About a dozen apartments have been evacuated after an overnight fire broke out in Emmaus. The fire began at the Mill Run Apartments in the 200 block of Powder Mill Lane just after midnight. The fire was contained to one apartment, but smoke spread through the building, causing the 12 units to be evacuated. Seven people were treated for smoke inhalation. Investigators are working to determine what started the fire.
It sounds like the Lehigh Valley Zoo's Murphy the Giraffe is facing a potentially fatal diagnosis. The zoo reports Murphy has crystal building up in his urine, which typically leads to stones in the urinary tract, something that in most instances ends up killing the giraffe. Zoo officials say Murphy may live for weeks or perhaps even years, but is likely to die at some point because of the condition.
Mack Truck workers in the Lehigh Valley are going back to work after striking for nearly two weeks. Members of the UAW Local 677 walked off the job just before midnight on October 13th before starting to picket outside the Macungie plant and LVLC warehouse. However, union officials announced last night that after reaching a tentative agreement, the strike will officially end this morning at 9 o'clock. Mack Truck has plants in Lehigh County; Dauphin County; Jacksonville, Florida; and three in Maryland.
Bethlehem police say a man hit his 4-year-old stepson in the face after becoming angry that the boy defecated in a toy truck. On Tuesday, a Bethlehem police detective accompanied the county investigator on a welfare check of the 4-year-old at an apartment in the 1300 block of East Sixth Street. The investigator told police that Bell had allegedly injured the boy on Monday, and that children had been previously removed from the home due to “deplorable living conditions.” Police described the apartment as unsanitary with food scattered across the floor. Authorities also found three other children - a 2-year-old, a 3-year-old and an 8-month-old - living in the apartment. Tyrone J. Bell is charged with injuring the child, who had ruptured blood vessels in his eye and bruising.
Easton police are looking for two masked men who robbed a West Ward convenience store at gunpoint and assaulted a store employee Wednesday night. The robbers hit the Supreme Mart, on South 13th Street, just before 9pm. The employee suffered minor injuries and was treated at a local hospital.
This weekend, several Jewish organizations are marking the one year anniversary of the massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. On October 27th last year, 11 people were murdered and another six wounded when Robert Bowers allegedly opened fire on the synagogue in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh.
The state is announcing thousands of dollars in grants are being made available to make elementary school lunches healthier. Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding says schools can now tap into $500,000 in grants via Pennsylvania's Farm Bill. The idea is to improve access to healthy and locally sourced foods while increasing agricultural education.
Racing legend Roger Penske has been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. President Trump awarded the nation's highest civilian honor to Penske at the White House on Thursday. Penske says he owes his success to his co-workers. "The 64,000 people who work for us on five continents and nine countries, these are the people I need to thank today because if they hadn't done their work, I wouldn't be here today," Penske said. Penske's highly successful race team headquarters were located in Reading for several decades beginning in 1973.
The governor and first lady of New Jersey will be on-hand today to attend the opening of the American Dream. Phil and Tammy Murphy are scheduled to be present when the massive new megamall opens today for the first time, but anyone thinking of swinging by should note that one of its main attractions has already sold out for the weekend. Tickets to its "Nickelodeon Universe" are all gone until Monday, when general admission tickets will once again be available for just under $40. However, there are still around 450 stores, restaurants and other businesses to enjoy.
The Phillies have hired Joe Girardi to be the team's new manager. Girardi's former boss, New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, says the Phillies are getting a winner. "Anybody who has ever asked me about Joe Girardi, I've told them, to me, if you're going to market place and he's available in the market place, you could find no better candidate," Cashman says. Girardi's Yankees beat the Phillies in the 2009 World Series.