The Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway is officially calling it quits in Jim Thorpe. The company's president says that as of November 25th, train operations will cease, due to an amusement tax and over back taxes. Jim Thorpe claims the railway owes about $95,000 in unpaid amusement taxes from 2016 to 2018. The railway's owner claims it is not an amusement and is not subject to the amusement tax. Refunds for Santa trains will be issued for all who have already purchased tickets and this closure doesn't affect other operations that come from other locations to Jim Thorpe.
School teachers in the Bangor Area School District have authorized a strike. The vote, according to the union president, doesn't necessarily mean a strike is coming but rather gives the union leaders the authority to call for one if it gets to that point. The most recent contract expired at the end of June. The vote to authorize a strike came after the school board twice rejected a fact-finder's proposal for a new contract.
Allentown City Council made two interim job holders permanent during its Wednesday night meeting. Craig Messinger, the city's temporary public works director for the past five-and-a-half years, was named permanent public works director and Glenn Granitz was approved as permanent police chief. Both votes were unanimous. After a debate, Messinger's salary was set at $121,500. Granitz will make $131,300 annually, the same as previous police chief Tony Alsleben.
A man is behind bars for a stabbing attack in Allentown. Theodore McCalman is charged with aggravated assault. Police called to an argument on North Church Street allegedly spotted McCalman running from the scene, then saw a man suffering from stab wounds. McCalman was arrested after a foot chase. The victim is listed in critical condition at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest.
The nurse accused of a hospital sexual assault has waived his hearing. Luzerne County's Robert Kohut waived that preliminary hearing Wednesday on charges he attacked a woman at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg on May 13th. Investigators say the woman was not a patient at the time of the assault. Kohut's next court date is set for December.
Pennsylvania State Police are investigating an attempted homicide in Lower Macungie Township late Friday night. State police responded to Hunt Drive about 11:15 Friday night to investigate a report of shots fired. State police determined that the victim was arguing with his ex-girlfriend at a home. After the argument, three other men arrived and began arguing with the victim outside the house. The argument escalated and one of the men reportedly pointed a gun at the victim, who ran. State police say the man that pulled the gun then fired several shots at the victim, none of which struck him.
A Lehigh County man is accused of attacking his wheelchair-bound wife over the weekend. Pennsylvania State Police were called to a Ginter Court home in Washington Township Saturday morning to investigate a domestic disturbance. Police arrived to find Paul R. Johnson in his front yard. The 58-year-old allegedly told troopers that he “needed to go to jail” because he wanted to kill himself or others and then proceeded to tell state troopers that he beat up his wife during the night and that he’d rob a bank or beat someone else, if they didn’t take him into custody. The victim said she and Johnson had been arguing for three days. On Friday, he allegedly threatened to harm her and kill their daughter and grandson before choking his wife. She accused him of then disconnecting their phone and destroying her cell phones, so she couldn’t call police. The next day, an angry Johnson again threatened to kill the couple’s daughter and grandson before plugging in the phone, so his wife could call police.
Police in the Poconos are looking for the man who robbed a Stroudsburg gas station at gunpoint. Stroud Area Regional Police say a man entered the Shell gas station on McConnell Street Sunday night and showed a gun to the clerk. He demanded money and then on foot.