It looks like we missed a white Christmas by less than two weeks. Accu-Weather's Joe Lundberg says snow is almost certain tomorrow, but might be kept somewhat in check by some rain mixed in. "I think it does mix in for a few hours. That's why I think we'll probably be closer to the three inches here," Lundberg says. Lundberg's official forecast is for three-to-six inches of snow in the immediate Lehigh Valley, but he's leaning to the three rather than the six. Less snow is likely to the south and more to the north into the Poconos.
All Bangor Area School District schools are closed today because of a car accident that knocked down a utility pole near the district's main offices. The crash happened on Five Points Richmond Road between Route 512 and School Road. The district's website shows a message that reads, "Today is not a Flexible Instruction Day. All schools and offices are closed today. The district has no power today due to a traffic accident on Five Points Richmond Road."
Thursday night, Gabriel Cartagena turned himself in at Lehigh County Prison. Lehigh County DA Gavin Holihan says Cartagena shot to death 44-year-old Ada Ortiz and her one-year-old grandson, Sebastian Serrano inside a home on Chestnut Street in Allentown back on December 29th. At a news conference prior to Cartagena's surrender, Holihan says the tragedy could have been even worse. "He aimed a gun at another child who was in the home. He was a seven-year-old male," Holihan says. He says the child's grandfather jumped in front of the child and was shot in the chest but is expected to survive. Holihan isn't saying what type of relationship Cartagena had with his alleged victims.
The demolition of the Walnut Street parking garage in Bethlehem is underway. Crews began the process on Wednesday. What remains to be seen is what will replace it. Two proposals submitted by the Bethlehem Parking Authority were rejected in identical 4-1 votes by Bethlehem's Historical Architecture Review Board. The garage that's being torn down provided parking for about 770 cars. Regardless of what replaces it, the new garage will not be available until sometime late in 2025.
The Monroe County Courthouse is showing off new changes to welcome the new year. One of the first trials of 2024 was held inside the new courthouse building in Stroudsburg yesterday. The new building is a part of a multi-million-dollar expansion that added eight new courtrooms. The expansion project is expected to wrap-up in August and after that, work will resume on the courthouse annex.
PennDOT and Pennsylvania Turnpike operators say they have crews ready to take on winter weather this weekend. Turnpike spokesperson Crispin Havener says trucks will be out pre-treating the road and the appropriate staff will be dispatched to areas that are seeing snow first tomorrow. PennDOT is urging drivers to be aware of potentially icy spots, leave some extra time for travel, and use additional caution around plow trucks.
Governor Phil Murphy has signed into law two measures dealing with teen voting and teaching grief in schools. The first will allow current 17-year-olds who'll be 18 come next election day to vote in primaries. The second law requires schools to teach about grief - what it is, its symptoms, and coping mechanisms for students in 8th through 12th grades. That law takes effect immediately.
The number of reported shootings are dropping in New Jersey. State officials are announcing the numbers for last year that show there were 924 people shot in 2023, a 13 percent drop from the prior year. That's the fewest number of shooting victims since comprehensive tracking began in 2009. Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Matt Platkin credit New Jersey's strong gun control laws and violence and community-based prevention and intervention programs.