Add northeast Pennsylvania to the list of places reporting unidentified drones in the sky. Folks in Bushkill, Bethlehem, Doylestown, and Maidencreek Township all report the drones in the sky. Folks across New Jersey have been reporting the flying drones for weeks, and no one has yet said just what they are or who they belong to. New Jersey's governor says the Department of Homeland Security has assured him that the drones are not a threat. Still, folks in northeast Pennsylvania say they'd like to know what's flying above their communities.
President Biden has ended the prison sentence for Luzerne County's 'cash for kids' judge. Former Judge Michael Conahan is among the 15 hundred people who saw their sentences commuted by the president this week. Conahan was sentenced to 17-years in prison back in 2010 for the scheme to send kids to prison in exchange for kickbacks from for-profit juvenile detention centers. He's been on house arrest since 2020, and was supposed to stay there til 2026. Now, the president has ended his sentence. The White House says Conahan is one of many people 'serving long prison sentences - many of whom would receive lower sentences if charged under today's laws.' The victims of the 'cash for kids' scheme are not happy with the decision.
Northampton County Council approved transferring $10,000 from the county's contingency fund to ArtsQuest. Council President Lori Vargo explains why she pushed the idea of establishing a "sober space" during Musikfest 2025. "There's a group of people in the county who've had the discussion about the presence of Musikfest and how much alcohol there is and wouldn't it be nice if there were a place for people who didn't drink to gather and go," Vargo Heffner said. Council approved the measure in a 7-0 vote.
Property owners in Salisbury Township will be paying more in property taxes. The Township Board of Commissioners on Thursday night approved a $12 million 2025 budget which includes a property tax increase of .20 mills. That's a 5.6% increase, meaning an average tax hike of roughly $46. The supervisors also voted to increase the township's water and sewer rates. Water rate hikes were needed to pay for salary increases and a 4.95% Lehigh County Authority rate increase. Sewer rates will be bumped higher by $6 per quarter.
A space that's been empty for nearly five years at the South Mall will soon be occupied again. Burlington, formerly known as Burlington Coat Factory, plans to move into a portion of the former Stein Mart location. Stein Mart departed after its bankruptcy filing in 2020.
The lives of military members across the country are being honored tomorrow on National Wreaths Across America Day. The nonprofit organization behind the effort is placing close to four-million wreaths on grave sites at more than 47-hundred U.S. cemeteries. Among local cemeteries where ceremonies will take place tomorrow are the Union and West End Cemetery in Allentown; the Holy Family Cemetery in Nazareth; the Union Cemetery of Quakertown; and the Ziegels Union Church Cemetery in Breinigsville.
Hershey is rejecting another takeover bid from Mondelez International. The Hershey Company said the recent offer from Mondelez was "too low to entertain." This is the second time the Dauphin County-based candy maker has turned down the company formerly known as Kraft Foods. Mondelez previously made a 23-billion-offer to buy Hershey in 2016.
Pets are now on the list to be protected from domestic abuse in Pennsylvania. A new state law allows judges and prosecutors to include pets in domestic violence protection orders. Advocates say pets are at risk in violent homes too, and say abusers will sometimes target pets out of revenge or threaten pets to get people back home. Lawmakers first voted on the new law back in June, and Governor Shapiro signed it in November.
Voting in PennDOT's annual Paint the Plow Program continues. High school students are among those who have submitted designs to possibly be placed on PennDOT plow blades to promote winter-driving safety. This year's theme is 'Use Your Reason When It's Freezin.' Folks can vote now through Sunday for their favorite design at PennDOT's website.
Two of the best teams in the NFL meet Sunday afternoon when the Steelers visit the Eagles. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni says Pittsburgh, especially its defense, will pose a major challenge. "I've got a lot of respect for coach Mike Tomlin and how he's done it so consistently and they've got a lot of good players in the secondary and at linebacker," Sirianni says. The Eagles are 11-2 and have won nine straight. Pittsburgh is 10-3 and has won seven of their last eight.