A 21-year-old man is in Lehigh County Jail without bail after allegedly firing into a crowd in downtown Allentown Sunday evening. Police say they were called to the 100 block of North Seventh Street just before 7 o'clock Sunday evening and saw Yunior Peralta-Quintana shooting at a group of people, eight of whom who were hit. One of the eight was wounded badly enough to require surgery. Police say there was a well-attended Dominican festival nearby, but aren't saying whether this shooting was related to anything happening at that event. Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk posted on X "This behavior is unacceptable and we will continue to take the necessary steps to protect everyone from harm."
Five people are facing charges for an alleged organized retail theft ring across Pennsylvania, including Lehigh County. State officials say the suspects targeted popular retail chains about 40 times over a three-month span, stealing more than 71-thousand-dollars in merchandise. The thefts took place in nine counties. Three of the suspects are in custody, but two are reportedly still at large.
Lehigh County officials are warning residents about a text message scam involving voter registration. The scammers are reportedly sending messages claiming the recipient is not registered to vote and gives a link to check their status. That link may corrupt the user's phone. The county says all voter registration information can be accessed at www.vote.pa.gov.
The Pennsylvania State Police say last week's stabbing in Carbon County is tied to a drug deal. Investigators yesterday said David Osenbach attacked his drug dealer under a bridge in Weissport with a knife and a machete because the drug dealer could get Osenbach his drugs quickly enough. The drug dealer was seriously hurt, and was briefly on a breathing machine at a local hospital. Osenbach is in jail, and facing several charges including aggravated assault. He is due back in court next week.
The Palmer Township Board of Supervisors granted preliminary land development plan approval for a proposed personal care facility Monday night. The proposal, offered by Exchange 8 LLC, calls for a four-story, 11,722-square-foot, 70-bed facility with 28 parking spaces at 537 Milford St. It will be known as "Palmer Manor." The roughly 1-acre property is currently an unused meadow field with no existing structures.
During its Monday night meeting, the Pohatcong Township Land Use Board approved an application to develop affordable apartment units on a vacant site. The applicant, Ingerman Development Company LLC, is proposing a 96-unit, 100% affordable multifamily residential housing development called "Willows at Pohatcong." The units would be built along Maple Avenue and South Main Street, located in the Carpentersville and South Main redevelopment area. The 24 units per building consist of a mix of four one-bedroom, 14 two-bedroom, and six three-bedroom units. In total, the complex would offer 16 one-bedroom units, 56 two-bedroom units, and 24 three-bedroom units.
A bipartisan delegation of House members is investigating the assassination attempt on former President Trump that took place last month in Butler, Pennsylvania. Democrat Colorado Congressman Jason Crow is among them. "We're condemning political violence together. We're in the midst of a very contested campaign cycle and it's important for America to see that we can have tough debates, even fierce debates, but in America we condemn political violence. There's no room for it and we're going to come together and get some important answers here," Crow says. The task force is expected to provide a report by mid-December.
Penn State is getting a million-dollars to see if there is a way to use our minerals to replace foreign sources for critical pieces of equipment. The university says the grant will specifically pay for research into whether boron nitride can replace gallium in semiconductors. There is no U.S. supply of gallium, and that forces America to rely on China. Penn State has two years to see if the project is worth pursuing. The university says it intends to get to work right away.
Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Pat Kraft is staying in Happy Valley after signing a contract extension. The university announced Monday that the Penn State Board of Trustees approved a contract extension for Kraft through June 30, 2032. “Pat is an extraordinary leader who brings valuable insight and strategic direction to Athletics and the University, with a focus on both athletic and academic success for Penn State’s more than 800 student-athletes,” Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi said. “This new contract will help ensure Penn State continues to benefit from Pat’s leadership for years to come.” Throughout the eight-year contract, the annual value for guaranteed compensation is $2.26 million a year with the opportunity for additional performance-based bonuses of $350,000 annually. Kraft joined Penn State from Boston College in July 2022.
A woman is being charged for allegedly climbing into a tiger enclosure at a New Jersey zoo. Authorities say 24-year-old Zyair Dennis has been charged with defiant trespassing and violating two city ordinances that prohibit people from climbing fences within a zoo. Officials say video shows Dennis approaching tigers at the Cohanzick Zoo in Bridgeton on August 18th and sticking her hand through the fence. Dennis will have to appear in Bridgeton Municipal Court. Meanwhile, State Senator Jon Bramnick says the incident highlights the need for legislation he's proposing this session to toughen penalties for trespassing at zoos. His proposal would levy probation or a fine against trespassers.