Peter Kern said the fledgling Carbon County Chamber of Commerce is "in its 10 1/2 months of pregnancy and is struggling to be born."

But, Kern assured, it will be born and a kick-off dinner for it will likely be held in spring, possibly in March.The concept is to have local Chambers of Commerce merge into a countywide unit. The local chambers will then become counsels of the county chamber.Two local chambers, Jim Thorpe and Palmerton, have agreed to join the countywide unit, while the Lehighton chamber has agreed to "endorse the concept."