LEHIGH COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAVE OK'D A BUDGET THAT CALLS FOR A TAX CUT OF 4.8 PERCENT AND A SPENDING CUT OF $5 MILLION. HOWEVER, THE BUDGET WAS APPROVED BY ONLY A 5-4 VOTE, MEANING A PROMISED VETO BY COUNTY EXECUTIVE BILL HANSELL CANNOT BE OVERTURNED UNLESS ONE OF THE FOUR 'NO' VOTES IS CHANGED. UNLESS THE VETO IS OVERTURNED, HANSELL'S BUDGET WOULD TAKE EFFECT. THAT SPENDING PLAN RETURNS $6.5 MILLION TO TAXPAYERS VIA A ONE-TIME TAX CREDIT RATHER THAN A PERMANENT TAX CUT. COMMISSIONERS OTT, MAZZIOTTI, CREIGHTON, SCHELLER AND SCHWARE PASSED THE BUDGET. COMMISSIONERS JONES, McCARTHY, OSBORNE AND DAUGHERTY VOTED AGAINST IT.
PROSECUTORS SAY A LEHIGH VALLEY STATE REPRESENTATIVE CHARGED WITH ASSAULTING HIS WIFE WON'T RECEIVE SPECIAL TREATMENT BECAUSE OF THE OFFICE HE HOLDS. STATE REP. JOE BRENNAN WAIVED A PRELIMINARY HEARING WEDNESDAY ON ASSAULT AND DRUNK-DRIVING CHARGES IN CONNECTION WITH AN AUGUST ARREST. LEHIGH COUNTY CHIEF OF PROSECUTIONS STEPHEN VAN NATTEN DECLINED TO SAY IF A PLEA DEAL IS IN THE WORKS FOR BRENNAN BUT SAID THE LAWMAKER WON'T GET PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT. BRENNAN DROPPED OUT OF THE NOVEMBER 6 ELECTION AND WILL HAVE HIS TERM EXPIRE AT THE END OF THAT MONTH. AUTHORITIES SAY BRENNAN CHOKED AND PUNCHED HIS WIFE ON THE FRONT PORCH OF THEIR FOUNTAIN HILL HOME THEN DROVE AWAY INTOXICATED.
A MAN SHOT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON IN ALLENTOWN HAS NOW DIED. WE'RE BEING TOLD 27-YEAR-OLD JAMES SIMS DIED AT 7:30 LAST NIGHT ABOUT SIX HOURS AFTER BEING SHOT ON A SIDEWALK IN THE 700 BLOCK OF WASHINGTON STREET. NO ARRESTS HAVE BEEN MADE.
SIX MEN ARE CHARGED WITH OPERATING A LEHIGH VALLEY METHAMPHETAMINE RING. INVESTIGATORS SAY THE MEN TRAFFICKED AS MUCH AS $90,000 WORTH OF METH A WEEK IN WHAT'S BEING CALLED A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR RING. WEDNESDAY'S ARRETS RESULTED FROM AN INVESTIGATION THAT BEGAN IN AUGUST 2011.
EVENTHOUGH HE WILL PROBABLY REMAIN BEHIND BARS UNTIL AT LEAST DECEMBER, ALBURTIS COUNCILMAN KYLE BOWER SAYS HE WANTS TO KEEP HIS SEAT ON COUNCIL. WHILE WAIVING BOWER'S PRELIMINARY HEARING ON WEDNESDAY, BOWER'S ATTORNEY SAYS HIS CLIENT SLIPPED IN HIS BATTLE WITH ALCOHOL. BOWER IS CHARGED WITH STEALING CAMPAIGN SIGNS IN ALBURTIS AND FOR DRIVING HIS CAR INTO A SOYBEAN FIELD. BOTH VIOLATE TERMS OF BOWER'S PROBATION FOR AN EARLIER ARREST FOR THROWING A BRICK THROUGH HIS EX-GIRLFRIEND'S WINDOW, DAMAGING CARS OWNED BY HER FAMILY AND ESCAPING FROM POLICE AFTER BEING ARRESTED FOR BUYING ALCOHOL AS A MINOR.
TWO BIG PIECES OF PROPERTY COULD BE OFF THE STATE'S BOOKS SOMETIME NEXT YEAR. "WE DO HAVE THE ALLENTOWN STATE HOSPITAL, WHICH WILL BE UP FOR SALE AND THE WEAVERSVILLE SECURE TREATMENT FACILITY IN NORTHAMPTON COUNTY. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY APPROVED BOTH PROPERTIES TO MOVE FORWARD TO BE SOLD," SAYS TROY THOMPSON, WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES. HE SAYS THE BIDDING PROCESS SHOULD BEGIN TOWARDS THE END OF NEXT SPRING AND THE PROPERTIES COULD BE SOLD LATER NEXT YEAR. THE ALLENTOWN STATE HOSPITAL PROPERTY IS VALUED AT AROUND $1.2 MILLION. THE WEAVERSVILLE SECURE TREATMENT FACILITY IN EAST ALLEN TOWNSHIP SHUT DOWN TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS AGO. THAT PROPERTY IS VALUED AT JUST BELOW $1 MILLION.
NCAA PRESIDENT MARK EMMERT SAYS THE SANCTIONS LEVIED ON PENN STATE FOR THE JERRY SANDUSKY CHILD SEX ABUSE SCANDAL DEALT WITH THE BEHAVIOR OF UNIVERSITY LEADERS AND WHETHER OR NOT THE SCHOOL HANDLED THE ALLEGATIONS APPROPRIATELY. EMMERT SAYS "THE FACT THAT THERE WAS CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IS NOT THE NCAA'S ISSUE." THE LANDMARK PENALTIES HANDED DOWN BY THE NCAA IN JULY INCLUDED A FOUR-YEAR BOWL BAN AND STRICT SCHOLARSHIP CUTS. A FORMER ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACH, SANDUSKY WAS SENTENCED THIS MONTH TO AT LEAST 30 YEARS IN PRISON AFTER BEING CONVICTED ON DOZENS OF CRIMINAL COUNTS. AUTHORITIES SAID ASSAULTS OCCURRED ON AND OFF SCHOOL PROPERTY. THE NCAA HAD SAID BEFORE THE SANCTIONS IT WOULD LOOK INTO INSTITUTIONAL CONTROL AT PENN STATE.
NEW JERSEY'S GOVERNOR CONTINUES HIS TOWN HALL SERIES IN WARREN COUNTY THIS MORNING. GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE WILL BE AT THE WARREN COUNTY TECHNICAL SCHOOL BEGINNING AT 10:30. DOORS OPEN AT 9:45AM AND SEATING IS ON A FIRST-COME, FIRST-SEATED BASIS. CHRISTIE IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE PUSHING HIS REFORM AGENDA, INCLUDING MIDDLE-CLASS TAX RELIEF, LOWERING THE COST OF GOVERNMENT AND MAKING GOVERNMENT MORE ACCOUNTABLE AND TRANSPARENT.
DAVID FREED, THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL, HAS JOINED HIS OPPONENT ON THE AIRWAVES WITH LESS THAN TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTION. FREED'S CAMPAIGN BEGAN A STATEWIDE BROADCAST OF HIS 30-SECOND COMMERCIAL WEDNESDAY. FREED, CUMBERLAND COUNTY'S DISTRICT ATTORNEY, DESCRIBES HIMSELF IN THE AD AS "A TOUGH, NO-NONSENSE PROSECUTOR" WITH 15 YEARS' EXPERIENCE. HE SAYS VOTERS SHOULD CARE ABOUT HIS TRACK RECORD BECAUSE, IF ELECTED, HE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY OF THEIR FAMILIES. DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE KATHLEEN KANE, WHO WAS A LACKAWANNA COUNTY PROSECUTOR FOR MORE THAN 12 YEARS, PUT UP HER FIRST TV COMMERCIAL MONDAY. IN IT, SHE CALLS HERSELF "A PROSECUTOR, NOT A POLITICIAN" AND SAYS SHE'LL "CLEAN UP THE CORRUPTION IN HARRISBURG."
PINNACLE ENTERTAINMENT, THE LAS VEGAS CASINO COMPANY THAT BOUGHT AND BLEW UP THE FORMER SANDS CASINO HOTEL TO MAKE WAY FOR A $2 BILLION CASINO THAT NEVER GOT BUILT, SAYS IT'S CLOSE TO SELLING THE PRIME BOARDWALK SITE WHERE THE PROJECT WOULD HAVE GONE. PINNACLE SAYS IT EXPECTS TO HAVE A DEAL IN HAND BY THE END OF THE YEAR TO SELL ITS LAND. IT DID NOT SAY WHO THE PROSPECTIVE BUYER IS, OR WHAT THE PRICE MIGHT BE. THE FIRM IMPLODED THE SANDS IN OCTOBER 2007 TO MAKE WAY FOR A $2 BILLION BEACH HOUSE-THEMED CASINO. BUT ALMOST AS SOON AS THE RUBBLE WAS CLEARED AWAY, THE GREAT RECESSION HIT, AND THE PROJECT WAS SHELVED SOON AFTERWARD.
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS CENTER ANDREW BYNUM REMAINS SIDELINED WITH RIGHT KNEE PAIN AND IS A LONG SHOT TO PLAY IN THE OCTOBER 31 OPENER. BYNUM WILL CONTINUE TO BE HELD OUT OF ALL BASKETBALL ACTIVITY AS HE RECOVERS FROM A BONE BRUISE SUFFERED DURING AN OFFSEASON WORKOUT. SIXERS GENERAL MANAGER TONY DILEO SAYS EACH DAY BYNUM IS OUT INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD THE ALL-STAR CENTER WILL NOT BE READY FOR THE OPENER. BYNUM SAYS HE WANTS TO BE CAUTIOUS WITH HIS RETURN AND WILL NOT PLAY UNTIL HE IS PAIN FREE.
