Officials at the Da Vinci Science Center say April 1st will be the facility's last day at its Cedar Crest College location. The current facility is set to become a private elementary school when the Da Vinci center opens its new state-of-the-art facility in downtown Allentown. Officials say that should happen in May. The science center says construction crews are making good progress on the center's new $80 million home in the 800 block of Hamilton Street. The new facility will have three times the exhibit space as the existing location.
A 12-year-old boy is in a Northampton County juvenile detention center after being arrested for allegedly making school threats. State Police say last Friday morning the boy made verbal threats of a possible school shooting at Pleasant Valley Middle School. "They're not invincible. Just because you're a certain age doesn't mean it was a joke. That doesn't matter. That's not funny," says State Police trooper Anthony Petroski. He says the boy threatened to carry out a school shooting, with the threats directed at several administrators. Police say the student came to school on Friday and became upset and then began making threats to staff. While an arrest has been made, a greater than normal police presence may be visible at the school for several more days.
The North Whitehall Township Planning Commission has approved a proposed business park planned for 12 acres at Schneck Road and Route 309. The proposed Route 309 Business Park would feature a Wawa convenience store, an AutoZone store and a Lehigh Valley Health Network medical office building and another commercial building. As part of the plan, the developer would replace the Route 309 and Route 873 intersection with a two-lane traffic circle. There will also be "right in, right out" improvements to Schneck Road.
Attorneys for Bryan Kohberger will argue for a change of venue when they go back to court today. Kohberger, who is from Monroe County, is charged with the murders of four University of Idaho students in 2022. The prosecution wants the trial to be held during the summer when there would be fewer parking issues with the nearby high school. Defense attorneys will argue the trial should be moved out of Latah County, because the jury pool would be too small to find impartial jurors. Prosecutors say the case received worldwide attention and there's no evidence that a jury can't be seated.
According to AAA East Central, the average price for a gallon of gas in Pennsylvania is nearly four cents lower than last Tuesday. The statewide price sits at $3.51, down from $3.54 a week earlier and 11 cents below the February 27, 2023 price. In the Lehigh Valley, that average price is $3.39, down more than four cents from the week before and nearly six cents less than one year ago.