This year had its share of “good news” in the Times News coverage area, as we celebrated PEOPLE who made a difference in our region, held observances that have been traditions for years, and recognized the history of the area.

Some of those special times included:

PV principal honored

In October, the National Association of Elementary School Principals announced it was honoring Panther Valley Elementary Principal Robert Palazzo as one of 41 “National Distinguished Principals” from across the nation.

Each year, the association honors the work of principals because October is National Principals Month, which was established to recognize and honor the contributions of school principals toward the success of the nation’s students, and encourage awareness of their significance.

Palazzo was hired as principal at Panther Valley Elementary in 2017. Since then, the school has established prekindergarten, built a playground through grassroots fundraising, and partnered with St. Luke’s on a family development specialist position.

“Mr. Palazzo stops at nothing to secure needed services for his students,” said Dr. Jonathan Ross, president of the Pennsylvania Principals Association. “As a result, the teachers, staff and community at large feel a part of something greater than themselves that will undoubtedly shape the lives of a generation of children for the better.”

Mural unveiled in Tamaqua

The Tamaqua Arts Center unveiled its latest mural project in November, designed to give people a sense of community.

Designed like a vintage postcard, “Greetings From Tamaqua,” the mural decorates the side of St. Luke’s Tamaqua Medical Plaza, which is next to St. John’s United Church of Christ, on the 100 block of Pine Street.

The 10-foot x 26-foot mural summarizes the culmination of the Tamaqua Area Community Partnership’s 2022 strategic plan. In 2020, the “Choose Happiness” theme emerged and became its own marketing brand that drove the process.

The piece connects all the themes of the Tamaqua Choose Happiness project and plan: food, arts and music, history, health and wellness, economic vitality, sports and recreation, and learning.

Ross opens museum

The Ross Township Historical Society opened its museum in October, achieving a goal years in the making.

It included a ribbon-cutting ceremony and chance to see the new additions to its space, which is on the second floor of the municipal annex building.

Kathryn Koch-Villoresi, a founding member and former president of the historical society, said the museum offers a place to methodically display historical artifacts and photographs rather than just having random piles spread all over.

Members Cindy Lou Morris, Marsha Beers and Taylor Keller showed guests the various themes on display and talked about the history of each during the grand opening. They included home, education, farming, business and industry, tourism and local government and faith.

Carbon Chamber honors servants

Longtime Carbon County Commissioner Wayne Nothstein and lifelong Palmerton resident Joe Federanich were honored in November at the 2022 Carbon County Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Gala.

Nothstein, who has been a commissioner for 23 years, received the William H. Bayer Lifetime Achievement Award.

Federanich, of Palmerton, received the Volunteer of the Year award.

Others honored included: Within Harmony, Rookie Business of the Year award; Dr. Leeann Koch, of Thoreya Audiology in Lehighton, Young Professional of the Year; Lehigh Valley Hospital-Carbon in Lehighton won an award for the Economic Development Project of the Year; Jim Thorpe Trolley Co., named the Tourism and Entertainment Business of the Year; and The Times News Media Group, Business of the Year.

Tamaqua Chamber toasts two

Community members gathered in October to honor the Tamaqua Area Chamber of Commerce’s Citizen and Business Person of the Year.

Jay Hollenbach Jr. received the 2022 Joseph M. Plasko Citizenship Award, and Micah Gursky accepted the Business award.

Gursky served 16 years on the Tamaqua Borough Council, and is the business development manager for St. Luke’s University Health Network. At St. Luke’s, he works to bring medical services to rural and underserved communities.

Hollenbach is a longtime volunteer firefighter at the American Hose Co. No. 1 and an active member of Bethany Evangelical Congregational Church, both in Tamaqua.

He serves on the Tamaqua Borough Council, and with his wife, Gloria, has fostered 21 children. He owns Jay Hollenbach Jr. Plumbing and Heating and Hollenbach Home Comfort Service.

Business notes 100 years

A Tamaqua business, Charles X. Block, celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding with a “Sales of the Century” in November.

The store is currently owned by Ralph Richards.

Charles X. Block founded the store in 1923, and his son, Ted, operated it from 1964 to 2010, when Richards purchased it.

Since then, Richards has been celebrating the store’s birthday on the week before Thanksgiving.

Through decades, the store has survived the Great Depression, World War II, Vietnam, Korea, the great gas shortage of the ’70s, the Great Recession, the Gulf Wars, the fall of the Twin Towers and COVID, and continues to be a cornerstone of the community.

Palmerton soldier honored

In May, Palmerton area residents and those from nearby communities gathered to honor Sgt. Major of the Army Daniel A. Dailey.

Dailey, who attained the highest enlisted military position in the nation, was honored at the time of his retirement. He recalled growing up on Lehigh Avenue in Palmerton and beginning his military career immediately after graduating in 1989 from Palmerton Area High School.

As Sergeant Mayor of the Army, his office was in the Pentagon. He was appointed sergeant major of the Army on Jan. 30, 2015.

He is the son of Eileen Dailey and the late Daniel Dailey Sr.

DCNR allocates funds

The PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary, Cindy Adams Dunn, announced in November a significant state investment in new grant funding to support the development of the D&L Trail in the Lehigh Valley.

Saying completing the trail in the heavily-populated Lehigh Valley is a priority for the department, Dunn said the agency is committing $3 million total to close trail gaps in Catasauqua, Hanover Township and Allentown. The funds will be matched by $2 million in funding Sen. Pat Browne secured through the 2022-23 state budget to close significant sections of trail gaps along the eastern side of the Lehigh River. Once the sections are completed, the D&L will have 140 miles of continuous open trail.

D&L Trail enhanced

In September, the final touches were applied to a native plant and garden project on the D&L Trail in Lehighton.

Stacy Nash, landscape architect with Parkland Nurseries, said she and several volunteers put in over 800 perennials.

The project is along Lehigh Drive about a half-mile south of the Lehighton Outdoor Center along the west bank of the Lehigh River.

It includes native plant species and a scenic overlook of the Lehigh River.

The project is funded by a grant through the Audubon Mid-Atlantic and provided by the William Penn Foundation Funding for the Delaware River Watershed Initiative and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Shower Roses notes 90th year

The Catholic community of the Panther Valley gathered in Nesquehoning in October like its parishioners have done for the past 90 years, staging the annual Shower Roses at the Shrine of St. Therese of Lisieux in the New Columbus section of the town.

The faithful gathered for the Rosary at 1:30 p.m. in the shrine, followed by Mass, with Rev. Robert George celebrating, assisted by Deacon Joseph Cannon.

“It’s important that, when we celebrate a day like this, when we look at those roses, St. Therese was completely other-centered, and that she is praying for us,” Rev. George said. “The roses remind us that it’s up to us to serve one another.

“As we continue this beautiful tradition of 90 years; 90 years of remembering and praying to St. Therese, let us find comfort, and a little bit of peace and security in our hearts, knowing that regardless if we grab one of those roses, she is still praying for each of us.”

At the end of Mass, Rev. George crowned Megan Reaman the 2022 Rose Queen.

The St. Therese Celebration was started in 1932 by Monsignor Agnello J. Angelini, who had a great devotion to St. Therese of Liseiux, known as “The Little Flower of Jesus.”

Lehighton firefighter honored

In September, the Lehighton Fire Department honored Paul Mriss as Firefighter of the Year, recognizing his 50 years of service to the community in the fire service.

Fire Chief Pat Mriss, Paul’s son, said it was a special night for the fire department to honor one of its own.

“Fifty years, I couldn’t even begin to imagine,” Pat said. “It would have been easy to say ‘let someone else take care of it’, or ‘let someone else handle it.’”

Pat Mriss said that his father is among the “Fab Four” of borough firefighters who’ve either reached or are closing in on 50 years of service to the department.

Mriss, who began his service with the department in August 1972, said he attained his golden anniversary with the fire company, “Mainly because I like helping people, I like doing stuff for the community. I think it’s important that people do things for the community and for others.”

Courage awards presented

In October, two men from Nesquehoning and one from Palmerton were among 28 persons honored with the Valley Preferred Spirit of Courage awards for having placed their own lives at risk to save another person from burn injury or death.

From Nesquenhoning, Mayor Thomas Kattner and Robert Watkins were honored for their bravery in saving the lives of a child and an elderly woman during a fire on April 18. From Palmerton, the late Paul Strohl was honored posthumously. He was the first person to reach a demolition derby driver who had caught on fire on July 24, 2021.

Nesquehoning Fire Chief John McArdle with the Nesquehoning Hose Company Number 1 nominated Kattner and Watkins.

Fire Chief Alexander Cortezzo III with the Plainfield Township Volunteer Fire Company nominated the late Paul Strohl for the award. Strohl passed away a few months after the rescue. His grandson Kyle Strohl accepted the award on his behalf.

Strohl was at the demolition derby at the Plainfield Township Farmers Fair in July 2021 when one of the cars was struck by another car and the relocated fuel tank ruptured causing a mist of gasoline to spray all over the car and its interior. The car stopped near a concrete barrier and the driver climbed out and onto the hood. That’s when the gasoline ignited and engulfed him and the car. Strohl was the first person to reach the driver.

Station will be featured on stamp

The U.S. Postal Service announced in October the historic Tamaqua train station will be featured on a 2023 stamp.

“The 2023 stamp program features a broad range of subjects and designs. These miniature works of art highlight our unique American culture and offer a broad selection for those looking to collect stamps or send their mail around the nation or the world,” said USPS Stamp Services Director William Gicker.

Tamaqua is one of five stations across the country to be featured.

The postal service said, “Noteworthy railroad stations began brightening the American landscape by the 1870s and, although many were torn down once they had outlived their original purpose, hundreds survived.”