Police are investigating a shooting incident that happened in the 1100 block of Route 412 just outside of Hellertown and near I-78. Not many details have been released yet, but police say they're not searching for anyone in connection with the investigation and there's no danger to the public.
Members of three Lutheran churches in Bethlehem have voted to sell their buildings to Lehigh University. The proposed sale by the congregations of St. Peter's, Light of Christ and St. John's Windish passed by a vote of 120 to nine Sunday. Lehigh University submitted a bid of $3.7 million for the church properties. In a statement, Lehigh University said, "We are pleased with the outcome of the vote and would like to thank the congregations’ leadership and members for their acceptance of Lehigh’s offer, a demonstration of their confidence in the university to be thoughtful owners of the properties." Congregants also approved a merger combining the three churches into Blessed Trinity Lutheran Church.
Allentown police are investigating a Sunday night shooting. Police said a gunshot victim walked into a local hospital. Around 9:30 Sunday night, a heavy police presence was seen in the area of South Lumber and Vine streets, but it's not clear if it's related to the shooting and police haven't released any further information.
A pair of firefighters is recovering from injuries suffered while battling a weekend house fire in Monroe County. The blaze happened Saturday afternoon at a home on Route 940 in Tobyhanna Township. The injuries suffered by the firefighters are described as minor while the home was completely destroyed. There has been no word on the cause of the fire.
Emmaus' 16th annual SnowBlast winter arts festival has been postponed. The event had been set to happen this past Saturday, but organizers say weather forced them to move it to Saturday, March 4th. The free festival brings more than 50 artists, vendors and art activities to dozens of venues in the Emmaus Triangle. Promoters say the event will still have a fun gnome theme when it's held next month.
House Speaker Mark Rozzi says he can now go back to Harrisburg to work on specific issues voiced by citizens from across the state. The speaker wrapped up his state "listening tour" Thursday. Rozzi says the tour revealed widespread frustration with the lower chamber, which has been unable to move forward with official business due to a partisan stalemate. He says he got a lot of comments about the need for new rules that would take away the power of committee chairs to kill legislation that they personally oppose, even if it has bipartisan support. The state House is scheduled to re-adjourn February 27th.
New state Governor Josh Shapiro has said recently he'd follow laws required for disclosing who made donations for his pricey inaugural party. The event in Lititz drew hundreds of people to watch entertainers such as Smokey Robinson, Wiz Khalifa and Mt. Joy. Despite the governor's openness to comply with the rules, there's no Pennsylvania law to require such disclosure. His inaugural committee was organized as a nonprofit 501c(4) organization. Under federal laws, that structure doesn't require donors' names to be disclosed or limit donations amounts.
The White House has announced plans to speed up the use of infrastructure law funds to replace lead pipes in underserved communities, including some in Pennsylvania. Governor Josh Shapiro said in a statement Friday the accelerator program will invest in clean drinking water to many cities in the state, but especially to communities that he says "have been left behind for too long." He says the risk is greater for low-income households and in older homes where lead plumbing fixtures, pipes and lead-based paint have not been replaced or improved.
The state of Pennsylvania plans to give grants of up to $400,000 to groups that try to curb opioid deaths in communities of color. The money comes from the state Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs and stems, in part, from settlements related to the nationwide opioid epidemic. Department officials say in 2021, the overdose death rate of Black Pennsylvanians was twice as high as white residents.
A state trucking organization says the cost of driving on the Pennsylvania Toll Road is making the state uncompetitive for trucking businesses. Rebecca Oyler, president of the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association, tells Trucking-News-dot-com that recent toll hikes only make goods more expensive for everyone. She also says her group remains upset that the money paid to maintain the roads is diverted to other projects. However, a spokeswoman for the turnpike says truckers appreciate the savings in time and fuel that they get from using the roadway.
Seven-hundred-forty-seven-million dollars will be up for grabs tonight. That's the current estimated jackpot in the Powerball lottery game. No one has won the game's top prize since back in November. The estimated jackpot tonight is the 9th largest for a lottery game in U.S. history. Poconos players and others around the country will learn if they've won when numbers are drawn at 11 tonight.
Hersheypark has announced its 2023 season will begin April 1st. The park will be open on weekends through May 21st, with its full summer season beginning on Thursday, May 25th. Promoters also say the summer brings the debut of the park's new Wildcat's Revenge rollercoaster. The original Wildcat ride was in operation for 100 years at the park. The new ride is a wooden and steel hybrid and park officials say it's the first of its kind in the state.
Cracker Barrel is encouraging couples to get engaged at their restaurants this month. The company is hosting an "I Said Yes At Cracker Barrel" Valentine's Day contest February 10th through 16th. Couples who post a public video to Instagram showing them pop the question at one of the chain's southern-style eateries can win free food for a year. Cracker Barrel is also offering free desserts to guests on Valentine's Day.
With the calendar closing in on next weekend's Super Bowl, Pennsylvania's acting attorney general is warning folks to be wary of ticket scams. Michael Henry says that fans hoping to head to Arizona to watch the Eagles take on the Chiefs need to watch out for con artists trying to steal their money. Among the tips he's offered, Henry says that people should avoid ticket sellers who ask for payment in gift cards, money orders or wire transfers. Henry says a credit card should always be used to make such a purchase when possible.
Both the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs arrived in Arizona Sunday ahead of Super Bowl 57. Prior to flying west, the Eagles held a sendoff party for fans at Lincoln Financial Field. Head coach Nick Sirianni offered a quick comment to the thousands of fans who attended. "We appreciate everybody's support. We appreciate everybody being out here. If you're going out to Arizona, be loud like you always are. Go Birds!" Sirianni told the fans. The Eagles are one-and-a-half point favorites.