Yaich will seek the Democratic nomination in the May 18 primary. Read the story in the Standard-Speaker here >>. And in the Times-News here >>.

How cool is that? Read the full story from the Feb. 13 Times-News here >>.

Let’s hope those afraid of change don’t kill this project which could bring thousands more visitors to Jim Thorpe every year and boost the local economy with jobs and revenue. Maybe the former Packerton Yards could be used as a parking lot for these visitors?

Please comment here or on the Times-News story and let your commissioners know how you feel about this.

It may not take long to sell Weatherwood Nursing Home & Rehabilitation Center. Several companies have expressed interest in buying the Carbon County nursing home since it went on the sale block last week, according to Carbon County Commissioner Chairman William O’Gurek.

“We’re very pleasantly surprised,” he said. “About 30 companies have expressed serious interest in buying Weatherwood.”

Read the full article here>>

Smith went 4-0 in the round-robin event to win the 145-pound title. In addition, he was named the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler. In the process, he became Jim Thorpe’s all-time leading wins leader with 117. He passed Michael Wernett, who had 114.

A state qualifier last season, Smith was coming off a second-place finish at the Penn Cambria Tournament.

At Jim Thorpe, Lehighton won the team title with 135 points, followed by Allentown Central Catholic (72) and Pottsville (69).

The Crimson Tide had three champions in Bailey Roos (103), Jimmy Harris (112) and Shawn Cicero (160). Cicero finished 5-0 in his bracket.

For Williams Valley, Tim Murray (135) and Brandon Wagner (215) earned gold.

Lehighton won six championships; ACC had two champs.

Click here for photos on jimthorpesports.com.

Read the full story here.

L.B. Morris School which two years ago was expanded to accommodate the growing population.

In a surprise decision, the Jim Thorpe Area School Board decided at its Monday, Nov. 9 meeting to move ahead with the construction of a 6-8 grade middle school at a yet-to-be-determined location.

Read the TIMES-NEWS front-page article here.

Summary: No public input before the decision was voted on.  Director Strubinger tried to delay the vote to allow for public opinion but his recommendation was not seconded.

Here’s how we got here: A committee was established and met behind closed doors for a day and a half reviewing research. Based on that day and a half meeting, the committee decided for the 6-8 middle school because:

1. k-8 schools are not popular anymore (In 1988, there were 5,552 such schools across the country. By 2001, there were only 3,170 still in use.);
2. the in-town school is different in population from the mountain school;
3. a middle school would improve scheduling and allow for common planning time among teachers;
4. bring district populations together at an earlier age;
5. make academic and athletic clubs easier to build and manage;
6. allow for age-appropriate emotional supports;
7. and provide a variety of teaching styles in the same building to meet the different learning needs of different students.

Please read the entire article and decide for yourself and let your school directors know how you feel.

Attorney Sean W. Pickett, of Kansas City, Mo., said the suit to be filed this month will argue that the borough must hand over the remains under the 1990 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act that requires federal agencies and institutions that get federal funding to return American Indian cultural items and human remains to their peoples.

“We are going to argue that because Jim Thorpe Borough receives federal funding for housing, community development, and education, they are subject to the requirements” of the act, Pickett said.

Read the article in the Pocono Record here.

Steven R. Serfass is the next judge of common pleas beating Carole Wildoner with close to 60% of the votes.

Here are the results for JT School Director, four- and two-year terms:

And the results for Jim Thorpe Borough Council:

Click here for the story from the day after the election on TIMES-NEWS.

Details of Susquehanna St. Photo by Jack Delano

Mr. Yaich told the Times-News: “We are looking to locate some fitting décor,” Yaich said. “The office staff, with the assistance of Francis Hartnett, civil service board chairman, has decided that historical photographs of Mauch Chunk would be best suited for the walls. Keeping with the rich history of our town, we would like the Borough Hall to incorporate all phases of our past, essentially giving our residents a walk down memory lane when they visit.”

JTN did a quick search online and found a great Web site with photos by category.

If the council can’t find any prints, they might look to the source material from this Web site and ask permission to reprint some of the awesome photos categorized on the site.