North Catasauqua Borough Office, 98 S. Fourth St., will be closed July 4 in observance of the Fourth of July holiday. The office will reopen 8 a.m. July 7.

With the Fourth of July holiday upon us, Northampton County Emergency Management Services would like to make residents aware of fireworks safety. Summer is synonymous with barbecues, parades and fireworks displays.

Along with all the festivities are plenty of visits to emergency rooms — especially during July. While the majority of these incidents were due to amateurs attempting to use professional-grade, homemade or other illegal fireworks or explosives, thousands were from less powerful devices like small firecrackers and sparklers.

More fires are reported July 4 than any other day of the year. On a typical Fourth of July, fireworks account for two out of five of all reported fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

Check your municipality laws on fireworks use. If fireworks are legal and you choose to use them, follow the following safety tips.

Never use fireworks while impaired by drugs or alcohol; never allow young children to handle fireworks; older children should use them only under close adult supervision; anyone using fireworks or standing nearby should wear protective eyewear; never light them indoors; only use them away from people, houses and flammable material; only light one device at a time and maintain a safe distance after lighting; never ignite devices in a container; do not try to relight or handle malfunctioning fireworks; soak fireworks in water for a few hours before discarding; and keep a bucket of water nearby to fully extinguish fireworks that don’t go off or in case of fire.

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Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will host a fish for free day July 4 to allow anyone to legally fish on all Pennsylvania waterways. No license is required, but all other fishing regulations still apply.

This is a great way to expose the next generation of anglers to the outdoors.

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Catasauqua Garden Club next meets 1 p.m. July 9 at Slovak Center Social Club, 1233 Fifth St. Master Gardener Sue Drabic will speak on “plants of murder and mayhem.”

Guests are welcome.

As always, there will be exhibits of flowers from members’ gardens and maybe an arrangement or two.

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There will be Catasauqua Rough Rider youth football clinics for players entering grades 2-6, planned for July 9, 16 and 23 at Alumni Field on Pine Street, Catasauqua. The clinics will take place 5:15-6 p.m. and will be hosted by Catasauqua High School coaching staff and players.

These clinics are designed for young players to learn the game, meet the staff and players and have some fun. No experience is necessary, and registration is not required.

Parents will be required to sign a release form upon arrival.

For more information, email henrichj@cattysd.org.

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Presbyterian Church of Catasauqua, 210 Pine St., will hold its monthly food drive 10 a.m.-noon July 11 in the church parking lot. Nonperishable food items will be accepted to benefit Catasauqua Area Food Bank.

Drive through to donate your items, and church volunteers will help to unload your contributions.

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The North Catasauqua small Town USA summer concert series continues July 16 with Jump Start Music Duo 6:30-9 p.m. at North Catasauqua William J. Albert Memorial Park, 701 Grove St. Listen to a variety of covers from the 1970s and ’80s. Enjoy a night of great music at the park.

Don’t forget to bring your lawn chairs!

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Presbyterian Church of Catasauqua will hold its next free community lunch 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. July 21. The free community lunch is given out to folks in the community with food insecurity or those who could use a helping hand.

The church is also accepting donations for the Roughie Pantry. The pantry is set up to “love our school-aged neighbors.” The pantry is currently accepting shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, body wash, tampons, sanitary napkins, etc. Collection bins are located at the church entrances.

For more information or to make a donation, call Gail Burfeind at 717-379-0926.

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The next borough council meeting will be held 7 p.m. July 21 in the basement-level meeting room at borough hall. The meeting will be a hybrid meeting, with both in-person and virtual options. Visit northcatasauqua.org for the access code to view the meeting virtually.

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Save the date for St. Mary’s Catholic Church’s 20th annual golf tournament, scheduled for Aug. 1 at Southmoore Golf Course, 235 Moorestown Drive, Bath.

There will be a 1 p.m. shotgun start.

For more, contact the parish office at 610-264-0332 or kim.stmarys122@gmail.com.

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Holy Trinity Memorial Lutheran Church, 604 Fourth St., Catasauqua, will hold a garage sale Aug. 9. More information will be available soon.

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North Catasauqua Police Department and North Catasauqua Police Association thank everyone who came out for the North Catasauqua Community Day. The support, smiles and spirit of everyone made the day truly special. The police department and police association are honored to serve the community and proud to be part of such an incredible town.

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The Catasauqua and North Catasauqua J4 Committee is looking for new members and volunteers to help organize the community celebration of our country’s 250th anniversary, which will occur in 2026. Any North Catasauqua resident interested in joining to help plan the celebration or volunteer is asked to attend a meeting or email the committee at cattyareaJ4@gmail.com and provide your contact information.

The next meeting is set for 7 p.m. Sept. 9 at borough hall.

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Catasauqua Area Food Bank, 527 Front St., is accepting donations of pasta, cereal, soup, rice, stuffing, instant potatoes, granola bars and peanut butter crackers. Donations may be dropped off during open hours, 3-4 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays.

Monetary donations are also accepted. If you have any questions, call 610-264-8366.

Note: Any donations or checks to the food bank must be written to Catasauqua Community Partnership or CCPI and not to the food bank, due to banking regulations. The food bank is under the umbrella of the Catasauqua Community Partnership, as it manages the financial part of the operation.

Community support of the food bank is very important, and the clients who benefit from the services offered appreciate your generosity.

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The borough office reminds residents to make sure you are current on your sewer bill. If you are not, pay it as soon as possible to avoid water shutoff.

If you have questions, contact the borough office at 610-264-1504.

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Catasauqua Community Thrift Shop, 113 Bridge St., is stocked with unique items and bargains. Regular store hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The shop is happy to accept donations of good, used, clean clothing, household items and toys during store hours.

Note: Any donations or checks to the thrift shop must be written to Catasauqua Community Partnership or CCPI and not to the thrift shop, due to banking regulations.

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Summer reading is fun in small Town USA! Visit the North Catasauqua Little Free Library book-exchange box located at borough hall in the front entrance area. It is available anytime and has books available for all ages.

The vision of the Little Free Library is to offer a book for every reader in the community and to offer the opportunity to discover a personally relevant book that is not limited by time, space or privilege.

Visit the library and borrow a book or feel free to add books.

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St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 122 Union St., Catasauqua, offers a grief support gathering for widows. This is a nondenominational gathering that offers conversation and support for those who have lost their spouse. Light refreshments are provided.

All are welcome to attend.

To become a part of the next gathering, contact the parish office.

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North Catasauqua Hometown Heroes banners are a great way to honor a relative or anyone who served in any branch of the military. A photo of the individual to be put on the banner will be needed, with the name of the individual on the back of the photo.

Banner application forms are available at borough hall during regular business hours.

For more information, cost or any questions, call borough hall at 610-264-1504, ext. 4.

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Don’t forget to display your American flag for the July 4 holiday. Happy 249th birthday, America. Wishing everyone a happy and safe Fourth of July weekend!

If you would like something to be included in the North Catasauqua column, submit it to me at least two weeks in advance, especially if a certain date is involved with your submission. I can be reached by email at ncatacentennial@aol.com.