Southampton Local News

Crossing guard assault; Willow Grove stabbing; thefts/fraud; PD honors; EMS crisis/CCAP surcharge; Davis bill; shredding/e-recycling; Senior Farmers Vouchers June1; Parks & Rec; Bright Path July; Almshouse grant; data centers; Harvie ad/loophole; Senior Games; potholes/cell ban; PennDOT innovation savings; Bensalem PD Drone as First Responder; flash flood warning; May20 storms knock out power/close roads; Memorial Day weekend cooler/wet; Warminster Fire adds two firefighters; regional Memorial Day parades; Willow Grove Shopping Center final phase breaking ground June 2026 (261 units, retail, parking); LightPath fiber optic project in Newtown Borough; Pennridge Regional Police blotter May17-23; Lower Southampton meeting calendar May-July 2026. New: Pa. GOP proposal to block data centers on farmland; Bucks County townships scramble to regulate data centers (Falls Twp, West Rockhill); Central Bucks School District approves budget with 5.7% tax hike; Oven Brothers in Warminster closed for good. New: House prices in several Bucks County towns have skyrocketed (e.g., Levittown areas up 80%+). New: Pennsylvania school property tax revenue jumped 4.2% ($725M) in 2026, adding context to local tax debates. New: Eleven Bucks County ZIP codes ranked among wealthiest in region, with Southampton (18966) at #66. New: Pennsylvania lawmakers introduce bills targeting data center development — Sen. Coleman proposes moratorium and tax repeal, directly affecting local regulation debates. New: State-level discussion on data center debate with Sen. Pennycuick highlights competing interests. New: Property tax assessment disparities in PA, with Bucks County's 5% CLR and no reassessment since 1980s, raising fairness concerns and potential future reassessment pressures for local homeowners. New: Shapiro pitches data center incentives (GRID proposal) with conditions, facing pushback; Amazon email leak raises trust issues. New: Montco launches first-ever Housing Blueprint to address 47% price increase, 41% supply drop; 5-year plan. New: Oxford Valley Mall reinvention into town center with 600-unit Atlee Square and potential micro-hospital. New: Fritz Bakery in Bensalem announces major expansion ahead of 50th anniversary. New: Cocktail bar in Doylestown to open rooftop deck June 19. New: Montco volunteer firefighter intentionally set 3 fires in 30-hour span in Souderton/Franconia area. New: Upper Southampton home invasion suspect pleads guilty, sentenced to prison; victim's AirPods led police to suspect. New: Bucks County business updates: Oven Brothers closed; new juice bar in Doylestown; golf sim in Warrington; chamber leadership change. New: Fatal crash in Warminster involving motorcycles and cars, one dead, roads closed. New: Shapiro Administration PIDA loan of $7.4M to EverWhite Corp in Northampton Twp, creating 20 jobs and facility purchase. New: St. Luke's Senior Meals Program at Upper Bucks Campus offers $3.99 meals for seniors. New: Bucks County housing market competitive heading into summer (median price $510k, multiple offers, Central Bucks hot). New: Horsham firefighter fired after racial slur broadcast over county radio during fatal crash response (Montco, near Southampton).