Authorities have taped off an area in a Lehigh County neighborhood after a big sinkhole formed. A large sinkhole opened up Sunday night near a home in the 200 block of Ridings Circle in Macungie. One home has been condemned and a second may have to be. It's not yet clear what caused the sinkhole, which measures 20 feet deep and 40 feet wide, however there is construction nearby, and there was a lot of rain Sunday night, so engineers are investigating whether or not one or both of those, caused the problem.
The death of a 29-year-old Allentown man is being ruled a homicide by the Lehigh County Coroner's office. The body of Alexander Price was found Sunday inside his home in the 300 block of North 16th Street, but Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin says the investigation indicates Price was killed perhaps two days earlier. "There were people who overheard what appeared to them to be a fracas or altercation," the DA says. Martin says they believe that altercation was between Price and another man who also lived at that address. After an autopsy, the coroner has determined Price died from blunt force tramua to the head.
State Police are investigating a robbery at Fidelity Bank on N. Delaware Drive in Upper Mount Bethel Township. It happened about 11:45 Tuesday morning when a man entered the bank and passed a note demanding money from a bank teller. After receiving the money, he fled the scene. State police said he was about 5-foot-5, wearing a black hoodie and blue surgical mask.
A new warehouse along with 50 jobs are coming to Lloyd Street in Allentown, near the American Parkway. A. Duie Pyle is opening a 326,630-square-foot warehouse that will employ 30 upon opening and 20 more by the end of 2024.
Gas prices in both the Lehigh Valley and across Pennsylvania held steady over the past seven days. Across the Commonwealth, gas prices sat at $3.64 a gallon on Tuesday, unchanged from the prior week, but $1.14 below the July 11, 2022 price. In the Lehigh Valley, that gallon of gas cost, on average, $3.57. That's the same as last Tuesday and $1.11 under last year's price.
Lehigh Valley flyers have a new option to get to Florida. Allegiant Air has announced a new nonstop route from Lehigh Valley International Airport to the Sunshine State. Beginning in November, Allegiant will fly from LVIA to Melbourne Orlando International Airport and if you purchase the tickets before close of business Wednesday, a one-way fare will be as low as $50. Those one-way $50 flights must be taken before February 12, 2024.
A woman who allegedly assaulted and robbed two people in Forks Township is under arrest. Taylor Llorens was arrested on charges she assaulted and took the cell phones of two residents in the first block of Saratoga Court in Forks Township around 1:40 p.m. July 1.
One woman is dead following a lawnmower accident. The incident happened yesterday evening when police were called to a residence in the Brodheadsville area of Chestnuthill Township. Police say a 70-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy will be conducted to determine her cause of death.
For the second straight day there's no swimming permitted at Beltzville State Park. That's because the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources says high bacteria levels were detected in samples Monday. This swimmer says she's disappointed. "We're bummed because now our day has just gone to waste," she said. The DCNR says swimming will be allowed once again when those bacteria levels return to acceptable numbers. Visitors to Beltzville State Park can still fish, boat and hike in the park.
Closing statements are expected today in the first part of the sentencing phase in the trial of Robert Bowers. Bowers was convicted last month in the 2018 mass shooting that left 11 people dead at the Tree of Life synagogue and jurors soon will determine if he is eligible for the death penalty. If jurors find Bowers eligible to be put to death, more witnesses and arguments may be presented before a final decision is made. If jurors find Bowers ineligible for the death penalty, he will be sentenced to life in prison.
A Pennsylvania lawmaker wants to stop the ban on books in state libraries. Democratic State Senator Amanda Cappelletti said Monday that she'll introduce a bill to stop book bans. She said in a memo to fellow lawmakers asking for co-sponsorships that banning books is unconstitutional.
Dave Sunday, York County’s elected district attorney, said Monday that he will run in next year’s GOP primary for state attorney general, making him the first Republican to get in the race. Sunday, who has been York’s district attorney since 2018, joins three Democrats who also have announced they will seek the top law enforcement job in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania State Police say they seized more than $14 million in drugs in the second quarter of 2023. About $1.6 million of that total came from various forms of marijuana that were confiscated. More than $3.1 million in cocaine and crack cocaine was also seized during April, May and June.
New Jersey has been ranked the most improved state in the nation for business, thanks in large part to its recent credit upgrades from Moody's. The ranking comes from CNBC, which also notes the state has the nation's second-worst debt rating from Moody's, just ahead of Illinois. The Garden State earned its most improved rating from CNBC after it jumped 23 spots to Number 19 from last year. Governor Phil Murphy reportedly plans to lobby the ratings services for another upgrade.
State officials say a team of independent researchers will examine traffic stops around New Jersey after a major study showed racial and ethnic disparities among who's stopped by police on state roadways. Researchers studied of more than six-million cases. State Attorney General Matt Platkin says a pilot program is being launched that will direct some officers to ease off enforcing some traffic laws and others will undergo an audit of their traffic stops. The division of State Police spent more than a decade under federal monitoring because of its troubled history of racial profiling complaints. New Jersey's NAACP Director Richard Smith notes the department has been the subject of 17 discrimination lawsuits.