The latest fundraising numbers are out in the race for the Lehigh Valley's congressional district. On the Republican side, Kevin Dellicker pulled in more than $138,000 in the fourth quarter, leaving him with more than $205,000 on hand. That's $2500 more than Ryan Mackenzie has banked after Mackenzie raised a little more than $68,000 in the fourth quarter. Maria Montero's campaign raked in $47,000 in the fourth quarter and has nearly $139,000 at its disposal, while Allen Issa raised more than $23,000 in his first few months in the race. All those numbers are way behind Democrat incumbent Susan Wild, whose campaign pulled in more than $633,000 in the fourth quarter and now has $2.1 million banked for this year's campaign.
One person is dead after a fire in Tamaqua. It happened Sunday afternoon around 12:30 in the 200 block of Owl Creek Road. Fire crews were called there for reports of a brush fire, which was quickly brought under control, however one person was found dead. That individual has not been identified and a specific cause of death has not been released.
McCarthy's Red Stag bar is closed for a while because of a small fire. Owner Neville Gardner says the fire started around 4 o'clock Saturday morning in a utility room and seemingly died out on its own when the heat from the fire melted part of an overhead water line that broke and caused it to extinguish itself. Gardner has not said how long the bar will be closed.
Investigators are looking into a cyberattack that targeted the Pennsylvania Courts website Sunday. Last night, Chief Justice Debra Todd announced some sections of the webpage were not available due to a "denial of service" attack, which happens when someone overwhelms a given network with connections, making it unavailable for other users, according to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Chief Justice Todd says there is no evidence that shows hackers got access to any sensitive information and courts will remain open and accessible to the public.
A Pennsylvania research group says over one-point-three-million state workers would be affected by a minimum wage increase to $15-per-hour. The Keystone Research Center says such a hike would not only reduce poverty rates but also help decrease pay disparities in both race and gender issues. The report also highlights that a higher proportion of rural workers would benefit directly from an increased minimum wage. The current $7.25-an-hour wage has been in effect since 2009.
A state lawmaker says a measure to protect properties left to museums has gone to committee. Republican Kristin Phillips-Hill of York County says her measure would allow Pennsylvania's private and not-for-profit museums and historical societies to establish title to certain properties and to exhibit them. The idea applies to works that have been donated or left with a museum to exhibit or conserve after the lender could not be found after the loan period. She says the legislation will allow more efficient use of museum funds and assist museums in conserving, displaying and, when necessary, ethically disposing of abandoned, unclaimed or unsolicited property.
Some Pennsylvania lawmakers are pushing for new consumer protections regarding utility cut-offs. Lawmakers have until the end of 2024 to reauthorize a key area of state law that protects low-income utility customers from sudden shut-offs when they're behind on their bills. Consumer advocates say the law favors utility companies over households and they're pitching changes that include a moratorium on shut-offs during the summer. A proposal from Representative Rob Matzie, a Democrat from Beaver County, addresses some of those concerns. His version would create a moratorium on shut-offs during July and August, expand existing protections to water customers and require utilities to pre-screen customers for payment assistance programs. It would also give the state Public Utility Commission more flexibility to create longer-term payment plans for customers who are behind on their bills.
The Philadelphia 76ers' most important player will miss time due to an injury. ESPN reports Joel Embiid will undergo a procedure this week to repair a left meniscus issue. A recovery timeline is expected after the procedure is done, but industry doctors have said healing could take between four and eight weeks, but the exact time depends on the severity and position of the tear. Embiid suffered the knee injury after last week's loss to the Golden State Warriors when Jonathan Kuminga fell on his leg while going for a loose ball. Embiid leads the league in scoring at over 35-points a game.
Philadelphia will host six World Cup matches in 2026. The first five are group Stage matches on June 14, 19, 22, 25 and 27. The sixth match will be a round of 16 match on July 4, which just happens to be the 250th birthday of the United States. Philadelphia-area soccer fans can't wait. "It's a great time to be in the city of Philadelphia, the birthplace of liberty. To have those games here should mean a lot to every single person in the city," one man said. Tickets are not yet available, but you can register your interest on FIFA's website.