Reaction is mixed to the deployment of a police sniper atop a building during a concert Sunday in North Catasauqua. Christopher Wolfer is the North Catasauqua police chief and says he did what he believed needed to be done to protect the thousands of people attending the concert in William Albert Memorial Park. "I understand that some people felt uneasy about it and I apologize to them. That wasn't our goal by any stretch of the imagination. Our goal is to keep people safe and if that has to make a few people unsettled, so be it. Safety is our top priority," Wolfer says. He says he made the call to use what he calls a 'tactical officer' due to recent mass shootings across the country.
Three people died after a crash overnight that shut down a stretch of Interstate 80 in Kidder Township, Carbon County. The crash happened on I-80 when a commercial vehicle and passenger van collided between the Hickory Run State Park and Turnpike exits. A 34-year-old man, a 36-year-old man and a 73-year-old woman, all in the same van died. Officials believe the driver of the van was under the influence of alcohol. Authorities say the crash is still under investigation. The wreck shut down that section of the interstate for almost seven hours.
The woman who died while jet skiing in the Poconos last week has been identified. 19-year-old Lorena Lauer, of Stroudsburg, drowned after falling off a jet ski and becoming submerged underneath it. The accident happened July 7 at Camp Pocono Trails in Reeders. Lauer's death is being investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police.
Allentown's chief operating officer is leaving after just five months on the job. Mayor Matt Tuerk says Leonard Lightner took the newly-created position back in February. His last day on the job will be July 21. Lightner has worked for the city since 2008. Neither Lightner nor Tuerk have given a reason for his departure.
Unions representing nursing home workers in Pennsylvania have agreed to boost staffing levels as part of a deal with Gov. Tom Wolf, who says changes were long overdue. "Pennsylvania's nursing home regulations have not been updated for 25 years. Until today," Wolf said. Wolf on Monday signed legislation authorizing nearly $300 million a year, almost 20% more annually, in additional Medicaid payments to nursing homes. The governor says the $300 million can be used to increase worker salaries, staffing levels and retention of workers.
Members of Pennsylvania's General Assembly are asking Gov. Tom Wolf to take executive action to protect abortion patients and their care providers. The Women's Health Caucus has specific actions they want the governor to take. Those include prohibiting state agencies from assisting other states investigating women for coming to Pennsylvania for abortions and directing Pennsylvania's Secretary of State to protect the licenses of healthcare professionals, when possible, who might face charges from other states for providing abortions in the Keystone State.
Gov. Tom Wolf has signed into law legislation that requires family child-care homes to have certain blue-tooth fire safety equipment installed. The new law requires facilities to have a smoke alarm on each floor, a portable fire extinguisher in cooking areas, and an exit that complies with department of human services' regulations. The smoke alarms are required to be interconnected via hardwire, Bluetooth connectivity or any other means that allows for communication between the other smoke alarms in the family child-care home.
The home of the Pittsburgh Steelers is getting a new name. Known the last 21 years as Heinz Field, the downtown venue will soon take on the name Acrisure stadium. the team announced on Monday that the Michigan-based insurance company has purchased naming rights to the stadium as part of a 15-year deal.
New Jersey state health officials are reporting another 1548 COVID-19 cases statewide. On Monday they also reported one confirmed COVID-related death and 919 people hospitalized with or suspected of having coronavirus across the Garden State's 71 hospitals. The reported death brings the statewide number to 34,112 since the start of the pandemic.