THE ALLENTOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAVE AGREED TO A THREE YEAR DECREE AIMED AT PREVENTING THE SEXUAL ASSAULT OF STUDENTS WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.  THE D.O.J.'S ANURIMA BHARGAVA SAYS OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS NEED TO TAKE NOTICE.  "THESE KINDS OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ONES THAT SHOULD BE IN PLACE IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND THE COUNTRY TO IDENTIFY AND MONITOR STUDENTS WHO MAY HAVE ENGAGED IN SEXUAL ASSAULTS AND THEN TAKING THE PROPER STEPS TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING.  THAT'S SOMETHING WE EXPECT IN ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, NOT JUST ALLENTOWN," SAYS BHARGAVA.  DESPITE BEING NOTIFIED AFTER EACH OF THE SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN A BATHROOM IN THE CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE D.O.J. SAYS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DID VIRTUALLY NOTHING TO PREVENT ANOTHER ASSAULT FROM HAPPENING.  BHARGAVA SAYS HAD THE DISTRICT HAD THE NEW POLICIES IN PLACE WHEN SIX AND SEVEN YEAR OLD STUDENTS WERE ASSAULTED INSIDE A SCHOOL BATHROOM IN THE 2003-2004 SCHOOL YEAR, THOSE ASSAULTS WOULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED.

  INVESTIGATORS DON'T THINK THEY'LL FIND NATHEEM ADAMS IN EASTON ANY MORE.  ADAMS IS ACCUSED OF KILLING 28-YEAR-OLD GEORGE JETER FRIDAY NIGHT IN THE 1400 BLOCK OF BUTLER STREET AFTER A LONGSTANDING GRUDGE.  THE D.A.'S OFFICE SAYS IT'S HIGHLY LIKELY THAT ADAMS, WHO IS FROM NEW YORK, ALMOST CERTAINLY LEFT THE AREA AFTER THE SHOOTING.  POLICE ARE ASKING FOR ANYBODY WHO MAY HAVE SEEN ANYTHING IN THE AREA FROM 9PM TO 11PM FRIDAY NIGHT TO CONTACT THEM AT 610-250-6634. 

  THE LEHIGH VALLEY UNEMPLOYMENT RATE WENT IN THE WRONG DIRECTION LAST MONTH.  "THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE ROSE AGAIN.  IT'S UP TO 8.5 PERCENT IN JUNE, AN INCREASE OF FOUR-TENTHS," SAYS STEVEN ZELLERS, WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY.  HE SAYS THAT'S DESPITE AN ADDITION OF MORE THAN 3000 JOBS FROM MAY.  ZELLERS SAYS MANY MORE PEOPLE RESUMED LOOKING FOR JOBS THAN THE JOBS THAT WERE CREATED IN JUNE.  ONLY THREE OF THE STATE'S 14 REPORTING AREAS HAD A HIGHER UNEMPLOYMENT RATE THAN THE LEHIGH VALLEY.

  WEST NILE VIRUS HAS BEEN FOUND IN FOUR MORE LEHIGH COUNTY MUNICIPALITIES, THREE MORE IN NORTHAMPTON COUNTY AND THREE IN WARREN COUNTY AS WELL.  MOSQUITOES CARRY THE VIRUS AND COULD PASS IT ON TO HUMANS.  SYMPTOMS APPEAR FLU-LIKE AND COULD KEEP PEOPLE SICK FOR UP TO SEVERAL WEEKS.  NO HUMAN CASES OF WEST NILE VIRUS HAVE BEEN REPORTED THIS SUMMER AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AIMS TO KEEP IT THAT WAY.  THE D.E.P. WILL BEGIN SPRAYING MOSQUITO LARVAE EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING IN ALLENTOWN AND BETHLEHEM.

  31-YEAR-OLD BRAD WASHBURN WILL BE SENTENCED IN AUGUST AFTER PLEADING GUILTY IN HIS LATEST DRUG-RELATED CASE.  WASHBURN COULD GET UP TO A YEAR IN PRISON.  HE WAS ARRESTED IN MAY AFTER POLICE FOUND HIM ASLEEP INSIDE HIS CAR WITH SEVEN BAGS OF HEROIN AND A SYRINGE ON HIS LAP.  WASHBURN HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN SENTENCED TO NINE TO 24 MONTHS IN PRISON FOR SUPPLYING DRUGS AND ALCOHOL TO TEENAGERS AND RECEIVED A ONE MONTH TO ONE YEAR SENTENCE ON DRUG CHARGES AFTER POLICE RESPONDED TO HIS APARTMENT FOR THE DECEMBER 2009 FATAL OVERDOSE OF BANGOR SCHOOL TEACHER GINA RISO.

  NASCAR RETURNS TO POCONO RACEWAY THIS WEEKEND AND ONE OF NASCAR'S BIGGEST NAMES WILL BE IN THE LEHIGH VALLEY EARLIER THAN THAT.  TONY STEWART WILL APPEAR AT THE OFFICE DEPOT OFF OF SOUTH CEDAR CREST BOULEVARD THURSDAY AFTERNOON AT 3:30.  STEWART WILL BE THERE AS PART OF OFFICE DEPOT'S NATIONAL BACKPACK PROGRAM.  100 BACKPACKS FILLED WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR CHILDREN IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIFTH GRADE WILL BE HANDED OUT TO KIDSPEACE STAFF AND CHILDREN.

  DAY FOUR OF A COMMONWEALTH COURT HEARING ON PENNSYLVANIA'S NEW VOTER-IDENTIFICATION LAW FEATURED VIDEOS UNDERSCORING ITS POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS AND THE BURDEN IT PLACES ON SOME VOTERS.  LAWYERS SEEKING TO BLOCK THE NEW LAW YESTERDAY PLAYED A VIDEO OF STATE HOUSE MAJORITY MIKE TURZAI BOASTING BEFORE A REPUBLICAN GATHERING IN JUNE THAT THE NEW PHOTO ID REQUIREMENT IS GOING TO ALLOW MITT ROMNEY TO CARRY PENNSYLVANIA IN THE NOVEMBER 6 ELECTION.  A 94-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WHO IS A PLAINTIFF IN THE LAWSUIT TESTIFIED BY VIDEO THAT SHE RARELY LEAVES HER ROOM IN A CHESTER COUNTY SENIOR LIVING CENTER, BUT NEVER MISSES AN ELECTION. BEA BOOKLER SAID SHE CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY LAWMAKERS NOW ARE FORCING HER TO GET A PHOTO ID.  THE LAW REQUIRING ALL VOTERS TO SHOW A PHOTO ID TAKES EFFECT ON ELECTION DAY.

  A POLICE OFFICER WAS JUSTIFIED IN SHOOTING AND KILLING A MAN AFTER A DISTURBANCE LAST MONTH.  BUT BUCKS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY DAVID HECKLER ALSO QUESTIONED THE DECISIONS OF OFFICERS LEADING UP TO THE JUNE 10 CONFRONTATION WITH 26-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL MARINO JR. OF QUAKERTOWN.  AUTHORITIES SAID MARINO BEGAN YELLING AT SELLERSVILLE RESIDENTS AND THREATENING TO KILL THEM, PUNCHING CARS AND BANGING HIS HEAD AGAINST STREET SIGNS.  THREE PERKASIE OFFICERS TRIED TO GET THE MAN TO GO TO A HOSPITAL, BUT HE WANDERED AWAY AND THEN FOUGHT THEM.  HECKLER'S REPORT CONCLUDED THAT MARINO'S "CONTINUED VIOLENT AGGRESSION" LED TO THE SHOOTING BUT SAID THE OFFICERS COULD HAVE DONE THINGS DIFFERENTLY.  RELATIVES ISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO SEEK "JUSTICE" FOR MARINO'S DEATH.

  A STATE PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES CASH ASSISTANCE TO MORE THAN 60,000 PENNSYLVANIANS IS ENDING THIS WEEK.  THE GENERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM HAS PROVIDED MONEY TO VULNERABLE RESIDENTS, INCLUDING THE DISABLED, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS AND PEOPLE UNDERGOING ADDICTION TREATMENTS SINCE THE GREAT DEPRESSION.  GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT PROPOSED ELIMINATING THE $200 MONTHLY PAYMENTS IN FEBRUARY AND THE MEASURE WAS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET APPROVED IN LATE JUNE.  A ONE-MONTH EXTENSION RUNS OUT TOMORROW.  THE ELIMINATION OF THE GENERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WILL SAVE THE STATE ABOUT $150 MILLION.  CORBETT SPOKESWOMAN KELLI ROBERTS SAYS THE COST OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS IS GROWING AT AN "UNSUSTAINABLE RATE."