer’s lasting contribution to Bethlehem’s charm and vitality: “As Mayor in the 1970s his vision saved Bethlehem’s historic downtown from the wrecking ball of ‘urban …

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Mayor John Callahan's State of the City Address

The full text of the mayor's annual speech to the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce at the Musikfest Cafe, ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks, Feb. 14, 2013.

  In 2003, I decided to run for mayor because I saw the potential in this community. Bethlehem was in the infancy of its renaissance and the opportunities here were boundless. There was also much uncertainty. I knew that this would be a period of enormous transition and change. Our success – or failure – over this last decade would in large part determine the trajectory of this community for decades to come. This was not a time of status quo. So in preparation for this – my last state of the city, being billed as the kickoff of the “farewell tour” by my friends in the Chamber of Commerce – I found myself re-reading my 2004 address. I said during that first state of the city: “Now, as we look into the future, our challenge goes beyond just …

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Mayor to Deliver State of City Thursday

Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan will give his final 'State of the City' address Thursday morning at the Musikfest Cafe.

Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan is scheduled to give his 10th and final state of the city address at 8 a.m. Thursday at the Musikfest Café at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks. “State of the City gives me a chance to explain the state of your city government, how we spend your tax dollars, where we are trying to save your tax dollars and how we are growing our economic tax base,” the mayor said through a news release issued Wednesday. “I look forward to this event more than any other annual event on my calendar.” Callahan is serving his last year as mayor as his two-term limit maxes out at the end of 2013. He has, however, announced his intention to run for Northampton County Executive. The event, hosted by the Greater Lehigh Valley …

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Opa! Bethlehem has a New Sister: Corfu, Greece

Corfu, a city in the Ionian Islands of northwestern Greece, will become the fourth international sister city for Bethlehem.

  Bethlehem has established a new sister city relationship with Corfu, the capital city of the Ionian Islands in northwestern Greece, the mayor’s office announced on Monday. There are about 2,000 people of Greek heritage in the Lehigh Valley who initiated the desire to establish a sister city partnership, which will be formalized at a signing ceremony in Bethlehem on March 22, the news release from the mayor’s office said. Mayor John Callahan will lead a delegation from Bethlehem to Corfu in June for a similar ceremony. Corfu becomes Bethlehem’s fourth sister city. The city already has partnerships with Schwabisch Gmund, Germany; Murska Sobota, Slovenia, and Tondabayashi, Japan. Bethlehem and Tondabayashi will celebrate 50 years of …

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Bethlehem Man Facing Felony Charges, Making Payments in Alleged Hatfield Swindle

Edwin Ramos, 65, of E. Fifth Street, has been making payments to the alleged victims, and the district court may withdraw felony defrauding charges

Edwin Ramos, 65, of the 1400 block of E. Fifth Street in Bethlehem, may not face two felony counts each of theft and receiving stolen property for allegedly failing to perform home renovation services for a Hatfield couple who paid Ramos for the work. According to Dan Sokil of The Reporter, Ramos’ charges are active, but could be discharged by the district court in Montgomery Township in the summer, as Ramos has made an agreement with the victim. Ramos had agreed with the homeowners to make monthly payments in October, November and December, according to the article. Ramos was set to have a status hearing at the court of Judge Andrea Duffy last Thursday. The court and Ramos’ attorney verified payments had been made and received, according …

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What Would You Improve in Bethlehem in 2013?

If you could make a New Year's resolution for Bethlehem what would it be?

  More than 45 percent of Americans make a resolution every year, according to statisticbrain.com. Some people vow to live a healthier lifestyle, others promise to spend more time with family, and many say they will try to save money. As millions of Americans make resolutions to improve their lives, what could we do right here in Bethlehem to make it an even better place to live? What is on your Bethlehem wish list? What is one thing you would improve in 2013? Tell us in the comment section below or blog about why you love living here!

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Patriot2

9:31 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012

I believe that $10 million shortfall would be approximately a 20% increase in property taxes which for the average property owner is only about $150/year. Worth the cost from my perspective. The building housing the casino itself would make for a great indoor mall to compete with the Crossings---great parking availability.   more ›