As you might expect, Pennsylvania's two senators had very different reactions to President Biden's State of the Union Address. Democrat Bob Casey said, "President Biden addressed the situation in Ukraine with solemn responsibility and the serious response it merits. He has already shown the world that the United States stands up for democracy." Republican Pat Toomey said, "President Biden began his speech tonight with a good message about Ukraine. The president then went on to rehash a mostly partisan, liberal wish list, including the tax-and-spend agenda that recently failed in Congress."
There's another legal turn in the commonwealth's mail-in voting saga. Pennsylvania's mail-in voting law will remain in place, at least for an undetermined amount time, despite a Commonwealth Court judge's ruling that would have killed it in two weeks. The state Supreme Court issued that ruling Tuesday, which was the day the court was to hold oral arguments on the law. That move allows the court more time to rule on the issue. Gov. Tom Wolf asked the Supreme Court to keep the law in place while awaiting resolution of the litigation.
DeSales University is mourning the loss of President Emeritus Father Daniel Gambet. The university says Gambet died Monday at the age of 92. Fr. Gambet began his career at what was then known as Allentown College in 1965, serving as academic dean and a teacher of history and Latin. In 1978, he became the second president of school, serving until his retirement in 1999.
Allentown police are investigating a Tuesday morning shooting. It happened around 10 o'clock in the 500 block of Liberty street. Police say 37-year-old Roberto Berrios shot Jose Tejada, who is his brother. Tejada is expected to survive. Investigators haven't given a motive for the shooting.
For the first time in two years, Bethlehem Area School District students and steff can leave their masks at home. Effective Tuesday, the school district has an optional masking policy. That came one day after the school board unanimously approved the change. Superintendent Joseph Roy says both the Bethlehem Health Bureau and St. Luke’s University Health Network support the change.
According to AAA East Central's Gas Price Report, gas prices in Pennsylvania are two cents higher this week at $3.75 per gallon. That's 80 cents more than one year earlier. In the Lehigh Valley, the price of gas has gone up three cents in the past week to $3.76, which is 83 cents more than on March 1 of last year.
Pennsylvania collected $2.4 billion in General Fund revenue last month, $155.7 million more than anticipated. Fiscal year-to-date, those collections stand at more than $28 billion, which is 7.5 percent above estimate.
New Jersey is investing more than $16 million in affordable housing opportunities. Gov. Phil Murphy announced yesterday that the money will be awarded to local organizations through the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Some $5.3 million is being dedicated to building 25 affordable rental units in Elizabeth while another $4.2 million will be allocated to a 24-unit complex in Gloucester County. Murphy says creating a path of prosperity for everyone includes housing that is affordable.
New Jersey's current cyber security alert is "elevated." That's according to the New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell. This comes as federal agencies identify a new malicious software known as Cyclops Blink, which is used by a group responsible for disrupting the Ukrainian power grid in 2015 and disruptive attacks against Georgia in 2019. New Jersey cybersecurity officials are urging organizations to implement an in-depth cybersecurity defense.
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says negotiations failed to produce a collective bargaining agreement with the players union and that means the regular season will not start on time. "I had hoped against hope that I would not have to have this particular press conference, in which I am going to cancel some regular season games," Manfred said. That means all teams' first two series of the year will be canceled. The Phillies canceled series are in Houston and Washington. The earliest the Phils will start their season is Friday, April 8 against Oakland.