Residents living near next Sunday's Martin Tower implosion were told what to expect when the old Bethlehem Steel headquarters comes down. James Santoro is with the company carrying out the implosion and says there should not be a major dust problem. "We don't expect much dust to actually get down on ground level off of the site," Santoro says. A number of road closures before and immediately after the implosion were announced. Among the roads to be closed are parts of Eighth Avenue, Eaton Avenue and Route 378. There will also be a zone around Martin Tower that will be completely closed to the public.
The Allentown Fair has signed a multiyear deal with entertainment giant Live Nation to book and manage the fair's grandstand headline concerts. The agreement presents the possibility that the grandstand will be used for concerts on non-Allentown Fair dates, something that has not happened since 1994.
Northampton County DA John Morganelli says his office will not press charges in a December 2018 crash that killed an elderly man. The DA says after reviewing reports and video of the actual crash near the Palmer Park Mall, he has determined no criminal act took place, instead calling it an unfortunate accident. Palmer Township police officer Richard Marshall had his siren and lights on when entering the intersection. While other vehicles yielded to Marshall's police car, 83-year-old Julio Flores did not and the collision then happened. Morganelli says an important factor in his decision, was the family of Flores saying he may not have heard the siren due to his age and other issues.
Whitehall Township police are asking for help in tracking down a vehicle that might be connected to a deadly crash. Police say 61-year-old Todd Hunger, of Catasauqua, was killed Monday while riding his motorcycle in the area of Fullerton and Fairmont avenues. Police haven't said how the accident happened, but they're looking for the driver of a newer dark blue or black sedan. Investigators ask any witnesses to give them a call.
A Quakertown woman could be spending up to the next 20 years behind bars. Shayla Hadley was sentenced Thursday for selling methamphetamines she smuggled into the Bucks County Jail to inmates. The 24-year-old was arrested last year after a female inmate was taken to the hospital to be treated for an apparent overdose. Prosecutors say Hadley bragged to her boyfriend that corrections officers had no idea what she was doing.
Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale says most cyber and charter schools in the commonwealth do not yet have an updated policy on reporting child abuse. He says his office has also found it difficult actually getting top officials with the various schools to give get back to them, something that's not a problem with traditional superintendents. "More often than not, minus them being on vacation, when there's a school board meeting, they're present at the school board meeting, available to answer questions from the public, agree or disagree with their actions. That was not the case with the CEOs and school board presidents of some of the cyber and charter schools," says the auditor general. DePasquale says about 80-percent of cyber and charter schools have failed to follow up with child abuse reporting regulations in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal.
Days after Democrat St. Rep. Brian Sims was criticized for his conduct while confronting a pro-life protester outside a Philadelphia Planned Parenthood clinic, both the House Democrat and Republican leaders took to the floor to remind all lawmakers of their responsibility to be civil. Frank Dermody is the House Democrat leader. "At this moment the nation is watching this chamber. Let's work on a way that will not only accomplish great things for the commonwealth, but let's work on way that sense for our constituents and makes our constituents proud of the people they sent here to do all this important work," Dermody says. House GOP leader Bryan Cutler says says his colleagues need lead by example. "There is no room for hate in any form in this chamber or in our own lives," Cutler says. Cutler said people expect more out of their elected officials.
A bill that would allow people to break into a locked car to save an unattended child is on its way to Gov. Tom Wolf's desk. The state Senate unanimously passed a House bill Wednesday designed to reduce heatstroke deaths for children left alone in a sweltering car. The measure would still require people to make a reasonable effort to locate the driver and at least try to contact first responders before entering.
The President Pro Tempore of the state Senate wants to sell the now-unused lieutenant governor's residence at Fort Indiantown Gap. Joe Scarnati says he's drafting legislation to sell the 2400-square-foot house. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman isn't living there, instead choosing to rent an apartment closer to the state capital. Fetterman says the National Guard has expressed an interest in the three-story home.
A state senator plans to introduce a bill that would prohibit grass clippings on roadways. Sen. Camera Bartolotta says the clippings are a preventable hazard for motorcycle riders in Pennsylvania. Also, Bartolotta says the clippings can clog storm drains, which can lead to run-off pollution into streams. The measure would essentially treat the clippings like trash left on the road.
Gov. Tom Wolf is paying tribute to Pennsylvania's kindest native. The governor has declared May 23rd, the 143rd day of the year, "143 Day" in Pennsylvania. It's a tribute to Mr. Rogers, who saw that number as a representation of goodness. Wolf wants Pennsylvanians to do something kind that day, like buy someone a cup of coffee or write a thank you note to the mail carrier.
Jersey shore tourists spent $7.4 billion in Monmouth and Ocean counties over the past year. Gov. Phil Murphy spoke at a tourism conference Thursday, where he highlighted the success of the tourism industry in New Jersey. He said tourists spent nearly $45 billion in 2018 and tourism generated $5 billion in state and local taxes in 2018 as well. Numbers from the new Economic Impact of Tourism in New Jersey report show that Monmouth and Ocean counties saw 17-million visitors last year. Ocean County rang up $4.8 billion in sales and Monmouth County $2.6 billion in sales.