Both Lehigh and Northampton Counties have certified the results of their vote counts in the November 8th elections. That's despite a last-minute petition that was filed Tuesday for a recount for a district in Upper Saucon Township. A county judge denied the petition that had claimed fraud or error during ballot processing. Judge Thomas Capehart dismissed the case due to a lack of evidence.
After a 2-2 vote with one abstention Monday, the Luzerne County Election Board voted Wednesday night 3-2 to certify the results from the November 8th election. Daniel Schramm was the Monday night abstention, saying then he needed more time to determine whether voters were denied their right to vote because of Election Day shortages. Wednesday night, Schramm said he's convinced the results are legit. "I find no reason not to certify. There were no close calls in any race. People won by hundreds of votes, not two or three," Schramm says. All three Democrats on the board voted to certify the results. Both Republicans voted against it.
Cedar Crest College will be using a $1 million grant to convert its grass softball field into an all-year, all-weather turf field with lighting. The new turf field will help with drainage issues and allow for play in inclement weather. The money comes from Pennsylvania's Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program.
Firefighters battled an early Wednesday morning fire at a restaurant in Lehigh County. A fire began around 4 o'clock Wednesday morning at La Cabanita in the 2700 block of South Pike Avenue in Salisbury Township. Investigators believe the fire began in an area around a fireplace. The blaze has been ruled accidental.
It's five-to-ten years in prison for a 28-year-old Bethlehem man. Ian Green has been sentenced for causing the drug overdose death of a 34-year-old man in February 2020. Green pleaded guilty to the charge.
Your state representative or senator may be different beginning today. That's because state redistricting changes are now in effect as of December 1st. The Commonwealth is divided into 50 senatorial and 203 representative districts, but the districting map changes every 10 years based on the most recent census. The process is mandated by the Pennsylvania constitution. Each House district serves an average of 64,000 people.
A second Pennsylvania Superior Court judge has announced that she will seek the vacant seat on the state's supreme court next year. Judge Deborah Kunselman, a Beaver County Democrat, said Wednesday that she will run for the judgeship formerly held by Justice Max Baer. He died in September. A Republican judge from Montgomery County and another Superior Court judge from Philadelphia, who is a Democrat, also have said they'll run. The election for the open seat will be in November of next year.
Penn State scientists say they've made a breakthrough in the mysterious disappearance of legendary aviator Amelia Earhart. Earhart and her navigator disappeared without a trace over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 during her attempt to become the first woman to fly around the world. In 1991 an aluminum panel was found on an island north of Samoa that some believe came from Earhart's plane. Now, researchers at Penn State University say they have used advanced imaging techniques to reveal hidden letters and numbers on the panel, which could help confirm that Earhart had landed on the island.
Animal rights groups have successfully blocked the annual black bear hunt in New Jersey that was slated to begin on Monday. Gov. Phil Murphy recently reversed his ban on the hunt, citing a spike in bear sightings and the risk to the public. However, the animal rights groups disagree, saying the decision was made hastily and without the ability for public comment. The hunt was expected to start on Monday, which would be the first in two years.
Governor Phil Murphy is requiring all public and non-public schools in New Jersey to submit critical incident mapping data to local law enforcement electronically. To respond better in school emergencies, Murphy allotted six-point-five-million dollars in American Rescue Plan funds last summer to collect and digitize school blueprints and make them available to first responders. Citing the number of mass shootings, the Governor said providing law enforcement and first responders with critical data is another step in these efforts if an emergency arises at schools. Incident mapping data includes aerial images of schools, floor plans, utility shutoff locations, and building access points, among others.
New Jersey wants an outside team to manage three state-run veterans memorial homes. Governor Murphy is directing the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to start searching for a vendor who can manage systemic changes and provide qualified, administrative staff to lead new initiatives. Murphy says the vendor chosen would immediately take over as the interim CEO at the embattled Menlo Park Veterans Memorial Home while also searching for a permanent replacement. The plan is to make changes at the location before doing the same at the two other veteran homes.