Crime and Fire

Police: Disorderly Macungie Man Arrested After Failing to Heed Warning

Retaliation for neighbor's complain brings charges including intimidation, resisting arrest and harassment, troopers report.

A Macungie man may have wished to send a message recently to an unappreciated neighbor, but was given something of his own to think about. Borough police paid a visit to Joshua Matthew Kish, 37, on Jan. 11 to discuss a complaint of excessive noise, police said. They spoke to him at his 55 Lehigh St., Apt. 2 home and warned him about making too much noise. After police left, Kish a short time later stomped on the floor and banged on the exterior door, denting it, to annoy the person who reported the initial incident, police said. That prompted a return visit from police at 9:22 p.m. Police received no answer this time, but officers eventually gained entry by unspecified means. Inside they found Kish, a woman and two small children, police …

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Crime and Fire

Police: Vehicle Nearly Hits Macungie Cruiser, Bringing Charges

Juvenile driving without headlights and her three passengers receive various charges during recent traffic incident, borough police say.

If she was trying to impress her friends with her driving skills, she failed. If she was trying nonchalantly to avoid police suspicion, those results weren't so good either . . . especially not without headlights. Oh, and nearly striking a Macungie police cruiser in the process? That one would be way down on the list of good ideas. As a result of all of these, a 17-year-old female driver found herself in trouble early Jan. 5, according to Macungie police. In fact, there was enough trouble to go around for her three passengers to each find some of it before the episode ended. Police said events began with the group drinking in the home of Alexzandra Gerhart, 21, at 110 E. Main St., Apt. 1B, in the borough. The four left, with the juvenile …

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Crime and Fire

Top Lower Macungie Police Stories of 2012

Here are the top Lower Macungie police stories that generated the most interest from Patch readers in 2012.

Here are the top police stories that appeared on Lower Macungie Patch during 2012. They involve Macungie and/or Lower Macungie residents, and are based on reader interest: Lower Mac Man Found Dead in Township Woods, Police Say Coroner Says Emmaus Woman Died in Lower Macungie Road Crash 5 Also Hurt in Fatal Lower Macungie Accident Macungie Man Killed When Car, Tanker Collide on Buckeye Road Causing Fuel Spill; Witnesses Sought Man Tries to Lure Lower Mac Boy with Ice Cream, Police Say Teen Killed in Crash Was Preparing for Baby's Birth Police: Boy Raped by Township Worker Mayor Defends Putting GPS Units in Police Cars Alleged Rapist is Former Macungie Fire Chief Councilman Walker to Resign after Alleged Peeing Incident Trucker Stops Dead …

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Borough of Macungie

Macungie Police, Fire Respond to Dying Boy's Wish

Macungie Police Chief Edward Harry and Fire Chief Mike Natysyn gather cards, patches for Nathan Norman.

Toward the beginning of every Macungie Council meeting there is time built in for council members to praise or comment on any topic. And during "Council Compliments, Complaints, Petitions and Appeals" at the Dec. 17 meeting, Council Member Debra Cope called council's attention to a recent Patch story about Nathan Norman, a six-year-old boy from Rustburg, Va., who has brain cancer. The future does not look bright for the tyke, he takes great pleasure in anything related to police, firefighters or EMTs. Cope was touched by the story and passed it along to Macungie Police and Fire officials to see if they wanted to help. "Macungie Police Chief Ed Harry sent cards and patches from the Macungie Police Department, the Hazleton Police Department …

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Borough of Macungie

Proposed 2013 Macungie Budget Provides Money for Streets, Other Infrastructure

Macungie Borough makes plans to spend $2.2 million in 2013.

Macungie Borough Council rolled out and passed a $2.2 million preliminary budget at its Dec. 3 meeting that supports the borough's infrastructure through various projects planned for 2012. Highlights were described by Councilman Christopher Becker who, thoughout the year, spent hours analyzing, planning and canvassing fellow council members on the best ways to spend the borough's money in 2013 and to try to avoid anything resembling the struggle with the 2012 budget. Some of the planned expenditures from the borough's general fund in proposed 2013 budget include: * A 1.7 percent increase for the teamsters contract which is still in negotiations. * $10,000 for engineering services for the development of Lumber Street. * A new police car to …

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Mariella Savidge

1:26 pm on Wednesday, December 5, 2012

You are right, Chris. I was remiss in not quoting what you said about Chris Boehm being "careful and knowledgeable" with and about taxpayers' money. Thank you for bringing that up!   more ›

Borough of Macungie

Macungie Borough Passes 2013 Preliminary Budget in Split Vote

Contentious discussion regarding adding a police officer -- even though it would mean no tax increase -- precedes the vote.

Any budget discussion in which the term "Pandora's Box" is mentioned is not going to be smooth. But, in this classic display of the good, the bad and the ugly, the term was absolutely used -- and meant -- in the course of the rollout of Macungie's preliminary budget at its Dec. 3 meeting.  Council Member Chris Becker who, of all seven members of council, spent the most time during 2012 counting the borough's beans, was the one to portend rough times. But not without heated discussion. In the end, the preliminary budget was passed and will be advertised and on display for 10 days. The good news is there will essentially be no increase in real estate taxes. Due to Lehigh County's tax restructuring which says taxes will be based on 100 …

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Just Say It

7:36 pm on Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Mr. Beitler, I usually like your comments but this time, your congratulatory message to the staff and council could have been better had you left out your little "blurb" about the police department. I realize you're just stating a fact but was it really necessary this time. In my opinion it takes away from the message you're trying to send. You and I both know if you say the words "mayor" or "…   more ›

Borough of Macungie

Mayor Orders Added Police Protection During Council Meetings

Macungie Mayor Rick Hoffman has ordered that two police officers be on duty on the nights of council's regular meetings.

Macungie Mayor Rick Hoffman has ordered that two police officers be on duty in the borough every time Macungie Council meets. The mayor has been adamant that the Macungie Police Department will provide 24/7 coverage to the citizens of the borough with 25 eight-hour shifts a week. Twenty-five shifts -- instead of the 30 provided for in the borough's 2012 budget -- means no more than one officer is on duty at any time, and if an officer is ill or there's a scheduling emergency, Hoffman has said it is acceptable for there to be unfilled police shifts. And if there are two calls and only one officer on duty, someone is just going to wait, Hoffman has said. Until now. In an email dated Sept. 26, 2012 to Macungie Police Chief Edward Harry Jr., …

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Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is Today

Area police will participate in a National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today.

Macungie  and Alburtis police departments, in addition to other departments and organizations, will participate in a National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.today. In the Macungie and Lower Mac area, you can safely dispose of unwanted or unused prescription drugs by taking them to either department but before handing over unwanted prescriptions, remove any personal information from bottles or packages that contain medications. Liquid products and creams in containers will be accepted. Sharps and syringes will not be accepted because of the potential hazard posed by blood-borne pathogens. Illegal substances, such as marijuana and methamphetamine, are not part of the program and should not be placed in the collection …

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Borough of Macungie

Macungie Police Arrest Alleged Neighborhood Burglar

Macungie Police on Friday charged Blake Ryan Bills with burglary, criminal trespass, receiving stolen property and theft by unlawful taking or disposition in conjunction with one of two recent neighborhood incidents.

Macungie Police arrested on Friday arrested a Macungie man after he admitted taking jewelry and a computer from his next door neighbor's house. Blake Ryan Bills, 23, of 326 Oxford Place admitted to entering the home of his next door neighbor through an unlocked back door. He is charged with burglary, criminal trespass, receiving stolen property and theft by unlawful taking or disposition, police said. According to court records, Bills entered the home between 2 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. some days before his arrest, but he couldn't remember exactly which day. The burglary was reported on Aug. 14. "He checked to make sure no one was present, then stated 'times are tough,' so he took jewelry and a computer," the affidavit said. In the next day or …

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Responsible Citizen

4:29 pm on Saturday, August 18, 2012

We echo your sentiments Mr. Rogers!!!!   more ›

Crime and Fire

Homes Burglarized in Macungie Development

Jewelry and computer gear among items taken; residents of both were gone for several days, police say.

Two homes on the same street in a Macungie development were burglarized in recent days, according to borough police. On both occasions, the homes were entered while the residents were away for several days, police said. Specific house numbers were not provided by police, nor was a range of time for when the residences were entered or the burglaries discovered, but both homes are on Oxford Place in The Ridings at Brookside development. One home was entered via an unlocked window, police said. Burglars forced entry through a rear door accessing a deck in the other crime. Jewelry and computer equipment were among items taken, police said. No value was provided. Police ask that residents remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity by …

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Mariella Savidge

8:44 am on Thursday, August 16, 2012

On Oxford Place in the Ridings at Brookside, Bill.   more ›