Another year has passed, and everyone is gearing up to celebrate the next one on the way. But before 2019 gets here, let’s reflect on some of the good things that have taken place in 2018.

Nathan Gerace started his year with a historic win. In January, Gerace was sworn in as Tamaqua’s youngest mayor, replacing Mayor Christian Morrison, who served in the position for 12 years. Gerace was 19-years-old at the time.

A local group of volunteers continued their restoration passion project. Enlisting the help of local businesses, their plan is to restore the landmark clock of the 107-year-old Schwab school building, which the borough acquired last year. The group raised $3,845 to update the antiquity’s clock mechanism. Bradford Clock will do that work, while Dawn’s Vinyl Designs will restore the clock face.

The Carbon County Bar Association unveiled portraits of its three sitting judges on the on the Court of Common Pleas: President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II and judges Steven R. Serfass and Joseph J. Matika. Richard Quindry, a portrait photographer, completed the works.

Area banks debuted a new $1 coin in February featuring a reverse design from the U.S. Mint of Jim Thorpe, highlighting his football and Olympic achievements. The coins were inscribed with “Jim Thorpe,” “Wa-Tho-Huk” (Thorpe’s Sac and Fox tribe name), “United States of America” and “$1.” Collectors ordered a combined 1,150,800 Jim Thorpe coins through roll, bag and box options.

Carbon County Celebrated its demisemiseptcentennial, or 175th birthday, in March. In the late nineteenth century, Asa Packer, a businessman and railroad magnate, introduced the bill separating Carbon County from Northampton County. The bill also established the county court system, which in 1894, cost $125,000.

Rev. John A. Hutta II was ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Allentown at the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Palmerton.

Former Lansford resident James Curry won an Emmy for his efforts when producing “The Morning Show” for CBS News in Atlanta.

Curtis Jackson, of Jim Thorpe, took a trip to Washington D.C. The businessman, who is vice president of Software Consulting Services in Nazareth, was welcomed to the White House Historical Association’s “Presidential Sites Summit” because his company played a pivotal role in helping the association rebuild its website and supplying the software that powers its digital library.

The heroism of two Lehighton firefighters was honored at the Valley Preferred Spirit of Courage Awards during its 13th annual celebration. Firefighter Stephen Ebbert and Lt. Scott Smith put their lives on the line in January during a rescue attempt to save two people from a fire after they entered a burning apartment building filled with gasoline on Main Road in Weissport back in January.

Despite Ebbert and Smith’s efforts, both victims, Gerald Boeck and Robert Fritzinger, died.

KME employees extended a helping hand to the victims of Hurricane Michael - the that storm ravaged the Florida panhandle in October.

When the question of how the company could help out arose, Brian Connely, vice president and general manager of KME, said, a particular problem stood out: a lack of tarps. To address that need, employees of KME’s Nesquehoning and Roanoke, Virginia, plants brought in new tarps, donating them through the KME Cares initiative. The tarps were then shipped to the Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center in Panama City and distributed.

Matt Kusko, of Summit Hill, spent some time in the limelight, thanks to his take on the Philadelphia Flyers mascot, Gritty. He posted a picture of him decked out in a Flyer’s jersey and orange face paint, garnering more than 100,000 likes.