Lehigh County's executive is proposing a policy that would prohibit county employees from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement unless required constitutionally to do so. "It is important that in this moment that Lehigh County sends a clear signal to all of its residents and constituents that interacting with the county government is safe, secure and reliable," says Josh Siegel. His policy would also prohibit the agency from using any county-owned facility as a staging area for operations and agents also would not have access to nonpublic areas of county buildings unless they have a judicial warran. Employees who do not comply with the policy would be subject to discipline, up to and including termination. The policy will be introduced at the June 24 meeting of the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners.
One person is dead after a shooting in Northampton County last night. Forks Township police officers were called to the 1400 block of Derhammer Street at around 7:30 p.m. The victim has not been identified. An investigation is underway.
A 67-year-old Slatington man died following a motorcycle crash Monday evening in Lehigh County. The accident happened around midnight in the 3000 block of Welshtown Road in Washington Township. Investigators say it appears the man, whose identity has not yet been released, lost control of his motorcycle for an unknown reason, veered off the road and crashed.
Palmer Township police are looking for a man who allegedly exposed himself to several girls while riding on a township bike path. The incident happened on Friday at the bike path near Fairview Park in the 3300 block of Nicholas Street. A caller said the man ran away after exposing himself to juveniles. He left behind the red and black electric bike he was riding. A photo of the person of interest is posted on the Palmer Township Police Department website.
A 39-year-old Pen Argyl man who allegedly groped and exposed himself to a child on multiple occasions is now facing felony charges. William Pizzolo allegedly began making contact with the child in 2023. The behavior escalated until police put a stop to it last month. Pizzolo allegedly showed the child pornographic videos and exposed himself to her on multiple occasions while she attempted to sleep or shower.
The chance for some strong thunderstorms exists both today and tomorrow, but Accu-Weather's Joe Lundberg says it's likely most folks won't see anything. "I would say, no better than 50-50, which means a fair number of places won't get any rain at all today," Lundberg says. The chances increase just a bit tomorrow, but Lundberg isn't all that bullish on that happening either.
Skill games are slot machines under Pennsylvania law and must adhere to the commonwealth's crime and gambling statutes, the state’s highest court ruled Monday. However, the ruling says that law enforcement can’t take any action for 120 days. That gives the legislature a four-month window to decide whether to regulate the machines, which have proliferated across the state in taverns, gas stations, and corner stores despite existing in a legal gray area. An estimated 70,000 machines are operating in Pennsylvania.
A newly released report claims nearly four-in-ten Pennsylvanians do not have enough money to afford their basic needs. The latest ALICE report from United Way and United for ALICE finds that 39-percent of state residents fall at or below ALICE thresholds, meaning they struggle to afford basic needs and often must make difficult financial choices. ALICE, short for Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, and Employed, uses a broader measure than the federal poverty level, factoring in income, household type, and local living costs. The report also identifies adults ages 25 to 64 as the group facing the greatest financial challenges.
ICE officials say the suspect sought after an incident in Stafford Township on Monday is now in custody. The suspect, identified as Friedrich Castillo-Ormeno, is described as an unauthorized immigrant from Peru. Authorities say the incident happened on Route 72 near Mermaid Drive in Manahawkin when ICE agents attempted to detain a van driver. Investigators say the suspect used the van to strike an officer, who then fired at the vehicle as it sped away. The officer was hospitalized for treatment. Castillo-Ormeno was later arrested at a hospital while being treated for a gunshot wound. Officials say he had been ordered to leave the country in January. Family members dispute the identification, claiming Castillo-Ormeno returned to Peru in March.
New Jersey is joining eight Northeast states and Washington, D.C., in developing plans for a future offshore wind transmission network. The coalition presented recommendations yesterday for a power grid designed for a future more favorable to offshore wind energy. Supporters say the plan will help meet future energy needs, while critics argue the focus should remain on more affordable and proven energy sources. Last year, the Trump administration halted construction on five offshore wind farms, but the move was later overturned in court. The White House later reached a deal with developer TotalEnergies, which agreed to give up leases for two wind farms off the New York and New Jersey coasts in exchange for support of a natural gas project.
Residents in a Jersey Shore town are calling on their city council to do something to help get rid of the city's booming rat population. Ocean City residents have been telling local officials about finding rats on their property, and that individual efforts to keep them from in and around their homes has done little to help. Mayor Jay Gillian says Ocean City is working on the problem, and asked residents to help in one way by setting out trash in bins, and not in garbage bags.
Grocery chain Aldi is looking to get in on the surprise unboxing trend by offering free grocery blind boxes next week. The company is giving away a limited number of boxes to customers who sign up on the promotion web page at noon Eastern each day June 22nd through 25th. Themes for the packages include snacks, fiber, protein, and "mystery". Additional details are posted at www.aldiblindbox.com.
Flyers general manager Danny Briere has traded goalie Sam Ersson and defenseman Emil Andrae to Toronto in exchange for goalie Joseph Woll and defensemand Simon Benoit. Briere says he hopes acquiring Woll takes a bit of the burden off leading goalie Dan Vladar. "We hope we're not coming down the stretch with a tired goalie. Better that you can have both of them going. I think it helps prevent injuries and staying fresh and I think perform better," Briere says. As for Benoir, Briere says he brings a varied skill set. "We like the phyisicality he brings. We like his size and the skating aspect too. He's a really good skater," Briere says. The Flyers also send the Maple Leafs a third round pick in this month's NHL Draft.