Honoring our african american veterans
Special Guest Speaker Michael Carter, Warrant Officer
Join us for the Veteran Day Ceremony to honor all those who have served to protect our liberty and defend our Freedom, including color guards, a guest speaker, and Recognition of Veterans in attendance
About the election
allentown's former hr director is suing THE city
Turek fired Karen Ocasio when returing to work after BURNING her father
By Lindsay Weber
UPDATED: October 27, 2025, at 6:13 PM ET
Allentown’s former director of human resources, who claims he was forced to quit in 2023 after less than two months on the job, is suing the city in federal court, alleging illegal retaliation and age and religious discrimination.
Allentown hired Nadeem Eli Shahzad in June 2023; before that, Shahzad had served as HR director for other government agencies, including Delaware County and Nassau County, New York. Before Shahzad’s hire, Allentown’s human resources director position had been vacant for more than a year.
Shahzad claims that in August 2023, he was fired from the position “without just cause,” though an Allentown spokesperson disputed that characterization. Shahzad alleges that Mayor Matt Tuerk had called him into a meeting with a city lawyer present and gave him a choice: resign or be terminated and escorted out of the building. Shahzad said he chose to resign.
City spokesperson Genesis Ortega has said Shahzad voluntarily resigned and that the city did not fire him. Reached for comment on the lawsuit, Ortega said the city does not comment on pending litigation.
In a civil lawsuit filed Monday in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Shahzad’s lawyer, Marc Weinstein, claims that the city illegally retaliated and discriminated against him.
Weinstein alleges that Tuerk asked Shahzad to fire an employee whom Tuerk deemed a “troublemaker.”
Although the employee is not named in the lawsuit, Shahzad has previously publicly identified her as Karen Ocasio, a former human resources generalist who also claims the city discriminated against her. The city fired Ocasio in November 2024, around four months after Shahzad alleges he was forced out of his job.
However, the lawsuit alleges that Shahzad reviewed Ocasio’s work performance and found no issues, so he refused to fire her. On Aug. 19, 2024,
Tuerk told Shahzad to either sign a letter of resignation or be fired on the spot, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit also claims that Tuerk called Shahzad, 79, a “Muslim old man” on at least three occasions.
After Shahzad left his position, he filed a discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The commission dismissed his case on Aug. 22, noting that investigators did not find sufficient evidence to support the claim, but that Shahzad had the right to sue in federal court.
Shahzad’s resignation came a month after the NAACP's Allentown branch raised concerns about alleged racism in City Hall through a public letter. The letter claimed that Tuerk and city staff ignored racist incidents and listed multiple grievances against city leadership. Shahzad stated at the time that there was “a lot of truth” to the letter’s allegations.
Tuerk has said the city does “not tolerate discrimination of any form in Allentown,” and has thoroughly investigated all official complaints. An outside investigation, approved by City Council and conducted by law firm Duane Morris, found “instances of isolated discriminatory conduct” and a “grossly mismanaged” human resources department, but no “system issue of racial or unlawful discrimination in the city government.” Lawyers declined to release any details of their findings publicly. In his lawsuit, Shahzad requests a jury trial, back pay, and promotions from the date of his dismissal until the jury's verdict, along with compensatory damages for mental suffering.
Reporter Lindsay Weber can be reached at Liweber@mcall.com.
City of Allentown is being sued again
The lawsuit claims Mayor Matt Tuerk told Shahzad to fire an employee he called a “troublemaker.” Shahzad refused, and Tuerk later dismissed the worker, Karen Ocasio, in November 2024 after she returned from bereavement leave.
make a plan to vote
November 4th
Dear Pennsylvania Voter,
The election is Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. Do you have a plan to vote?
Voting in person
If you plan to vote in person on Election Day, find your assigned polling place. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. If you are a first-time voter or are voting at a new polling place, here are tips to prepare to vote. And be sure to arrange for transportation to your polling place in advance, if needed.
Voting by mail
If you plan to vote by mail ballot, request your ballot now to be sure you have time to receive and return it. The deadline to apply is Oct. 28.
You can also apply in person at your county board of elections office, complete the ballot while you are there, and return it all in one visit. If you choose this option, be sure to contact your county board of elections office to verify their hours.
There are four steps for completing and returning your mail ballot:
- Read the instructions and mark your ballot with a blue or black pen. There may be races on the back of your ballot, so be sure to check both sides.
- Seal your ballot in the yellow envelope marked “official election ballot.” The ballot must be placed in this envelope for it to be counted.
- Place the yellow envelope in the larger return envelope. You must sign and date the larger envelope before you return it to your county board of elections.
- Return your completed ballot to your county elections office – either by mail, in person, or in an officially designated drop box. See if your county offers drop boxes or a satellite drop-off location.
Your mail ballot must be received by your county board of elections by 8 p.m. Nov. 4. Mail ballots received after that time will not be counted.
You are the only person permitted to return your ballot unless you have a disability anddesignate someone in writing to return your ballot for you.
For more information about voting and elections in PA, visit vote.pa.gov.
Thank you for being an informed and prepared voter.
Sincerely,
Al Schmidt
Secretary of the Commonwealth
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X for more information.
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Estimado votante de Pensilvania:
Las elecciones son el martes, 4 de noviembre de 2025. ¿Tiene un plan para votar?
Votar en persona
Si planea votar en persona el día de las elecciones, encuentre su centro de votación asignado.
Las urnas estarán abiertas de 7:00 a. m. a 8:00 p. m. el día de las elecciones.
Si es la primera vez que vota o está votando en un nuevo centro de votación, aquí tiene algunos consejos para prepararse para votar.
Asegúrese de organizar el transporte a su centro de votación con anticipación, si es necesario.
Voto por correo
Si tiene previsto votar por correo, solicite su boleta electoral ahora para asegurarse de que tiene tiempo de recibirla y devuélvala. La fecha límite para presentar la solicitud es el 28 de octubre.
También puede solicitarla en persona en su oficina de la junta electoral del condado, y puede completar boleta mientras esté allí, y devolverla, en una sola visita. Si elige esta opción, asegúrese de ponerse en contacto con su oficina de la junta electoral del condado para verificar su horario.
Hay cuatro pasos para completar y devolver su boleta por correo:
- Lea las instrucciones y marque su boleta con un bolígrafo o pluma azul o de color negro. Puede haber contiendas electorales en el reverso de su boleta, así que asegúrese de comprobar ambos lados.
- Selle su boleta en el sobre amarillo marcado como ‘‘official election ballot’’ (boleta electoral oficial). La boleta debe introducirse en este sobre para que sea válida.
- Introduzca el sobre amarillo en el sobre de devolución más grande Debe firmar y fechar el sobre más grande antes de devolverlo a la junta electoral de su condado.
- Devuelva su boleta ya completada a su oficina electoral del condado, ya sea por correo, en persona o en un buzón designado oficialmente. Averigüe si su condado ofrece buzones o un lugar de entrega satélite.
Su voto por correo debe ser recibido por la junta electoral de su condado antes de las 8:00 p. m. del 4 de noviembre. Los votos por correo recibidos después de esa hora no se contabilizarán.
Usted es la única persona autorizada a devolver su boleta, a menos que tenga una discapacidad y designe a alguien por escrito para devolver su boleta por usted.
Para obtener más información sobre la votación y las elecciones en PA, visite vote.pa.gov.
Gracias por ser un votante informado y preparado.
Atentamente,
Al Schmidt
Secretario de Commonwealth
VOTE YES to retain our fair and independent Supreme CourtS
🚨 Election Day is less than a month away!
🚨 Election Day is less than a month away! MAGA billionaires and Donald Trump are trying to confuse you by mailing you lies.
🏛️ This year there are critical judicial elections in Pennsylvania, and
wealthy special interests are trying to buy our courts to put in their hand picked judges.
✅ VOTE YES to retain our fair and independent Supreme Court Justices DONOHUE, DOUGHERTY, and WECHT, and Judges who will protect reproductive freedom, free and fair elections, workers protections.
🗳️ You may need to look for the retention races on the back of your ballot. And remember to vote for our Democratic candidates up and down the ballot. Election Day is Tuesday, November 4. Prepare to vote by going to https://vote.pa
🌐 Get your full list of Democratic candidates at https://padems.org/candidates
Check your voter registration for the upcoming election
November 4, 2025
Dear Pennsylvania Voter,
Have you recently moved or changed your name? Is your voter registration accurate and up to date?
Pennsylvania’s election is Nov. 4, 2025. Now is the time to check your voter registration statusand to make sure your information is current.
Whether you plan to vote by mail or vote at your polling place, you can update your information or change your party affiliation by Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, for changes to take effect before the election.
Contact your county board of elections for ballot information: vote.pa.gov/County.
If you are unsure about your voter registration status, go to vote.pa.gov/Status.
Forward this email to family, friends, and colleagues to spread the word. Help make sure all registered PA voters can cast their ballot on Nov. 4.
For more information about voting and elections in PA, visit vote.pa.gov.
Sincerely,
Al Schmidt
Secretary of the Commonwealth
***
Estimado votante de Pensilvania:
¿Se ha mudado recientemente o ha cambiado de nombre? ¿Su registro de votante es preciso y está actualizado?
Las elecciones de Pensilvania son el 4 de noviembre de 2025. Ahora es el momento para verificar su estado de inscripción de votante y para asegurarse de que sus datos estén actualizados.
Si piensa votar por correo o en su centro de votación, puede actualizar sus datos o cambiar su afiliación de partido antes del lunes, 20 de octubre de 2025 para que los cambios tengan efecto antes de la elección.
Contáctese con su junta electoral del condado para obtener información sobre la votación: vote.pa.gov/County.
Si no está seguro acerca del estado de registro de votación, visite vote.pa.gov/Status.
Reenvíe este correo a su familia, amigos y colegas para difundir el mensaje. Ayude asegurar que todos los
votantes de Pensilvania puedan votar el 4 de noviembre.
Para obtener más información acerca de la votación y las elecciones en Pensilvania, visite vote.pa.gov .
Atentamente,
Al Schmidt
Secretario de la Mancomunidad (Commonwealth)
***
St. James AMEZ Church Services
A. Addison Young II, pastor
Come and be part of our vibrant community at St. James African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church! Join Reverend A. Addison Young II every Sunday at 11:30 AM at 410 Union St., Allentown, PA. As the oldest African church in Lehigh County, St. James is a place where love, harmony, and strong connections flourish. We warmly welcome you to experience uplifting worship and the joy of fellowship with us!
Key Information from Vote.gov
Key Information from Vote.gov
- Registering to Vote:
- Each state has its own rules for voter registration. You can check your registration status, update your address, or change your name through your state’s election website.
- If you are a U.S. citizen living abroad, you can register to vote and request an absentee ballot using the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA).
- Voter Registration Deadlines:
- There is no national voter registration deadline; it varies by state. Some states allow registration on Election Day, while others require registration to be completed 30 days before the election.
- Voting as a College Student:
- College students can register in their hometown or college town, depending on their preference.
- Updating Your Registration:
- If you change your address or legal name, updating your voter registration before your state’s registration deadline is important.
If you need specific assistance with voter registration or have questions about the voting process, we recommend visiting the official Vote.gov website for detailed guidance tailored to your state.
· Register to vote in your state | Vote.gov
Your Vote Is Your Voice
Your vote is safe
What happens after you vote? Whether you voted by mail or in person, there are processes in place to make sure your vote is secure. State and local election offices take steps to make sure your vote is counted correctly and your voice is represented
Ed Zucal canadate for allentown mayor
Zucal revealed his plan when asked whether the Allentown Police Department maintains the trust and confidence of residents in the wake of sexual assault and other charges against two former vice officers, as well as other allegations made public in a whistleblower lawsuit in August.