Boston Bombing, Lafayette Speakers, Top April News

April was a busy month, with international news stories intertwining with local ones in unexpected ways.

While the world looked in horror at the attack on the Boston Marathon, we were keeping track of local runners in the race, which included two women from Forks Township, and a student at Lafayette College.

And when former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher died April 8, her fellow PM Tony Blair happened to be in town, speaking at Lafayette. Blair paid tribute to her, before giving a speech about global leadership.

He was one of three world figures speaking at Lafayette in April, in addition to Jane Goodall and former President Jimmy Carter.

Also happening this month:

Teen Killer Could Get New Sentence

Seven years ago, a 14-year-old boy committed a murder in Easton as part of a gang initiation. And because Qu'eed Batts was tried as an adult, his first-degree murder conviction meant life in prison without parole. But now that could change. Northampton County Judge Michael Koury will decide a new sentence for Batts, in response to a Supreme Court ruling about juvenile offenders and life sentences.

Purple Cow Gets New Name for 15th Birthday

When Easton's Purple Cow Creamery opened for its 15th year this month, it was under a different name. Rather than engage in a David and Goliath trademark battle with a Michigan company with the same name, the owners of the downtown ice cream shop chose to rechristen it the Bank Street Creamery.

A construction crew working on making the Crayola Experience look more futuristic instead dug up a few pieces of Easton's past. When digging outside Crayola's building in Centre Square on April 17, workers found a collection of bones, two shards of pottery, an oyster shell and a coin minted before George Washington became president.

A Northampton County deputy sheriff is accused of illegally leaking confidential information about a gun permit application to a West Easton councilwoman. Darin Ray Steward, 45, was charged April 18 with illegal dissemination of information and obstruction of the administration of law for allegedly turning over a copy of a license-to-carry permit application to West Easton Councilwoman Kelly Gross.

School Board Scolds Vulcano For Talking to Press

The Easton Area School Board censured one of its members for revealing details about the search for a new superintendent to a local newspaper. The board passed a resolution April 16 that "admonished and condemned" Pat Vulcano Jr., saying he “brazenly violated confidentiality” by speaking to the Morning Call.

Easton Superintendent Candidates Drop Out

The two men who were in line to become the Easton Area School District's new superintendent have decided they don't want the job. Robert Culp and Michael Schidler, school administrators at the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21 and Bridgewater-Raritan School District, respectively, both told the district they were withdrawing their applications. The district will look to appoint an interim superintendent.