A Northampton County school van driver is behind bars after he allegedly sexually assaulted a special needs student. Dean D'Amico was s driver for Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 when he allegedly inappropriately touched and kissed the child, who is non-verbal and only communicates through written messages. Investigators say D'Amico also bought the girl a cell phone and asked her to take nude selfies and bring the phone to him so he could view the pictures. Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 says D'Amico was already on suspension because he had failed a random drug test.
A Slate Belt staple is for sale. After operating for 63 years, Detzi's Tavern on North Lehigh Avenue in Wind Gap is being sold by the Detzi family. The owners say they're looking to retire, but will keep the business open until the sale goes through.
Northampton County's first gun buyback saw more than 300 weapons turned in last year. That is leading Northampton County District Attorney Terry Houck to hold a second buyback April 15th. The gun buyback is planned for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 15 at the Leithsville Fire Station in Lower Saucon Township, and the Northampton Fire Department, in Northampton Borough. Rifles, handguns, shotguns and semi-automatic weapons will be accepted.
Bethlehem City Council has voted to spend $400,000 for repairs to the city's Stark Pool on Siegfried Street. The pool, which dates back to the 1960s has developed leaks. The money will allow for the repair and construction of drainage around the pool's perimeter and underneath it as well as restoring the pool's deck. The money comes from the city's recreation fund.
Pennsylvania State Police are asking the public for help with locating a missing juvenile in Monroe County. Sixteen-year-old James Deva Kersingh left his home in Middle Smithfield Township yesterday morning and was last seen in East Stroudsburg. He has black hair and brown eyes and is believed to be a runaway. Anyone with any information is being asked to contact the Pennsylvania State Police's Criminal Investigation Unit.
Fire crews hope to completely extinguish a brush fire today on Blue Mountain in Plainfield Township. The fire began Tuesday afternoon and jeopardized several homes. Greg Reese is the DCNR Wildland Fire Investigator and says the close call serves as a reminder to pay attention to wildfire warnings. "If you get a fire weather watch or a red flag warning, you really should be conscientious about what you're burning and what you're doing and just really follow the guidelines," Reese says. He says about 20 volunteer fire departments headed into the woods to prevent the fire from spreading beyond the 14 acres it affected.
PennDOT officials say they're working to plug gaps between electric vehicle charging stations across the state. PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton says his agency is ready to receive proposals to build about 150 electric vehicle charging stations across the state. PennDOT has identified 27 areas on 15 interstates as well as Route 30 that will need to have the charging stations installed to fulfill state mandates. The department will start accepting applications to build those stations starting Monday. They'll be paid for with nearly 172-million-dollars from the new federal infrastructure program.
A Pennsylvania Senate Democrat is trying again to get mandatory pay disclosure requirements for state jobs. Senator Amanda Cappelletti says she plans to reintroduce legislation requiring salary transparency across the commonwealth. The bill, if passed by lawmakers and signed into law by the governor, would make employers disclose the pay range on job postings or the minimum compensation if a range doesn't exist.
A yeast infection first discovered in Japan more than a decade ago has made its way to Pennsylvania. The CDC and World Health Organization have said Candida auris is a serious threat to global health because it's spread primarily in hospitals and healthcare facilities. The CDC reports 33 cases in the Commonwealth. Medical experts say while it may not cause serious illness in healthy patients, the infection can be deadly to people who have weak immune systems and to cancer and transplant patients.
You may have heard about some car makers starting to charge for so-called subscription features, such as heated seats. Now, State Senator Marty Flynn wants to change that. He says it's unfair that people are forced to pay an additional, recurring cost to activate and utilize feature that are already installed on new cars. BMW is one of the car makers requiring subscriptions for heated seats. Senator Flynn is looking for colleagues to co-sponsor this legislation.
The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry has launched a contest to decide the most interesting products made in Pennsylvania. Over 30 companies are taking part in the competition for the "Coolest Thing Made in PA" tournament, with the public casting votes on the chamber's Twitter page. After the first round of voting, favorite products remaining include Crayola Crayons, Martin and Company Guitars, Hershey Kisses, Zippo Lighters and Yuengling Beer, among others. Public voting closes Friday, March 24th.
The six-year, multimillion dollar renovation of the New Jersey Statehouse -- the third oldest continuously-operating statehouse in the country -- is nearly complete. During a media tour yesterday, state officials declared the project on time and under budget. Some parts remain unfinished but the state's executive branch -- including the governor's office -- reopened last week. It's the first time Governor Phil Murphy -- who took office five years ago -- has been able to use the original offices instead of substitute offices down the street.
Penn State needs a new men's basketball coach. Penn State VP for Intercollegiate Athletics Patrick Kraft has issued a statement indicating Micah Shrewsberry has informed him he's leaving Penn State to take another head coaching job. It's being reported Shrewsberry is heading to South Bend to take over the Notre Dame basketball program. Kraft says, "We thank Micah for his contributions to the Penn State community and wish him the very best."