Want to Spend Six Months on City Council?

Councilman Mike Fleck will step down earlier than expected, so Easton needs a West Ward Democrat to fill his seat.

Easton City Councilman Mike Fleck will leave office earlier than expected, meaning the city will need someone to fill his seat for a few months. That's according to WFMZ, which reports Fleck has moved the date of his resignation to mid-July, as he and his family prepare a move to Allentown. Fleck, a West Ward resident, announced earlier this year that he wasn't seeking re-election. Two candidates—Republican Kim Yedlosky and Democrat Jim Eddinger—will compete for Fleck's seat in November's election. Now, the city needs someone to fill Fleck's spot until the winner of that race takes office in January 2014. Mayor Sal Panto said that person needs to be a Democrat and from the West Ward, but typically the city hasn't appointed people who are …

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This Week In Easton Patch

Primary Election, Freddy Awards Ahead This Week

A look at what's happening over the next few days in Easton.

This week in Easton is a busy one. Let's take a look at some of the things that are happening over the next few days. 1. Tuesday is Election Day. Be sure to take a look at our voters guide to find your polling place, and to find out more about who's on the ballot. 2. The Freddy Awards are being held Thursday at 7 p.m. at the State Theatre. Any remaining tickets go on sale to the public Monday at 10 a.m. Here's a list of our local nominees. 3. This week's Easton City Council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Easton Area Community Center at 9th and Washington streets. 4. The city's Zoning Hearing Board meets Monday at 6:30 p.m. at city hall. 5. Helen Martin opens her Bank Street studio for students (and their parents) …

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Should Chickens Have a Home in Easton?

Mayor says City Council could revisit law banning people from keeping chickens in the city.

Since 2007, chickens have been persona non grata in the city of Easton. That was the year City Council adopted an ordinance that keeps residents from owning farm animals. It was drafted in response to complaints about a family that kept six hens at its College Hill home. (It also hadn't been updated in 30 years at that point.) But now that law could change. Mayor Sal Panto this week said the city's health and planning committees could revisit the ordinance next month. As blogger Christina Georgiou reported, the issue came before council when resident Annie Porter proposed a change in the law so she and her family could keep six hens—no roosters. The hens would be penned in and used only for eggs. City Council has sided with animal lovers …

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This Week In Easton Patch

Freddy Nominations, New Parking Ahead This Week

A look at what's happening this week in Easton.

There's a new week upon us, which means it's time to take a look at some of the things that will be happening in Easton between Monday and Friday. 1. Easton City Council meets Wednesday at 6 p.m. On the agenda: a resolution that would create parking meter zones along the 400 block of Ferry Street, as well as the new city-owned lot on N. Fourth Street. The same ordianance would allow for two scooter-only parking zones downtown. 2. The Freddy Award nominations are expected to be announced Thursday. We've got photo galleries from this year's school plays at Easton Area High School and Wilson Area High Scool. 3. The Easton Area School Board will hold its monthly committee meetings Tuesday at 6 p.m. 4. Artist Todd Stone will give a talk about …

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$10K Approved For Special Events in City

Easton City Council gives funding for events like Heritage Day, Shad Festival, and more.

Easton City Council has approved $10,000 to help fund some of the city's most high-profile annual events. They range from longtime traditions like Easton Heritage Day to things like the Hispanic Cultural Festival, which began last year. The spending, approved at Wednesday's council meeting, is in line with what council approved last year, and the year before:

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What To Look Out For This Week in Easton

City Council meets, a school board member hears from the public, and more...

Good morning everyone. A new week is upon us, so let's take a look at some of the things that are happening over the next few days. 1. Easton City Council holds its committee meetings Tuesday, and its regular bi-weekly meeting on Wednesday. Both are scheduled for 6 p.m. at City Hall. 2. The Easton Area School Board holds its monthly meeting Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the district office on Bushkill Drive. 3. School board member Frank Pintabone will hold a constituents meeting Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Easton Area Community Center. 4. Author Martin Amis will speak Tuesday evening at 8 at Lafayette College. 5. Interested in taking up karate? Classes for kids and adults are now being offered at St. Paul's Lutheran Church beginning Monday at 5:30 p…

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Sandra Vulcano Seeks Re-Election to City Council

Veteran Easton city councilwoman announces plan for fourth term.

Easton City Council's longest serving member is seeking another term. Sandra Vulcano announced Thursday she would run for a fourth term representing the city's District Three.  Vulcano joined council in 2002 after serving on the Easton Area School Board, where her husband Pat -- himself a former city councilman -- now serves.  In a news release, she cited the development of Neston Heights and the South Side CVS center, supporting the Pomeroy and Silk Mill projects and saving Lachenour Field as her major accomplishments. Vulcano, a Democrat, called herself a fiscal conservative. "We must give taxpayers the government they can afford," she said in her release. Earlier this year, Easton zoning board member James Edinger announced his …

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Easton Could Offer Discount on Parking Tickets

An oridinance before City Council would give drivers a chance to pay $5 less if they pay tickets the same day they get them.

Getting a parking ticket in Easton can be pretty expensive if you don't pay it right away. (I'm speaking from experience here.) But what if you could pay slightly less money by paying your ticket soon after you get it? An ordinance before City Council would allow you to do just that. Introduced Wednesday night by Councilman Jeffrey Warren, the ordinance lets drivers pay $15 instead of $20, provided they make their payment within 24 hours of when they get the ticket, or by 4 p.m. the next business day. The ordinance comes at a time when Easton is dealing with a number of parking-related changes. The city voted last year to raise the rates at its meters, and to change its parking hours. With that vote came the purchase of new credit card …

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Easton Will Wait on Seizing Parking Lot

Council tables eminent domain vote after property owner agrees to meet with the city.

Easton City Council will wait three weeks before voting to condemn and seize a downtown parking lot. Council made that decision Wednesday night after lot owner Scott Kindred said he would meet with city officials and try to work out a different arrangement, one that would possibly allow Kindred to keep his property and allow some public parking. After the meeting, Kindred expressed cautious optimism about the vote. "They're willing to talk, so I'm willing to listen," he said. Initially, the city had wanted to take the N. Fourth Street lot by eminent domain. Mayor Sal Panto said the city would use the parking lot -- which is now private -- as a public parking lot. The city's parking study identified the lot as a good place for another …

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No Easy Answers on Easton School Safety

City Council meets with community, education leaders to discuss making schools safer.

If you've dropped your kids off at one of Easton's three elementary schools recently, you might have seen a police officer on patrol outside or even walking the halls. That's a recent change inspired by the Sandy Hook school shooting, Lt. John Remaley told City Council's public safety committee Tuesday night as it met with community leaders to discuss making Easton's kids safer. Councilman Jeffrey Warren, who heads the committee, said the meeting was held in response to both Sandy Hook and from a 2012 in which Easton recorded six violent deaths. He said that although it's an issue that won't be solved with one meeting, it's important to get people talking. “From discussions come solutions," he said. "It may not be a solution right off the …

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