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BLUE VALLEY TIMES
APRIL 12, 2016
PAGE 5
Bangor VFW
Meat Raffle
By Michael Ortoski
BANGOR – Nothing was going to
keep the packed house from attending the meat raffle at the Bangor VFW
on Saturday not even a forecast of 2-5
inches of snow in April!
The club members put up over 20 prizes on ticket and giveaways and free food
and refreshments for the annual event
open to the public. DJ’s Juke Box Jr. and
Ralphy Ralph MC’d the event having the
audience help pick the winners while keep
them entertained in their own style.
The Bangor VFW Post is one of our
L-R DJ Ralphy Ralph and Juke Box Jr. MC the event
areas community nonprofit groups
whose mission is to give back to the public. They do that by donating back monies
they raise through fundraising events and donations made to the Post. They are located at VFW Post 739 Dyle E. Bray 202 Veterans Rd., Bangor PA 18013. Contact
them at 610-588-5555 or visit them on the web at vfwpost739.org if you would like
to become a member or just more information about the post.
Commerce and Conversation highlights
the unique sights, sounds and personalities
at the center of Slate Belt revitalization.
This week’s interview is with Jonathan Almanzar
and Josh Lanier, owners of Blue Mesa
Tex Mex Grill, 15 Broadway, Bangor
Sharon Davis,
Manager of the SBCP
Commerce & Conversation: Please tell us
how you came to open Blue Mesa
Jonathan Almanzar: I just really wanted
Mexican food and we couldn’t find it around
here. Josh’s wife saw this building and said if
it was ever for rent, we want to put a business
in there.
Josh Lanier: We looked in the window and
thought it would be a cool spot to do something. We brainstormed about what kind of
restaurant we would want to put in. We talked
to people in the town, and at Jonathan’s son’s
soccer games and heard this is what people
want. I’m a self taught chef and just started
putting together the recipes for Blue Mesa.
C&C: Where are you both from and what attracted you to Bangor?
JA: I was born in New Mexico, grew up in
Colorado, lived in Mexico for a few years with
my family. We met Josh’s family in Colorado.
I started a church in Pueblo. I had an idea for
chicken in a waffle cone. No one else took us
seriously except Josh. We experimented with
it. And then our families each moved to the
west and east coast. Josh created logos and
sent them to me with the message “when are
we doing this”? Chick’n Cone was born. We
currently have one food truck and trailer and
the template in place to be in malls, after doing
one experimental store.
JL: I was born and raised in Atlanta, GA.
From there I spent about 10 years in Denver
and a year and a half in L.A. Our family moved
here last year and we fell in love with Bangor.
We just really want to see Bangor revitalize.
Bangor needs this and we want to be a part
of it.
C&C: Tell us about other ways you’re serving
the Community.
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JA: I’m also a pastor and I came here to Hope
Springs Church where I am lead pastor. We
had offers from other churches but we chose
Hope Springs because of their connection and
commitment to the Community.
C&C: Both of your wives, Shannon Almanzar
and Sara Lanier, are involved with this business and each is also an artist.
JA: Both of our wives teach art classes at local
studios, including Bloom.
JL: Our wives did most of the interior decorating and the paintings on the walls. We are
great teammates as couples and the four of us
are a great collaboration.
C&C: The foundation of the SBCP is to
Carrie Washock VFW Axillary pulls the next winner
This column appears bi-monthly
Exclusively in the Blue Valley Times
Jonathan Almanzar and Josh Lanier, owners
of Blue Mesa Tex Mex Grill
nurture the creative energy of our community;
artisans, crafters of all ages, working together
to create a more vital community. Our mission
is to develop the entreupreneurial dreams of
our young people. Does this fit with your own
vision?
JA: Absolutely. I think everybody should be an
entreupreneur, you learn from your failures as
well as your successes. Art and culture are the
heart of the Community. When people are involved with art they see the community in a different way. This creativity drives the community’s vitality. The Word “entreupreneur” means
risk bearer – Following your creative dream
has an element of risk to it whether its starting
a business, painting a picture or cooking food.
JL: We support the arts, including “food as art”
and the vitality that comes from that.
We want to encourage people to stay local, not
just for our restaurant but for entertainment, ice
cream, karaoke – this is economic development 101.
We currently employ 25 local people of all ages
from teen to adults. We’re proud of that.
C&C: Do you live in Bangor with your families?
JA: We live in Bangor. My daughter is in 8th
grade. Last year she was Dorothy in the play;
this year she’s Little Red Riding Hood. My son
is a sophomore at Bangor High School where
he plays soccer.
JL: We have two daughters, 11 and 6 years
old. They’re home schooled. We live a few
blocks from Blue Mesa. I’m able to walk to
work which is great.
CC: How can people reach Blue Mesa?
JA & JL: Phone: 610-599-1917, www.
bluemesatexmex.com Hours: Mon-Sat 11-9,
Sun 11-8. You can also follow us on Facebook
and other social media.
The SBCP welcomes everyone’s ideas and efforts. Please contact
Sharon J. Davis at (610)390-6692 or [email protected] to get involved.
PAGE 6
Northampton County
Ken Receives Regional Award
Field Two Rivers Trail Gap Gets Improvements
Owner of Slate
Belt Energy
Services
Exclusively in the Blue Valley Times
Price vs Cost
Air conditioning contractors have
a wide variety of equipment available
to them today. Features vary between
brands as does quality. Some manufacturers sell 2 or 3 lines of equipment with
very little difference except the color and
the name on the tag. One thing that is
the same with all manufacturers is the
efficiency of the equipment they offer.
The cost of less efficient equipment is
always lower because it takes less copper and aluminum to make these units
and they are usually not constructed as
well as the more expensive units. They
are often referred to as ‘builder grade’.
You can put 2 and 2 together to figure out what that means. They are the
lowest efficiency units allowed by the
government to be sold. Why does the
government even need to be involved
in this? Sadly, because if all you look at
is the price when you are buying an air
conditioner and all the seller pushes is
low price, you will get an energy hog and
there will be a race to the bottom of the
price heap by manufacturers. I don’t offer builder grade systems when I make
my proposals because they are nothing but a headache. Unlike the builder,
I can’t abandon my customer after one
year. I have to stand behind what I install
for life and it just doesn’t make me look
good when things fall apart after a few
years. The least efficient unit I will install
is one step above the minimum. But the
best VALUE we can offer is 2 steps up
and not really that much more expensive. So I always offer the best value first
and then tailor the job to the customers
budget and specific requests.
Even the warranty comes into play
because on the best value units, if a
major part ever fails, the whole unit gets
replaced, not just the part. That is huge
when you only pay for labor and the part
is covered. It takes less time to replace
the whole unit than tearing it all apart
and spending a half a day replacing a
compressor.
So don’t just look at the bottom line,
look at the whole package. Installation
accessories can be important too. Air
filter, overflow switch, secondary catch
pan, even the work platform that needs
to be in front of a new unit for the service people. You shouldn’t have to ask
for these items. They should be standard because the day you need them,
the damage caused by their absence
will exceed their value by far.
Ken Field is the owner of Slate Belt
Energy. As a certified energy rater
and contractor, he is qualified
to assess every aspect of energy
usage and prescribe solutions to
save energy. He can be reached
at 610-599-8832 or at
www.SlateBeltEnergy.com
By Luis E. Campos
EASTON - The Northampton County Department of Administration announces the receipt of an award totaling $420,562 through
the Lehigh Valley Transportation Study (LVTS). This award will allow for a 1.8 mile section of trail connecting Jacobsburg State Park
to the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor. Included
will be enhanced safety crossings connecting the Plainfield Township Recreation Trail and the Stockertown Rail Trail, which are
SINCE 1929
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Garden Center & Greenhouse
Rt. 512,
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260 E.
E. Moorestown
Moorestown Rd.,
Rd., Wind
Wind Gap,
Gap, PA
PA
Rt.
610-759-4699 www.albanesegardencenter.com
www.albanesegardencenter.com
610-759-4699
HOURS: Monday-Saturday
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Selection of Foliage & Flowering Plants Just Arrived
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Large Selection of Water Plans • Oxgenating Plants (Anacharis)
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Cold Crops Ready for Planting Now
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Bangor Podiatry L.L.C.
PODIATRIC MEDICINE & SURGERY
325 Blue Valley Drive
(located in the Rt. 512 Plaza by Curves)
Bangor, PA
610-588-6621
Dr. Cheralyn Perkins, DPM
Dr. David Scalzo, DPM
Diplomate, American Board of
Podiatric Surgery
Diplomate, American Board of
Podiatric Surgery
Dr. Nicole Branning, DPM
* Ankle Pain
* Orthotic Arch Supports
* Bunions
* Poor Circulation
* Heel Pain
* Painful Corns & Calluses
* Hammertoes
* Sprains
* Tendonitis
* Diabetic Foot Care
* Toenail Fungus
*Diabetic Shoes
* Ulcers
* Fractures
* Warts
* Neuromas
Office hours by Appointment
“PUT YOUR FEET IN GOOD HANDS”
Most Insurances Accepted
We Do House Calls
BLUE VALLEY TIMES
APRIL 12, 2016
part of the September
11th National Memorial
Trail. The trail improvements and construction
will improve the overall connectedness of
Northampton County’s
nearly 300 mile network
of land and water trails.
A similar project is
underway in Portland
to Delaware Water Gap
connecting the two counties. The feasible Study has been completed and it has been submitted to Penn Dot which has given
it a construction serial number to be done. The project consists
of repairing the Rt 611 corridor from Portland to Water Gap constructing a walking/biking path along the north bound side one of
our areas scenic view of Water Gap.
“This money will be used to connect the Cities of Bethlehem and
Easton to Jacobsburg State Park providing one of the final pieces
to complete the Two River’s Corridor. This project is an example of
intra municipal and agency collaboration with Bushkill and Plainfield Township, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources and Department of Transportation,” says
Bryan Cope, Northampton County Open Space Coordinator.
The LVTS on Wednesday, April 6, 2016 awarded the investment of $1.27 million in support of innovative regional and local
Transportation Alternative Projects. Twenty-three municipal applications requests competed for an award with the collective ask
totaling more than $9 million. For additional information regarding the LVTS award contact Tracy Oscavich, Associate Director
of Development for the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission at
[email protected] or http://lvpc.org/tap.html.
5
POINTS
Bar • Restaurant • Deli
610-588-1773
At Noon
Open Sundays ble
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Free WiFi avail
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New Ownership
Mon. $1.00 Burgers, $.50 Hot Dogs
Tue. $1.25 Tacos
Wed. $3.95/12 Clams, Kids eat for $.99
Thur. $.45 Wings and Shrimp
Fri. Apr. 15th Liz Nordstrom Band 9-12
Sat. Apr. 16th Shake 3X Unplugged 9:30
Tuesday May 3rd Wings and Shrimp night
Thursday May 5th Taco/Nacho night for Cinco de Mayo
and Bloom Bangor will be in the basement making Confetti
glasses. Contact Bloom at 610-588-4775 to register.
Free delivery available
($15.00 minimum)
Mon - Fri 11-1:30
1001 Mount Bethel Hwy Mt. Bethel, PA