🌱 Patch AM: Why did this downtown Bethlehem ice cream shop suddenly close?

Morning Bethlehem! We've got the scoop on the latest happenings in town. Read on to get looped in. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• Why did this downtown Bethlehem ice cream shop suddenly close?
• What’s in the “book of grudges” tied to a Bethlehem judge?
• How a Bethlehem cop’s “handyman” fix changed one resident’s nights

Also on today's calendar: Wildlands Conservancy - Winter Birding Walk and 6 more events.

Today's riddle: What did the shovel say to the dirt? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Friday: Rain and drizzle in the p.m., with a high of 52 and low of 39 degrees.
• Saturday: Cooler with rain, temps: high: 41, low: 35.
• Sunday: Breezy in the afternoon, with a high of 45 and low of 28 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Bethlehem ice cream shop Twisted & Dipped shutters after nearly 18 months (lehighvalleylive.com) — An ice cream favorite, Twisted & Dipped on Main Street in downtown Bethlehem, has quietly closed after about 18 months in business, with windows now covered and no public explanation. The shop was part of a growing local dessert empire from co-owners behind Bethlehem’s Wondaffle and several Batch Microcreamery locations, which all remain open and continue serving Lehigh Valley ice cream fans.
   

2. Bethlehem area judge's ‘book of grudges' leads to misconduct charges (lehighvalleylive.com) — A district judge who presides over Fountain Hill and part of Bethlehem faces judicial misconduct charges, including allegations of keeping a “book of grudges” about people in her courtroom. The complaint also cites a sexually explicit desk calendar, treatment of a defendant during testimony, and concerns about her punctuality and remote hearings, with the case now headed to the state Court of Judicial Discipline.
   

3. 'Giant teddy bear': Bethlehem cop-turned-handyman comes to aid of distressed resident (lehighvalleynews.com) — A Bethlehem police officer went beyond taking a burglary report by buying and installing a proper front-door lock for a frightened elderly resident who’d been sleeping in her living room out of fear. The longtime Bethlehem cop, previously praised for rescuing a resident from a local apartment fire, is being held up as a model of community-focused policing in the city.
   

4. Plan to bring high-speed passenger train through Lehigh Valley is shelved, for now (mcall.com) — A proposed privately financed high-speed Amtrak-partnered line that would have stopped in Bethlehem and used a Bethlehem RailPort has been shelved after Amtrak rejected the plan as lacking a solid business case. AmeriStarRail still touts Bethlehem as a potential future hub and is now eyeing a 2028 launch tied to the Los Angeles Olympics, while regional agencies continue separate efforts to restore passenger rail to the Lehigh Valley.
   

5. Local rally held in Bethlehem after Venezuelan leader's ouster (wfmz.com) — A small but vocal group gathered at West 4th and Wyandotte Streets in Bethlehem to protest U.S. involvement in Venezuela and call for restoring diplomatic relations. Organizers from LEPOCO and allied groups say they’ll continue weekly Thursday protests across Bethlehem, while a Venezuelan-born Allentown resident strongly criticized their stance as misguided.
   

📸 Around Bethlehem

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Bethlehem

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Saturday January 10

• A Day for All Creatures: Screening and Pet Food Drive
  Univest Public Media Center, 839 Sesame St, Bethlehem
  1:00 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Saturday January 10

• Monthly SouthSide Community Cleanup
  South Side Arts District Bethlehem, PA 18018
  10:00 am
• Baby Penguin
  Painting with a Twist , 3650 Nazareth Pike Unit 4 , Bethlehem
  1:00 pm
• Glowing Winter Path
  Painting with a Twist , 3650 Nazareth Pike Unit 4 , Bethlehem
  7:00 pm
• Hurlock & Hinton â A New Duo from Heather Hurlock & Brad Hinton, Blending Cinematic Dream Folk, Harmonies, and Songcraft | with our guest Emme Drago
  Godfrey Daniels , 7 E. Fourth Street , Bethlehem
  8:00 pm

Sunday January 11

• Sundays on the Farm
  1311 Santee Mill Rd , Bethlehem
  2:00 pm

Monday January 12

• đżđ§ââď¸ Qigong: Meditation and Relaxation đżđ§ââď¸
  Bethlehem Area Public Library , 11 W Church Street , Bethlehem
  12:00 pm
• đ¤đś Open Mic Night @BAPL đśđ¤
  Bethlehem Area Public Library , 11 W Church Street , Bethlehem
  5:00 pm

Sunday January 18

• Wildlands Conservancy - Winter Birding Walk
  Louise Moore Park, 151 Country Club Road, Easton, PA 18045
  1:00 pm

📣 Bethlehem Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

Friday January 9

• Salon annuel du camping-car et des terrains de camping
  Allentown Agri-Plex , 1998 Liberty St , Allentown
  10:00 am

Saturday January 10

• Monthly SouthSide Community Cleanup
  South Side Arts District Bethlehem, PA 18018
  10:00 am
• Indoor Auto Racing
  PPL Center , 701 Hamilton St , Allentown
  7:00 pm
• Hurlock & Hinton â A New Duo from Heather Hurlock & Brad Hinton, Blending Cinematic Dream Folk, Harmonies, and Songcraft | with our guest Emme Drago
  Godfrey Daniels , 7 E. Fourth Street , Bethlehem
  8:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Bethlehem PatchAM possible:

• Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Amanda Seyfried a Allentown native is now appearing in The Testament of Ann Lee.
  She has been nominated for the Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award for the portraying of Ann. Just watched a trailer for the movie and I can't wait… (Nextdoor Miller Heights)
• This dog came to the front door this morning but when I opened the door he was gone.
  Anyone know whose this is? He has come back a few times but he is gone as fast as he got here (Nextdoor Woodstock-Langhorne)

• Sam's Club posted a job opening for Stocking Team Associate in Bethlehem. Apply here.
• ABM Industries posted a job opening for Warehouse Janitor Cleaner in Bethlehem. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Bethlehem here.

Ok Bethlehem! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I really dig you!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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