Mack Trucks will be laying off 305 workers, or about 13-percent of the staff, at its Lower Macungie Township assembly plant. The company says about 75 of those workers will be offered voluntary layoffs. The pink slips will be handed out at the end of next month. Mack blames the layoffs on a dip in the heavy-duty truck market.
After being debriefed on the drone strike that killed a top Iranian general last week, Pennsylvania's two senators remain divided on the issue. Democrat Bob Casey says lawmakers need to debate whether war is needed in the region. "We live in a country where people were lied to from Vietnam, to Iraq and maybe beyond that. The American people need and deserve answers to these basic questions," Casey says. Republican Pat Toomey continues to back the strike, saying Iran remains a "dangerous, radical pariah" that supports terrorism.
An Upper Milford Township man reportedly going through a divorce allegedly twice stabbed his wife following an argument early Wednesday morning. Jonathan Rompilla is accused of attacking his wife at the Hamilton Crossings Shopping Center. State police were called to the shopping center shortly before 1:30 a.m. Wednesday for a stabbing victim outside Visionworks. Responding troopers said the victim had a stab wound to the abdomen and was bleeding heavily. She was able to tell them where her husband might be and police eventually tracked him to Allentown where Rompilla was arrested. Police say they found blood several places inside the car as well as a knife.
A former Allentown police officer has pleaded guilty to stealing $315,000 from a firefighting nonprofit. Corey Cole Jr. stole the money from the Lehigh Township Fireman's Relief Association while he served as that group's treasurer. Cole will be sentenced in March.
Fire damaged a home in Monroe County overnight. Crews were called to the 100 block of Larsens Lane in Stroud Township just before 12:30 this morning. Firefighters from 13 fire departments were called in to help. No one was hurt.
Kutztown University is facing a lawsuit from a former student. The woman accuses the university of religious intimidation, saying school officials did not warn students about threats targeting Jewish people or intervene when she faced religious discrimination from her roommate. A lawyer claims she suffered psychological harm and had to drop out as a result. A Kutztown spokesperson says the university rejects all forms of racism and discrimination.
Day six of the Pennsylvania Farm Show is focusing on military, veterans and their families. Later this morning, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding will hold a veterans recognition ceremony in the Expo Hall. Later, there will be an Army vs. Navy cook-off in the Main Hall.
A South Jersey man accused of using a popular crowdsourcing site to raise money under a made-up story is being officially charged. Defendant Mark D'Amico was indicted Wednesday on counts related to wire fraud and money laundering. D'Amico allegedly helped create a crowd source funding page on GoFundMe that used a phony story that used a Philadelphia homeless man as the beneficiary and it raised about $400,000. HOwever, D'Amico purportedly used that money on himself, for personal expenses including gambling, vacations and luxury items. His co-defendants in the case have already pleaded guilty to related counts and are awaiting sentencing.
A New Jersey congressman is releasing a new climate plan. Frank Pallone Jr. showed off the framework of the draft CLEAN Future Act Wednesday on Capitol Hill. The legislation would ensure the U.S. reaches net-zero greenhouse gas pollution by 2050. It includes trying to improve the efficiency of new and existing buildings and reduce transportation emissions. Pallone said he hopes both sides of the aisle will support the measure.