Moxie Momma

Facebook Can Be a Powerful Tool for Parents

The story of how a mother used the popular social networking site to help diagnose her son’s rare illness is a thought-provoking one.

With Facebook receiving a great deal of criticism among parents for instigating anti-social and suicidal behaviors among teenagers, there is some redemption to the social networking tool that helped a mother find an obscure diagnosis for her son’s condition that was previously overlooked by pediatricians. While others parents use Facebook to catch up with the minutia of their 300+ friends, Deborah Copaken Kogan posted pictures of her 4-year-old-son, Leo, when her instincts told her his condition was not the strep throat for which the doctors were treating him. She first published her story on July 13 in Slate and later that same week appeared on the Today show. Like many, she was previously reluctant to join Facebook, but did so to monitor…

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VIDEO: 2011 Saucon Valley Relay for Life

The 2011 Saucon Valley Relay for Life was held in Hellertown's Dimmick Park June 4-5.

Last Saturday and Sunday Saucon Valley Relay for Life was held in Hellertown's Dimmick Park, drawing hundreds of local residents to help raise money to fight cancer while having fun. The event, which began with an opening ceremony on Saturday at 9am, ran for a full 24 hours, and featured live music, food, and lots of walking around the park by relay teams made up of cancer survivors and supporters. The members of each team that participated in the relay walked a makeshift route through the leafy green park in order to raise money to help fight cancer, raise awareness and support cancer research.

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Fishing Tournament Attracts All Ages

The 5th Annual Phyllis Schnaible-George Klotz Fishing Tournament was held Saturday, May 7 and Sunday, May 8 in Hellertown.

Sunny skies and a cool breeze attracted children of all ages to the Saucon Valley Community Center's fifth annual Phyllis Schnaible-George Klotz Fishing Tournament this past Saturday and Sunday at the Grist Mill ponds in Hellertown. Many of the parents and grandparents in attendance at the kids' tournament Saturday were attracted to the event because they have been fishing in the park for many years. Brian Kern, of Red Hill, Pa., said he attended the event to share his love of fishing with his son. “I’ve been fishing since I was little, so I wanted to take my son out,” Kern said. Kern's son, Logan, 6, had caught three fish by the late morning. The avid fisherman says he likes to fish because it’s relaxing. “I like to eat them too,” Kern …

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Two Unions Back School Choice Proposal

The unions broke ranks with other organized labor groups.

A pair of organized labor groups in Philadelphia announced their support for a statewide public school voucher program March 4, breaking away from the vast majority of unions in Pennsylvania. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 98 and the Laborers’ District Council of the Metropolitan Area of Philadelphia and Vicinity said in a joint statement they support the voucher plan contained in S.B. 1, which would give Pennsylvania’s poorest families the opportunity to leave failing public schools. The plan would redirect the state-level per student funding to a school of the student’s choice. The bill also increases funding for the existing Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program, which provides scholarships …

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Official Asks Hellertown to Support Regional Health Board

Director of Human Services Ross Marcus said Northampton County Council members need to hear from borough officials.

Northampton County Council effectively killed a plan to create a regional health department with a 5-4 vote against funding such a proposal earlier this year. But in spite of that setback, proponents of a regional health board for Northampton and Lehigh counties haven't given up hope that ultimately their time will come. As part of an ongoing education campaign about the potential merits of a regional health board, Northampton County Director of Human Services Ross Marcus spoke to Hellertown Borough Council March 7. Ross told council members that their passage of a resolution supporting the creation of a regional health board "would do a great deal toward helping us in our effort (to establish one)." He also encouraged council members to …

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Investigators Target Source of Allentown Blast But City Still on Edge

Fire Chief fears effects of freeze, thaw on aging infrastructure.

Crews have identified the section of aging cast iron gas pipe that may have caused last Wednesday’s deadly explosion, but Allentown’s fire chief still isn’t sleeping easy. “This time of year, I’m concerned all the time as the ground constantly freezes and thaws,” Chief Robert Scheirer said Monday. “A water main break could lead to a gas main break. I’m always worried about it.” Scheirer said UGI crews responded “very quickly” to reports of two small gas leaks in the 600 block of North 11th Street on Sunday evening. Some residents were evacuated for about 10 minutes, he said. Scheirer gave reporters an update on the investigation after Governor Tom Corbett toured the disaster scene at 13th and Allen Streets Monday afternoon. The gas pipe …

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The Katz Meow

Egypt and the World

The recent peaceful revolution means the U.S. is in a time of great opportunity and great risk.

Some days resonate through history. Among them is July 4, 1776, the day that the Continental Congress adopted the Declarationof Independence. It was not only a great day for what turned out to be the United States of America, it proclaimed to all mankind that all people were entitled to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” A second, also American, was July 3, 1863, the day the union victory at the Battle of Gettysburg assured, in Lincoln’s words, “that government of the people, for the people, and by the people shall not perish from the earth.” A third was May 8, 1945, when Germany surrendered to the allies and the Second World War ended in Europe. Those who are old enough to remember the lightning bolt of joy that went through …

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