Good morning, Bethlehem.

Bethlehem will host a busy weekend as ArtsQuest’s Oktoberfest at SteelStacks offers German food, music, and wiener dog races while Reeb Millwork holds a job fair on Oct.

8 to 9 and local groups plan events to celebrate heritage and inclusivity.

Bethlehem Garden Club rededicated the Blue Star Memorial on Sept.

8 in the Rose Garden to honor America's 250th birthday; veterans, officials and community groups attended with patriotic performances and tributes.

Lehigh Valley artist Justin Klement painted a new mural at Lincoln Financial Field featuring the seven team captains for the 2026 season after the Eagles finalized the design earlier this month and completed the work in two days, offering fans a refreshed photo backdrop.

Officials announced Monday, Oct.

5 — via the Historic Preservation Fund — that a three-year project will restore the 1761 Tannery, the only surviving 18th-century Moravian industrial building in Bethlehem. The $699,300 grant will also fund efforts to remove invasive Japanese knotweed from the Colonial Industrial Quarter.

On Oct. 1 at ArtsQuest at SteelStacks, Thomas Ripsam, CEO of C.F.

Martin & Co., delivered lessons at the Lehigh Valley Manufacturing Forum on blending traditional craftsmanship with modern automation to boost production from 17,000 to over 125,000 instruments annually.

Residents in Hazle Township rejected the $10,000 offer from NorthPoint Development for the Project Hazelnut data center, citing fears that the power-hungry facility may harm local quality of life + environment.

The move reflects growing skepticism in the area over future tech developments.

Liberty HS administrators temporarily locked down the school last week after an anonymous Instagram post was reported — police confirmed the threat was not credible.

Police Chief Michelle Kott said improved training and processes help school officials and law enforcement address suspicious social media posts in an evolving digital environment.

Northampton Community College held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new Precision Machining and Tool Design Center in Hartzell Hall on its Bethlehem campus.

The center will offer courses in machining and tool design — funded by a state grant and Truist Foundation support — to meet the region’s growing job demand.

The Pennsylvania Senate passed a bill on Oct.

5 to phase out PFAS-containing firefighting foam (forever chemicals), with new rules set to take effect in 2027 and a requirement to label turnout gear. The measure now heads to the Pennsylvania House with some exceptions kept for necessary uses.

First Presbyterian Church has voted to sell part of its 31.5-acre property and will hold an auction with 173 lots closing at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct.

15. The congregation will work from a temporary site before moving to a smaller facility that supports affordable housing on the retained campus.