A man was rushed to the hospital after being shot in Allentown overnight. Officers were called to the 1200 block of Turner Street around 1:30 this morning and found an adult male with gunshot wounds and took him to the hospital. He was in serious condition. No arrests have been made.
UGI was called to a home in Lehigh County Saturday night after a dozen people inside suddenly became sick. All got dizzy and sick in a Lower Macungie Township home around 10:30 p.m. Saturday night. UGI and Macungie Township firefighters turned off the gas valve to the residence on Clauss Drive, though state police did not say if that's what caused their illness. All twelve were taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest. One was admitted.
Beginning yesterday, the Allentown Service Plaza will not be selling gas for nearly three months. The Turnpike Commission says its fuel provider will replace underground fuel tanks and install new dispensers at the fuel pumps. Gas and diesel pumps will be closed until May 21.
The bridge over Jordan Creek in Allentown will close starting March 16th for reconstruction. Officials expect the West Gordon Street bridge to be closed for eight months. Detours are expected as the $3.3 million project gets underway. The work is scheduled to be completed by November 19th.
A man accused of murdering a worker inside the Paradise Township Municipal Building in November 2018 pleaded guilty but mentally ill to third-degree murder Monday. David Green was accused of killing Michael Tripus, who was the sewage enforcement officer and building code official at the time of his death. Michael Mancuso is the Monroe County first assistant district attorney. "He never really gave a firm motive for why he was targeting Mr. Tripus, why he brought a loaded gun to this meeting," Mancuso says. Green will be sentenced in May. A third-degree murder charge carries a 20 to 40 year prison sentence.
The Blue Mountain School District will move forward with demolishing and rebuilding the Blue Mountain Elementary West in Wayne Township, Schuylkill County. There are no dates yet for demolition or new construction, but the goal is to complete the project for the start of the 2022 school year, according to the board president. Many classrooms have significant water damage, which was discovered when several heating pipes failed last January.
Gov. Tom Wolf is asking lawmakers for more money to reduce so-called gun violence. Over the past two years, $3 million in grant money has been awarded for project aimed at reducing suicide by gun, domestic violence shootings and accidental shootings. Wolf says he wants another $6 million this year to find more projects approved by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.
The state is handing out more than $1 million to programs that help veterans with opioid use disorder. Gov. Tom Wolf says the money comes from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and is meant to help uplift veterans and their families. The seven grant recipients from various counties all offer programs focused on treatment, recovery and other services for veterans suffering from substance use disorder. The governor has managed to secure close to $56 million in SAMSHA grants to help the state deal with the prescription opioid and heroin epidemic.
President Donald Trump is making his first visit this year to the presidential battleground state of Pennsylvania. The President will appear at a town hall-style event Thursday at the Scranton Cultural Center. The event is hosted by Fox News.
Campaign officials say Democrat presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg will campaign in Pittsburgh Thursday. Bloomberg is expected to talk about climate change, health care and gun safety. No details about the exact location and timing of the visit were announced Monday.
Penn State students are mourning the loss of a beloved Taco Bell. More than 50 students showed up to a vigil Sunday night to bid farewell to the fast food giant's former location on College Avenue. They gathered to eulogize the cheap food hotspot. Candles adorned the front of the building. One student wore a taco costume and the crowd joined in singing the Alma Mater and "Amazing Grace" after a moment silence.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy says one person is under investigation for possible coronavirus and he's detailing steps the state is taking in order to be prepared. Murphy will hold a series of phone calls today to coordinate response, including education officials, members of the business community and county officials. Eight previous suspected coronavirus cases have already been cleared in New Jersey.
New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection is adopting a number of amendments to the state's stormwater management rules. The rule changes are intended to better protect water quality by reducing polluted runoff. With the use of green infrastructure technologies such as bioretention basins, vegetated swales, rain gardens and green roofs, officials say that not only will the water get cleaner, but the state will be better protected from flooding, storms and climate change.
New Jersey residents are getting the heads-up that the state's resident snakes are just about to reappear. The state Division of Fish and Wildlife says that spring warmth will bring garter and water snakes by mid-March. The rest of New Jersey's snakes will then make their appearance by mid-May. The agency further reminds that snakes have an important role in the Garden State's ecosystem and are legally protected against killing, injuring, collecting or harassment.