School moves to replace contractor after sex offender incident – Bucks Round-Up – December 23, 2025
School moves to replace contractor after sex offender incident
Upper Bucks Technical High School officials are taking steps to potentially replace their custodial contractor after a registered Tier Three sex offender was permitted to work on campus without proper vetting. The school’s Joint Operating Committee, following a unanimous vote, instructed administrators to issue new requests for proposals for custodial and maintenance services at the Bedminster campus. Newly seated board President Joseph Lyons said future contracts should include “substantial fines” for any company that violates clearance requirements and contractors must understand the consequences upfront. The move follows revelations that Warminster-based C & J Environmental Services, which has held the contract since 2022 and earns $363,000 annually, twice sent a registered sex offender to the school in January and July without submitting required background and child abuse clearances. The individual was convicted in Colorado in 2002 and has been a Tier Three offender in Pennsylvania since 2010, barring him from school-related work under state law. Community members sharply criticized how the situation was handled, noting that the board was not informed until months later and the public learned only after a whistleblower came forward. Residents called for an outside probe and called for a return to in-house custodial staff to regain trust. Board leaders said a cost analysis of in-house services will be prepared, though some members cautioned it could substantially increase costs.
Man arrested for alleged retail theft at ACME of more than 1,000
Lower Southampton Township Police arrested a Norristown man following an alleged retail theft spree at the Bucks Crossing shopping center along East Street Road. Police say a plainclothes detective, working with ACME Loss Prevention, identified 35-year-old Joseph Holod as the suspect in a theft totaling more than $1,146 in merchandise, largely over-the-counter medication. A search following his arrest allegedly uncovered drug paraphernalia and baggies containing residue of a controlled substance. Holod faces a series of charges including shoplifting.
Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign seeks holiday donations
With Christmas approaching, the Salvation Army is urging Bucks County residents to support its annual Red Kettle Campaign amid rising demand and slower-than-normal donations. The organization has launched a matching challenge offering up to $5,000 for local corps that exceed last year’s totals. Officials say all funds stay local, helping provide food, shelter, and emergency assistance as more families struggle with hunger and financial insecurity. Last year’s campaign raised more than $3 million across the region, supporting millions of meals and thousands of families. With hunger and financial insecurity affecting a growing share of Pennsylvania households, officials say the need for support is urgent as Christmas approaches. “Across our communities, The Salvation Army is seeing more people turn to us for help, and at the same time, Red Kettle donations are slower than in years past,” said Lt. Colonel Edgar George, Jr., divisional commander of The Salvation Army Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware Division. “If there was ever a time to consider giving back, it’s now. Thanks to this match challenge, every gift can go twice as far to help the community members we serve.” For more information on donation options visit salvationarmy.org.
Joe LeCompte hosts LeCompte in the Morning on WBCB 1490.
