Officials say all schools and district campuses in the Saucon Valley District are closed today due to a threat. A notice to parents from the superintendent said a threat called in Tuesday afternoon prompted all classes and activities to be cancelled for today. It's believed the threat stemmed from someone who's unhappy with the school district agreeing to host a new after-school Satan's Club program. Saucon Valley’s superintendent says the district can’t discriminate against the group because it has allowed religious groups to rent its facilities and cannot discriminate against other groups seeking to do likewise.
Former Allentown police chief Joel Fitzgerald says the death of his son, Temple University policeman Christopher Fitzgerald, leaves a hole in both the city of Philadelphia and Temple. "Temple Police Department and the City of Philadelphia lost someone who was a constant contributor and someone with a bright future," Fitzgerald says. He says his son was somebody the city of Philadelphia could be proud of and was the type of man that city needs to cure what ails it.
Days after Temple University policeman Christopher Fitzgerald was murdered on the job, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney says 2nd Amendment fans cannot have it both ways. "You can say you back the blue, but if you don't back gun control and gun availability, you don't back the blue," Kenney says. He says his city and other cities are fighting an uphill battle against gun rights advocates.
PPL Corp. started sending corrected bills to customers Feb. 11 and that process should be completed by early March, according to the company. A data-transfer issue that was detected in mid-December caused wildly higher bills sent from Dec. 20 through Jan. 9. The company has apologized for the problem, waived all late-payment fees for January and February, and will not shut off power for non-payment through March 31.
A 37-year-old Emmaus man will spend eight to 16 years behind bars for trying to kill his wife. After pleading guilty to attempted murder charges in December, Joshua Hoch was sentenced Tuesday stabbing his wife 14 times inside a home in Hellertown back in December 2021. Hoch told police he assaulted his wife out of “desperation” following “a period of marital conflict.”
A woman is dead after a two-alarm fire in Carbon County. 59-year-old Hemataben Patel was pronounced dead at the scene. The fire began around 1 o'clock Tuesday morning at a home in the 1400 block of Mauch Chunk Lane in Jim Thorpe. Patel's son, daughter-in-law and grandson were all taken to the hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation. Investigators are now working to determine the cause.
The Lehigh Valley Mall is losing another tenant. Country Memories will be closing its upper level store either late next month or in April. Country Memories has been at the Lehigh Valley Mall for 12 years and sells country collectibles, gifts and home décor. Country Memories' departure follows recent closings of Vera Bradley, Things Remembered and Williams-Sonoma stores.
The Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority is looking for public input on some proposed route changes. LANTA announced Tuesday that it will hold an open house March 22nd at Bethlehem City Hall to talk about the changes that would begin in June. Information and details can be found on the transit company's website.
An animal shelter in the Poconos is closing down for at least a month due to unexpected circumstances. Carbon County Friends of Animals in Jim Thorpe announced it'll be shut down for a month due to a spread of ringworm infections. The shelter will take the down time to clean each of its rooms and check every cat in the building. The shelter will not be taking in any cats or adopting any out until March 20th.
The man who's led the men's basketball team at Lafayette College this past year has been put on a paid leave of absence. Officials there are investigating a complaint about Mike Jordan for his work as head coach. While that's taking place, Associate Head Coach Mike McGarvey will serve as acting head coach. The school says the players and coaches have been informed of what's happened and the college says it won't comment further because it's a personnel matter. Jordan was hired before the start of this season and has a 9-20 record for the Leopards.
Something we haven't seen much of this winter may pay us a visit around midday today. "There can be some snow and sleet mixed in for a couple hours at the onset of precipitation at around 11 or 12 when it arrives and until 2 or 3 this afternoon when it should go to rain," says Accu-Weather's Joe Lundberg. He says accumulation of snow and sleet is unlikely here, but up in the Poconos an inch or two is possible before a changeover to all rain later tonight.
State lawmakers have reconvened in a special session to discuss an amendment that would help child sex abuse victims sue their attackers. The bill would give victims a two-year window to sue regardless of how long ago the abuse took place. The measure is expected to pass the House this week and then would head to the Senate before it would be placed on the ballot in November. Other House business is expected to begin after the child sex abuse bill is finished.
Girl wrestlers from across Pennsylvania have gathered at the state capitol to celebrate the sport being officially sanctioned by the PIAA. The state had set a goal of 100 schools being willing to participate in the program before the sport could be recognized officially. PIAA Executive Director Dr. Robert Lombardi said Tuesday that goal was met last week and there are now 101 girls' wrestling teams across Pennsylvania.
Workers at Home Depot are getting a raise. The company has announced a one-billion-dollar investment in raising wages. However, the new average wage wasn't revealed. Hourly workers will see more money this month.
The state has ordered DreamWorks Water Park at the American Dream Mall to remain closed while an investigation into Sunday's accident continues. Four people suffered minor injuries when a decorative helicopter broke loose from a ceiling and fell into a pool at the East Rutherford megamall. American Dream says people who bought advance tickets for the water park this week should have received an email. Other attractions in the mall remain open.
The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Atlantic City is giving its employees ten-million-dollars' worth of bonuses. The bonus payments were announced during a series of employee meetings held over the course of Monday and Tuesday, according to The Press of Atlantic City. This effort marks the third year in a row that Hard Rock is paying out bonuses to its Atlantic City workforce, now totaling roughly twenty-five-million-dollars. Hard Rock ranked second among Atlantic City's nine casinos last year when it game to the amount of money won from in-person gambling.
Today is Ash Wednesday, marking a significant time for Christians, and the beginning of the Lenten season. Many followers of Christ will be fasting and avoiding things they consider bad habits over the next 40 days. Holy Bible study guide website open-bible-dot-info has tracked Twitter data to identify Twitter itself and alcohol among the most common items mentioned as something users are giving up for Lent this year. Coffee and meat are other common choices; with chocolate, sugar, and fast food all making the top ten as well.