Good day Bethlehem! We're here again with what you need to know today. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Cards and Collectibles Festival and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: Why did the girl pig break up with the boy pig? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. 'That little bitty baby Martin guitar': Dolly Parton's surprising tie to the Lehigh Valley (wfmz.com) — Bethlehem music lovers just hosted Nashville artist Richie Owens at Godfrey Daniels, where he shared how his cousin Dolly Parton's early career was shaped by a Nazareth-made Martin guitar. The story highlights the Lehigh Valley's deep musical roots and Martin Guitar's role in gifting Dolly a cherished instrument, later lovingly replaced and commemorated with a custom model.
2. New Spanish radio station launches in the Lehigh Valley (wfmz.com) — Spanish-speaking listeners in Bethlehem now have a new option with La Kalle 106.5 FM, a Dominican-focused station launched by VP Broadcasting. The station will mix music, news, culture, and community information, aiming to feel familiar and connected for local Dominican and broader Latino audiences across Bethlehem, Allentown, Easton, and surrounding neighborhoods.
3. Leader of iconic Lehigh Valley company reveals how it uses AI and maintains its workforce (mcall.com) — Bethlehem hosted regional manufacturers and business leaders at SteelStacks for the Lehigh Valley Manufacturing Forum, where Martin Guitar CEO Thomas Ripsam explained how the Nazareth company blends AI, robotics, and craftsmanship without cutting jobs. Local officials and executives discussed workforce retention, sustainable materials, and keeping institutional knowledge in the Lehigh Valley's factories as the industry modernizes.
4. Man sentenced to prison after teen dies from fentanyl overdose: DA (lehighvalleylive.com) — A 23-year-old Bethlehem man has been sentenced to 4½ to 10½ years in prison plus lengthy probation after a 16-year-old died from fentanyl toxicity in his Allentown apartment. Investigators say they recovered fentanyl pills, large quantities of marijuana, cash, and several firearms, including a ghost gun, underscoring ongoing regional concerns about opioids and illegal weapons.
5. Congressman Mackenzie Announces Over $20 Million Returned to Constituents Through Federal Casework (house.gov) — From his Bethlehem-based office, Congressman Ryan Mackenzie says his team has helped return $20.7 million to residents across the Lehigh Valley and Poconos by untangling IRS refunds, Social Security issues, veterans' benefits, and more. His staff reports handling over 11,000 constituent service cases and securing substantial federal funding for local health care, first responders, infrastructure, and other community priorities.
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Ok Bethlehem! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "Why did the girl pig break up with the boy pig?" — Because he was such a boar! (Thank you Theresa H. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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