Neighbors of Easton Has Moved to a New and Expanded Site!

Posted by: Noël Jones

Special thanks to all who have read and supported Neighbors of Easton over the last three years. The blog has moved to a brand new location and will continue to provide the local and national news--and discussions around that news--that you have come to expect!

Please check out the new blog at: www.neighborsofeaston.com and drop a comment--as always, it's our community and your opinion matters, so join the discussion!

When you get to the new site, click the RSS feed, so that you will get updates with each new post!

See you on the other side!

Come to the Launch Party! The All New and Expanded Neighbors of Easton Launches Friday, September 9th

It's almost here...

Posted by: Noël Jones


After almost a year in the works, the new and expanded Neighbors of Easton will finally be launched, featuring 12 pages of news, information and forums for public discussion both for

Easton's Redevelopment Authority and Merchants Bank Team Up to Accelerate Green Rehabs

672 Pine Street is one of the homes currently being rehabbed in Easton's West Ward

Posted by: Noël Jones

Phenomenal news: Ed Sieger reports for the Express-Times that Easton's Redevelopment Authority has just been granted a $500,000 line of credit from Merchants Bank in Bangor to help continue and accelerate the rate the of green rehab de-conversion projects in the West Ward and

SEC and NY Attorney General Subpoena Marcellus Shale Gas Drillers

Posted by: Noël Jones

There is this intrepid mystery man, Brendan O'Conner, who has tirelessly been (ok, he gets tired sometimes, says he's has to take a break to focus on his job and family, and then comes back again with a vengeance) aggregating articles that have to do with fracking for natural gas, and sending links out to anti-fracking activists. This gem that he sent out recently, is really interesting. It is a joint letter issued by attorneys at a legal firm called Andrews Kurth, LLP, warning natural gas companies that the SEC is finally looking into their reserve projections (which have completely overblown) to see if they have been reporting properly. Apparently the government is finally taking the possibility of another bubble bursting in our already depressed economy seriously. But then again, the SEC is the government agency that has been caught shredding documents to protect Wall Street derivatives traders who caused our last bubble to burst, so we'll see if they actually follow-through and do any good here. But these drillers are also now being subpoenaed by the New York Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, who has single-handedly

New Flood Watch/Warning for Our Area

Scott Park after Hurricane Irene passed--note what is in this picture 

that we do not have right now: sunshine to dry it up

Posted by: Noël Jones

According to this Express-Times article, there is a new flood watch and warning out for Northampton and Lehigh counties due to all this rain and Hurricane Katia brewing south of us. Keep in mind that the

Merchants Bank Joins Easton's Movies at the Mill Film Festival

Gershon Hinkson, the man behind the magic, speaking at a recent press conference at the Old Simon Silk Mill, with the mayor, and a representative from the festival's newest sponsor, Merchants Bank, in the background, in front of the building that has now been approved for demolition to provide vehicle access to the site from 13th Street.

Posted by: Noël Jones

"The sponsorship of Merchant's is further vindication of what a little imagination and a lot of hard work can achieve," said Gershon Hinkson at a recent press conference for the upcoming Movies and the Mill event on September 24th. "One of the main changes about this year's festival is definitely this collaboration with Merchants--it's huge. It elevates our status as a festival and sets the stage for other film makers and sponsors to take us seriously." Indeed, the big news of the day was that Merchants Bank had stepped forward as a fiscal sponsor of Easton's annual film festival, now in its third year. 

Hinkson is an Easton resident, independent film maker and Hollywood film editor, having worked on such films as True Grit, The Interpreter, Poseidon, and Spiderman II, and seeks to make Movies at the Mill a top calibre film festival, drawing film makers from around the world. "We are currently a short film festival with the goal of expanding into feature length films," said Hinkson. He is already well on his way, with films in consideration for this year's festival coming in from Ireland, China, and across the

Black and White Photography Event at Mercantile Home: Saturday, September 17th

Featuring the photography of Larry Fink

Posted by: Noël Jones

West Ward residents, Ken Jones and Ron Morris at Mercantile Home are hosting a new exhibit entitled "THE MOMENT" featuring black and white photography by Larry Fink, with additional work by Diane Stiglich and Ian Sumners, on Saturday, September 17th from 4-7pm, so make sure to stop by their store at 140 Northampton Street after the Riverside Arts Festival for additional festivities! The evening will be a black and white affair, and you are encouraged to wear your favorite black and white attire...

Riverside Festival of the Arts Features Plein Air Painting Contest September 17th and 18th

Posted by: Noël Jones

The 15th Annual Riverside Festival of the Arts will run Saturday and Sunday, September 17th 10am-5pm and September 18th 10am - 4pm this year, in Easton's Scott Park at the convergence of the Lehigh and Delaware rivers. Shaughnessy Law Offices is sponsoring another plein air painting contest (paintings done outdoors, and of the outdoors, in the "open air") and there is still time to enter! The entry fee is $10, prizes will be awarded, including

Easton's School Board Can Fire Superintendent

Posted by: Noël Jones

I have been hearing a lot of complaints in the community about Easton Area School District's Superintendent, Sue McGinley for two straight years now, from the decision to fire 72 teachers last year, to her taking home $324,000 this year (her new salary of $170K + tuition reimbursement for finishing her doctorate and unused vacation over the last three years, according to Colin McEvoy's article for the Express-Times), and everything in between. As our present school board members have seemed unclear on this fact, I want both our new school board candidates AND our current school board members to know that they can fire the superintendent if they are unhappy with her performance.

Here is the excerpt from her contract (which is a public document) that explains how:

Still Waiting for Superman: The EASD Fails to Meet Exam Standards Again

If you have a Netflix account, please "Watch [this] Instantly" on Netflix today, to understand what we're up against as a community--and a nation--with regard to education in our schools: Click here

Posted by: Noël Jones

I finally had the opportunity to watch Waiting for Superman, and what a powerful and deeply upsetting film it was. I really had no idea. Please see this film as soon as possible.

According to Colin McEvoy's article in the Express-Times today, the Easton Area School District has failed to meet exam standards again, throwing Easton Area High School, Cheston Middle School, and Easton Area Middle Schools Grades 5-8 into Corrective Action under No Child Left Behind. For the high school, it is their 5th year of Corrective Action II.

While this is depressing news, I would like to take this opportunity to bust a myth here:

Can We Please Put These Wall Street Crooks in Jail Where They Belong?

Please sign this petition: No Sweetheart Deals for Wall Street Banks on Mortgage Fraud

Posted by: Noël Jones

Matt Taibbi--the same reporter for Rolling Stone who broke the story on the SEC document-shredding scandal--now brings us this report on a deal that the Obama administration and major Wall Street bankers responsible for the crash of our economy are trying to strike with the attorneys general of all 50 states, to limit to $20 billion the damages

Major Anti-Fracking Conference in Williamsport, PA Saturday, September 17th

Posted by: Noël Jones


Attention all residents against drinking water contamination from fracking for natural gas--this is the event you won't want to miss--here's why:

Meet Janet Matthews, Easton School Board Candidate for Region III

Janet Matthews

Posted by: Noël Jones

The Easton Democratic Committee has chosen their candidate to run for the remaining two years of the school board seat vacated by Jen Holzberger in Region III, which covers part of Lower Mount Bethel Township, Forks Township and Easton's West Ward and College Hill neighborhoods. I had the opportunity to sit down with Janet Matthews in her Forks Township home, to discuss the upcoming election, her

Major Flood Threat Along the Delaware

Posted by: Noël Jones

According to Tony Rhodin of the Express-Times, the threat of flooding along the Delaware has now been elevated to a major threat, with projections on par with the flood of 2004. The high water

Schools Closed on Monday, August 29th in Easton Area Due to Hurricane Irene

Posted by: Noël Jones

SCHOOL CLOSURE:

Due to Hurricane Irene and likely flooding of the Delaware River in the Easton area, Easton area schools will be closed on Monday, August 29th.

Continue to check the NOAA web site for hazardous weather and flood