A one-year-old's birthday party ended with a murder over the weekend. Police in Allentown say 33-year-old Miguel Dalmasi, of Alburtis, was shot to death at East Walnut and South Dauphin streets around 8 o'clock Saturday night. Investigators say it appears Dalmasi was with his family at the birthday party when an argument happened outside when an uninvited group of people tried to get into the party. During that argument, Dalmasi was shot to death. No arrests have been made.
A man evaded police over the weekend by jumping into the Lehigh River. First responders were called to the Northampton side of the Coplay-Northampton Bridge at 10 o'clock Saturday night. Northampton police had been pursing the man when he jumped into the river and began swimming toward the Coplay side. It's not known if the man made it to the other side and police have not said why they were chasing him.
No injuries are reported in a weekend house fire in Lehigh County. It happened just before 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon in a home on South 13th Street in Catasauqua. No word yet on what may have led to the fire.
Lehigh University says former U.S. Representative Liz Cheney will be visiting campus next Tuesday, February 27th. School officials say she'll be speaking as part of the 2024 Kenner Lecture Series. Cheney was a vocal critic of former president Donald Trump, especially during efforts to impeach him for his role in the January 6th riots and his belief that the 2020 elections were stolen. Because of her opposition, Freedom Caucus members tried to remove her twice from her leadership role. The lecture is sold out but there's a waiting list in case of cancellations.
Sunday marked the one year anniversary of the murder of Temple University policeman Christopher Fitzgerald. Temple held a memorial for Fitzgerald Sunday. His widow, Marissa, was among those who spoke. "On this date last year, I prayed to God for him not to take him from us," a weeping Marissa Fitzgerald said. Temple University officials unveiled a new plaque made in his honor. Fitzgerald, whose father is former Allentown police chief Joel Fitzgerald, was patrolling alone when he tried to stop a robbery and was fatally shot. 19-year-old Miles Pfeffer is charged with killing Fitzgerald.
Justices with Pennsylvania's Supreme Court will hear a case that challenges the state's life-without-parole mandate for second-degree murder. Lawyers for Derek Lee, who was convicted for his part in a homicide ten years ago, say Pennsylvania's automatic life sentence violates the state's and U.S. Constitution statutes against cruel punishment. Officials say a favorable outcome for Lee could affect over 5000 others currently serving life-without-parole sentences in the state.
While Pennsylvania is considered a swing state in the 2024 presidential election, Gov. Josh Shapiro says he's confident President Biden will carry the state again. "They rejected Donald Trump in 2020. They voted for me by a historic margin in 2022," Shapiro says. Shapiro tells ABC's "This Week" that ever since Pennsylvania voted for Donald Trump in 2016, they have "voted for freedom and against extremism."
The annual THON at Penn State ended Sunday afternoon with a record setting fundraising number. This year's event raised $16,955,683.63 for the fight against childhood cancer. That's nearly $1.95 million more than in 2023. The 46-hour event ran from 6 p.m. Friday through 4 p.m. Sunday at the Bryce Jordan Center on Penn State's main campus. Participants were required to remain standing the entire time to fulfill their fundraising pledges. All THON proceeds go to the Four Diamonds Foundation, which supports pediatric cancer work at Penn State Health Children's Hospital.
A state Senate Republican is sponsoring a pair of bills aimed at setting guidelines to follow when a budget impasse occurs. Lisa Baker, who represents parts of several northeastern counties, has introduced Senate Bill 1052 and 1053. One proposes a Constitutional amendment for when an impasse occurs, that the state will still be able to spend up to 80 percent of the amount that was budgeted in the prior fiscal year. Bill 1053 would also propose that a new budget would need to be introduced within six weeks of the governor's address and that both chambers would have to pass budget bills by the second week of May.
House Speaker Joanna McClinton has scheduled a special election to fill the newest vacancy in the 139th Legislative District. It's set for April 23rd, the same day as the spring primary. The vacancy came up with the resignation of Representative Joseph Adams, a Republican from Wayne. Voters in Bucks County recently approved a new lawmaker for another vacancy - Democrat James Prokopiak won in voting to replace John Galloway, who stepped down to take a district judge post.
The leading Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Senator Bob Menendez, feuded over their qualifications last night in their first debate of the campaign. Menendez -- facing federal fraud charges -- did not attend the debate. Congressman Andy Kim and New Jersey First lady Tammy Murphy shared similar views on a national right to abortion and increased gun safety laws. Kim criticized Murphy's Republican background, but Murphy pointed to her work to rebuild the Democratic Party following her husband's election as governor. Murphy questioned Kim's ability to stand up to former President Trump.
Mail carriers are off work today to observe Presidents Day. The U.S. Postal Service is not delivering letters or packages and no other other in-person services are available at post office locations. Parcel companies UPS and FedEx are still operating. Many local, state, and federal offices are also closed for the holiday.