Northampton Press

The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) is urging college students to be wary of student aid scams that could cost them money while exposing them to identity theft.

“Millions of college students, many of whom are likely to be away from home for the first time, are being targeted by a variety of innocent-sounding scams,” said state Rep. Mike Peifer, PHEAA board chairman. “College students are a prime target since they tend to be less financially experienced and are facing common challenges that can be exploited by scammers.”

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has added 21 municipalities in Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Bucks and Montgomery counties to the areas quarantined due to the presence of the invasive insect Spotted Lanternfly. The quarantine was already in effect for parts of those five counties as well as Chester County.

The quarantine now covers the following Lehigh Valley municipalities:

The Northampton Area Konkrete Kids Educational Foundation is currently accepting nominations for the inaugural Distinguished Alumni Award, which will help make current Northampton Area School District students, graduates and the community aware that NASD produces outstanding graduates and role models who have demonstrated leadership and excellence in their professional and personal lives.

Northampton Community College is one of 10 campuses across eight states to welcome international exchange participants to its campus during the 2017-18 academic year as part of the Community College Initiative (CCI) Program. The U.S. Department of State’s CCI Program is administered by Northern Virginia Community College on behalf of the Community College Consortium. The program provides participants with a one-year nondegree academic program in workforce development fields at a U.S. community college.

Two parents, with the help of state Sen. Patrick M. Browne, R-16th, and the cooperation of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), have successfully achieved a victory for teens with dyslexia. PennDOT has released an audio version of the Pennsylvania Drivers Manual.

By making the driver’s manual available in an audio form, Pennsylvania will allow potential drivers with dyslexia and other reading issues to access the driver manual in a way that takes into account their learning issues.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has announced a reduction in standardized testing for students in the commonwealth.

According to an Aug. 14 news release from the governor’s office, “the change to the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) will reduce the length of the tests by 20 percent in grades 3 through 8.”

Wolf commented on the change during a Schools That Teach tour stop at Susquehanna Middle School, Dauphin County, with state Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera.

Teachers, do you have a bright idea to spark your students’ interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)? PPL would like to provide the funding power you need to bring that idea to life.

The PPL Empowering Educators program is designed to help K-12 teachers provide hands-on learning opportunities to enhance the classroom experience. Through these competitive grants, teachers can receive $1,000 in funding for educational projects, such as science fairs, energy conservation projects, renewable energy demonstrations, math competitions and more.

More than 50 concerned citizens gathered at the Teamsters Local 773 Union Hall, Whitehall, July 24 to listen to a panel of speakers discuss the ongoing heroin and opioid addiction problem that is plaguing the state and country, too often with fatal consequences.

Co-hosting the event were Dennis Hower, president of Teamsters Local 773; Tom Tosti, director of AFSCME District Council 88; Gregg Potter, president of Lehigh Labor Council; and state Rep. Dan McNeill, D-133rd.

David Volk, of Bath, is admirable for many reasons. His 1,912,809 (and counting) miles driven as a Trans-Bridge Lines’ bus operator since 1974 in itself is an amazing achievement. His 41 years of accident-free driving, his strong work ethic and the friendships he has created with customers also are commendable accomplishments.

His enduring passion for driving a bus, however, is arguably his most awe-inspiring quality, especially since from a very early age, he has dreamed about it.

It all started with a door decorating contest last fall, according to Suzanne Rockovits, seventh-grade reading teacher at Northampton Area Middle School (NAMS). As part of the No Place for Hate initiative, students were asked to decorate their homeroom doors to reflect what it means to be a bully-free, diverse and inclusive school.

The student response was amazing, according to Rockovits.