Maybe passenger train service will never equal its popularity of past generations, but a comeback from virtually dormancy has occurred. More people are hearing the familiar boarding wail of railroad conductors as they visit small passenger tourist lines across the nation and even abroad.

One needs only to visit Jim Thorpe any weekend between May and December to see the long lines of people waiting to board the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway to know how popular the trains have become.

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The Jim Thorpe National Bank (JTNB) recently hosted 12 area school students who were winners in the bank’s 14th Annual Community Banking Essay Contest.

The theme of this year’s essay contest was “Bullying is cruel and insensitive and should not be tolerated. How can you, as an individual, address this unacceptable behavior?”

There were 361 entries received and all of them were judged by independent judges not associated with the bank.

This year’s overall winner of the essay contest and “CEO for the day” was Wyatt Easterly, a 10th grade student at Lehighton Area School District.

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Recently, half a dozen artistic reinventions of the community of Jim Thorpe’s namesake, Jim Thorpe, have appeared as silhouettes, cardboard cutouts, and masks, all traceable to a five-day artistic workshop called the Jim Thorpe Project in Jim Thorpe.

The project, the latest in an annual series of storytelling workshops for graphic artists hosted by the Carbon County Cultural Project in Jim Thorpe, was led by Marshall Arisman, chairman of the M.F.A. degree program at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, and artist and illustrators Victor Stabin and Anthony Freda. Read full story here >>.

The Carbon County Cultural Project is located at: 268 W Broadway, Jim Thorpe, PA, www.thecccp.org.

The Broadway Grille & Pub, Jim Thorpe’s newest restaurant and bar, has finally opened its doors to the public after a six-month renovation. Located at 24 Broadway, in the heart of historic downtown Jim Thorpe, the new Broadway Grille & Pub occupies the ground floor of the landmark Inn at Jim Thorpe.

The Drury family, the inn’s owners, have given the restaurant and pub a completely new facelift, infusing a hip, downtown ambience into the space’s charming, authentic Victorian atmosphere.

“We’re very proud of the way everything turned out, thanks to the efforts of the whole crew who worked on this project. We can’t wait for everyone to see it,” said David Drury, the hotel’s innkeeper.

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As a young man growing up on the streets of Jim Thorpe, Michael Bimler yearned to see the world outside of Carbon County. He dreamed of visiting far-off places, exotic locales that he had only previously read about or seen pictures of.

As an adult, he fulfilled this wish, traveling to Eastern Europe and the Middle East. But his journeys were not undertaken solely for pleasure: he also improved the health of countless American soldiers.

For 30 years, Bimler was a member of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard’s Medical Detachment. After a long career of hard work, dedication and personal sacrifice, Bimler was awarded the Legion of Merit and promoted to brigadier general on the Guard’s retired list during a ceremony June 12.

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At the Jim Thorpe Comprehensive Planning Committee’s regularly scheduled meeting Wednesday, Penn Forest Township Supervisor’s Chairman Paul Montemuro discussed the changes development has brought to Penn Forest.

“When the new Census information comes out, everyone’s going to be surprised to see that Penn Forest is the most heavily populated municipality in the county,” he said.

Montemuro went on to say that 1,000 new houses have been added to the township every year for a number of years. This means that the demographics of the township have changed rapidly, it is no longer the sleepy backwoods area that many longtime residents of Carbon County remember it as.

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Great friends, great food, and great weather combined to make the 2010 “Lehigh Street Block Party” another neighborhood success story. The event took place Saturday, July 3 in Jim Thorpe.

With plenty of covered seating, the hot July sunshine was no problem for the almost 300 neighbors, family and friends, and neighbors from years past who reunited to relax and reminisce with each other about days gone by.

The get-together was held for the third year in a row on the 600 block of Spring Street just off of Lehigh Street on the East side of town.

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Times-News: Should Thorpe be allowed to rest in peace? Borough residents debate the fate of their adopted hero and namesake | June 26, 2010
JTN comment: The headline of this story suggests Mr. Thorpe is not resting in peace and that’s absurd given the time, energy and care taken by not only the residents of Jim Thorpe but his family to ensure the Native American was buried properly.

Wilkes-Barre Times Leader Opinion: At the end of the day, may honor remain | June 25, 2010
JTN comment: In this opinion piece, TL editorial writers take a wider view of the issue while also arguing that the town of Jim Thorpe held up its end of the argument.

Times-News: Going home? Jim Thorpe’s son files lawsuit to return father’s remains | June 25, 2010
JTN comment: This is basically the hard news story covering the lawsuit filing in federal court in Scranton.

Chicago Tribune: Borough sued over remains | June 24, 2010
JTN comment: This is the hard news story with comment by John McGuire.

NPR: Son wants Jim Thorpe’s body moved | June 24, 2010
JTN comment: Story is AP but has comments from NPR readers.

USAToday (AP): Jim Thorpe’s son sues Penn. town for return of sportsman’s remains | June 24, 2010
JTN comment: The AP story but this one has some comments from readers of USA Today.

Carbon County Magazine has links to the lawsuit and the original agreement here >>.

Come and find the best bargains at our 4th Annual Merchants and Neighbors Sidewalk Sale from noon to five, rain or shine.

Park behind the train station and walk our shaded streets from the downtown train station and up Broadway to the Old Jail, from Race street to Opera House Square. You’ll find bargains, fun junk, cool stuff, old and new treasures, and inventory reductions galore.

Visit the Chamber’s Web site here >>.

In November, it’s going to be Democrat Justin V. Yaich versus Republican Doyle Heffley for the seat being vacated by Pa. State Rep. Keith McCall in the 122nd District.

For the past 35 years a McCall has occupied the House seat. First, the late Thomas J. McCall served from 1975 until he died suddenly in December 1981. Then his son, Keith, won election after election to retain the seat from 1982 to the present.

Read the full story here >>.

From the Morning Call:
Heffley, of Lower Towamensing Township, has worked as a railroad laborer and is a trucking terminal manager. He believes over-regulation and high corporate taxes are pushing businesses out of the state; he opposes taxing companies that want to drill for natural gas and supports gubernatorial hopeful Tom Corbett’s challenge of the federal health care law.
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