We're learning more about the alleged actions of a current and former Allentown policeman. In 2015, 47-year-old Michael Krasley allegedly physically forced a prostitute to have sex with him and threatened her that she would be arrested if she didn't. It's alleged that 45-year-old Evan Weaver entered the room and told Krasley to stop sexually assaulting the woman. At that point however, Weaver had already been blackmailing the woman for four years to have sex with him in order to not be arrested. He has been placed on administrative leave. Krasley, who retired in 2021, is also facing charges he stole $5,500 from a 2019 drug raid.
The Lehigh County Coroner says the body found in a dumpster outside a Coopersburg bank was that of a New Jersey woman. 39-year-old Lucrecia Sumba, of Union County, New Jersey, was found dead just before 6 o'clock Saturday night in a dumpster outside the Santander Bank on South Third Street, aka Route 309. An autopsy confirmed her cause of death was sharp-force injuries, with the manner homicide.
Three weeks after Edward Tomcics was struck and killed by a car on Water Street in Whitehall Township, township commissioners got an earful from angry residents Monday night. Among them was Tomcics' widow, Barbara, who told the commissioners her husband never had a chance when he was hit on Christmas Day. "He walked slowly across the street, because he couldn't walk fast, because he had a stroke on one side, and he had bad knees. He always watched if cars were coming, but he couldn't walk fast enough," his widow said. The meeting became heated at times, with residents demanding action on making Water Street safer. Whitehall Mayor Joseph Marx told them one idea that would not work. "Speed bumps do not work, according to Pennsylvania regulations. That, I'm told by our engineers. Speed bumps will not work," Marx said. Instead, Marx said engineers have indicated the best possible solution might be to turn Water Street into a cul-de-sac. Police are still investigating Tomcics' death. No charges have been filed yet.
A defendant charged in a fatal shooting at a Stroudsburg Wawa is heading to trial. Twenty-five-year-old Andrew Quattrochi faces charges including criminal homicide in the death of a 17-year-old Garrett Gearhart. Police say Quattrochi shot Gearhart in the November incident. Quattrochi appeared at a preliminary hearing on Monday with his next court appearance expected in March.
Protesters want the FBI brought in to investigate after a noose was reportedly found on the desk of a Black Allentown city worker last week. The protesters marched outside City Hall Monday afternoon saying this was not an isolated incident and point to at least 10 city workers who have claimed to have dealt with racism and discrimination at work. Allentown police say they're investigating the incident.
Make it seven Wind Creek Steel Stage headliners announced for the 2025 edition of Musikfest in Bethlehem. Chicago will be in Bethlehem the night of Tuesday, August 5th. It's the band's second appearance at Musikfest, it's first coming in the summer of 2017. Tickets, ranging in price from $35 to $109, go on sale to the general public on Friday morning.
Whitehall Township is losing a national furniture chain. Decor Home Furniture will close at the Whitehall Square shopping center on MacArthur Road by the time its lease ends on March 1. As part of its clearance sale, the store offers discounts of up to 80% for furniture such as tables, couches and mattresses. The store’s other location at the Palmer Park Mall will remain open.
Two Pennsylvania lawmakers are teaming up for a bipartisan bill on food allergy safety. Democratic Representative Arvid Venkat and Republican Natalie Mihalek recently introduced House Bill 77, which would introduce new food allergy protocols for restaurants across the commonwealth. Pennsylvania restaurants would be required to present food allergy disclaimers on menus, put up educational posters on food allergies in cooking areas, and provide training for employees. A similar version of the legislation passed the State House in the previous session, but never advanced. The lawmakers say more than 33-million Americans have food allergies.
Today, the New Jersey Senate will vote on a bill that would increase the number of nominating petition signatures that are needed to place a measure on the state ballot. The proposal passed the Assembly last month. It would raise the number of signatures needed to be placed on a statewide ballot from 1000 to 2500 for primary elections and from 800 to 2000 in general elections. The bill would also more than double the number of signatures needed for candidates for the U.S. House and for State House and Assembly candidates. Supporters say they're trying to weed out un serious and frivolous candidates from elections.
After one year, Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen is leaving to become the next defensive coordinator at Clemson. Allen is reportedly leaving at least partially due to family reasons. He has two daughters who live close to Clemson. His departure means means Penn State will have its fourth different defensive coordinator in five seasons. While Allen is leaving, standout running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton announced Monday that they will be returning to the Nittany Lions for the 2025 season. "We still have goals we want to reach as a team, and I want to be alongside my teammates as we reach those goals," Singleton wrote in his announcement. Allen, meanwhile, said that "it's clear that we still have a lot more to accomplish."