The Allentown School Board is less than impressed with the initial design for a new K-8 school to be built on the old Allentown State Hospital site. Some board members are not happy with the color of the bricks, a lack of natural light, with some board members comparing the design's look to that of a prison. Last year, City Center Investment unveiled plans for the East Allentown site featuring retail, residential and medical buildings, walking trails and room for the new school, which is set to occupy nearly 17 acres of the 195 acre property. The new school, which will cost about $100 million, would allow the district to either renovate or replace Harrison Morton Middle School, which is almost 150 years old. Construction could begin by late next year.
The Allentown School District has released a statement following allegations of abuse by security guards at Raub Middle School in 2022. In the statement, the school district says, "The Allentown School District takes any allegations of compromised student safety very seriously, regardless of when they were made. As this matter is subject to litigation, we are unable to provide further comment at this time." A student claims Raub Middle School principal Jose Delgado and ex-Allentown school superintendent John Stanford created an atomosphere that allowed for the student to be attacked by two security officers in October 2022. The student is suing for more than $50,000, claiming both physical and emotional injuries.
The whistleblower lawsuit against the Allentown Police Department will return to the courtroom. A judge has reversed the dismissal of the lawsuit that claims APD has covered up alleged crimes by multiple officers. The case was dismissed last month due to a filing error that has since been rectified. The attorney for the whistleblowers says he wants to move the lawsuit to federal court to allow for a jury trial and punitive damages.
Every year ahead of their annual Thanksgiving football game with Phillipsburg, the Easton Area School District has a big bonfire, but with a burn ban in effect in Northampton County, will it happen this year? Superintendent Tracy Piazza isn't saying yet. Instead, she says she'll consult with both Palmer Township police and fire departments before making a decision.
At least one Democrat will vote in favor of confirming Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as the next secretary of state. In a social media post, Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman said he would vote to confirm Rubio. “Unsurprisingly, the other team’s pick will have political differences than my own. That being said, my colleague is a strong choice and I look forward to voting for his confirmation,” Fetterman wrote in a Tuesday morning post on X.
For the first time since last Tuesday's election, we've heard from Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey, who continues to refuse conceding the race to Republican Dave McCormick. "My priority has always been standing up for the people of Pennsylvania. Across our commonwealth, about seven million people cast their votes in a free and fair election. Our county election officials will finish counting those votes, just like they do in every election," Casey says. The most recent vote count has McCormick beating Casey by more than 29,000 votes, however Casey continues to claim there are enough uncounted votes remaining to perhaps swing the election his way.
Votes are still being counted in Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race. Republican Dave McCormick holds a lead of four-tenths-of-a-percent over Democratic Senator Bob Casey. If the final margin is less than half-of-a-percent, the race will go to an automatic recount. McCormick is claiming victory, but Casey has yet to concede.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has now invited Pennsylvania Republican David McCormick and Arizona Sen.-elect Ruben Gallego to the Senate orientation this week after initially not extending an invitation to either man due to uncounted ballots in both races. Schumer’s decision to exclude McCormick was contentious, as the Associated Press had declared him the winner in the Pennsylvania Senate race days ago. Republican strategists argued that Sen. Bob Casey had no viable path to erasing his opponent’s 40,000-vote advantage.
AAA East Central says gas prices in both the Lehigh Valley and across the commonwealth dipped over the past seven days. Pennsylvania's average price for a gallon of gas stood at $3.28 as of Tuesday, down nearly three cents from the previous week and 33 cents less than where it sat on November 12, 2023. In the Lehigh Valley, the average price is $3.13 a gallon, down three cents from last week and 24 cents below the 2023 figure.
The welcome center on I-80 in the Delaware Water Gap could be closed for a while. The state yesterday said crews are looking at just how badly the center's roof is damaged. No one is saying just what happened, but the Water Gap Welcome Center recently reported damage inside the center. The doors were closed as of 5:30 yesterday evening. PennDOT is telling people to use the welcome centers in Luzerne County or Morris County, New Jersey instead.
PennDOT is urging drivers to get prepared before winter weather strikes the region. It is only a matter of time before ice and snow become concerns again. Transportation officials say motorists should make sure their vehicles are in good shape and have the proper fluids. Residents are also encouraged to add emergency kits to their cars that include jumper cables, a flash light, and first aid items. Things like a shovel, water, warm clothes, and a blanket can also be lifesavers for drivers who find themselves stranded in a winter storm.
In 2021, Republican Jack Ciattarelli lost a surprisingly close race against Democrat incumbent Gov. Phil Murphy. Combined with his three point loss and Donald Trump's strong showing in the Garden State, Ciattarelli is confident his platform will get him elected next year. "We have the highest property taxes in the nation. You have to worry about your house being broken into or having your car stolen right out of your driveway. I'll appoint an attorney general who supports our local police. I'll appoint county prosecutors who support local police and we'll take the handcuffs off our local police. We'll be a law and order state again and we won't have sanctuary cities," Ciattarelli says. Murphy is term limited, and unable to run again.
The top of the latest College Football Playoff rankings is the same as last week. Oregon is once again sitting atop the rankings as the number one team in the nation. The Ducks are followed by Ohio State for a second straight week. Texas is third and Penn State is fourth after each rose two spots. Indiana is fifth and BYU is sixth after each rose three spots. Tennessee is ranked seventh once again, followed by Notre Dame, Miami and Alabama to round out the top 10. Ole Miss, Georgia and Boise State are ranked 11th, 12th and 13th, but the Broncos hold the 12th seed in the bracket. The top four seeds are currently Oregon, Texas, BYU and Miami