Details: cache-fra-eddf8230171-FRA 1746506622 1960490215 — A Northampton County judge sentenced former Hellertown police chief Robert Shupp on Wednesday to a maximum of 23 months in prison for stealing more than $40,000 from the borough Shupp will spend at least nine months in Northampton County Prison He already paid the borough $41,000 in restitution Shupp pleaded guilty to charges of theft by taking he stole nearly $20,000 of cash from a police department safe and forged documents requesting roughly $22,000 in cash for nonexistent drug investigations prosecutors also charged Shupp with receiving more than $81,000 in pay for roughly 1,600 hours he falsely claimed he worked Prosecutors dropped those charges ahead of Shupp’s guilty plea Shupp also will have to complete three years of probation following his prison term More than a dozen of Shupp’s friends and family members filled the courtroom Wednesday; four of them father and community member who made a mistake He has taken responsibility for his actions and has been working to atone for his crimes Shupp described how the charges have harmed his relationships “I wake up every day and this is the first thing I think about,” said Shupp Shupp offered little explanation of why he took more than $40,000 of borough funds aside from oblique references to political pressure from the borough I have always thought or believed that the road to happiness is paved in gold and dollar bills,” Shupp told the court countered that Shupp did not make a mistake but rather engaged in a pattern of unlawful behavior over several years “You don’t get to store up character and reputation while at the same time engaging in criminal conduct,” said Eyer a member of the Hellertown Borough Council to testify to the impact Shupp’s theft had on the borough Thompson would have described Shupp in virtually the same glowing terms as his friends and family But by using his position as the borough’s top law enforcement officer to enrich himself Shupp caused “grave harm” to the borough and its residents asked Common Pleas Judge John Morganelli to impose a sentence of probation and community service instead of prison time Though Morganelli found that Shupp was sincere in his repose for having stolen the money Morganelli said that letting Shupp off without prison time would “depreciate the seriousness” of the offenses he admitted to Morganelli said he was having a hard time understanding why Shupp – who drug addictions or other maladies which could explain a need for cash – chose to repeatedly steal from his employer “It’s a very perplexing case that we have here,” said Morganelli is that Shupp took the money “because he could get away with it.” Mostly cloudy with a few scattered showers lingering overnight Hellertown's former police chief will spend time in prison for stealing cash from the borough and forging other officers' signatures -- Hellertown's former police chief has learned his punishment for stealing cash from the borough and forging other officers' signatures Robert Shupp was sentenced Wednesday to 9-23 months in prison according to the Northampton County District Attorney's Office carried a maximum sentence of up to seven years in prison Shupp was required to immediately pay $41,000 in restitution Northampton County detectives began an investigation into Shupp's conduct as chief of police Authorities found that Shupp unlawfully took cash from a safe; unlawfully took cash from the borough to purportedly conduct drug investigations; and that Shupp forged signatures of other law enforcement officers to fraudulently request the cash for purported investigations Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Women of Influence Awards Stacy Wescoe//April 29 LVHN tops out Hellertown neighborhood hospital Lehigh Valley Health Network’s planned neighborhood hospital and medical office building is starting to take shape in Hellertown Fellowship Community in Whitehall is adding luxury senior apartments with smart tech and custom finishes to me[...] The former Harmony Press building in Easton and boosting industrial rent prices across Lehigh Vall[...] Lehigh Valley’s housing crisis deepens with a 9,000-unit deficit and rapid population growth  The spring weather is having a positive impact on the housing market on both the national the housing market in Pennsylvania is rebounding Sign up for your daily digest of the Greater Lehigh Valley LLP Marketing and Communications Manage[...] Fisher joins Gross [...] Fleischaker joi[...] Strauss joins Gros[...] Listen to this article Brian Fanning Miller-Keystone Blood Center Vice President of Operations Brian[...] Listen to this article George Marinelli KeyBank Senior Relationship Manager George Marinelli joins K[...] Listen to this article John (JR) Raebiger CTFA™ KeyBank Senior Relationship Manager JR Rae[...] location” is an adage typically used when buying a home but the same princ[...] Invoice fraud involves submitting fake or illegitimate invoices often with convincing documentation[...] Prescription drugs continue to be the fastest-rising cost to many employer-sponsored health plans discussion of tariffs (and the economy in general) seems to center around talk of “uncerta[...] Parents aren’t just part of most companies’ staff – they’re a huge part Gene and cellular therapies are exceedingly rare – sometimes one-in-a-million rare Lehigh Valley Business provides 24/7 business news coverage and events honoring top business professionals Get our free e-alerts & breaking news notifications Subscribe for access to the latest digital and special editions Click here for information about plaques permissions and reprints of previous editions Details: cache-fra-eddf8230171-FRA 1746506640 1960652774 — A small patch of green space in Hellertown finally will get a much-needed facelift — but it won't change what it is will undergo development to enhance its green space and give it a more park-like feel Hellertown Borough Council has approved specifics of the project Borough Public Works Supervisor Barry Yonney said the project will maintain the open space for children to play but add features to enhance the environment for the community “The fences are going to be all redone,” Yonney said “The ball fields are going to get all redone [and] they’re going to put a gazebo in with flowers around it.” Yonney said Hellertown put up its new public works facility right next to the park and with the department nearby The project came about in an unconventional way after people noticed the fence surrounding the park was old and rusted This simple observation inspired a larger makeover While the space doesn’t have a playground or many other amenities It's about the open area — a place for kids to run and play “We have four or five tot lots in this small town “So it’s nice to leave some green space open if the kids want to play flag football or soccer.” The park is also a space where dogs are allowed off-leash The borough will use a $100,000 state grant to fund the project Yonney said work will begin in May and should be done by August Jenna O'Dell is a Lehigh University student journalist enrolled in Professor Matt Veto's PBS-NPR Partnership course in partnership with Lehigh Valley Public Media and 91.3 WLVR Stacy Wescoe//March 4 LVHN announces neighborhood hospital for Hellertown Lehigh Valley Health Network will be opening a neighborhood hospital in Hellertown next year Leapfrog’s latest report gives top safety grades to Lehigh Valley hospitals Luke’s is investing over $30M in AI-enhanced MRI tech from GE HealthCare to improve image quality Lehigh Valley Health Network’s planned neighborhood hospital and medical office building is starting to take[...] Jefferson Health is helping to bring a major sporting event to the Lehigh Valley that is expected to bring a m[...] An historic labor-industry partnership was announced Wednesday by the Pennsylvania Health Care Association and[...] Robert William Shupp pleaded guilty to theft - Hellertown's former police chief admitted Wednesday to stealing cash from the borough and forging other officers' signatures according to a news release from the Northampton County District's Attorney's Office Northampton County Detectives began an investigation into Shupp's conduct as chief of police authorities found that Shupp unlawfully took cash from a safe; unlawfully took cash from the borough to purportedly conduct drug investigations; and that Shupp forged signatures of other law enforcement officers to fraudulently request the cash for purported investigations The DA's office said each felony count carries a maximum penalty of up to seven years in prison Judge John Morganelli ordered a pre-sentence investigation in aid of sentencing and scheduled sentencing for April 23 Morganelli will decide the sentence after review of the pre-sentence investigation and after hearing all evidence pertaining to sentencing The appointment comes nearly a year after former Police Chief Robert Shupp resigned and was later charged with stealing more than a hundred thousand dollars from the borough — The year 2024 was good to the Hellertown Area Library There were more than 31,000 patron visits and nearly 54,000 circulated items (the library has almost 40,000 items in its catalog) Nearly 500 new patrons joined the library — and that number is expected to increase with state approval of adding Lower Saucon Township to the HAL service area Those were some of the statistics Finkbeiner relayed to Hellertown Borough Council on Monday as part of the library’s annual community report “We will continue to provide a friendly and open atmosphere at the library where all are welcomed,” she said Here are some other 2024 figures from the library Using $50,000 from a state grant over the past two years the library was able to offer new technology programming and more for adults and youth Other HAL data provided at the meeting shows juvenile fiction and nonfiction and adult fiction offerings together make up the great majority of what’s being checked out by the library’s 5,235 patrons That number includes nearly 2,000 adults and almost 1,000 juveniles in Hellertown along with about 900 adults and 900 children from Lower Saucon HAL also represents almost 80 people from Freemansburg, as well as 515 adults and 165 juveniles through the ACCESS PA system the library has themed backpacks (birdwatching and passes for attractions for Saucon Valley patrons Finkbeiner said the passes — good for two adults and up to four children — can be checked out for a week at a time and provide free admission to some walking- and driving-distance attractions They include Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve in Bucks County Hands-on House Children’s Museum in Lancaster County National Constitution Center in Philadelphia National Museum of Industrial History in Bethlehem and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania near Lancaster The library also offers a central meeting spot for local groups Saucon Valley Women’s Club and 2nd Saturday Spinners “I love that about our staff — that we know who we’re serving,” Finkbeiner said Hellertown Borough Council President Thomas Rieger said “The library is one of those community assets and treasures [that] just can’t be replaced in any shape or form.” The Hellertown Area Library’s hours are 10 a.m — Scanning her property on Friday morning as the wind whipped through the crisp autumn air Nanette Keck's eyes filled with tears that weren't caused by cold breeze a 23-year-old bison who became a mascot in the Hellertown community he called home "He just laid down and went to sleep." Keck said The bison's health had been declining for some time despite Gus' veterinarian trying a variety of tactics to help the animal both fend off parasites and regain weight he had lost you can chalk it up to resilience: The big boy had exceeded the species' life expectancy by nearly three years Keck turned her head to see a car pull up to her property; inside sat Tolly Sinko On her way toNew Bethany Ministries where she often would donate produce to the less fortunate Keck would stop by and toss Gus a treat or two "I am just so sad that he's gone," Sinko said The Hellertown and Lower Saucon communities took quite a liking to Gus throughout the time that Keck owned him. His enclosure backed up to the Giant Supermarket on Route 412 giving community members a convenient and up-close view of the bison Some shoppers would leave the big guy treats He also became quite the commodity on social media PENNSYLVANIA Facebook group often posting pictures of Gus and commenting on his whereabouts members of the community were to quick to show their support "One of our greatest memories of moving to the area What a community treasure he was," said Colleen Marshall Stacey Rivera suggested that it should be taken up with the township to build a statue commemorating the buffalo saying that "We should set up a GoFundMe." "I just want to thank everyone who brought him goodies over the years Despite feeling an insurmountable amount of grief Keck said she is determined to pick up the pieces and "regroup." Keck opened the fence to reveal little Winnie a miniature horse that she bought from a farm in Ronks right when Gus was beginning to deteriorate The little horse is small but mighty; when she wasn't demanding "scratchies" from "Grammy," she darted around the backyard She also was receptive to hugs and kisses from her new mom "She could never replace Gus," Keck says with a smile running a brush up and down the horse's thick coat she knows that Gus will always be "Right here with me." Hellertown on Monday appointed a new police chief with more than 26 years experience in law enforcement James Baitinger said that under his leadership Hellertown Police Department will reduce crime while also prioritizing trust and communication with the community Baitinger also said the department will increase transparency and accountability and emphasize training for its officers He said he's "aware of the challenges" the department faces moving forward “I’m excited to lead this department forward," Baitinger said "And I pledge to everybody that I will work tirelessly and make a positive difference in the lives of people we serve and the lives of our police officers Baitinger previously was with the police department in Lower Merion Township Baitinger made his way up from patrol officer to detective unit supervisor and lieutenant and command positions The new chief’s employment agreement lists his salary for the rest of the year as $112,736 That will increase 3% the first of the new year and will be up for further review and negotiation from that point on Hellertown Councilman Andrew Hughes said the transition to a new chief will be successful with the help of everyone throughout the police department “While a new police chief is a substantial and important part of restoring our police services Heintzelman spoke highly of the new department leader also bringing attention to the service of former Officer-in-Charge Michael Dattilio but I want you to know that you are very well respected,” Heintzelman said to Dattilio “And we want to thank you for the time and efforts you put in as the acting chief.” Former Interim Police Chief Dominick Fragano stepped down in May to return to his patrolman position He served as the temporary department leader since October and would be succeeded by Dattilio The department’s collective bargaining unit held a unanimous vote of no-confidence in Fragano in January with the union’s public announcement of the vote coming the following month A 44-page review from the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association — the group brought on in January to complete a thorough review of the department — showed HPD operated with an outdated police manual a “lax” chain of command and inadequate leadership training Borough officials hired PCPA following the departure of former Chief Robert Shupp, who resigned in October and was later charged with stealing more than $122,000 from the borough The PCPA review, though, was centered around department operations, not specifically the former chief’s incurred charges.