A BRIEF BATTLE WITH CANCER HAS CLAIMED THE LIFE OF SERVICE ELECTRIC CABLE TV PRESIDENT AND C.E.O. JOHN WALSON. SERVICE ELECTRIC SAYS WALSON DIED SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT HIS HOME IN SOUTH WHITEHALL TOWNSHIP. WALSON'S FATHER FOUNDED SERVICE ELECTRIC AS THE NATION'S FIRST CABLE TELEVISION SYSTEM BACK IN 1948 AND WALSON TOOK OVER THE COMPANY'S REINS AFTER HIS FATHER'S DEATH IN 1993. JOHN WALSON WAS 63 YEARS OLD.
AN ESTIMATED 6000 PEOPLE ATTENDED SUNDAY'S PRIDE IN THE PARK FESTIVAL AT CEDAR CREEK PARK IN ALLENTOWN. IN A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEAR, THE GAY PRIDE EVENT HAD A POLITICAL FEEL TO IT, WITH A RE-ELECTION BOOTH FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA SEEING PLENTY OF TRAFFIC.
A 21-YEAR-OLD ALLENTOWN MAN IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER BEING SHOT EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. POLICE SAY DESHAWN BROWN WAS SHOT JUST AFTER 1 O'CLOCK SUNDAY MORNING IN THE 300 BLOCK OF NORTH NINTH STREET. INVESTIGATORS HAVE HAD THE CHANCE TO TALK WITH BROWN, BUT THEY SAY HE WAS UNCOOPERATIVE.
LEHIGH VALLEY STATE REP. JUSTIN SIMMONS IS ONE OF 13 HOUSE MEMBERS ON THE COMMITTEE ASSIGNED THE TASK OF STUDYING PROPERTY TAX REFORM. "WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT ALL THE PROPOSALS THAT ARE OUT THERE WITH REGARD TO THE SCHOOL PROPERTY TAX PROBLEM IN PENNSYLVANIA. WE ALL ARE AWARE THAT IT IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE THROUGHOUT THE STATE, ESPECIALLY IN MY DISTRICT. PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD THE EVER-INCREASING SCHOOL PROPERTY TAXES," SIMMONS SAYS. HE ISN'T SURE WHAT WILL COME OF THE HEARINGS, WHICH BEGIN LATER THIS MONTH, BUT SAYS SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO LESSEN THE PROPERTY TAX BURDEN ON HOMEOWNERS. THE COMMITTEE MUST REPORT ITS FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE HOUSE BY NOVEMBER 30.
AUTHORITIES ARRESTED A MAN AFTER A NEARLY FIVE-HOUR STANDOFF IN WATCHUNG. AUTHORITIES RECEIVED A REPORT THAT A MAN WAS THREATENING TO HARM HIMSELF AND OTHERS IN A HOME ON JOHNSON DRIVE SUNDAY AFTERNOON. NEARBY HOMES WERE EVACUATED AS THE SOMERSET COUNTY SWAT TEAM CORDONED OFF THE AREA. THE MAN WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY BY 8 P.M. HIS NAME HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED.
DEMOCRATIC STATE SENATOR JOHN YUDICHAK SAYS NEW YORK CITY GANGS ARE TAKING THEIR BUSINESS SOUTH. "THE I-81 CORRIDOR FROM SCRANTON TO HAZLETON REALLY HAS BECOME A FOCAL POINT FOR GANGS OUT OF NEW YORK AND PHILADELPHIA, WHO PUT DOWN THEIR COLORS IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA," YUDICHAK SAYS. FROM THE 81 CORRIDOR, MANY GANG MEMBERS END UP COMING TO THE LEHIGH VALLEY AND WEST INTO BERKS COUNTY. YUDICHAK IS BACKING LEGISLATION THAT WOULD MAKE IT A MISDEMEANOR TO INVITE A KID TO JOIN A GANG AND MAKE IT A FELONY TO EITHER INTIMIDATE SOMEONE TO JOIN A GANG OR INJURING SOMEONE TO FORCE THEM TO JOIN A GANG. YUDICHAK SAYS THE PROPOSAL HAS THE BACKING OF MEMBERS OF BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES.
THE REWARD HAS BEEN INCREASED FOR INFORMATION IN THE DEATH OF AN OFF-DUTY POLICE OFFICER GUNNED DOWN ON A NORTH PHILADELPHIA STREET IN WHAT POLICE SUSPECT WAS A ROBBERY. FORTY-YEAR-OLD MOSES WALKER JR. WAS SHOT SEVERAL TIMES SHORTLY BEFORE DAWN SATURDAY AS HE WALKED A FEW BLOCKS FROM HIS 22ND DISTRICT STATION AFTER FINISHING HIS SHIFT. POLICE SAY THE 19-YEAR VETERAN WASN'T WEARING A UNIFORM. A POLICE SPOKESWOMAN SAID YESTERDAY THAT THE FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE LODGE 5 HAD INCREASED ITS REWARD TO $15,000, JOINING A CITY REWARD OF $20,000 FOR A TOTAL OF $35,000. SHE SAID NO SUSPECT HAS BEEN ARRESTED BUT INVESTIGATORS ARE "WORKING DILIGENTLY AND PURSUING ALL AVAILABLE LEADS." AUTHORITIES HAVE BEEN SEEKING WITNESSES WHO SAW SOMEONE RUNNING AWAY AND SECURITY CAMERAS THAT MIGHT HELP.
