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JULY 31-AUGUST 6, 2025
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Fire in Moore Township Northampton Displaces family of 4 School Board
Photo by Newsworking By HOME NEWS STAFF On Sunday, July 27, just after 8:30 p.m., a fire broke out in the 2500 block of Windy Lane in Moore Township. Klecknersville Rangers Volunteer Fire Company, along with their first alarm mutual-aid companies, responded to the dwelling fire that was in the attic crawl space.
Multimodal Transportation Grant Fund to fully reconstruct the road, which currently lacks a structural base and proper stormwater drainage. Under the agreement, Lower Nazareth Township will submit the grant application, prepare bid specifications, and oversee project administration in conjunction with the East Allen Township engineer. A decision on the grant is expected in 2026, with construction projected to begin in 2027. In other news, East Allen Township supervisors have also Continued on page 5
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East Allen Township approves Intergovernmental Agreement for Township Line Road grant By KERI LINDENMUTH During their July 24 workshop meeting, the East Allen Township Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an intermunicipal cooperation agreement with Lower Nazareth Township, advancing a joint effort to secure grant funding for future repairs to Township Line Road. Lower Nazareth approached East Allen last month with a request to collaborate on a grant application for the reconstruction of the shared roadway. The municipalities are seeking $2,077,838.40 from the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development’s
Advances Major facility Plans amid Ongoing Debate Over Moore Elementary Closure By SAVANNAH BROWN
The Northampton Area School District took pivotal steps toward a significant reorganization of its facilities during the Board of Education meeting held Monday, July 21. While the board affirmed that construction on the new East Allen Elementary School is progressing on schedule, the majority of the evening was dominated by a passionate debate over the planned closure of four district buildings for the 2026–27 school year with the primary focus being Moore Elementary School. In a major move, the board voted to close Franklin Elementary School, the District Administration Building and the Washington Technology Center following the 2025–26 academic year with each of the three buildings being listed for sale. Moore Elementary School, however, will be treated differently. Although it too will close during the 2026–27 school year, the district will retain ownership of the building and the surrounding property. The intention, according to board members and district leadership, is to reopen the school at a future date to be determined. The decision was not reached lightly. Directors unanimously approved the closure and listing for sale of Franklin Elementary, the Administration Building and the Washington Technology Center. The vote to close Moore Elementary while preserving it for
Emergency crews were on the scene for three hours. The ranch home was determined to be uninhabitable, displacing a family of four. They are being assisted by the Red Cross. No injuries were reported, and two pets did escape from the home. The State Police Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.
Looking by Back Ed Pany
Plant No. 5; contributed photo
Penn Dixie Cement: Part 3 of 6 In this third column, I am “looking back” to the Penn Dixie Cement Company when it was one of the largest cement plants in the area. Their three plants in Bath and Nazareth provided employment for many cement workers. The late Raymond Houser, with his father, William, jointly served the company for over a century. In past columns Raymond recalled the company’s glory days. Raymond started in the bag house at age 15, and by hard work he would become the plant’s chief chemist. In 1932, the Penn Dixie decided to add a research department to their laboratory. Their mission was to improve the quality of their cement and develop new uses. Mr. Houser was assigned to the new unit. The company received notice that New York City was planning a massive water project. They were to construct an aqueduct from the Catskills in Upstate New York to New York City, but the company who wanted to bid had to prove they could meet the city’s stringent specifications. One can
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only imagine the competition for such a lucrative contract. At one time, 30 cement companies called the Lehigh Valley home. Mr. Houser was given the task to meet these standards. Talk about pressure on the job! The late Mr. Houser recalled, “General Manager Fred Newhard came to me and said Penn Dixie had six months to conform to the city’s request; he knew we could do it. He said, ‘Ray, get on it right away.’” Ray continued, “New York City sent an inspector who watched our every move. I worked long hours going to work in the morning, coming home for supper, going back to the lab and some nights sleeping on one of the desks. I checked the stone, clinker, kilns and conducted hundreds of tests. SomeContinued on page 8
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