Get important news about your town as it happens Get the top stories from across our network Are you sure you want to unsubscribe from daily updates A New York native who claimed his victim was still alive has been sentenced to the maximum prison term for beating her to death in a Luzerne County motel room Joseph Alan Sarmiento, 40, of Quakertown, was sentenced to 20 to 40 years in state prison on Thursday, May 1, for the third-degree murder of Helena Johnson, 38, of Massachusetts Sarmiento had been staying with Johnson at the Red Carpet Inn on North Church Street in Hazle Township in June 2021 when he fatally beat her and left her body in the bathtub He called 911 the next day claiming to have just discovered her But surveillance video told a different story Sarmiento and Johnson entered the motel room around 6:59 a.m He left alone two hours later and didn’t return for approximately 15 hours—then placed the emergency call A forensic pathologist testified that Johnson suffered at least 10 blows to the head and signs of strangulation Vough called the attack "repeated" and "brutal" while explaining the sentence exceeded standard guidelines Johnson was repeatedly beaten and the defendant left her bloody battered body in a bathtub,” said Chief Deputy Attorney General Brian Zarallo He added that Sarmiento had bruised hands from the beating Sarmiento’s defense attorneys argued he was mentally incompetent supported by opinions from two psychiatrists But Judge Vough ruled Sarmiento’s actions—leaving the scene and later staging the discovery—proved otherwise Sarmiento was convicted in February following a non-jury trial Judge Vough found him guilty but mentally ill allowing for mental health treatment in prison but carrying the same penalty as a standard third-degree murder conviction “This defendant callously took the life of Ms then attempted to avoid accountability,” AG Sunday said “We hope this sentence provides a sense of solace for those who loved her and miss her every day.” Host Quinta Brunson dedicated her May 3 "SNL" monologue to her fellow short people and she was joined by surprise guest Sabrina Carpenter The Grammy-winning Quakertown native of course knows a little something about being "vertically challenged." only for the "Espresso" singer to actually show up Sabrina Carpenter Grammy awards: Did Quakertown's Sabrina Carpenter win at the Grammy Awards Sunday night? who sang about being 5 foot tall in her song "Taste." The "Short n' Sweet" singer naturally joined in on Brunson's musical number Another star from the opposite end of the height spectrum made a cameo during Brunson's monologue: Dwyane Wade that's like 4'10"." Cast member Marcello Hernandez joined in as well as sketch character "Domingo." USA Today's Brendan Morrow contributed to this story Mostly cloudy with a few scattered showers lingering overnight Sunday's Deli & Restaurant operates at 140 E The current Sunday's location offers seating for around 50 customers and its forthcoming location will offer space for around 80 customers - A staple of Quakertown's dining scene is making moves in the borough family-run eatery offering a wide array of freshly prepared dishes for breakfast and lunch is expected to move in May from its location of 35 years at 140 E in Quakertown to a larger location roughly a couple of blocks away at 44 Front St. decided to move the restaurant to Front Street as the location features more dining space and nearby parking spots is that they have to park so far away because there's really not much parking available," Elaine said there's a huge parking lot right across the street." While the restaurant's size and parking options are increasing "nothing else is changing," Elaine stressed Longtime customers can expect the same Sunday's menu and Sunday's regulars who keep their own coffee mugs on the wall will be able to continue that practice at the new location "The biggest thing that I want to emphasize is that exactly what Sunday's currently is will continue at the new location," Elaine said "We want to keep everything the same - the same pictures on the wall Sunday's has become a beloved Quakertown dining establishment thanks to its friendly service cozy atmosphere and tasty and affordable dishes including hot and cold sandwiches such as cheesesteaks Other menu highlights include hoagies such as ham pizza and bacon cheddar BBQ varieties; platters such as a tuna melt turkey club and chicken kabob over rice pilaf; and sides such as fries and breakfast specials are available 7-11 a.m but I don't know because I don't eat it," Elaine said with a laugh who serves as the restaurant's executive chef also makes rotating weekly specials along with a variety of cakes eggplant parmigiana and other comfort foods," said Elaine who primarily handles the business' bookkeeping and marketing "He also does a lot of Greek specialties like spinach pie We have a whole booklet with a list of people who we call every time he has certain Greek items." who moved from Coopersburg to the New Tripoli area several years ago and the couple is planning to implement renovations prior to the business' transition Much of the restaurant's kitchen equipment and other pieces "I'm just as excited as all of our customers who are happy that there will be better parking right around the block Many of them have offered to help us move." The Pappases are unsure exactly how long the restaurant's transition to Front Street will take as they are currently working through the permitting process prior to the move they anticipate that Sunday's will operate at its current East Broad Street location through at least Mother's Day the restaurant would likely temporarily close for at least a week to complete the transition For the latest Sunday's updates, including announcements regarding the restaurant's upcoming move, follow the business' Facebook page Email notifications are only sent once a day Headlines and Weather delivered directly to your inbox Your source for important local government and business events delivered Tue to Sat Your daily headlines and complete forecast from 69 News meteorologists delivered every morning around 6am The latest headlines plus find out what's coming up tonight on 69News 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 The opening is part of a partnership with The Integritty Group a Philadelphia-based restaurant management and development company US-based fast-casual restaurant chain Dave’s Hot Chicken is set to open a new location in Quakertown the brand will open at 270 N West End Blvd The restaurant will give the first 100 customers that day a free slider with their purchase This latest expansion is part of a partnership with The Integritty Group (TIG) a restaurant management and development company based in Philadelphia This will be TIG’s fourth Dave’s Hot Chicken opening with further expansions planned during 2025 The new venue will feature a street art display paying tribute to Dave’s origins in an East Hollywood parking lot in 2017 Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis TIG executive Pranav Desai stated: “We’re excited to bring the hugely popular Dave’s Hot Chicken to Quakertown and proud to be the franchise partner introducing this bold being the first to experience Dave’s signature heat and unique flavours which have rightfully built a massive fanbase in the US.” Dave’s Hot Chicken menu features Chicken Sliders and Tenders Mac & Cheese and seasoned French Fries Dave’s Hot Chicken CEO Bill Phelps stated: “Going from a parking lot pop-up run by three friends to a global restaurant with 250 locations in seven years is the American Dream story we know that focusing on making the most craveable hottest and juiciest hot chicken on the planet will ensure that expansion.” In February 2025, Reuters reported that Dave’s Hot Chicken is exploring a potential sale and has appointed investment bank North Point to manage the process Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network Central Bucks West's Nick Anton just tips the ball past Quakertown's James Conner in the second set gets presented a ceremonial ball in acknowledgement of his 500 career kills Central Bucks West's Karl Linde slams a point past the defense of Quakertown's James Conner Quakertown's Vadym Mazurak gets his shot off in between the outstretched defense of Central Bucks West's Isaiah Rubenstein and Karl Linde Quaketown's Vadym Mazurak celebrates an early point in the first set Central Bucks West's Hayden Morocco watches his tip land for point in front of Quakertown's Matthew Hudson Quakertown's James Conner has his kill blocked by the defense of Central Bucks West's Karl Linde Quakertown's Owen Reinford slams a point past Central Bucks West's Isaiah Rubenstein during the first game Quakertown's Sean Gillin after the Panthers came back from a three-point deficit to win the first set 25-22 Quakertown's James Conner slams a point past Central Bucks West's Hayden Morocco Central Bucks West's Isaiah Rubenstein celebrates after a point in the second set Quakertown's Vadym Mazurak tips a point past Central Bucks West's Jackson Lytle in the second set Quakertown coach Andy Snyder watches intensely during a close second set Quakertown's Alex Alfaro-Diaz and Matthew Hudson go up to block a tip by Central Bucks West's Jackson Lytle Central Bucks West's Nick Anton fist pumps after a key point in the second set Central Bucks West's Nick Anton eyes the ball for a set up in the second game in front of Quakertown's Matthew Hudson and Vadym Mazurak Central Bucks West beat Quakertown in five sets Monday night The Central Bucks West boys volleyball team squeaked by host Quakertown in five sets (22-25 Caleb Woodring and Karl Linde combined for 34 kills in the Bucks' 3-2 victory Both teams hosted games on Wednesday that ended after the Herald went to print West (5-10) heads to Dock Mennonite on Thursday while Quakertown (2-12) visits Upper Dublin on Friday Join our readers whose generous donations are making it possible for you to read our news coverage. Help keep local journalism alive and our community strong. Donate today The Bucks County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame welcomed the Class of 2025 on Thursday at Brookside Manor in Feasterville The Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company’s Super 21 Truck will be returning for the very special 25th anniversary Kiwanis-Herald Sesame Place Classic on Sunday Central Bucks South posted a 4-0 lead in the first inning en route to a 7-0 shutout of visiting Central Bucks East in Tuesday’s Suburban One League Colonial Division game the Doylestown Rugby Academy high school girls team traveled to Downingtown to play the Downingtown girls team Doylestown was victorious by a score of 43-26 The Archbishop Wood baseball team guaranteed itself a winning Philadelphia Catholic League season with Monday’s 7-0 victory over Cardinal O’Hara Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Our guide features topics that range from home buying to home maintenance and repair delivered Friday afternoons Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don't miss out on updates A weekly guide to Arts & Entertainment delivered Wednesday evenings Delivered Saturday mornings with a recap of the best stories from each week Have a notification delivered on Thursdays to your inbox Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Julie was the daughter of Daniel Becker and Melanie (Yerger) Becker.  Julie graduated from Quakertown High School in 2011 and later attended Kutztown University A dedicated worker for several years at Groomin' Tails in Quakertown Julie went above and beyond in both her work and personal life and boundless energy will leave all who knew her missing her deeply She also volunteered at the Quakertown Food Pantry She often sacrificed her own wants and needs to be the best mother she could be ensuring that her children always came first She had a special place in her heart for her children and made sure they felt loved and supported every day Julie also went out of her way to make sure her brother Julie loved her family deeply and cherished the time spent with them Julie will be dearly missed by her children Maxwell Becker and Madisyn Doucette; her brother Evelyn and Thomas Bittner; many uncles and aunts and Jack Becker; as well as many cousins and friends All are invited to visit with Julie's family on Thursday A memorial service will begin at 12:00 p.m In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the GoFundMe website for the children’s education at https://gofund.me/68a5cd42 Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors The mother of a Quakertown Community School District student filed a federal lawsuit after her daughter was forced to compete against a biological male The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) and the U.S Department of Education are also defendants filed by Holly Magalengo on behalf of her daughter A.M. claims A.M.’s constitutional rights were violated and she suffered harm is a senior and a member of the Quakertown Community High School girls’ cross-country team which competed against the Plymouth Whitemarsh High School team on Sept competed for Plymouth Whitemarsh against the all-female Quakertown team and won You should not be racing against girls,” the suit said The PWMHS cross-country coaching staff complained to the QHS coaching staff about A.M.’s comment They also said they’d reach out to QHS Athletic Director Brian Laiacona A.M.’s parents asked QHS for support in keeping biological males from competing in female sports and protecting female athletes They were rebuffed and told it was the decision of the Plymouth Whitemarsh High School “Women and men are not biologically equal,” the suit noted was again subjected to violations of her equal protection rights when she had to compete against L.A PWMHS and the PIAA again allowed the biological male to race in a women’s race The defendants’ actions harmed A.M.,” the suit said She asks for “damages for the violation of her civil rights and emotional distress in amounts to be determined at trial and as are allowed under the statute.” Quakertown Community High School’s athletic director “Different sports organizations and governing bodies have various policies in place to address concerns with yours aiming to create an environment where all athletes can compete “The PIAA bylaws in Article XVI Section 4E states: ‘Where a student’s gender is questioned or uncertain the decision of the principal as to the student’s gender will be accepted by the PIAA.’ The decision for which team their student-athlete competes under is the decision of the Plymouth Whitemarsh School District administration Polls show Americans overwhelmingly support keeping biological males out of girls sports House passed the bipartisan “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act,” with the support of Bucks County Republican Rep Brian Fitzpatrick The three Democrats who represent the Delaware Valley — Reps. Dean, Houlahan and Scanlon — all voted “no.” President Donald Trump signed an executive order preventing biological males from competing on girls’ teams Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights any entity that receives taxpayer dollars and violates Title IX faces losing federal funding We encourage anyone enduring discrimination or retaliation because of a covered institution’s suspected Title IX violation to file a complaint with OCR The Trump Education Department will continue to work to ensure schools and athletic associations across the country are in compliance with Title IX executive director of the Courage Coalition and a whistleblower who formerly worked at a gender change clinic told DVJournal the differences between male and female athletes are obvious “I hold a master’s of science in clinical research Medical providers absolutely know the difference between girls and boys And there are also really easy ways in sports to do this There can be a simple oral swab that goes in the cheek if we really need to determine sex who says she’s seen cases involving “gender-affirming care” from medical providers for children as young as age three says the recent surge in gender dysphoria cases among children is in part a result of social pressures they were given this message: ‘Do you feel distressed about your body and puberty Then you’re probably trans.’ And that’s just the wrong message we needed to be sending to kids And we also see that the kids who most latched onto this were girls who are incredibly susceptible to socially mediated forces They’re very much concerned about their peers and their peer groups and appearance And we just saw this explosion occur around the world.” PIAA did  respond to a request to comment on Thursday Colonial School District officials also declined to respond For Comments, Questions, Or Complaints aboutour articles please contact us Two landmarks in Quakertown could soon see new life as members of a local nonprofit seek to restore the vacant buildings and bring more business into the town center district With their eyes on the old freight house building and The Eagle Hotel, Rail Yard Society members are in the process of raising the funds needed to restore and maintain the two properties in an effort to further revitalize downtown Quakertown while maintaining its historical character The two projects are headed up by Leanna Knight, Rail Yard Society executive director and Quakertown native, and Christopher Labonge, the entrepreneur and developer who owns and manages the Trolley Barn Public Market Latest on the Carversville Inn: Carversville Inn renovation is nearly complete: What to expect with its reopening. Together the two have come up with a vision to transform the freight house into an event space and to turn the Eagle into a boutique hotel and café “I think it’s going to be great for Quakertown,” Knight said “The biggest part of this job is helping my hometown to be better; that’s my biggest passion with this job.” “There wasn’t a real big push for revitalization until Dimmig’s went out and the Proper went in there and then you started to see more buildings get spruced up and new businesses come in,” Landis said Since then, she’s noticed more restaurants and shops opening along Broad Street, which she said she feels helps bring more traffic to the older businesses along that corridor — including Sine’s 5 & 10 which has been a staple of Quakertown since 1912 “Even if these buildings have a different purpose now it’s great that the buildings are being used and because of that they will likely be there for at least another 100 years.” Landis said located along Front Street and the tracks next to the old Quakertown Train Station is the first of the two projects that Rail Yard Society members plan to tackle the building stands as a sturdy remnant of the town’s industrial roots But after decades of being unused and unmaintained Labonge said the property is in desperate need of rehabilitation to ensure its structural integrity Jarrett Coleman (R-16) for a $500,000 grant to cover a majority of the costs to replace the roof and shore up the building “We felt it was an emergency need and would potentially collapse if we didn’t do anything,” Labonge said The grant has since been secured and the funds are to be dispersed through the Bucks County Industrial Development Authority An additional $300,000 is needed to cover the cost of the initial phase of the project and they hope to begin work within the month they plan to raise at least another $1.2 million to preserve the historical character of the building while turning it into a venue that could serve as a formal event space for weddings and also host gatherings for the local residents “This is a community project where we hope to be able to cover the cost and operate a business that’s going to be sustainable over there but with it being a community building in my mind,” Labonge said I’d love to have that be the place where people come to on a Sunday morning and then in the evening hours Restoring The Eagle Hotel into its former gloryThe Eagle Hotel which was built in 1831 and original owned by Edwin Scheetz has gone through a number of transformations across its two centuries of existence the corner hotel with its stately second-floor wraparound balcony — which has since been removed — served as a stopover for visitors travelling between Allentown and Philadelphia a neighborhood restaurant and bar that closed approximately 18 months ago Once the freight house project is complete members of the Rail Yard Society plan to focus their fundraising efforts on The Eagle with the hope of turning it into a nine-room boutique hotel with a small café on the first floor because they’ll need to work with a bank to determine what would be financially beneficial for the location “(We’re hoping to) bring it back to that picture of what it once looked like with its wraparound balcony then we’d consider it a success,” she said Dublin continues to grow town center: The Dublin Diner closed in 2020. A quick look at its history and what the future holds art and culture for The Intelligencer and Bucks County Courier Times at PhillyBurbs.com Please consider supporting local journalism with a subscription Foodies looking to score Dave's Hot Chicken sliders in upper Bucks County will have to wait a bit longer Pa – Foodies looking to score Dave's Hot Chicken sliders in upper Bucks County will have to wait a bit longer the fast-casual chain specializing in jumbo hot chicken tenders and sliders The restaurant's management team needs a couple of more weeks to prepare for its debut The Quakertown area restaurant's new opening date is May 2 at 10:30 a.m. "Everything just got pushed back a little," Barno told 69 News on Friday "We're still hiring and finalizing our team and there's also another store that's taking some of our attention at this time." The Quakertown area eatery will occupy a renovated Trainer's Corner space that previously housed a MOD Pizza location, which closed last spring It will be operated by The Integritty Group which also runs Dave’s Hot Chicken locations on Park Avenue in Willow Grove and Roosevelt Boulevard and Chestnut Street in Philadelphia when three childhood friends in their 20s scraped together $900 and began serving customers via a portable fryer and folding tables in an East Hollywood parking lot The concept saw instant success thanks to a flurry of Instagram posts and word of mouth among friends “East Hollywood’s New Late Night Hot Chicken Stand Might Blow Your Mind,” then took the blossoming venture’s popularity to the next level “So much was born for us in that moment,” the company description continues “The lines went down the street and around the block Dave’s Hot Chicken customers can enjoy Nashville-style hot chicken tenders and sliders in their choice of seven spice levels: no spice Each piece is hand-breaded and spiced-to-order Other menu highlights include house-made kale slaw has grown to more than 200 locations worldwide since its humble beginnings in an East Hollywood parking lot eight years ago “The company’s nearly unheard-of growth rate is a result of the founders’ vision for this brand the tremendous leadership team we’ve assembled and the incredible commitment of some of the most experienced franchisees in the restaurant industry,” said Bill Phelps will feature interior seating for around 40 guests along with seasonal outdoor dining on a patio The restaurant's walls will showcase graffiti art The Quakertown area location's hours will be 10:30 a.m to midnight Sunday through Thursday and 10:30 a.m a restaurant management and development company led by founders Jiger Patel also operates more than 35 QDOBA locations across five states along with locations of other restaurant brands including Checkers and The Greene Turtle An elementary school principal who resigned with a settlement agreement from Quakertown Community School District was not pushed out over a disagreement with his boss Superintendent Matthew Friedman said this month Quakertown Elementary Principal Gregory Lesher is resigning June 30 after an extended leave that began in March Lesher will begin medical leave from the district on Thursday He did not immediately respond to a request for comment and he became principal at Quakertown Elementary in 2022 The school district does not sign employment contracts with principals so there is no contract available via Right to Know request Rumors have circulated in the community since the planned resignation came to light that it stemmed from a disagreement between Friedman and Lesher Friedman described those rumors as inaccurate if you don’t like something the boss is doing that’s not a fire-able offense," Friedman said “Name a person who hasn’t been angry with their boss.” Friedman added that it's "disappointing" that people don't understand that personnel issues are private and that the district cannot legally share information about Lesher's departure More: Why Quakertown's OK of a principal's settlement may have violated the PA Sunshine Act The settlement agreement that Lesher signed on March 27 includes a non-disclosure provision that prohibits Lesher and the school board from disclosing the existence of the agreement to most people Lesher also agreed to exact language to be used in his resignation letter who said the board likely violated the Sunshine Act by adding the settlement agreement to the meeting agenda with less than 24 hours' notice Jess Rohan can be reached at jrohan@gannett.com - Authorities are accusing a family counselor in Bucks County of secretly placing covert cameras disguised as charging blocks to secretly record patients and staff using the bathroom at his Quakertown office according to a news release from the Bucks County District Attorney's Office Moyer was charged with one count each of interception of oral communications possession of a device for interception of oral communications and possession of an instrument of crime He was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Lisa J A detective with the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office received information on Monday that a person found an electronic storage device that contained video of a man setting up a recording device in his Quakertown office the device also had several other videos that showed females using the bathroom Moyer was a counselor at Empower Life Coaching & Counseling Moyer was listed as the office’s program director working out of both the Berks County and Quakertown office His areas of practice were listed as drug and alcohol detectives with the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and the Quakertown Police Department spoke to the witness who found the micro-SD card and confirmed that Moyer was the person in the video which showed him setting up what appeared to be a hidden camera in the bathroom of the Quakertown office The camera was situated directly across from the toilet Detectives confirmed the contents of the storage device which contained videos of several females using the toilet One of the people in a video may have been a younger in age female it appeared the females in the videos did not know they were being recorded investigators conducted three simultaneous search warrants at Moyer’s offices in Berks County and Quakertown and Moyer’s residence in Alburtis when detectives contacted Moyer at the Quakertown office he attempted to use the bathroom but was denied police found a black legitimate charging block and a key fob that was later discovered to be a covert digital video recorder/camera with a micro-SD card in Moyer’s possession Inside the bathroom at the Quakertown office police located a suspicious looking black USB charging block plugged into the outlet underneath the bathroom sink and directly across from the toilet the DA's office said the charging block was discovered to be a covert recording device When the face plate of the charging block was removed police seized several items that included numerous covert charging block cameras like the one found in the Quakertown office bathroom a covert key fob camera like the one Moyer had in his possession and numerous micro-SD cards and media storage devices after a review of the initial micro-SD card investigators believe there are four separate victims recorded in secret investigators believe that additional victims and additional violations will be uncovered after an analysis of the numerous seized items This case remains under investigation by Bucks County Detective Phil Kulan and Quakertown Police Detective Ryan Naugle with assistance from Berks County Detectives the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and the Horsham Township Police Department Anyone with information is asked to contact Bucks County Detectives at 215-348-6354 or Quakertown Police at 215-536-5002 Investigators have been in contact with the Buck County Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA) and will continue to work with them to ensure services are provided to victims Anyone who needs their assistance is asked to call them at 800-675-6900 The three patients are suing on behalf of all the patients Jonathan Elliot Moyer is accused of recording Quakertown Community School District officials may have violated the Sunshine Act when they voted to add a settlement agreement to their agenda at last week’s board meeting a Pennsylvania transparency law that's applied to public agencies maintains that all agenda items involving expenditures or entering into contracts have to be added at least 24 hours in advance so that the public has sufficient advanced notice But Quakertown school board members voted to add the settlement agreement on the spot "This is definitely a Sunshine Act violation in my opinion,” said Chadwick Schnee District officials did not respond to a request for comment Board members voted at their meeting March 27 to add a settlement agreement for Gregory Lesher the Quakertown Elementary principal who is resigning this summer The Sunshine Act includes an exception to the 24-hour rule for emergencies School solicitor Jeffrey Garton said last week he believes the last-minute addition of the settlement agreement qualified as an emergency because board members would've had to convene a special meeting to approve the agreement after the fact School officials were also voting to accept Lesher's resignation the same day and the terms of the resignation required them to approve the settlement agreement at the same time But open records lawyers noted that the Sunshine Act is specific regarding what counts as an emergency: "a clear and present danger to life or property." The need to approve a settlement agreement doesn't meet that standard “I respectfully disagree with the solicitor’s opinion," said Melissa Melewsky an open records lawyer with the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Adding last-minute agenda items prevents members of the public from giving meaningful input on board business ahead of the vote School taxes uptick: Bucks County schools rely on local taxes more than most in PA. Why these costs are rising. Quakertown school board members voted to add the agenda item on the advice of Garton They then voted to accept the settlement agreement Board President Todd Hippauf declined to comment on the likely Sunshine Act violation but did criticize this news organization for covering it “Do you think you will ever do a positive story (on) the district?” Hippauf asked “I suppose bad news or controversy sells.” The adding of last-minute agenda items has drawn multiple lawsuits in the Bucks County area recently Central Bucks is facing a lawsuit for adding major agenda items less than 24 hours in advance The board’s incoming solicitor had advised them at the meeting that they could add items Schnee is representing the plaintiffs in that case He also represents plaintiffs in a Lehigh Valley case in which Parkland School District added a collective bargaining agreement to the agenda less than 24 hours before the meeting which is currently before the state Supreme Court according to a letter to parents from the Superintendent Matthew Friedman Kim Finnerty is serving as interim principal at Quakertown Elementary Jeff attended Quakertown Community High School and graduated in 1969 He enlisted in the United States Army in 1970 and proudly served during the Vietnam War He was awarded multiple medals for courage and bravery Jeff graduated from Penn State University with a Bachelor of Science degree.  where he began his career as Journeyman Carpenter He later returned to his hometown of Quakertown.  Jeff was an active member of the John Rivers where he served as Junior Vice Commander.  he loved his family deeply and cherished the time spent with them.  Ontario; along with his extended family members and friends donations can be made in Jeff’s name to a charity of your choice All arrangements are made by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service — Two radio rock bands that combined in the 1970s and 1980s combined for 30 Top 30 hits will share the stage at Univest Performance Center which from 1975-83 had 19 Top 30 hits on the Billboard Singles chart Tickets, at $47 for lawn seating and $57 to $150 for reserved seating, go on sale at 8:30 a.m. April 17 at the Univest Performance Center website The show is the sixth announced for the Sounds of Summer series this year Three Dog Night From 1969-74 had more Top 10 hits and sold more records and concert tickets than any other act Fourteen of its albums sold gold or platinum The group had the chart-toppers “Mama Told Me (Not to Come),” “An Old Fashioned Love Song,” “Joy to the World” and “Black and White,” as well as “One,” “Never Been to Spain,” “Easy to Be Hard” and “The Show Must Go On.” Lead singer Chuck Negron left the band in 1985 and tours solo Three Dog Night performed at Easton's State Theatre in November Little River Band is best known for its late 1970s hits “Help Is On Its Way,” “Reminiscing” and “Cool Change.” It also had the hits “Happy Anniversary,” “Lady” and “Lonesome Loser.” It is led by vocalist/bassist Wayne Nelson who has been in the band since 1980 an sang on its 1981 Top 10 hit "The Night Owls." Previously announced for the Sounds of Summer concert series were The Little Mermen, which calls itself the ultimate Disney tribute band Joe was the son of the late Martin Kane and the late Gertrude (Gibbs) Kane Joe will be dearly missed by his beloved wife they shared 53 loving years together and 48 years married; his children Erin Gero (Thomas) and Kristin Rider (Eric); his grandchildren James Kane (Pat) Mary Seltner (late Charles) He will be sadly missed by his extended family including nieces and nephews Joe worked at Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local 1 PA-DE as a craftsman for 40 years and he remained an active member there after retiring hunting and playing in his band “On Fire” where he played the guitar Joe was always the life of the party and always ready to have a good time He was happiest when he was playing bingo scratch offs listening to music and spending time with family and friends He enjoyed playing instruments and could learn to play anything you handed him Services for Joe will be held on Thursday April 10 Visitation will be held from 10:00AM ~ 10:45 Graveside service will take place at Holy Cross Cemetery In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to Storm the Heavens Fund We keep voters informed through our in-depth coverage and make it easy for our readers to be prepared to cast their vote we will send a digest of all our stories to your inbox This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page A professional counseling center is urging recent clients of a former therapist to contact Bucks County authorities after the man was charged with secretly recording females using the bathroom in his office Empower Life Coaching & Counseling LLC also announced on its website over the weekend that it's permanently closing its Quakertown office in the 520 block of West Broad Street following the arrest of Jonathan Elliot Moyer “We understand this news is disturbing for everyone and we are working on reaching out to current clients one-on-one,” according to the message “We will continue to assist those who need help processing the recent event as we ourselves work on dealing with our own pain and hurt due to his actions.” Montco charges ride share driver Uber driver accused of groping, harassing woman he gave a ride. What police say happened Moyer was a program director whose areas of practice included drug and alcohol parent-child interaction and family sessions according to the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office He worked at the center’s Quakertown and Berks County locations The 54-year-old Lehigh County man was charged last week with allegedly using cameras disguised as cellphone charging blocks to record female clients and staff using the bathroom in his office Authorities said they believe at least four victims were secretly recorded but investigators suspect that additional charges could be filed once items seized from Moyer’s office and home are analyzed It was not immediately clear how long Moyer worked at the practice but the center called the arrest an “isolated event” occurring possibly only within the past few months and limited to the Quakertown office and want to make everyone aware that this was an act of only one individual,” the center's statement added Bucks County detectives opened an investigation into Moyer on March 3 after an unidentified person notified police of finding an electronic storage device that contained video of a man — later identified as Moyer — setting up a recording device in his office bathroom The micro-SD device also had several other videos that showed females using the bathroom apparently unaware they were being recorded Investigators obtained search warrants at Moyer’s home and office where they discovered a suspicious-looking USB charging black plugged into an outlet underneath the sink and directly across from the toilet in Moyer’s office bathroom according to an affidavit of probable cause The device was later confirmed to be a recording device police allegedly seized numerous recording devices disguised as ordinary items such as the one found in the Quakertown bathroom Moyer also allegedly had a key fob with a concealed camera in his pocket Moyer faces felony counts of intercepting communications and possessing a device to intercept communications plus related misdemeanors including six counts of invasion of privacy He remains incarcerated in Bucks County Correctional Center in lieu of $150,000 bail Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com Quakertown players warm up on the new field in March 2024 At Quakertown Community School District’s new baseball diamond on South Main Street Practice is in full swing and the district still doesn’t have reliable netting in place to capture errant balls Quakertown Community School District’s field of dreams is becoming the stuff of nightmares Baseball practice is in full swing and the district still doesn’t have reliable netting in place to capture errant balls Director of Facilities Rob Christine told school board late last month that the district had received one quote of $285,000 — $86,400 more than the original asking price “There are not a lot of contractors like Pro Max who do 80-foot fencing,” said Christine referring to Reading-based Pro Max Fence Systems He also conceded he was having difficulty getting a company to drill the holes to the depth required Several board members complained there weren’t enough options and sought guarantees a prospective contractor would do the work “I don’t want someone coming in and find out they can’t do the job,” said director Joe Lyons “If we don’t agree to move forward with something we’ll just wait and we can’t have league games because we don’t have the fencing," said director Chuck Shermer Members later voted 6-3 to approve a proposal from Pro Max for the work not to exceed $285,000 “I think it’s irresponsible for us to move forward with one quote.” said director David O’Donnell who was joined in opposition by Brian Reimers and Glenn Iosue It remains unclear whether the netting will be in place by April 23 which, according to quakertownpanthers.org is the first game of the season that's scheduled to be played at the QHS Baseball Diamond including the April 15 Senior Night matchup with Souderton Area High School are scheduled to be played at Memorial Park on Mill Street in Quakertown Board members also agreed to spend $30,000 — $6,000 per year for a five-year subscription — on software to operate the scoreboard “Without the software all the work would have to be done at the game rather than work on the content at the high school,” noted Joe Kuzo The multipurpose field on South Main Street has already cost taxpayers more than $6 million Director Reimers said he had sought an updated cost for the project multiple times Reimers said he still had not heard back from district administrators A catch-all solution is proving elusive for Quakertown Community School District as it attempts to reduce the number of foul baseballs landing… passed away surrounded by his loving family on February 1 He was born in Quakertown to Laura (Dietz) Clymer and the late Raymond Clymer Jr Barry proudly served in the Army for 6 years He was the loving husband of Angie (Tompkins) Clymer for 34 years He and Angie at one time owned and operated Clymer's Ultra Desert Rifles Barry loved going out to the hunting cabin in Tioga county many times a year Barry was very kindhearted and would gladly help all those around him Barry is survived by his mother Laura; wife Angie; sons Ryan (Jess) Thomas and Chadd (Dominique) Clymer; grandson Ryan Thomas Jr. and Andrew Raymond Clymer on the way; siblings Dale Clymer and Susan Clymer; and many other loving family and friends February 10 to Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service Barry will be interred at a later date at Washington Crossing National Cemetery In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Barry's name can be made to Cure PSP If there was any doubt that Collin Gaj would go down as the greatest wrestler in Quakertown history he erased all of them with a remarkable senior season Not only did Gaj win a second PIAA Class 3A gold medal — something no other Panther has ever done — he went undefeated (44-0) and finished as the school's all-time leader in career wins with 182 four Southeast Regional titles and four District One-North titles "Collin is just a once in a generation kind of athlete," longtime Quakertown head coach Kurt Handel said "There was so much expected of him even before he got to high school because people already knew about him "And he accomplished even more than anyone could have expected He has just a truly phenomenal career and he's far from done with wrestling He'll be a force in college (at Virginia Tech University) and beyond." Gaj's efforts earned him his second Courier Times/Intelligencer boys Wrestler of the Year honors Bucks County all-star wrestlers: See who made the Bucks County boys high school wrestling all-star teams for 2024-25 Bucks County gold rush in Hershey: A stunning eight Bucks County wrestlers win gold at PIAA championships Quakertown's Gaj had remarkable senior seasonHis senior season included 20 pins two wins by major decision and a pair of forfeit wins Gaj wasn't not taken down all season and was reversed just twice Wrestling Coach of Year: Check out who was named Bucks County high school boys wrestling Coach of the Year he won his first three matches by technical fall to reach the final and there he thumped Altoona's Luke Sipes His first PIAA title came two years ago when he went 49-0 he placed fourth at states and was a PIAA runner-up as a junior "I loved wrestling at Quakertown and having all of my friends here and really I know I'm going to miss wrestling for Quakertown." Wrestling Team of Year: National power Faith Christian is Bucks County's high school wrestling Team of the Year which just won the ACC title and is sending nine wrestlers to the NCAA Championships in Philadelphia this week at the Wells Fargo Center "I'm looking forward to wrestling in college and to see how far I can take it," Gaj said and they have a really strong program that I'm looking forward to being a part of." Drew Markol covers local sports for PhillyBurbs.com Support our journalism with a subscription A family counselor has been charged with secretly filming female patients and staff while they used the bathroom in his Quakertown office Bucks County authorities allege that Jonathan Elliot Moyer used cameras disguised as cellphone charging blocks and other ordinary items to make the recordings but investigators suspect that additional victims will be identified once items seized from Moyer’s office and home are analyzed First look at LearJet 55 investigation Philly plane crash update: What official report tells us about fatal medical flight Moyer was a program director at Empower Life Coaching & Counseling LLC which has offices in Berks County and the 520 block of West Broad Street in Quakertown His areas of practice were drug and alcohol and family sessions and he worked in both locations A message on the center’s website Friday announced its Quakertown building was “temporarily closed until further notice,” and told clients to reschedule appointments at the Berks County office It is unknown at this point how long Moyer worked for the practice The website did not list him as an employee Friday An email to the group was not immediately returned Friday did not immediately respond to an email Friday seeking comment The Bucks County Detectives opened an investigation Monday after an individual found an electronic storage device that contained video of a man —later identified as Moyer—setting up a recording device in his office bathroom The victims included a female with what detectives described as “delicate facial features” and may have been a minor Investigators obtained search warrants that were simultaneously executed at Moyer’s two offices and his home Detectives allege that Moyer unsuccessfully attempted to use the bathroom in his Quakertown office while officers conducted the search They also alleged Moyer was in possession of a key fob that was later discovered to be a digital video recorder/camera with a micro-SD card police allegedly seized numerous recording devices disguised as ordinary items including charging block cameras like the one found in the Quakertown bathroom pens and numerous micro-SD cards and media storage devices Moyer was arraigned Thursday before District Judge Lisa Gaier on felony counts of intercepting communications and possessing a device to intercept communications and related misdemeanors including six counts of invasion of privacy As of Friday he was incarcerated in Bucks County Correctional Center in lieu of $150,000 bail Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to contact Bucks County Detectives at 215-348-6354 or Quakertown Police at 215-536-5002 Investigators have been in contact with the Buck County NOVA and will continue to work with them to ensure services are provided to victims Anyone who needs their assistance is asked to call 800-675-6900 Cloudy with more rounds of showers and possibly some downpours or a t-storm Wednesday morning crews were dispatched to a reported 3 vehicle crash with 1 person trapped The crash happened at the intersection of Park Ave & S According to the West End Fire company at around 8:20 a.m the Quakertown Fire Department was dispatched to a reported 3 vehicle crash Officials say that 1 person was trapped in one of the vehicles Rescue crews arrived and quickly stabilized the vehicle and began performing a side removal The fire company says additional crews then arrived and began stretching a protection line and assisting with the extrication The person was removed and transferred to EMS Officials report that no children were on the bus at the time of the crash he was the son of Catherine McDermott of Quakertown and the late Edward McDermott A 1985 graduate of Quakertown Community Senior High School Tim had a career in grocery retail before landing a position he enjoyed as a fire protection technician for Cintas Fire Protection Solutions.  Tim found a home in the Upper Perkiomen community where he applied his love for Philadelphia sports teams and uncanny ability to mimic their announcers as the Voice of Upper Perk wrestling for 34 years and chief announcer for Upper Perk Indians football for the past 11 years Tim enjoyed playing the regional courses and in leagues at Macoby Run Golf Course and others with lifelong friends and teammates.  Joe (Yvonne) of Allentown and Greg (Dawn) of Quakertown; his sister Mary McDermott of Quakertown; niece Kelly Stoudt of Quakertown and several other nieces and nephews He was preceded in death by brothers Danny and Derry and her extended family with whom he remained close; and a large network of friends who provided unwavering support throughout his life.  Calling hours will be held from 10:00 - 11:45 a.m followed by a Mass of Christian burial at noon Interment will immediately follow at the Quakertown Union Cemetery Contributions in Tim's name may be made to St Luke's Health Network Cancer Center NEWTOWN — Matt Thomas picked an ideal time to make the three biggest plays of his high school career Trailing 34-29 with 17 seconds remaining and needing to go 80 yards to win a Quakertown senior receiver/defensive back caught a 12-yard pass from junior quarterback Brady Martin on an out pattern After a 15-yard personal foul penalty on Souderton Thomas secured a 43-yard Hail Mary from Martin amid a group of seven players giving the Panthers the ball at the 10-yard line with two seconds left On the next/final play, Thomas grabbed the game-winning 10-yard pass from Martin in the middle of the end zone giving the Panthers a 35-34 Suburban One League Continental Conference victory on Sept 20 and setting off an epic celebration at Alumni Field "I had so much adrenaline once I caught it," said Thomas Coming back from down 28-0 — it was such a big game Thomas had career-highs in catches (nine) and receiving yards (141) The game-winner was the first of his football career "It just let me know no moment's too big," said Thomas "I'm not supposed to make those last two catches Martin passed for a school-record 363 yards and five touchdown passes Senior receiver Aiden Burgy contributed TD catches of 70 40 and 27 yards among his seven receptions for a school-record 193 yards Quakertown head coach George Banas is thrilled to have Thomas on his team "Matt is a great young man who is always ready for anything you ask him to do," Banas said "He is self-motivated and determined to be the best he can be … He has really emerged as one of our go-to guys on offense this year His catch radius is remarkable because of his athleticism." Thomas has 24 receptions for 303 yards on the season as well as 22 tackles and 257 return yards He's been playing football since the age of 7 for the Pennridge Greenjackets then spent seventh grade with Quakertown Pop Warner after the family moved from Telford to Quakertown Bucks County Challenger is special: Challenger flag football puts stars of Friday night on field to give back "I expect to keep on progressing," he said I cut back inside (when I should have gone outside) What it means for QuakertownThe Panthers have won three in a row after an 0-3 start against quality opponents putting them atop the SOL Continental with Upper Dublin but it's almost impossible to win when you throw five interceptions After CR North stopped Quakertown on consecutive drives Panthers junior Brady Martin intercepted a pass then hit senior receiver Aiden Burgy on a 41-yard touchdown deep ball for a 14-0 lead Quakertown senior receiver/defensive end Aiden Burgy followed his school-record 193 receiving yards against Souderton with 101 yards on four catches and two TDs (41 and 43 yards) CR North junior Tucker Martin returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter Head coach George Banas won his 97th game at Quakertown Quakertown junior quarterback Brady Martin completed 10 of 15 passes for 162 yards and two TDs in addition to intercepting two passes and running for a score CR North junior cornerback Gabe Ortiz forced a fumble and recovered it in the second quarter Junior teammates Brady Pae and Max Chernets added an interception and fumble recovery Panthers senior linebacker Gavin Mushrush had an interception right before halftime and junior defensive end Emilio Olivares added an INT off the back of a fallen CR North player after he batted down the pass "It's a big game," said Quakertown head coach George Banas on visiting conference co-leader Upper Dublin next Friday "You practice all year to be in a game like this "It's hard to do anything when you give the ball away five times," said CR North head coach Brandon Garrett The Panthers visit Upper Dublin (4-2 overall 3-0 SOL) for first place in the SOL Continental on Oct CR North visits Cheltenham (1-5 Tom Moore: tmoore@couriertimes.com; @TomMoorePhilly is a sports columnist for PhillyBurbs.com They wrestle in way-different weight classes but the seasons Quakertown's Caroline Hattala and Conwell-Egan's Julia Horger put together were quite similar Both juniors, they went a combined 67-0 and won PIAA gold medals a deeper look into the numbers shows just how good both of them were this past season For Horger At the PIAA tournament in Hershey at 106 pounds Horger had three technical falls (including one in the title match) and a pin in securing her second PIAA gold medal (the first came last year when she finished 22-0 with numbers almost as unreal as this year) And Hattala three decisions and one forfeit at 190 pounds she had a pair of pins and allowed just two points in her four matches Their combined efforts earned Horger and Hattala Courier Times/Intelligencer co-wrestler of the year honors "Julia just keeps getting better and better and always wants to improve," Conwell-Egan head coach Chuckie Connor said Area wrestlers earn eight PIAA golds: A stunning eight Bucks County wrestlers win gold at PIAA championships Girls wrestling all-stars: We name the best of Bucks County with our 2025 high school girls all-star wrestling teams Horger and Hattala were the only undefeated wrestlers in the Bucks County area also won a PIAA gold medal as did senior Collin Gaj on the boys' side 'It's been a great day for Quakertown wrestling," said Quakertown boys head coach Kurt Handel after the PIAA finals in Hershey on March 8 Ashley and Collin all win gold medals is a great accomplishment and I couldn't be happier for all of them."  Former patients have sued an Allentown counseling center and a former therapist accused of secretly filming female staff and clients in his Quakertown office The lawsuit, among other claims, alleges that Empower Life Coaching & Counseling train and supervise Jonathan Elliott Moyer The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office charged Moyer earlier this month with using hidden cameras to record females using the bathroom in his West Broad Street office Moyer was a program director at the center whose areas of practice included drug and alcohol He has been state licensed as a professional counselor since 2016 What are Pa rules with restraint? How often are Bucks County schools restraining students? Why it's hard to know The lawsuit seeks to hold Moyer and Empower accountable for negligence, invasion of privacy, emotional distress, and violations of consumer protection laws, said Berwyn attorney Joe Sauder “Empower Life Coaching & Counseling was entrusted to provide mental health care to vulnerable individuals,” attorney Joe Sauder said our clients were exposed to deeply inappropriate conduct by Jonathan Moyer.”  A representative for Empower Life Coaching and Counseling did not immediately respond to an email seeing comment on Tuesday The Quakertown office closed after Moyer’s arrest and on Tuesday a notice on the center's website announced it was ceasing operations as of March 24 Attorneys Steve Jones and Carson Blythe Morris also did not respond to emailed requests for comment Tuesday The lawsuit filed Monday in Bucks County Common Pleas Court on behalf of three “Jane Does,” alleges Moyer engaged in unethical and inappropriate conduct improper collection of bodily fluids and unprofessional personal inquiries.” The former patients also believe Moyer recorded them without their consent during therapy sessions in the Quakertown office including when they used the bathroom alleges that he required her to submit to random drug tests before starting her sessions though she never reported a substance abuse problem He also allegedly never provided her with a copy of the drug test results who was counseled by Moyer for three years starting when she was 15 alleges that he frequently made sexual comments to her when she was a minor She alleged Moyer asked her to stand on a swivel chair to check the smoke alarm while she was wearing a skirt and he interrupted her sessions when she switched to another therapist The third plaintiff alleges that after Moyer's arrest another therapist in the practice told her that she knew about Moyer’s alleged inappropriate comments and interactions with her and her daughter The lawsuit also accuses the counseling practice of failing to “prevent or detect” Moyer’s conduct despite “warning signs and prior concerns.”  Those concerns include Moyer’s four arrests between 1995 and 2002 on charges related to voyeurism allegations where Moyer was caught looking in windows At least one victim was a 14-year-old Quakertown girl Sauder is also asking the judge to certify the lawsuit as a class action individuals treated at Empower’s Quakertown location or used the bathroom in Moyer’s office during the relevant time period could join the lawsuit (This article was updated to add new information.) when three childhood friends in their 20s scraped together $900 and began serving customers via a portable fryer and folding tables Pa – A rapidly expanding restaurant chain will soon heat up the upper Bucks County dining scene a fast-casual chain specializing in jumbo hot chicken tenders and sliders will hold a grand opening on April 18 at 218 N according to an announcement on the business' website The Quakertown area eatery will occupy a renovated Trainer's Corner space that previously housed a MOD Pizza location which also runs Dave’s Hot Chicken locations on Park Avenue in Willow Grove and Roosevelt Boulevard in Philadelphia The Integritty Group also is planning to open another Dave's Hot Chicken location on Friday Festus was the son of the late Floyd Jones and the late Bernice (Rakauskus) Jones.  he began working as a contractor eventually specializing in 18th Century Barn and Cabin Restoration He was gifted in his craft and worked all over Bucks County following his passion.  His passion for life extended well beyond his work and hanging out with Robin and his friends at the Legion in Quakertown He was a proud Son of the American Legion and an active member of the Riders of the American Legion and served as Road Captain several years Festus loved his friends and family deeply cherishing the time spent with them.  Festus will be dearly missed by his partner 19 Grandchildren and counting; his brother Duane Jones and his sisters Donna Baker and Kathy Jamison Festus is predeceased by his son Jeremy Gibialante there will be coffee and light refreshments served A memorial service in honor of Festus will begin at 12:00PM and a luncheon will immediately follow services located in the church's student center.  donations can be made in Festus’s name to the American Legion Post 242 and/or East Swamp Church in Quakertown.  A new café in Quakertown has its customers putting down their phones and picking up a game instead Whether you’re a dungeon master or a Connect 4 wiz, The Parlour Tabletop and Tome provides a place for friends and family to embark on a Dungeons & Dragons quest or to gather together for a round of their favorite board game The café opened in late October across from the Sines 5 & 10 on West Broad Street thanks to the vision of two neighboring business owners Liz Mosesso with Moon Rabbit Collective and Rebecca Fitting with Level Vape Shop When the space next door to Mosesso’s store became available she and Fitting expressed a shared interest in the downtown spot “We decided to team up and we both had some hazy ideas of what we wanted to put in here “The space ended up dictating much of the look and the feel and we’ve sort of let it evolve from there.” the pair set out to create an inviting and sensory-friendly place with soft a round “Knight’s Table” for group gameplay and a gallery featuring the work of local artists where customers can choose from dozens of tabletop games ranging from new and classic family-friendly board games — such as Monopoly Apples to Apples and Guess Who — to longer complex strategy-based games MaGerk's comes to Bucks County: MaGerk's Pub & Grill is coming to Langhorne. When they open — and what's on the menu alongside a unique coffee and tea beverages with fantasy-inspired names almost like your home away from home where people get to relax unmask for a bit and be themselves,” Mosesso said “It’s nice to see people gaming and doing their homework Quakertown-Pennridge rivalry tradition: They're still talking about this Pennridge-Quakertown Thanksgiving moment 54 years later The Parlour Tabletop and Tome serves up an allergy-friendly nut-free menu with plenty of gluten-free and plant-based vegan options to choose from Their drink menu features coffee from Allentown-based Mad Catter Coffee Roasters Bucks County Book Festival to return: The Bucks County Book Festival, is being revived. Here's what to expect The Parlour Tabletop and Tome is open seven days a week to 6 p.m.Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m to 8 p.m.Large groups can inquire about extended hours by calling ahead Details: 241 W. Broad St., Quakertown; 267-373-0020; The Parlour on Instagram (This story was updated to add new information.) Insieme Event Venue is coming soon to 218 N Various prepared foods are pictured in one of the display cases at Mercatino Italiano in Richland Township Mercatino Italiano operates in the Trainer's Corner shopping center in Richland Township The husband-and-wife operators of two foodie hot spots near Quakertown are looking to further bring people together with another unique venue – The husband-and-wife operators of two foodie hot spots near Quakertown are looking to further bring people together with another unique venue Vince and Kristin Randazzo are planning to hold a grand opening of Insieme Event Venue an elegant and modern event space able to accommodate up to 100 guests The grand opening event will feature DJ entertainment dancing and access to Insieme’s preferred vendors list firsthand Individuals wanting to attend the grand opening can RSVP online at insiemeevents.com/public-events Insieme occupies a renovated space that previously housed Buff City Soap in the renovated Trainer’s Corner shopping center The Randazzos already operate two popular neighboring businesses: Mercatino Italiano an Italian market directly next door to the forthcoming Insieme Event Venue; and Giovanni’s Pizza an Italian eatery on the other side of Mercatino Kristin heads operations at the four-year-old Mercatino while Vince oversees operations at the 45-year-old Giovanni’s which he took over from his parents about eight years ago represents the Randazzos’ first professional collaboration “[Insieme] is used to express the idea of people coming together for a shared purpose or fostering community and embodies our exact vision for the space,” the Randazzos announced on Insieme’s social media pages “We are excited to embark on this journey together as we collaborate for the first time Both of the Randazzos’ existing businesses – Mercatino and Giovanni’s – do a large amount of catering and the couple saw an opportunity to build on that The Randazzos and Insieme team will be able to utilize the kitchens of both neighboring businesses to prepare dishes for the events and we’d do classes and private dinners in there,” Kristin said and people would rent it out for seven-course meals and so forth ‘Do you know a place where we could host an event and have you cater it?’ Now Individuals looking to host events at Insieme will be able to choose from a wide array of a la carte all kinds of buffet packages and so on,” Kristin said but we’re also putting together a package for Mexican food as well Insieme will create memorable experiences with scratch-made dishes as well as stylish decor and a vibrant atmosphere featuring an open-concept floor plan and a lounge and bar area Features will include custom catering and menu selections allowing individuals to bring their alcoholic beverages of choice Insieme’s event manager will be Emily Yost who also operates her own event planning business and she has been working with the Randazzos since she was 14 starting out as a busser and then transitioning to a server at Giovanni’s but she plans to focus her attention on Insieme in the spring “Emilys going to offer a full slate of event planning services when you book with us,” Kristin added you’re going to get all of that along with the food We’ll also have a list of preferred vendors that we work with all of the time.” Insieme is currently accepting bookings, and individuals may inquire about available dates and other details by e-mailing info@insiemeevents.com Other public events include Namaste for Brunch (beginner yoga class hosted by Moondog Yoga followed by brunch served by Insieme; $50) to noon April 6; and Mozzarella di Michael Experience (immersive hands-on mozzarella making class featuring welcome drink food spread and everything you need to make fresh mozzarella to bring home; $110) present and future21 PHOTOSAs part of their ongoing revitalization efforts in downtown Quakertown members of the Rail Yard Society hope to renovate The Eagle Hotel which most recently operated as The Local before closing more than a year ago located next to the historic Quakertown Train Station Members of the Rail Yard Society are raising funds in hopes of bringing new life to the early 20th-century building An undated photo shows the freight house building in its original state Rail Yard Society members hope to build on the success of the Trolley Barn Public Market as they work to raise the needed funds for additional revitalization projects in downtown Quakertown including plans to renovate the freight house and The Eagle Hotel The Trolley Barn Public Market made its debut in 2020 bringing a 19,000-square-foot market and dining hall to downtown Quakertown The long-vacant freight house may soon be renovated and transformed into an event space as part of ongoing revitalization efforts in downtown Quakertown by members of the Rail Yard Society A view of the northeast side of the freight house shows some of the building's disrepair on Tuesday Original characteristics of the 123-year-old freight house building include its stone walls and wooden doors Rail Yard Society members plan to begin repairs on the freight house's roof and other needed contruction to improve the structural integrity of the building A view from the Trolley Barn Public Market parking lot shows the roof of the freight house in Quakertown on Tuesday A circa 1920s photo shows the Quakertown Train Station along Front Street A circa 1940s photo shows Shelly's Ice Cream & Candy and Sine's 5 & 10 along West Broad Street in downtown Quakertown A destination for popular name brand mattresses at highly discounted prices is bidding farewell in upper Bucks County - A destination for popular name brand mattresses at highly discounted prices is bidding farewell in upper Bucks County offering a wide array of new name brand mattress sets at 50% to 80% off their regular retail prices is holding a store closing sale at 13 Quakers Way in Richland Township located in the Village Center Shops just off Route 309 is set to close at the end of June and is offering reduced pricing on its already discounted merchandise storewide in its final weeks Facade and window signs read "going out of business!" and "all must go!" Garber plans to retire and is thankful for the community's support of the business over the past 10 years and we're looking to get everything out before then," Garber said "We have around a half million dollars worth of inventory that we need to get rid of in the next 60 days." factory direct mattresses from popular brands such as Nectar Items are priced at 50% to 80% off their regular retail prices "You're paying at least half of what you'd' pay at a traditional retail store," Garber said Customers also can shop mattress protectors For the latest updates, follow the business' Facebook page Barry was the son of the late Charles Keeler and the late Edna (Weil) Keeler.  Barry graduated from Quakertown High School. After High School Furniture as a furniture maker.  He enjoyed it so much that he remained there for decades He also worked at Draper DBS and THA Furniture until retirement. His passion for life extended well beyond his professional endeavors and enjoying time away at his mountain property. He was happiest when being outdoors. He always had a special place in his heart for quiet times in nature. Above all else Barry loved his family deeply and cherished the time spent with them.  Barry will be dearly missed by his children David Keeler (Kathy) and Timothy Keeler; along with his extended family members and friends All are invited to visit with Barry’s family on Friday located at Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service All arrangements are by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Barry’s name to the Fundraiser for the Arbor Day Foundation  QUAKERTOWN — The big prize is two weeks away in Hershey, but on Saturday night at the PIAA District One North Class 3A wrestling tournament a trio of Bucks County area standouts looked more than ready to make strong runs at the Giant Center in Chocolate Town For seniors Eren Sement of Council Rock North and Collin Gaj who was wrestling for the final time in his home gym at Quakertown Saturday's district tournament just added to their legacies as both won their fourth straight titles became the first CR North wrestler to accomplish the feat while Gaj is the second Panther in the last two seasons to win their fourth district crowns as former teammate and close friend Mason Ziegler (now wrestling at Lehigh University) won his fourth in 2024 "I'm just trying to take it a match at a time and make sure I'm ready for states." Quakertown's Gaj ends home wrestling career in styleGaj won his final (at 160) by technical fall as he blanked CR South's Ben Brillhart needing three minutes to pick up the title a PIAA champion two years ago and a runner-up last season was also named the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler as he improved to 40-0 Faith Christian wrestling No. 1: Tiny Faith Christian in Upper Bucks County a giant in high school wrestling circles who will wrestle at Virginia Tech University "You don't even realize it while it's happening and the next thing you know you're in your senior year Hatboro-Horsham's Morrison excels at districtsFor Hatboro-Horsham sophomore Dom Morrison a PIAA champion a year ago and just the second Hatter to win a PIAA gold medal (Dennis Merriam won as a junior in 1975) there's plenty of time left in his high school career "I'm going to do my best to win another one (PIAA title)," said Morrison who also won his final at 114 by technical fall "I knew I needed to get stronger and that I needed to work on a lot of other things and I feel like I'm ready to go." with three individual champions (Anthony Mutarelli at 133 Gavin Cole at 172 and Jeff Gessner at 285) won the team title with 222 points Pennridge (167) edged host Quakertown (166) for third place in the team standings Girls' wrestling rankings: Plenty of movement in our Bucks County high school individual girls wrestling rankings The most entertaining final came at 152 pounds as Quakertown senior Gavin Carroll and Central Bucks West junior Chris Dennis needed overtime before Carroll notched a takedown in extra time to win 4-1 You won't see a better match where only five points are scored as both wrestlers continually fought off each other's takedown attempts that had the gym roaring Notes: The top six finishers in each weight class advanced to next Friday and Saturday's Southeast Regional tournament at Souderton The top five finishers in each weight class at regionals advance to the PIAA tournament in Hershey beginning March 6 PIAA District One North Class 3A Tournament(at Quakertown High School) top six finishers in each weight class qualify for next weekend's Southeast Regional tournament at Souderton 107 pounds: Dom Powell (Upper Dublin) pinned John Segata (Council Rock South) 215: Walker Murray (Pennsbury) pinned Matt Scott (CR South) 285: Jeff Gessner (CR South) pinned Christian Yanes (Pennridge) 10 postseason wrestling questions: 10 questions and answers as Bucks County area wrestlers take first postseason steps 121: Sam Hunter (CB East) pinned Colton Marjoram (North Penn) Cody Riccardi (CR South) will be contested Sunday Conwell-Egan's Horger after second gold: Conwell-Egan's Horger out to earn second straight PIAA wrestling gold medal Fifth place:107: Cole Borzio (Quakertown) maj 133: Benjamin Staub (Hatboro-Horsham) pinned Sam Tatko (Wissahickon) 172: Carter Clee (Neshaminy) forfeit over Quinten Fullmer (Hatboro-Horsham) 189: Max Nepochatov (CR South) pinned Aaron Kauffman (Springfield-Montco) 215: Phil Roll (Upper Dublin) pinned Jeff Cappa (CB West) The annual Pennridge-Quakertown and Bristol-Morrisville matchups are the last two remaining Thanksgiving Day football games in Bucks County and Eastern Montgomery County There were three until five years ago as Hatboro-Horsham and Upper Moreland played on Turkey Day through the 2019 holiday Can Quakertown continue dominance? Tale of two streaks for Quakertown and Pennridge in annual Thanksgiving football rivalry The Warriors hold a 59-33-2 advantage and Bristol has won the last 24 meetings (21 on Thanksgiving) between the two Bicentennial Athletic League rivals Bristol (9-2) topped 9-4 Morrisville 25-14 during the regular season Pennridge and Quakertown started playing on Thanksgiving in 1930 Here is a closer look at this year's Pennridge-Quakertown clash: Pennridge leads the all-time series 58-31-5 though head coach George Banas and Quakertown have won the past three contests Burgy has 48 catches for 886 yards and a school-record 14 TDs while Thomas has 46 receptions for 603 yards Junior quarterback Brady Martin set single-season school records for completions (144) and passing yardage (1,929) Senior running back Gavin Carroll has rushed for 693 yards on 118 attempts with 10 touchdowns Junior linebacker Jackson Connelly leads the Quakertown defense with 66 tackles 14 of them for loss to give him the school career record with 41 tackles for loss Junior defensive tackle William Bowen and Connelly share the team lead with four sacks apiece Pennridge-Quakertown memorable moment: Still talking about this Pennridge-Quakertown Thanksgiving football moment 54 years later Banas can become the winningest Panthers coach on Thanksgiving with a victory Thursday tying him with Joe Musso (5-0-1 from 1946-51) for the most wins Pennridge's Wayne Helman (18-8 from 1955-80) is the rivalry's all-time leader Banas is also the second Quakertown coach to win three in a row on Turkey Day (2021-23) joining Musso (five straight from 1947-51) with 12 touchdowns and eight interceptions) on offense Keating will be starting his third Thanksgiving game at QB has a team-best 2.5 sacks and senior lineman Andrew Vollberg leads the Rams with three fumble recoveries highlighted by an 18-13 victory over district qualifier Pennsbury which produced three of the final four teams in 6A districts (finalist North Penn top seed Central Bucks South and Central Bucks West) To watch the game online Thursday, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=093QpfBp_hM Test your Pennridge-Quakertown history: Take your best shot at football questions on Thanksgiving Day game (for subscribers) Quakertown Community School District's Technology Student Association program was canceled this year because there was no faculty adviser to run it Others responded that there weren't enough faculty advisers and they'd begun trying to attract advisers from outside the school While some suggested that the lack of faculty could be because of low pay for staff to dedicate time to the club another board member said that it was because a new policy had reduced the number of staff who could chaperone the state conference The board had earlier this year decided to put the club's funding under district control It had previously operated through the high school's budget Superintendent Matthew Friedman pushed back on a suggestion to make a policy exception for TSA and allow more faculty to attend the competition saying that it would be a "slippery slope" for other clubs wanting more faculty assistance He said that a shortage of substitute teachers made it a problem to let too many staff attend Friedman did not respond to a request for comment a teacher who had recently served as faculty adviser for the school's TSA did not respond to requests for comment on the factors that led to the club's cancellation Longtime TSA adviser Wayne McConahy retired last year according to a post from Deily on social media McConahy did not respond to a request for comment The administration is evaluating unit pay for the extracurricular positions "I'm not too hopeful that there is time to get it fixed for this year," he added Jess Rohan can be reached jrohan@gannett.com Luke’s Hospice House with his family by his side Carl attended Quakertown Community High School and graduated in 1975 Carl began working as a retail clerk at Thrift Drug in Quakertown and remained there for several years After leaving his position at the drugstore His passion for life extended well beyond his professional endeavors He was a life member at Springtown Rod and Gun Club and Paletown Rod and Gun Club He was also a member of Great Swamp Fish and Game Carl always had a special place in his heart for animals He was happiest when he was outdoors spending time in nature Carl loved his family deeply and cherished the time spent with them.  Carl will be dearly missed by his brothers Kevin (Jane) and Curt; his nephew Kyle; along with his extended family members and friends followed by a graveside service at Quakertown Union Cemetery.  donations can be made in Carl’s name to St Quakertown used a comeback for the ages to stun Souderton Lightning nearly struck twice for the Panthers on Friday night "We came back against Souderton (after being down 28-0) with a big second half and won and this team never gives up at all." However, the Flying Cardinals quickly moved deep into Quakertown territory and, facing a second and goal with four seconds showing, senior quarterback Kevin Etkins connected with senior wideout Eric Berman in the middle of the end zone to pull out a wild 37-34 win a Suburban One League Continental Conference thriller "We can't keep doing this live and die with trying to make big comebacks," Quakertown head coach George Banas said "It's always a playoff-like game when we play Upper Dublin and this one sure was." The loss dropped the Panthers to 3-4 overall and 3-1 in the SOL Continental while Upper Dublin improved to 5-2 4-0 in the conference and alone in first place Quakertown trimmed the deficit to 31-21 with just over six minutes to go when Martin found senior Aiden Burgy for their second touchdown connection of the night after the Panthers recovered an onside kick it was junior running back Kyler Roesener finishing off another TD drive with a 3-yard run "We believe in each other and know that we're never out of any game," Burgy said "Brady has a lot of guys to throw to and we just give it everything we have every game." the Panthers again quickly moved down the field before Thomas put them ahead with his catch in the corner of the end zone "We know that Quakertown never quits and I told our kids that we had to be ready for it," Upper Dublin head coach Bret Stover said "George does such a good job and this was just a crazy one to watch." With three games left before the start of the PIAA District One playoffs the Panthers will likely have to run the table to qualify who have only lost to undefeated Central Bucks South and CB West the win puts them in the driver's seat for the SOL Continental crown The game's final play with Etkins finding Berman to win it for the hosts was the biggest in a game full of big plays The senior caught nine passes for 146 yards and the touchdown The senior threw for 209 yards and had five touchdown passes Quakertown edged in thriller: Five games to watch in Week Seven of PA high school football in Bucks County "We've been on both ends of this with these type of games this season," Banas said we have to have a short memory and I'm happy we play again Thursday." "We knew we had to go for it (on the game's final play instead of trying a tying field goal)," Stover said "Quakertown had so much momentum and I don't think we would have been able to stop them (in overtime)." The Flying Cardinals host Cheltenham on Oct Support our journalism with a subscription.