Data center plan bad for the community

Air Products’ proposal to build a data center in Upper Macungie Township jeopardizes residents’ best interests and well-being. If residents find Air Products’ headquarters aesthetically rude, approving a resource-consuming data center will make them wish the monstrosity grew five stories instead.

“I consider data centers to be the tapeworms of the city,” Lance Saleme, Santa Clara, California, planning commissioner said in an interview with Stanford University’s Magazine, “& the West.”

Like parasitic worms, data centers siphon city nutrients, guzzling energy and water, while offering little in return in terms of job and economic growth. Additionally, the New York Times reported that data centers create noise pollution, harm property values and contaminate local groundwater.

Residents know what happened last time Air Products pushed through a building initiative. Last time, the company intruded upon Upper Macungie sightlines, this time Air Products will leave the township anemic. In order to protect local resources and property values from a data center infestation, residents need to voice concerns at the city council meeting Dec. 4.

The worm feeds on silence. Speak out.

Lauren Miller

Upper Macungie Township

ABC report on assassination of JFK was very well done

Kudos to ABC News for its recently aired superb special about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The primetime special was thorough and tastefully done. ABC elected not to show the explosive, fatal shot that was captured for eternity on Abraham Zapruder’s camera.

I remember Nov. 22, 1963, as if it were yesterday. Mother Superior visited our fifth grade classroom at St. Catharine of Siena in Allentown informing us that the president had been shot. For 30 minutes, we prayed nonstop, asking God to save the Catholic president’s life. But God opted otherwise.

Years later, I purchased a book that was written by Robert J. Groden, who would one day consult Oliver Stone on his blockbuster movie, “JFK.” We sat in Groden’s kitchen, kibitzing over orange juice. I soon realized that the encyclopedic Mr. Groden forgot more about the assassination than I knew. I met him again, a few years ago, pitching his books behind the pergola adjacent to the grassy knoll in Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas, which President Kennedy was being driven through when he was shot.

Winston Churchill once described the Soviet Union as “a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.” So too the JFK assassination, which long ago became a colorful kaleidoscope of conspiracy.

Bob Fried

Allentown

Epstein case offenders must be held accountable

The Epstein case exposed not only horrendous abuse of young girls but also the many adults who enabled, ignored or minimized it. These individuals must be held fully accountable. Just as society demanded transparency when confronting abuse within the Catholic Church, we must insist on the same level of exposure and scrutiny for every adult who participated in, facilitated or protected this exploitation.

While the primary responsibility lies with the perpetrators, this tragedy also forces us to ask hard questions about the breakdowns in families and communities. No responsible parent would knowingly allow a child to be placed in such danger, yet somewhere critical protections failed.

Acknowledging this does not diminish the guilt of the adults at the center of this scandal, it emphasizes how many layers of safety collapsed at once.

If we want real change, every adult involved must face consequences. Only then can we begin to protect vulnerable young people the way they deserve.

John Joseph Kelhart

Allen Township

Pa. residents deserve clean waterways

I was recently shocked to learn that, in 2025, untreated sewage is being released into our state waterways. This is both horrifying and disappointing.

According to a PennEnvironment report, in Philadelphia 12.7 billion gallons of untreated sewage and stormwater were released annually into streams and rivers between 2016 and 2024. On average, these overflows happen 65 times per year. With waterways unsafe for up to three days after a sewage overflow happens, this means our rivers can be dangerous to swim, boat and fish in for over half the year.

The release of sewage into our waterways puts people at risk of getting sick, harms our wildlife, and goes against the principles and objectives of the Clean Water Act — to keep water clean for recreational use. The solutions to this problem lie in statewide and nationwide action.

Therefore, local, state, and federal officials should make funding water and sewer infrastructure a top priority going into 2026. We deserve for our commonwealth waterways to become clean.

Vitalli Martyniak

Bethlehem

Solar panels for warehouses makes sense

I support state Rep. Josh Siegel’s bill to require new warehouses and distribution centers to have roofs capable of supporting solar panels. But I don’t hold much hope for passage in our Legislature.

Adding solar arrays to these large roofs is a perfect solution, increasing our production of electricity from renewable sources, and providing a revenue stream for developers at minimal increase in construction costs. And if our Legislature should ever pass the “community solar” bill, now stuck in a Senate committee, the benefits of solar electricity could be available to tenants and others without access to an appropriate roof

This is no more onerous a mandate than requirements for adequate exits, fire protection systems or minimum parking spaces. This one adds value and generates cash flow.

However, abundant solar power needs an upgraded electrical grid to distribute this power efficiently to all customers. Congress in Washington needs to pass a comprehensive permitting reform bill to streamline the approval process for dozens of clean energy and grid projects awaiting movement in multiple layers of bureaucracy.

This seems like a win for everyone involved, and for society at large. Our representatives at all levels need to act for the benefit of us all.

John Gallagher

Bethlehem Township

Why does special education cost so much?

I’m not an educator or anything like that, so could someone please explain to me how it is double the cost to educate a special education student. When I went to school, special education students were just separated and had their own teacher, nothing more, so I’m confused how the cost is double.

Keith McDermott

Alburtis

The Morning Call publishes letters from readers online and in print several times a week. Submit a letter to the editor at letters@mcall.com. The views expressed in this piece are those of its individual author(s), and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of this publication.