A man wanted for several criminal offenses was arrested Wednesday after a lengthy standoff in Bethlehem. Police say they received information around 10 o'clock Wednesday morning that 31-year-old Brian Lichtenwalner was inside a home on 11th Avenue. For the next nine hours or so police tried to get Lichtenwalner to come out of the home and surrender, but he did not. Finally, just before 7pm, police went into the home and found Lichtenwalner hiding inside a closet. After resisting arrest, Lichtenwalner was eventually taken into custody. He had been wanted on charges including DUI, disarming a law enforcement officer and drug possession.
At their Wednesday night meeting, the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the county’s 2024 budget. The $520 million spending plan will keep the current tax rate of 3.78 mills flat for the fifth straight year.
The Bethlehem Health Bureau is trying to prevent drug overdoses with its Naloxone Box Program. The program will place boxes containing the overdose-reversing medication in areas like libraries, hospitals and community centers in the city and across Northampton County. Each box will contain Naloxone and instructions on how to use it. There were 70 accidental drug overdoses last year in Northapmton County.
Another Republican wants to take Congresswoman Susan Wild's job. Law student and former congressional aide Allen Issa says he's running for the Lehigh Valley's seat in Congress. Issa was born and raised in California, but says his Lehigh Valley roots run deep and says he's named after the city of Allentown. Issa joins fellow Republicans Ryan Mackenzie, Maria Montero and Kevin Dellicker in the race.
Lehigh Valley residents will soon be able to enjoy a new restaurant. The Cheesecake Factory announced its Lehigh Valley Mall location will open its doors December 19th. The full-service restaurant will be located near the former site of the Barnes-and-Noble at the mall's central entrance. The location has placed job ads as they're looking to hire restaurant and kitchen manager positions.
We're in the final few days of October, but Accu-Weather's Joe Lundberg says it'll feel more like the first few days of May. "The next three days, we're going to be in the 70s. I don't think there's any debate about that," Lundberg says. He says we may actually reach 80 degrees on Saturday. Today's record high of 78 and Saturday's record high of 80 may both be within reach.
Governor Josh Shapiro has signed a bill into law that designates how cameras can be used on school buses. The legislation extends the regulations governing the use of automated cameras for enforcement of the school bus stopping law. Without action Monday, the regulations would have expired the next day. The Senate had voted earlier in the day to concur to changes on the bill that were made by the House last week.
While COVID-19 deaths are rising in some states, Pennsylvania is not one of them. New CDC data shows that nationally, COVID-19 hospitalizations are down five percent for the week that end October 14th, when compared to the previous week. Pennsylvania had a positivity rate of four point eight percent. That compares to over 14 percent for states where the rate is rising. Those include Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.
A Pennsylvania judicial candidate is healing after being struck by a car and injured while putting out yard signs on Sunday evening. Her campaign says Maria Battista, a Republican running for Pennsylvania’s Superior Court, was hospitalized Sunday into Monday. Her campaign said she was released Monday after being treated for injuries that included a hairline fracture of her collarbone. Battista's campaign did not immediately disclose where the crash occurred or whether anyone was charged. She expects to be back on the campaign trail in a few days.
Nurses from around Pennsylvania have rallied at the Capitol lobbying for a bill that would mandate staffing minimums at hospitals. Jamie Balsamo is a UPMC-Altoona ICU nurse. "The patients and families go too long of a time without being seen by their nurse. If there's something going on in one room and we get preoccupied for a while, there's just not enough time to divide fairly between the patients to make sure that they're getting the adequate care that they need," Balsamo says. However, some hospital officials say there's a nursing shortage in the commonwealth that the staffing minimums would not address.
Members of the Murphy Administration are in a federal appeals court in Philadelphia defending the state's latest gun safety laws. The outcome could change the gun culture in New Jersey, which has some of the nation's toughest gun control measures. Pro-gun groups are challenging the legislation Governor Murphy signed in response to the Supreme Court's decision to strike down conceal carry laws. The legislation prohibits guns from being carried in certain areas, including zoos, playgrounds, hospitals, and bars. Outside the courtroom, Attorney General Matthew Platkin and members of Moms Demand Action said it's a parent's right to ensure their children are in safe environments. The appellate judges did not say when they'll issue an opinion though the process could take months.
A new poll from Fairleigh Dickinson University shows most New Jerseyans surveyed are not ready to embrace ranked choice voting. Under ranked choice voting, voters rank candidates in order of preference, forcing the winner to obtain a majority of votes. Ranked choice voting is used in New York City and statewide in Alaska and Maine. The poll shows only 37-percent of those surveyed are in favor of the concept while 42-percent oppose it.
The Sixers are gearing up for their season opener this evening in Milwaukee. Philadelphia will take on the Bucks but James Harden will not play in the game. Harden has voiced his displeasure with team president Daryl Morey several times during the offseason. This marks the first game for new head coach Nick Nurse as well. Tipoff is set for 7:30 this evening.