It's a white Friday across the region today. "It's going to snow pretty much all day long. It's going to taper off as we get to sunset and it should all be done by 8 or 9 o'clock tonight, at the latest," says Accu-Weather's Joe Lundberg. When it does end, Lundberg says one-to-three inches will be left behind in the Lehigh Valley with more than that south of our area. Lundberg says there's concern for drifting of snow as well because it's generally going to be a light, fluffy snow and tonight and tomorrow are expected to be windy.
In an effort to get as many cars off city streets as possible to allow for snow removal, the Allentown Parking Authority is offering free parking at two Allentown garages this weekend. Parking will be free at the Government Deck, 435 W Hamilton St., and Maple Deck, 920 W. Maple St., from 12 p.m. Friday until 12 p.m. Sunday. Regular rates resume after noon Sunday.
Muhlenberg College is the latest college under investigation for alleged discrimination. The U.S. Department of Education added Muhlenberg to its list of schools under investigation for violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which offers protection from racist and prejudice. In a statement, Muhlenberg College says, "Muhlenberg College is cooperating fully with the investigation. We do not tolerate antisemitism, Islamophobia, xenophobia or any other form of harassment, bigotry or abuse nor any incitement to violence or calls for genocide.” Lafayette College is also under the DOE's microscope for alleged discrimination.
Beginning April 12th, Lehigh Valley Health Network will no longer offer chiropractic services. LVHN is calling the decision part of the network's restructuring. The network currently has ten chiropractors and ten chiropractic practices in Lehigh, Northampton, Monroe and Luzerne counties. LVHN recently announced its intent to merge with Jefferson Health Network, which does not offer chiropractic services.
Ten rounds of voting and still no new member on Northampton County Council. After about nine hours interviewing candidates Wednesday and voting Thursday, Northampton County Council could not come up with a candidate to fill a vacancy created when Tara Zrinski resigned earlier this month to become county controller. To be approved, a candidate needed five votes and no applicant reached that number, with ex-Council President Kerry Myers coming the closest, receiving four votes several times. Council has 30 days after a resignation to fill a spot, and Feb. 1 is the 30th day.
Police in Northampton County are trying to figure out who shot a 33-year-old man and where it happened. The man walked into St. Luke's Hospital's Anderson Campus around 8:30 Wednesday night and said he was shot in Easton in the area of Davis and Palmer streets about an hour earlier. Easton police searched that area and found no evidence of a shooting. The man, who police say is not cooperating, is expected to survive.
The owners of Yianni's Taverna in Lower Saucon Township are closing in on opening a second restaurant, this one on Northampton Street in Easton. Meli European Taverna is expected to open this spring in the space that used to house Maxim's 22. Like Yianni's, Meli will feature Mediterranean food as well as European-influenced dishes.
Demolition began Wednesday at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue, the site of the deadliest anti-semitic attack in U.S. history. Most of the site will feature a new memorial and museum. "We want to come back and we want to do something big and positive for the community and for ourselves. We want to let people we are here and please join with us in our faith, in our community, whatever. It should be positive," one survivor says.
A state Democratic lawmaker who's running for state treasurer says the Republican incumbent should be barred from public office. Representative Ryan Bizzarro is criticizing Stacy Garrity for endorsing former President Trump. The Capital Star reports she's the first statewide candidate to do so. Garrity is also demanding an apology from a Bizzarro campaign staffer who referred to her as "insurrectionist Barbie" on social media. Garrity calls the post a "sexist online insult."
John Fetterman continues to lead the Democratic charge against Bob Menendez. Menendez, the Democratic senior senator from New Jersey, is facing charges stemming from a bribery scandal and allegations that he provided sensitive U.S. Government information to representatives of the Egyptian government. Pennsylvania's junior senator and former Braddock mayor has called on Menendez to resign from the Senate and, on Thursday, endorsed another Democrat's bid to replace New Jersey senator who has not said if he is running for re-election this year.
The NTSB is releasing new information regarding the deadly news helicopter crash in South Jersey last month. A preliminary report says the chopper had no engine problems that would have caused the crash on December 19th in the Wharton State Forest. The helicopter belonged to Philadelphia TV station WPVI and was returning back to the airport when it crashed. The pilot and news photographer on board were killed.