An official hostess has been named for Carbon County's sesquicentennial celebration. Merie Walker, a native of Iowa who now resides in the Jim Thorpe Navigation Building, will be portraying an ancestor at various anniversary activities during the yearlong event.

Honorary chairman for the 150th anniversary celebration will be Albert U. "Brady" Koch, who served as a county commissioner for 24 years. Koch is a lifelong resident of Lehighton and served as chairman of Lehighton Borough's successful centennial celebration in 1966.