Northampton Press

Allentown Fire Department’s K-9 Judge is a finalist in the 2016 American Hero Dog contest.

A 7-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, he joined the department in 2011. Fire Chief Lee Laubach is Judge’s handler.

State Farm’s Arson Dog Scholarship program donated Judge to the city. He is the first State Farm Arson Dog in city history and was the first in either Pennsylvania or New Jersey in several years.

Judge already has been designated as Hero Dog in the arson category. He is now vying with seven other dogs for top honors from American Humane Association.

From June 10 to 15, transplant recipients and living donors traveled to Cleveland, Ohio, as part of Team Philadelphia — showcasing their athletic abilities, passion and determination — as they competed in the 2016 Donate Life Transplant Games of America.

Delaney Gemmel, a Northampton County resident, created 11 bird houses to hang up on the Nor-Bath Trail as part of her Girl Scout Silver Award.

Delaney, 14, has been working on this project since the fall. She logged 50 hours in her efforts to earn the Girl Scout award.

Delaney led a group of friends in building the bird houses — with the help of Jim Hoff, a local wood craftsman, and Jim Wilson, parks recreation specialist at Northampton County Parks & Recreation Division.

She used repurposed wood pallets donated from Miller Supply Ace Hardware, Northampton.

Gov. Tom Wolf was joined by legislators, local officials, law enforcement and health care professionals at Northampton Community College recently to discuss local and statewide efforts to lead the nation in combating the opioid abuse and heroin use epidemic in Pennsylvania.

An eighth-grade student at Northampton Area Middle School has created a three-dimensional, interactive mural that will be used to address diversity and bullying in her school.

A 24-year-old man has been charged with breaking into multiple homes, some of which were occupied, during a four-day period in Lehigh and Northampton counties.

Andrew Patrick Miller, who has no current address, was charged May 19 after an investigation by a detective with Lehigh County District Attorney’s Auto Theft Task Force.

Moore Township resident Cameron Chuss received the 2015 Making a Difference award at United Way’s Celebration of Caring event, held April 28 at DeSales University, Center Valley.

The Making a Difference award recognizes local teens and the TeenWorks Project of the Year for making a difference in the community as well as in the lives of the young people who performed the service.

In addition to on-stage recognition, Cameron also received congratulations from Pennsylvania Senate and House representatives.

Bath Farmers Market is returning for its ninth season May 20 as a producer-only farmers market — and also is welcoming a new manager.

Sarah Fulton comes to the market with experience in event and festival planning and farmers market organizing and promoting. She also has more than a decade of experience as a freelance journalist.

“I am excited to help coordinate new family-friendly events and entertainment, attract more vendors from our area farms and businesses, and help strengthen the community,” Fulton said.

East Allen Township Manager Deborah Seiple has been appointed to serve on the Secretary-Manager Committee of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors.

The Secretary-Manager Committee promotes and encourages the effective, efficient and responsive operation of township government through training, education, communication and the interchange of ideas.

A Bethlehem man has been charged with homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence of alcohol and other offenses in a fatal two-vehicle crash in Whitehall Township in 2014.

Jose Rivera, 44, of 555 Ontario St., Bethlehem, has been charged with homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence of alcohol, homicide by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, driving under the influence of alcohol, recklessly endangering other people, and summary offenses of reckless and careless driving resulting in a death, driving at an unsafe speed and a red light violation.