Cheap Trips

Cheap Trips: The World Series of Bicycling

Three local attractions you can visit on one tank of gas.

Are you interested in taking a trip, but not willing to part with a stack of money? Try one of these three trips you can enjoy on just one tank of gas: the Woodmere Art Museum in Chestnut Hill, the World Series of Bikes in Breinigsville and historic Fallsington in Levittown.   1. Valley Preferred Cycling Center Address: 1151 Mosser Road, Breinigsville How Far From Palmer-Forks Patch: About 35 minutes / About 26 miles Admission: Hours: About: The Valley Preferred Cycling Center, also known as the Velodrome, will host the 2012 World Series of Bicycling -- 12 weeks of intense track racing that includes a mix of sprint and endurance events -- starting June 15. About 2,500 fans gather on Friday nights throughout summer to see racers such as …

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City Fireman Wins Patch Sports Fan Contest

Bethlehem firefighter David Saltzer is named "Patch's Greatest Sports Fan" in Lehigh Valley contest

A Bethlehem firefighter known to family and friends for his passion for Eagles football has won Patch's Lehigh Valleywide "Greatest Sports Fan" contest. South Whitehall Patch readers were invited to submit photos that show off their sports fanatacism. Readers then voted for their favorite picture. David Saltzer showed his team colors from his Eagles' jersey to his green-painted face. "I grew up watching the Eagles with my dad and have been to many games including the last game at the Vet and most recently attended the draft party (last Thursday) at Lincoln Financial Field," he said. Saltzer, 36, is president of the Bethlehem Firefighters IAFF Local 735. He lives with his wife, Brandy, and 10-year-old stepson, Tylor, who plays football for …

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Forks Township Skate Park to Cost More Than $22,000

Skateboarders show support for a skate park in Community Park in Forks Township. Board of Supervisors hope to approve a plan for the park by June 7.

  Skateboard enthusiasts from Forks Township spoke before the Board of Supervisors Thursday night to support plans for a skate park that would be located in Community Park. "I like to say on behalf of all of us, we're grateful for whatever you give us," said Devon Shedlock. "We skate every day. Basketball, baseball and soccer have gotten what they wanted. All we want is to have somewhere to skate." Supervisors received a proposal from Township Manager John Cornell and Parks and Recreation Director Rachel Sulzbach, but did not discuss the specifics. But Sulzbach did say that costs just for the skate pad and some fencing would be $22,000 before skate equipment is even purchased. "My hope is from a financial standpoint that we can identify a …

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Palmer Township Joins Suit Against Allentown Hockey Arena

Palmer Township supervisors agree to spend up to $10,000 in legal fees to challenge Allentown's plan to use Palmer residents' earned income taxes.

The Palmer Township Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday night to join two other municipalities in a lawsuit against earned income taxes going to Allentown's proposed hockey arena. "We have to get involved," Supervisor Bob Lammi said. "I think this has to be challenged in the courts." Palmer officials have expressed frustration with the city of Allentown and the state Department of Revenue after inquiring how much of a tax impact Palmer Township might face. Both of those requests failed to provide the information. After supervisors were provided with legal counsel from solicitor Charles Bruno, Township Manager Christopher Christman recommended to supervisors that they join the suit provided they don't go over spending $10,000 in legal fees. …

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Forks Township Gives $10,000 for Miracle League Field

Forks Township Board of Supervisors donates $10,000 to project, more than three times proposed amount, to support league and field in Palmer Township.

The Miracle League of Northampton County has scored a major victory without a pitch being thrown yet this year. The Forks Township Board of Supervisors has agreed to donate $10,000 -- more than three times the proposed amount -- to support the league for the construction of its field and league startup in September in Palmer Township. Groundbreaking has happened for the baseball field at the Chrin Community Center in Palmer Township with opening day scheduled for Sept. 9. The field is specially designed to help children and adults with disabilities play baseball. After hearing presentations from Miracle League representatives about the league and field and David Colver, Palmer Township's Board of Supervisors chairman about supporting the …

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Sports Changes Could Save Easton Track, Lacrosse

Easton's athletic director crafts plan to keep teams from being cut by finding savings, revenue elsewhere.

A good chunk of the audience at Tuesday night's Easton Area School Board meeting was made up of members of the district's track and lacrosse teams.  They were there on behalf of their programs, which were in danger of being cut in this year's school district budget. In turns out that they may not need to worry; a proposal presented to the board Tuesday by district Athletic Director James Pokrivsak outlines ways the district sports programs can save or earn money without having to lose any teams. For example, the district could raise the price it charges for walk-up -- as opposed to season -- tickets at sporting events, from $5 to $6.  It could also look at advertising at Cottingham Stadium, and at charging students $20 a year for sports …

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Palmer Township may Join Lawsuit Against Allentown

Palmer Board of Supervisors expects to make decision on joining other municipalities in a lawsuit against Allentown over local taxes going to pay for its new hockey arena.

  The Palmer Township Board of Supervisors will decide at its next meeting whether to join other municipalities in a lawsuit against earned income taxes going to Allentown's proposed hockey arena. Supervisors Chairman David Colver and Township Manager Christopher Christman both said Friday that the topic will be among those discussed at the supervisors' April 24 meeting. "I would imagine so," Colver said. "More municipalities are joining the lawsuit and different developers have been meeting about the arena tax. We'll discuss what's going on and then we'll see what happens." Christman filed Right to Know requests with the City of Allentown and state Department of Revenue to find out how much money Palmer Township might stand to lose in …

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Plans for a Skate Park in Forks Back on Table

The recreation department will submit plans to Forks Township Supervisors on May 3 for a skate park at the Community Center.

  Plans to build a skate park in Forks Township have been an on-again, off-again project for years. As of last Thursday, it’s on again. Forks Supervisors asked that the Parks and Recreation Department present plans for a skate park at the board’s May 3 meeting. Last year, the supervisors unanimously approved a resolution endorsing a proposed regional skate park. Once constructed, the park would have been in Lower Hackett Park in Easton. But that plan never took off. Prior to that, plans called for a modular facility to be temporarily built at the Forks Shopping Plaza until the completion of the 52-acre park at Newlins and Richmond roads, at a cost of $120,000 to $130,000. Those plans were shelved because of a lack of public input and …

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Lease Agreement Signed for Miracle League Field

Palmer Township officials agree to lease the new baseball field at the Chrin Community Center for $1 a year for 30 years.

For $1 a year, miracles will happen in Palmer Township every spring and summer. More than three months after groundbreaking began on a baseball field at the Chrin Community Cent in Palmer Township, the Board of Supervisors approved a motion Monday night to sign a lease agreement with the Miracle League of Northampton County. The field is specially designed to help children and adults with disabilities play baseball. "What's going to happen on that field will be priceless," said Supervisor Bob Lammi, who also serves on the Miracle League board. The league hopes to have the field and its buildings finished by late summer or early fall. The field is located in the northeast corner of the Chrin center. By using the community center site, the …

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Palmer Officials Worry About Allentown tax Plan

Palmer officials file a Right to Know request with Allentown to find out the tax impact on the township of the city's new arena project.

Palmer Township officials are not pleased about residents' earned income taxes going toward construction of Allentown's hockey arena. While the township hasn't filed suit like other municipalities, Board of Supervisors Chairman David Colver said Palmer Township has filed a Right to Know request with Allentown for an explanation about what the impact might be. He said the township not received any information it requested as of yet. "You never say never," Colver said regarding a lawsuit. "We want to bring the board up to speed." Last week, Lower Saucon Township and Bethlehem Township joined Hanover Township in filing a lawsuit challenging a special state law allowing Allentown to retain earned income taxes of employees who work within the …

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