Accu-Weather's Bill Deger says it wouldn't be a bad idea to keep an eye out for thunderstorms this afternoon. "About 2-to-5pm I expect these storms will roll through from west to east," Deger says. He says if you get one of those storms, be prepared for strong, gusty, perhaps damaging winds.
The word "Easter" has been removed from the City of Easton's promotion of its egg hunts after criticism related to the separation of church and state. City Administrator Luis Campos says he revised the city's social media accounts to remove any mention of Easter from advertisements for Saturday's egg hunt events. The change was made, he said, after receiving a complaint that the city's mention of Easter in relation to the events, which are sponsored by the Easton Bureau of Recreation and Neighborhood Programs, might be seen as violating a separation of church and state.
A beloved Allentown institution is soon to be out and a Royal Farms convenience store, gas station and car wash will take its place along Lehigh Street. Allentown's planning commission has approved plans for a Royal Farms on the site where the Brass Rail restaurant currently stands. The restaurant and several other buildings will be demolished after it closes June 4th after more than 90 years in business. Royal Farms will acquire the Brass Rail, Batteries Plus Bulbs, Budget Truck Rentals and the Pacific Pride gas station. The Pacific Pride will stay intact and the diesel fuel tank will still be utilized, but Batteries Plus Bulbs, Budget and the Brass Rail will be demolished. Work is expected to begin later this year.
A fire badly damaged a home in Lehigh County. It broke out just before 10 p.m. Wednesday in the 3200 block of S. Third Street in Whitehall Township. Officials have not said whether anyone was hurt or what caused the fire.
Officials at Whitehall Cement Plant in Whitehall are still investigating what caused a Tuesday afternoon fire. The fire began shortly after 4pm. No injuries are reported.
The 2022 Great Allentown Fair has begun to fill out its grandstand lineup for this coming summer. For the first time, the Dropkick Murphys will be at the grandstand on the night of Thursday, September 1. Tickets, priced at $49, go on sale April 22.
Federal officials are extending a mask mandate for all modes of public transportation and at transportation hubs for an additional 15-day period. That means LANTA and travelers flying in and out of any airport will need to continue wearing face coverings. The mandate had been scheduled to expire April 18th but is being extended through May 3rd as the CDC examines the impact of the latest covid variant.
Finding a place to park at Philadelphia International Airport will be a bit difficult over the next several days. It comes as a busy holiday weekend approaches and spring break season is here. Airport parking garages are at full capacity. People are encouraged to utilize off-site lots or perhaps use a ride-sharing service to get you to and from the airport.
Pennsylvania authorities are giving advance notice to the State County Fair Association that poultry likely won't be part of state fairs this year. A state Agriculture Department spokeswoman says they'll be issuing a quarantine order and public announcement about poultry shows on Saturday. The exhibits are being excluded because of the threat of avian flu. Several states in the mid-Atlantic have taken similar steps.
A Pennsylvania family now knows what happened to their bird Lucky thanks to the help of a classic TV theme song. Louise Duncan says she found a cockatiel on the steps of a church in Lancaster County. A local rescue group posted a photo of the bird on social media and Lucky's family thought it might be their pet who went missing three years ago. To confirm Lucky's identity, the rescue played the theme song from 'The Andy Griffith Show,' which was Lucky's favorite. The family knew it was Lucky when he started dancing and bobbing his head along to the tune.
Healthcare workers in New Jersey will not need to get the second COVID-19 booster shot. Gov. Phil Murphy signed that measure Tuesday, which also applies to anyone who works in high-risk congregate settings. While it's not required, Murphy did say he felt everyone should get their second booster shot.