The sale of the Brass Rail along Lehigh Street in Allentown has fallen through. Today's Morning Call reports Royal Farms has backed out of the deal to buy the property. Royal Farms had plans to build a gas station and convenience store on the site. Brass Rail owners say this doesn't mean the legendary business will be reopening after closing in June. Owners say they're in negotiations with another buyer.
Police are investigating a Tuesday evening shooting outside the Wawa on 25th street in Palmer Township. One man was shot just before 6 o'clock Tuesday night outside the Wawa. The victim is hospitalized, reportedly in stable condition. Officials say the shooting was not random and there's no danger to the public.
A third person has now died after a weekend crash near the outlets in the Poconos. A Brooklyn, New York woman died Monday night at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest. She was a passenger in the SUV that crashed with an oncoming car Sunday night on Route 611 at Route 715 in Pocono Township. The driver of that SUV was also from Brooklyn and he also died. The driver of the other vehicle, 33-year-old Alejandro Roman, of Hazleton, also was killed. Police say speed may have been a factor in the crash, but the investigation is far from over.
An Easton Area School District bus was involved in a crash Tuesday morning in Palmer Township. About 30 high school students were aboard at the time, but none were hurt in the two-vehicle crash that happened on Tatamy Road near Northwood Avenue. Police are still investigating what caused the accident.
AAA East Central says gas prices in both the Lehigh Valley and across Pennsylvania are on the downswing. Here in the Lehigh Valley, the average price as of Tuesday was $3.86, down a dime from the previous week. The local price sits 29 cents more than one year ago however. Across the commonwealth, the average price is $3.73, down 13 cents from the previous week, but still 19 cents more than one year earlier.
If you're a Comcast subscriber, you'll likely notice a rate increase for cable and internet service on your next bill. Company officials say they're raising their fees December 20th by about four percent. They say the hike is needed to pay for increased costs to provide local broadcast stations and regional sports networks to local cable systems. They're also raising fees for modem rentals and TV remotes.
A Pennsylvania lawmaker is pushing for new rules that would require testing for lead in every child in the state. Senator Lisa Baker says she plans to introduce legislation that would require that all kids under two have their blood tested for levels of the metal. A newly-signed law requires the tests for pregnant women or kids found to be at risk of exposure to lead. The new measure would make the lab work universal.
A brand of frozen raspberries is being recalled in Pennsylvania and several states because of the presence of hepatitis A. Nearly 13-hundred cases of James Farm frozen raspberries. They were sold at Restaurant Depot/Jetro locations, possibly including the one on Chambers Hill Road in Harrisburg and the store in Bethlehem. The recall affects products with a "best if used by" date of June 14th, 2024.
Pennsylvania State Police say one of their own has been suspended without pay after being charged with driving under the influence while on the job. Trooper Austin Burney was found to be D-U-I on November 27th during his assigned shift. He's been a trooper for nearly a year-and-a-half and is assigned to Troop C in McKean County.
A day after reaching a massive deal with free agent shortstop Trea Turner, the Phillies added to their starting rotation by signing pitcher Tajuan Walker to a four-year, $72 million deal. MLB Network analyst Steve Phillips says the Walker signing is a good one. "This is a guy. He's a warrior. He'll pitch hurt. He'll pitch through some pain. He'll go out there and compete every single time. He's a great teammate and a real athletic guy on the mound, so I love this signing for them," Phillips says. Walker was 12-5 with a 3.49 ERA last year with the Mets. He's expected to slot into the fourth spot in the Phillies rotation, behind Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola and Ranger Suarez.