Fire destroyed two homes and damaged three others in Lehigh County Monday. The fire began around 11 o'clock Monday morning in connected townhomes in the 400 block of Carolina Avenue. About a dozen people were displaced, but there are no injuries reported. Investigators are still trying to figure out what caused the fire, which ended up seeing firefighters from seven companies respond.
The Moore Township’s Zoning Hearing Board decision to deny plans to build two warehouses on Southmoore Golf Course has been upheld by Northampton County Judge John Morganelli. The ruling means Water’s Edge at Wind Gap LLC cannot construct the warehouses on the course along Route 512. The Water’s Edge project would've brought two warehouses totaling nearly 500,000 square feet, on more than 50 acres. Morganelli determined that the board’s decision in protecting the natural resources of the golf course “was not an error of law or an abuse of discretion.”
The Allentown Zoning Hearing Board has put the brakes on a proposed eight-story residential building. Monday, the board tabled an appeal for the building proposed for 826, 828 and 830 Turner Street. What is to be known as "The Swans" would feature 142 residential units with on-site parking and off-site parking and retail space. There's no word on when the board will revisit the proposal from developer Blackstone Structures.
The Pennsylvania Health Department says it has reported nearly two dozen cases of lead poisoning to the CDC in connection to tainted applesauce. The numbers include 22 probable and one suspected case of applesauce packets that contained high levels of lead. They were sold under various names, including WanaBana and Weis store brands. The cases have been reported in 11 counties. The CDC says the contamination traces back to a now-closed cinnamon processing plant in Ecuador.
Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce has called it quits. A sometimes-weeping Kelce announced his retirement Monday afternoon. "It has always been a goal of mine to play my whole career in one city. I couldn't have dreamed of a better one and a better fit if I'd tried," Kelce said. He thanked the city for allowing him to represent Philadelphia and treating him and his family as well as it did. Kelce leaves after 13 NFL seasons, one Super Bowl title and being named as All-Pro six times.
After agreeing to a three-year-, $126 million contract extension to remain a Phillie, pitcher Zack Wheeler says the idea of leaving Philadelphia wasn't all that appealing. "I really enjoy being here in Philly. The fans are the best and playing in Citizens Bank Park in October, there's nothing like it," Wheeler says. Wheeler is 43-25 in his four seasons in Philadelphia and has finished in the top twelve in Cy Young voting in three of those four seasons.