Lafayette College says it has resolved a federal antisemitism investigation. The school says its agreement with the U.S. Department of Education indicates "no liability, non-compliance or wrongdoing by the college," according to a letter on Lafayette's website. The education department's Office of Civil Rights announced in November that Lafayette was among seven colleges being investigated for alleged antisemitism and Islamophobia.
Police across the country are on the lookout for two Allentown men charged with attempted murder. Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan said those men shot an 11-year-old boy in the head last Thursday. Holihan said now they are doing something about it, officially charging 20-year-old Renee Brown and 18-year-old Jahliel Branford with attempted murder. "Nationwide arrest warrants were issued this morning for both men. Both are considered armed and dangerous," said Holihan during a Thursday morning news conference.
A man is facing up to two dozen years in prison following his conviction for child sex crimes. Thirty-three-year-old Jacob Torres of Allentown was recently found guilty on several charges including statutory sex assault and sharing child pornography. Officials say Torres admitted to having sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl. In addition to the prison sentence, Torres will not be allowed to have contact with minors or access to the internet.
A new report says almost half of Lehigh Valley families are facing financial struggles. According to the United Way, 47-percent of families in Lehigh, Northampton, and Carbon counties are living paycheck to paycheck. That's an increase of almost 20-percent in the past three years. Factors used in the report included the cost of housing, food, and transportation.
A man is in custody for allegedly robbing a bank and causing a lockdown at Muhlenberg College last month. Allentown police say 40-year-old Kareem Greene made a 911 call claiming an armed man was entering the campus then robbed the Wells Fargo on College Drive a short time later. Investigators believe Greene made the call to create a diversion for the robbery. He is being held on 800-thousand-dollars bail.
With construction permits secured, work is set to heat up on a fresh iteration of an iconic Lehigh Valley business - known for its tasty cheesesteaks and hot dogs. The Brass Rail, a family-run, full-service restaurant that closed in June 2022 after more than 90 years of business in Allentown, will reopen in a fast-casual format at the Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers Market later this summer. The Brass Rail's new stand, featuring counter seating and a few nearby high-top tables, will operate on the market's lower level. The Brass Rail's new stand, occupying a vacant section of the market near the lower-level grocery store, will offer a condensed version of the restaurant's menu, with the business' most popular items being featured. The Brass Rail closed in June 2022 after 91 years of business in Allentown.
Fire destroyed one home and damaged others in Carbon County. It broke out around 7 p.m. Thursday in the 300 block of N. First Street in Lehighton, according to emergency dispatchers. Firefighters struck three alarms for additional manpower, and multiple fire departments from multiple counties responded to the scene. One house is completely charred. At least one other is heavily damaged. No injuries were reported.
The Miss America Organization is responding after a beauty pageant contestant said she was dropping out of Miss Pennsylvania due to death threats. The organization says the claims by Robyn Kass-Gerji have been reviewed with great care, but they cannot mediate civil disputes. They added that Kass-Gerji had not provided proof that she was eligible to compete in Pennsylvania. Kass-Gerji says she withdrew from the competition because she didn't receive certain security plans, a claim the Miss Pennsylvania Organization denies.
The fate of the giant ketchup bottle at the Heinz History Center is no longer up in the air. The city had demanded the museum seek a zoning variance when it installed the bottle last year. The city contended the bottle was a sign and was too tall for existing regulations. But the city's Zoning Board of Adjustment decided otherwise and said the bottle was really not a sign. The panel used some artistic license in writing its ruling, stating it did not relish causing any legal drama. It said the museum acted like a hot dog when it installed the sign without checking with city officials first.
Prosecutors in the federal bribery trial of Senator Bob Menendez have shown jurors evidence of the senator searching online for the value of gold. The prosecutors presented the evidence yesterday as Menendez allegedly tried to help a prominent real estate developer -- Fred Daibes -- who's also facing bribery charges. Testimony has revealed Menendez was allegedly bribed with cash and gold bars. The trial is in its sixth week.