The brand new Da Vinci Science Center is less than two months from opening day. After nearly two years of construction, the new 67,000-square-foot Da Vinci Science Center at Eighth and Hamilton streets says it will open May 22. The center’s current location at Cedar Crest College closes next Monday.
A former local school teacher has learned how much jail time he will be serving. Former Lehighton Area School District teacher and football coach Michael Feifel pleaded guilty in January to trying to meet someone he thought was a 17-year-old girl for sex. Wednesday, the 56-year-old Walnutport man was sentenced to 12 months and 24 months behind bars, followed by 12 months of probation. Last June, Feifel agreed to meet who he thought was a 17-year-old girl in South Whitehall Township. Instead, law enforcement was waiting and Feifel was immediately placed under arrest.
There's a sinkhole problem in Palmer Township. A 40-foot-deep sinkhole has opened up on Main Street in Palmer Township just west of the Route 33 interchange. It's close to where another sinkhole opened up last week and sinkholes have been seen in that general area both last year and in 2021. There's no word yet on when the sinkhole will be repaired.
There's a little new life at the old Dan Schantz Greenhouse along 29th Street in Allentown. Herr's Fruit Farm opened up a flower and plant store Wednesday morning. It will remain open into next week before reopening in mid-April and then will remain open through June 2nd. Dan Schantz closed its doors for the final time on December 30th.
An Allentown gas station was robbed in the middle of the afternoon Tuesday. It happened around 12:30 Tuesday afternoon at the Royal Fuels on Cedar Crest Blvd. A suspect showed a weapon of some sort to the clerk, demanded money and fled.
President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign opened its Lehigh Valley campaign headquarters Wednesday. The office, which is in the South Side neighborhood of Easton, will hold volunteer trainings, recruitments and canvass kick offs. The President's Pennsylvania campaign will feature 14 offices spread across the state.
Nearly 100 people are looking at losing their public benefits after Pennsylvania's inspector general ran its latest fraud sweep. The Office of State Inspector General this week said 94 people were charged with public assistance fraud in February. Prosecutors filed felony charges in 74 of the cases. Investigators say most of the people charged lied about how much money they made in order to continue to qualify for public benefits. Inspector General Lucas Miller says the state is committed to holding the people charged accountable.
Punxsutawney Phil, the world-famous groundhog, and his wife Phyllis have become parents for the first time in 138 years. Two healthy groundhog pups were born at the couple's burrow at the Punxsutawney Memorial Library. Handlers were caught off guard as there was no indication Phyllis was expecting little ones.
One lucky person in New Jersey can claim the Mega Millions jackpot. A winning ticket was sold at a Shoprite grocery store in Neptune Township for the Mega Millions jackpot of $1.3 billion, the eighth largest prize in U.S. lottery history. The winner has not come forward yet, but New Jersey Lottery Executive Director James Carey has some advice for them. "If you are the winner, I encourage you to sign the back of the ticket. Take a picture of it. Make a copy of it and put it in a safe place. Tell only your closest loved ones that you are the lucky winner and then I would urge to you go out and talk to a lawyer and maybe a financial advisor," Carey said. The winning numbers from Tuesday's drawing were 7-11-22-29-38, and the gold Mega Ball number was 4.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is blasting the MTA, who approved their steep congestion pricing plan motorists entering midtown Manhattan. The full MTA board has given its final approval to toll drivers 15 dollars to drive below 60th Street, with a few exceptions. Murphy, a long opponent of the controversial plan, vows to continue to fight what he calls a quote, "cash grab." He says the MTA's actions are further proof that they are determined to violate the law in-order-to balance their budget on the backs of New Jersey commuters.
Phillies fans will have to wait another day for the 2024 season opener. Rain is to blame for postponing opening day until Friday. The Braves and Phillies will meet tomorrow afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.