A former Lehigh Valley fire chief is accused of stealing from his fire department. Investigators say former Klecknersville Rangers Fire Company Chief Jon Mann stole more than $47,000 from the department and they say Mann admitted to them he would cash checks in the department's name, use the fire company's debit card for personal purchases, and make ATM withdrawals for cash without anyone's permission. Police say he also confessed to buying a bulldozer. Mann had his arraignment Thursday and is due back in court for a preliminary hearing March 28.
An Allentown man is charged with attacking and killing another man in Allentown last year. 25-year-old John Garner allegedly killed Alexander Price inside Price's home in the 300 block of North 16th Street. Authorities say they have determined Garner caused the injuries that killed Price. Garner returns to court on March 28th.
Easton's police chief is defending his department against allegations coming from Easton City Councilwoman Taiba Sultana. "Our police department is unwavering in its commitment to fairness, to respect and the dignity and dignified treatment of all individuals," said Carl Scalzo. He calls the allegations defamatory, irresponsible and offensive. Sultana, who is now running for the state House, made allegations of racism, political corruption, and socioeconomic bias against the department, when she was arrested in a domestic incident involving her son.
"If we want to reduce pollution, doing nothing is not an option," said Gov. Josh Shapiro outside a Harrisburg energy plant Thursday, where he unveiled his energy plans for the commonwealth. The governor says those plans would protect and create 15,000 jobs in Pennsylvania, lower utility bills and protect the environment all at the same time. He says the goal is to have 50-percent of electricity come from clean and sustainable energy by 2035. "Not only will it be solar and wind anymore, it's also going to be methane digesters, new fusion technology and small, modular nuclear reactors," Shapiro says. The governor says if his Pennsylvania-focused plan is implemented, he would pull the state out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Republicans, who are opposed to REGGI, say Shapiro's new plan sounds an awful lot like it.
Incumbent U.S. Senator Bob Casey continues to lead his likely Republican challenger Dave McCormick ahead of the November U.S. Senate race. A new Emerson College poll of 1000 registered Pennsylvania voters shows Casey leading 45% to 41% with 14% of voters still undecided. That's considerably closer than the same poll in February that showed Casey leading by ten points. Independents voters favored Casey in the survey by 13 points. The same survey found Donald Trump leading Joe Biden in the presidential election 47% to 43%. The poll was run March 10-13 and has a margin of error of three points.
The Philadelphia Eagles have introduced their new free agent signings, including former Whitehall and Penn State star running back Saquon Barkley, who says there's a lot to like with his new team. "From watching afar, it's evident that they're about the culture here, the fans here. I definitely got super excited about it and I'm just happy to be part of this organization and I'm ready to go," Barkley says. Barkley had more than 1200 total yards and scored ten touchdowns last year with the New York Giants.