PHILANTHROPIST LINNY FOWLER DIED MONDAY AT HER BETHLEHEM HOME AT THE AGE OF 73. FOWLER GAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO DOZENS OF LOCAL SCHOOLS AND ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING ST. LUKES AND LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITALS, PROJECT OF EASTON, NORTHAMPTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND THE ALLENTOWN ART MUSEUM. ARTSQUEST PRESIDENT JEFF PARKS RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING "ALL OF US WILL FOREVER BE INDEBTED TO LINNY'S VISION AND GENEROSITY."

  THE LEHIGH COUNTY D.A.'S OFFICE IS CHARGING TWO ALLENTOWN MEN WITH A SUNDAY MURDER IN THE CITY. JEFRAN CANALES-TAPIA AND LUIS SANTIAGO-NIEVES ARE BOTH CHARGED WITH THE KILLING OF 33-YEAR-OLD SASIAN HESSED. POLICE SAY THEY FOLLOWED BLOOD AND FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW FROM WHERE HESSED WAS SHOT TO DEATH AT THE WYNNEWOOD APARTMENTS TO SANTIAGO-NIEVES' APARTMENT ON AGNES DRIVE. HE WAS THEN ARRESTED. CANALES-TAPIA WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY SUNDAY NIGHT DURING A VEHICLE STOP AT FIFTH AND CLEVELAND STREETS.

�@
  A FOUNTAIN HILL POLICE OFFICER IS NO LONGER A FOUNTAIN HILL POLICE OFFICER. BOROUGH COUNCIL HAS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO FIRE GRADY CUNNINGHAM FOR ALLEGEDLY USING UNREASONABLE FORCE ON A SUSPECT AND THEN LYING ABOUT IT. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED LAST JUNE AFTER AN UNIDENTIFIED MAN WAS ARRESTED FOR PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS. CUNNINGHAM ALLEGEDLY FOUGHT WITH THE SUSPECT IN A HOLDING CELL. CUNNINGHAM HAD SERVED AS A FULL-TIME OFFICER IN FOUNTAIN HILL FOR NEARLY THREE YEARS.

  THE BETHLEHEM AREA SCHOOL BOARD'S FACILITIES COMMITTEE APPARENTLY BACKS THE IDEA OF BUILDING A NEW $53.7 MILLION NITSCHMANN MIDDLE SCHOOL. THE COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY AGREED TO VOTE ON THE ISSUE LATER THIS MONTH. A COMPLETE RENOVATION OF NITSCHMANN WOULD COST MORE THAN $48 MILLION.

  AFTER GETTING A LIGHT COATING OF SNOW LAST NIGHT, ACCU-WEATHER'S DEAN DEVORE SAYS WE MIGHT GET A REPEAT PERFORMANCE TONIGHT. "ANOTHER SIMILAR SITUATION IS COMING TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW MORNING WHERE WE COULD SEE VERY LIGHT SNOW OR JUST FLURRIES. THERE PROBABLY WON'T BE MUCH ACCUMULATION," DEVORE SAYS. A COATING TO AN INCH IS ALL THAT'S EXPECTED, BUT IT COULD BE ENOUGH TO MAKE UNTREATED ROADS A BIT SLIPPERY LATER TONIGHT.

  POLICE IN SAYLORSBURG ARE INVESTIGATING THE SATURDAY NIGHT STABBING DEATH OF 35-YEAR-OLD THOMAS HOWARD JUNIOR. STATE POLICE SAY HOWARD HAD AN ALTERCATION WITH HIS 62-YEAR-OLD FATHER, THOMAS SENIOR, SATURDAY NIGHT BEFORE BEING STABBED. HOWARD'S DEATH IS BEING RULED A MURDER. THE VICTIM'S FATHER WAS INITIALLY CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED ASSAULT BUT THE MONROE COUNTY D.A. DROPPED THOSE CHARGES PENDING RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION.

  GOV. TOM CORBETT IS ABOUT TO MAKE THE ANNUAL BUDGET ADDRESS IN HARRISBURG, AN IMPORTANT SIGN OF THINGS TO COME FOR PARENTS, ANYONE WHO DRIVES ON THE HIGHWAYS AND THOSE WHO PAY TAXES. AMONG THE LIST OF LIKELY TOPICS WHEN THE FIRST-TERM REPUBLICAN SPEAKS ON TODAY IN THE STATE CAPITOL ARE PUBLIC WORKERS' PENSIONS, EDUCATION SPENDING AND HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENTS. CORBETT HAS DESCRIBED MANY ELEMENTS OF HIS AGENDA IN A SERIES OF RECENT INTERVIEWS AND PUBLIC APPEARANCES. BUT THE SPEECH WILL UNDOUBTEDLY CONTAIN SOME SURPRISES IN WHAT HAS BEEN A WORK IN PROGRESS. HIS FIRST TWO BUDGETS HAVE BEEN HAMSTRUNG BY THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, AND STATE TAX COLLECTIONS REMAIN SLUGGISH.

  GOV. TOM CORBETT MAY NOT ANNOUNCE WHETHER HE'LL SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF MEDICAID WHEN HE DELIVERS HIS BUDGET ADDRESS. SENATE MAJORITY LEADER DOMINIC PILEGGI SAID CORBETT HAD YET TO REACH A DECISION YESTERDAY ON THE MEDICAID QUESTION. ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS AREN'T SAYING WHETHER HE'S DECIDED. EXPANDING IT WOULD PROVIDE GOVERNMENT HEALTH INSURANCE TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF UNINSURED PENNSYLVANIANS, WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PAYING MOST OF THE COST. BUT CORBETT HAS SAID HE WORRIES SAYS THE STATE'S COSTS COULD BE UNAFFORDABLE, EVEN WITH THE GENEROUS FEDERAL HELP. DEMOCRATS SAY EXPANDING MEDICAID WILL SAVE MONEY FOR STATE TAXPAYERS AND COULD HELP LOWER PRIVATE INSURANCE PREMIUMS.

  A UNION NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE HAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED A TENTATIVE CONTRACT AGREEMENT AFFECTING ABOUT 5,500 FACULTY MEMBERS AT STATE-OWNED UNIVERSITIES IN PENNSYLVANIA. THE ASSOCIATION OF PENNSYLVANIA STATE COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY FACULTIES SAID THE PANEL MADE UP OF UNION LEADERS FROM THE 14 CAMPUSES APPROVED THE PROPOSAL DURING A STATEWIDE TELECONFERENCE MONDAY. THE AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION WILL NOW BE PRESENTED FRIDAY TO THE UNION'S LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, WHICH COULD SEND IT TO THE RANK AND FILE FOR RATIFICATION. OFFICIALS SAID THE FOUR-YEAR DEAL MIRRORS THE AGREEMENTS REACHED BY GOVERNOR CORBETT AND THE OTHER STATEWIDE UNIONS AND INCLUDES CHANGES TO THE HEALTH CARE PLAN. DETAILS ARE TO BE RELEASED AFTER THE RATIFICATION PROCESS IS COMPLETE.

  KEEPING A CAMPAIGN PROMISE, PENNSYLVANIA ATTORNEY GENERAL KATHLEEN KANE HAS NAMED A SPECIAL DEPUTY TO OVERSEE AN INQUIRY INTO THE HANDLING OF THE JERRY SANDUSKY CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE SCANDAL. KANE ON MONDAY ANNOUNCED THE APPOINTMENT OF FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR H. GEOFFREY MOULTON JR. MOULTON SPENT EIGHT YEARS AS A PROSECUTOR IN THE PHILADELPHIA-BASED FEDERAL COURTS. HE ALSO SERVED IN SENIOR POSITIONS IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN WASHINGTON. KANE PROMISED DURING HER CAMPAIGN LAST YEAR TO INVESTIGATE WHY IT TOOK THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE NEARLY THREE YEARS TO CHARGE SANDUSKY, A FORMER PENN STATE ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACH. HE'S IN PRISON AFTER BEING CONVICTED OF 45 CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE COUNTS. GOV. TOM CORBETT WAS ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR MOST OF THAT TIME. HE HAS DENIED THAT POLITICS WERE A FACTOR IN THE INVESTIGATION.

  FORMER PENN STATE PRESIDENT GRAHAM SPANIER IS NOW ALLOWED TO HAVE CONTACT WITH UNIVERSITY TRUSTEES AND POTENTIAL WITNESSES AGAINST HIM IN HIS TRIAL ON CHARGES HE LIED ABOUT AND CONCEALED CHILD SEX ABUSE ALLEGATIONS INVOLVING FORMER ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACH JERRY SANDUSKY. A SUBURBAN HARRISBURG DISTRICT JUDGE MODIFIED THE BAIL CONDITIONS FRIDAY. SPANIER SOUGHT THE CHANGES LAST MONTH, ARGUING THAT HE ENCOUNTERS TRUSTEES IN STATE COLLEGE, WHERE HE LIVES, AND THAT HE DOESN'T KNOW WHO THE WITNESSES WILL BE. TWO FORMER TRUSTEES LIVE IN HIS APARTMENT COMPLEX. SPANIER IS ON PAID LEAVE FROM THE UNIVERSITY. HE'S AWAITING A COURT HEARING WITH CO-DEFENDANTS TIM CURLEY AND GARY SCHULTZ, WHO SERVED AS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AND VICE PRESIDENT. THEY DENY THE CHARGES. SPANIER IS ALLOWED TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE PENNSYLVANIA BUT CAN'T LEAVE THE COUNTRY.

  AFTER DUCKING COMMENT FOR DAYS, NEW JERSEY SEN. ROBERT MENENDEZ IS FORCEFULLY DENYING ALLEGATIONS HE ENGAGED WITH PROSTITUTES IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. CALLING THE CLAIMS FALSE SMEARS, MENENDEZ TOLD REPORTERS ON MONDAY THAT HE HAD DONE NOTHING WRONG. HE CONDEMNED WHAT HE CALLED "ANONYMOUS, NAMELESS, FACELESS INDIVIDUALS" WHO HE SAID HAVE DRIVEN FALSE STORIES INTO THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA. MENENDEZ'S PUBLIC DENIAL CAME AFTER THE FBI LAST WEEK CONDUCTED A SEARCH OF THE WEST PALM BEACH OFFICES OF A FLORIDA DOCTOR WHO ALSO WAS THE SENATOR'S BIGGEST POLITICAL DONOR IN HIS RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN LAST YEAR. THE DAILY CALLER, A CONSERVATIVE WEBSITE, REPORTED THAT MENENDEZ HAD USED A BUSINESS JET OWNED BY DR. SALOMON MELGEN TO FLY TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLICAN FOR TRYSTS WITH PROSTITUTES.

  MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENTS IN NEW JERSEY ARE FINDING THERE'S A LONG WAIT TO GET THEIR FIRST LEGAL POT FROM NEW JERSEY'S ONLY OPEN LICENSED DISPENSARY. WAITS CAN BE FROM SEVERAL WEEKS TO A FEW MONTHS AT GREENLEAF COMPASSION CENTER IN MONTCLAIR. THE CENTER OPENED IN DECEMBER. DISPENSARY PRESIDENT JOE STEVENS SAYS HE EXPECTED 300 PATIENTS PER YEAR INITIALLY. BUT BECAUSE NO OTHER DISPENSARIES IN THE STATE ARE OPEN YET, IT HAS 645 REGISTERED PATIENTS AND COUNTING. FIVE OTHER NONPROFIT GROUPS HAVE BEEN SELECTED BY THE STATE TO OPEN DISPENSARIES. BUT SO FAR, NONE ARE CLOSE TO OPENING. UNDER STATE LAW, ONLY PATIENTS WITH CERTAIN CONDITIONS ARE ELIGIBLE TO USE MARIJUANA.

  NEW JERSEY'S MOST POWERFUL ELECTED DEMOCRAT HAS CALLED FOR A STATE SENATE PANEL TO INVESTIGATE A NO-BID CONTRACT FOR DEBRIS CLEANUP AWARDED BY THE CHRISTIE ADMINISTRATION AFTER SUPERSTORM SANDY. SENATE PRESIDENT STEPHEN SWEENEY ON MONDAY ASKED THE LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE THE STATE'S $100 MILLION CONTRACT WITH ASHBRITT INC. OF FLORIDA. SWEENEY ALSO CALLED FOR TIGHTER CONTROLS OVER INTERACTIONS BETWEEN LOBBYISTS AND LOCAL OFFICIALS FOLLOWING A REPORT IN THE STAR-LEDGER OF NEWARK THAT ASHBRITT SUBCONTRACTED WITH POLITICALLY CONNECTED LOBBYISTS TO HELP IT GET ADDITIONAL DEBRIS-REMOVAL WORK FROM STRICKEN MUNICIPALITIES. GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE ENCOURAGED TOWNS TO CONTRACT WITH ASHBRITT AS WELL, AND 43 ULTIMATELY SIGNED ON. THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE WILL LOOK AT THE FIRM'S RATES AND WHY BUSINESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS NEEDED TO BE WAIVED.