OK, let's just get right to it: Few people really like tax time, unless you're an accountant ready to make a haul from a little "Black Friday" of your own. Or, maybe you're expecting to get money back this year. But for most of us, this is an unpleasant time, so Patch will try to help ease the pain. First, the Internal Revenue Service and the powers that create the annual calendar have conspired to do their part to help this year, believe it or not. Instead of the usual April 15 deadline, we get three more days to procrastinate. Because of how the weekend falls, this year's dash to the post …

Travelers through Macungie for years have been greeted by a somewhat stiff-looking character peering out over Route 100. He looks a bit menacing, but means no harm. He's the silver, 12-foot, 1-ton figure affectionately known as Pipeman. So, now that you know him, here's some information about him. Pipeman came into being in the mid-1960s, according to Justin Huddleston, the son of its creator. Huddleston, 37, of Macungie is the owner of LSI, short for Lehigh Services Inc. LSI is at 142 W. Main St. and specializes in residential and commercial custom metal fabricating. Pipeman stands at the …

At the risk of seeming irreverent, some may wonder "who the Kalmbach was" for whom Kalmbach Memorial Park in Macungie is named. Instead of irreverence, we would like to think this explanation is an educational tribute. Frederick Kalmbach Sr. was a successful industrialist when he bought 20 acres in Macungie on July 29, 1941, along Cotton Alley. The tract had been part of the John Singmaster farm, where Kalmbach lived until his death on July 31, 1953. He bequeathed this land for use by the borough, and residents continue to enjoy his foresight and generosity to this day. Kalmbach was born in …

A municipal snow emergency includes several components. How do you know there is one? What is it for? What are your responsibilities? With heavy snow forecast later today and tomorrow, you need to know there are several similarities between Lower Macungie Township and Macungie's regulations, so let's start here. The purpose of declaring a snow emergency is to provide priority plowing so that some main routes would be passable in a severe storm. Those routes are marked with red and white signs on posts or utility poles. Each municipality designates when the emergencies are called. Lower …

Looking for a yarn with a heart-warming ending? We found one. While attending the Incredible Hawk Assembly presented during the holidays last month by Willow Lane Elementary third-graders, visitors couldn't help but notice three Christmas trees decorated with wool hats, mittens and scarves. While the sight may have left some in stitches, the more curious may have wondered why these garments were decorating holiday trees. There was no needling necessary for Principal Anthony Moyer to offer the answer. Turns out the close-knit Community Service Club and Holiday Shop Committee at the Lower …

Macungie: that borough name that is hard for some to pronounce, but one with which residents are comfortable. As most residents know, the Indian word loosely means "bear swamp," hence the origins of Main Street businesses including Bear Swamp Diner Restaurant and Bear Swamp Beverage ... in case you didn't know. But there's more. Before Macungie, this same area was first known as Millerstown. It was established in 1776 by Peter Miller as a village when he bought 150 acres along the Kings Highway. The village became incorporated as the Borough of Millerstown in 1857 and continued with that …

The Lower Macungie Library was collecting more than just books this holiday season when Catalog Librarian Mary Ann Tettemer placed a shopping cart near the facility's front door. Tettemer and her colleagues set out to collect food for those less fortunate with their "Fill the Cart, Feed the Hungry" event. Between Nov. 29 and Dec. 21 the library accepted patrons' donations of nonperishable food to be given to the Zionsville Area Food Pantry for redistribution. For those who remember hearing about the drive or who dropped items in the cart and wondered the results, here's how they made out: …

This week's "Did You Know?" won't be a real head-scratcher for longtime residents, but those newer to the area might find it a bit unusual that today's Lower Macungie Township municipal building was once the clubhouse for Brookside Country Club. Lower Macungie officials purchased 30 acres at 3400 Brookside Road from the country club Dec. 4, 1987 for $1.7 million. The intention was to provide a municipal campus with township offices and meeting rooms, recreational facilities and later needs that are today reality in library and community center facilities. The swimming pool opened to the …