A controversial figure in Quakertown is back at work according to Borough Council there. "Our borough manager Scott McElree has returned to work, but on a reduced schedule as he continues to recover from the injuries that he received on February 20th," was the announcement made during council's meeting. McElree had been off the job since suffering injuries during a student-led anti-ICE protest back in February. While McElree was injured, some community members are calling for his termination for his behavior during the protest. A report released by The Police Chief’s Association of Bucks County says students acted violently, and police acted lawfully in the confrontation and called the police response "professional, coordinated and responsive to rapidly changing conditions." The Bucks County DA's office is conducting its own investigation into McElree's conduct. Borough Council did 'not' specify whether McElree has returned to his job as police chief in addition to his borough manager post.
For the second time, Northampton County Council has given a thumbs down for a Tax Increment Financing designation for the redevelopment of the old Dixie Cup Factory in Wilson. Council voted 6-3 against the TIF designation, which would allow higher property taxes to be phased in later, allowing the developer to use that deferred tax revenue upfront to pay off loans needed for the project. Skyline Investment Group plans to redevelopment the dilapidated property with 405 apartments.
A Lehigh County man is dead after a motorcycle crash in Lehigh County on Thursday. Authorities say the wreck happened just after 1:30 Thursday afternoon on Route 222 in Upper Macungie Township, but no other details have been released. The crash is being investigated.
An Amazon truck burst into flames on Thursday night on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Lehigh County. It happened just after 9 o'clock on the southbound side of the turnpike in South Whitehall Township. No injuries are reported. There's no word on whether the truck was filled with packages or empty.
A sure sign that summer is almost here is happening today in Lehigh County. Dorney Park opens for the first time this year. Water park fans will have to be patient. Wildwater Kingdom opens on May 23.
Recent reporting details a Republican effort to flip Democrat Senator John Fetterman. GOP Senator Dave McCormick says 'he' has not been a part of the discussions, but he would be ok if he were to switch sides. "It's most important that he decides what he wants. I'd welcome him, of course. I think he's great and I trust him and I don't have to agree with everyone in my own party or the opposite party. He's a terrific colleague. Where he sits on the political spectrum and where he decides to go is completely up to him and I really haven't had any influence in any way," McCormick says.
In an op-ed published by the Washington Post, Sen. John Fetterman says he has no interest in switching political parties. Fetterman writes, "It doesn’t matter if my colleague is in my party or across the aisle. My focus remains on working together to find wins and deliver for my constituents. And though I was elected as a Democrat, I’m proud to serve all Pennsylvanians, not just Democrats. Being an independent voice that works with the other side to deliver for Pennsylvanians might put me at odds with the party that I have stayed committed to and have no plans to leave, but I will continue to put the commonwealth and the country first." Fetterman concludes the op-ed by saying, "Plus, I’d be a terrible Republican who still votes overwhelmingly with Democrats."
The frosty relationship between Pennsylvania's Democrat governor and Democrat senator doesn't seem to be warming up. Gov. Josh Shapiro was on CNN and was asked about Sen. John Fetterman perhaps switching to the Republican party. "I don't know what Sen. Fetterman is going to do. I know Pennsylvanians voted for a Democrat to represent them in the United States Senate. So, I think he needs to honor that and continue with his service to Pennsylvania and hopefully get back to what he was elected to do and reflect the will of the people," Shapiro says. In Fetterman's book released last fall, he wrote that he and the governor no longer speak to each other.
York County-based Utz is recalling two of its popular potato chip brands due to the risk of salmonella contamination. The company is recalling select flavors and bag sizes of Zapp's and Dirty brand potato chips because the company was notified that the milk powder in some of its seasonings may contain salmonella and had been recalled separately. The company is voluntarily recalling these chips out of an abundance of caution although tested seasonings were negative for the bacteria. No illnesses have been reported in connection with the recalled chips, but the company advises against consuming the products.
Penn State students and faculty are dealing with the fallout from a cybersecurity breach involving the Canvas learning platform. Officials say the hacking group "ShinyHunters" claimed responsibility for breaching Instructure, the parent company of Canvas. The breach reportedly exposed student names, ID numbers, and email addresses of an estimated 275 million users across nearly nine-thousand educational institutions worldwide. The company says the platform remains unavailable at this time.
Penn State has named a vice provost for AI, the first-of-its-kind administrative role for the Penn State system as demand surges for AI expertise. The school named Vasant Honavar to the new position. He'll oversee Penn State's comprehensive AI strategy. He'll also be tasked with advocating for human-centered and ethical AI innovation across teaching learning, research and operations. Honavar is currently a professor in the Huck Institutes of Life Sciences.
Residents across Pennsylvania will be reminded next week to make sure their dogs are properly licensed. Officials from the state's Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement will be canvassing the state to provide communities with information on licensing their puppies and dogs. If a dog is not licensed, their owner can expect to pay a 500-dollar fine.
The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission is planning to recall a license plate, because it is seen as a threat similar to what former FBI head and former New Jersey resident James Comey is accused of making. A picture of a Subaru Outback's license plate "FDT 8647" was posted Wednesday on social media sites, and Trump supporters complained after interpreting it as a call to kill the 47th President. State Motor Vehicle Commission officials say they are contacting the vehicle owner to replace it, and say the owner will have 15 days to return it. They say the plate is in violation of a state regulation that excludes certain combinations of letters and numbers from being used on personalized plates.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill has signed legislation aimed to stop so-called "reservation piracy" at restaurants. The law bans third-party services from booking or arranging reservations without the authorization from restaurants, particularly ahead of the 2026 World Cup. It's an effort to protect diners from inflated prices and address the growing black market for restaurant reservations, where third-party bots or unauthorized individuals hold tables and then resell them at a premium price. Violators will be subject to steep fines.
Schools, community centers and childcare centers around New Jersey are now banned from replacing old flooring with any synthetic tiles that contain mercury. Governor Mikie Sherrill on Thursday signed a bill into law, which requires new flooring in such buildings to be certified as free of mercury, which scientists have linked to neurological and development problems, especially in children. A statement from the governor's office says seamless, rubber-like polyurethane tiles containing mercury have been manufactured and installed in buildings as late as 2006. The concern is these tiles may break down over time and release odorless, hard to detect mercury vapor.
The Flyers have a nearly insurmountable task after losing game three of their playoff series with Carolina 4-1. Head coach Rick Tocchet says his team got away from its game plan and it cost them. "You've got the puck and you've got to get in down low. You can't try to make a play out of nothing. I think we tried that a couple times. The first period we didn't. We moved the puck well. Against Carolina, you've gotta hit singles and we hit singles in the first period and then we tried hitting home runs and that's what happens. They capitalize on that. They're good at that," Tocchet said. The Hurricanes now lead the series 3-0. Game four is in Philadelphia Saturday night.