Bail Set for Alleged South Whitehall Embezzlers

William and Nancy Tonkin, former South Whitehall Township employees, face felony charges for allegedly stealing $850,000 from the township.

William J. Tonkin, a former South Whitehall Township police officer, who, along with his wife, is accused of stealing $850,000 from South Whitehall over 13 years, was arraigned Wednesday by District Judge David Howells. Tonkin's bail was set at $100,000, according to his attorney Gavin Hollihan. Tonkin, 69, of Emmaus, turned himself in to the Lehigh County District Attorney's office Wednesday morning. Tonkin and his wife, Nancy, 66, the former utility supervisor for South Whitehall, face felony charges. Nancy Tonkin, who was was arrested and charged Tuesday, is in Lehigh County Prison in lieu of $200,000 bail, according to court records. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 29.

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Alleged Embezzlers Gambled Township's Money, DA Says

Former South Whitehall Utility Supervisor Nancy A. Tonkin and her husband, a former township police officer, are charged with embezzling $854,497 from township coffers over more than a decade, the Lehigh County District Attorney says.

St. Luke's West End Medical Center Opens Monday

St. Luke's University Health Network's new one-stop West End Medical Center is housed in the former Expo Center, which underwent an extensive renovation.

After more than a year of renovations, the new St. Luke's West End Medical Center on Cetronia Road will open Monday. The 107,000-square-foot building, which once housed the Pennsylvania Expo Center and Builders Square home improvement center, sits on 17 acres. Because the space is so large, St. Luke's University Health Network will be rolling out primary and specialty services in stages as renovations are completed. The West End Medical Center will hold a formal opening June 6, according to Denise Rader, a spokeswoman for St. Luke's. Many health services will be consolidated under one roof, making it more convenient for patients to get doctor visits, X-rays and lab work in one place, and facilitating communication among their healthcare …

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Jaindl Plan for Walbert Ave. Strip Mall Concerns Residents

Access to the proposed Hills at Winchester on the former Rutz Farm still poses a challenge to developer David Jaindl.

Parkland Freddy Nominations, Home Invasion Guilty Plea Top Local News

Search for a new police officer and state audit says Parkland paid too much to former superintendent also were among the top stories last week.

Here's a round-up of some of the top South Whitehall stories that ran last week. Parkland's 'Phantom of the Opera' is nominated for 15 Freddy Awards, including Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical. Parkland ties with Freedom High School for most nominations. Mikael R. Coles Jr., 25, pleads guilty in Lehigh County Court to his role in a robbery and shooting in South Whitehall, according to online court records. Karl Siebert, president of the Parkland Community Library Board of Directors, announced Friday the new timetable for the new library, which will relocate from South Whitehall to Upper Macungie. A state audit report says paying former Parkland Superintendent Louise Donohue for unused sabbatical leave was 'a questionable use of …

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Univest to Break Ground Tuesday at Tilghman Square

The new Univest building is among a spate of new development on Cetronia Road in South Whitehall.

Editor's note: The groundbreaking is Tuesday. An earlier version of the story had an incorrect date. The ceremonial groundbreaking for a new Univest Corp. office at Tilghman Square shopping center will be held Tuesday. The proposed two-story, 10,000-square-foot building on Cetronia Road will initially house 31 employees and offer services in corporate banking, mortgage banking, insurance, wealth management and equipment financing. The building will not be a retail bank, officials have said. The company plans to consolidate its two Lehigh Valley offices into the new building with up to 50 employees.  Construction is expected to be completed in time for the office to open in December 2013, according to a company news release. The …

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Lower Speed Limit on Cedar Crest? [Poll]

PennDOT will conduct a study to determine if a 40 mph speed limit is too high on a section of North Cedar Crest Boulevard in South Whitehall.

South Whitehall commissioners recently agreed to allow PennDOT to conduct a study to determine if a 40 mph speed limit is too high on a section of North Cedar Crest Boulevard. If the study results warrant it, the township would reduce the speed limit on North Cedar Crest Boulevard, from Tilghman Street to the Route 22 exit, and pay for the new signs.

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Suspicious Package and Angry Parkland School Board Top Local News

A Parkland School Director resigns as appointee to LCCC and a Chickie's and Pete's Sports Bar comes to Dorney Park also made South Whitehall headlines.

Here's a list of some of the top South Whitehall posts that last week. Emergency crews were at Lehigh Valley Health Network medical offices in South Whitehall after several people were sickened when a package with an odor was delivered, an official said. Lehigh Carbon Community College is sitting on a $17 million budget surplus but asked Parkland and other school districts for more money. Parkland School District administrators and school directors met Friday to examine and discuss 2013-14 budget issues. Citing 'philosophical differences,' Parkland School Board director Robert Cohen resigns from Lehigh Carbon Community College's Board of Trustees. Kelly Rosario named Parkland School District's new director of curriculum, instruction and …

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