A NORTHAMPTON COUNTY JUDGE HAS RULED AGAINST A FORMER LEHIGH UNIVERSITY GRADUATE STUDENT WHO SUED TO HAVE A GRADE OF C+ CHANGED TO A B AND WAS SEEKING $1.3 MILLION IN DAMAGES. JUDGE EMIL GIORDANO MADE THE RULING THURSDAY IN THE LAWSUIT FILED BY MEGAN THODE, WHO WAS SEEKING DAMAGES OVER THE GRADE IN A 2009 THERAPIST INTERNSHIP COURSE. SHE ALLEGED THE GRADE WAS RETALIATION BECAUSE SHE SUPPORTS GAY RIGHTS AND SHE SAID THE GRADE WAS PREVENTING HER FROM BECOMING A LICENSED THERAPIST. AN EXPERT ESTIMATED THODE WOULD SUFFER $1.3 MILLION IN DAMAGES IN LOST EARNINGS. LEHIGH UNIVERSITY ARGUED THAT PROFESSORS, NOT JUDGES, POSSESS THE EXPERTISE REQUIRED TO MAKE ACADEMIC DECISIONS AND THE TEACHER TESTIFIED SHE STOOD BY THE GRADE.
GOVERNOR CORBETT'S CONTRACT TO HIRE BRITISH FIRM CAMELOT GLOBAL SERVICES TO MANAGE THE PENNSYLVANIA LOTTERY OVERSTEPS HIS BOUNDS ACCORDING TO ATTORNEY GENERAL KATHLEEN KANE. "THE AGREEMENT IS AN UNLAWFUL EXTENSION OF EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY THAT INFRINGES ON THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S POWERS TO MAKE BASIC POLICY CHOICES REGARDING THE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF THE LOTTERY," KANE SAYS. KANE WON'T APPROVE THE 20- TO 30-YEAR CONTRACT WITH CAMELOT BECAUSE PARTS OF IT CONTRAVENE THE STATE CONSTITUTION AND OTHER PARTS AREN'T ALLOWED BY LAW. CORBETT AND CAMELOT BOTH SAY THEY'RE DISAPPOINTED WITH THE DECISION, AND CORBETT SAYS HE'S REVIEWING HIS LEGAL OPTIONS.
DEMOCRATS, LIKE STATE SENATOR JOHN YUDICHAK, APPLAUD ATTORNEY GENERAL KATHLEEN KANE'S REJECTION OF GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT'S CONTRACT WITH A BRITISH COMPANY TO MANAGE THE STATE LOTTERY. "IT ECHOED ARGUMENTS MADE BY SENATE DEMOCRATS THAT THE PRIVATIZATION PLAN WAS AN OVERREACH OF BOTH THE GOVERNOR'S CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE POWERS," YUDICHAK SAYS. THE STATE REPUBLICAN PARTY CALLS KANE'S DECISION WAS BLATANTLY POLITICAL AND SAYS IT WILL HOLD LONG-TERM FUNDING HOSTAGE FOR PENNSYLVANIA SENIORS.
"THERE ARE TWO PERIOD WHERE WE HAVE PRECIPITATION IN THE FORECAST," SAYS ACCU-WEATHER'S DEAN DEVORE. THE FIRST IS TONIGHT WHEN HE THINKS WE MIGHT GET ONE OR TWO INCHES OF SNOW. THE SECOND IS TOMORROW AFTERNOON INTO TOMORROW NIGHT WHEN HE BELIEVES WE MIGHT GET ANOTHER INCH OR TWO OF SNOW. AFTER TEMPERATURES HIT THE MID-40S TODAY, DEVORE THINKS WE WON'T MAKE IT OUT OF THE 30S THIS WEEKEND.
PENNSYLVANIA'S VOTER IDENTIFICATION LAW WON'T BE ENFORCED IN THE STATE'S MAY 21 PRIMARY. LAWYERS IN A PENDING LAWSUIT CHALLENGING THE LAW'S CONSTITUTIONALITY AGREED THURSDAY THAT VOTERS WILL NOT BE REQUIRED TO SHOW PHOTO ID AT THE POLLS AS A CONDITION OF VOTING. THAT MEANS LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIALS CAN ASK VOTERS TO SHOW ID, BUT THEY WILL BE PERMITTED TO CAST BALLOTS AS USUAL EVEN IF THEY LACK THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS. WHETHER THE LAW IS CONSTITUTIONAL IS EXPECTED TO BE DECIDED IN A TRIAL IN STATE COMMONWEALTH COURT THAT'S SLATED TO START JULY 15. COMMONWEALTH COURT JUDGE ROBERT SIMPSON HALTED THE LAW BEFORE LAST FALL'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ON GROUNDS THAT THE STATE FAILED TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR VOTERS TO EASILY GET IDS BEFORE THE ELECTION.
A 24-YEAR-OLD SOUTH WHITEHALL TOWNSHIP MAN WILL SPEND THE NEXT FOUR TO 20 YEARS BEHIND BARS AFTER ADMITTING TO KILLING HIS HALF-BROTHER LAST SEPTEMBER. CORY MALETSKY PLEADED GUILTY TO INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER IN THE STABBING DEATH OF CHRISTOPHER LLOYD II DURING A NIGHT OF DRINKING AT MALETSKY'S HOME. LLOYD BEGAN FIGHTING WITH ANOTHER MAN THAT NIGHT WHEN MALETSKY TRIED TO BREAK IT UP. AT THAT POINT, LLOYD GRABBED HIM BY THE THROAT AND BEGAN HITTING HIM. THAT'S WHEN MALETSKY PULLED A KNIFE AND STABBED HIS HALF-BROTHER. THE GUILTY PLEA PREVENTED A POSSIBLE LIFE SENTENCE HAD MALETSKY BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER. HE'LL BE SENTENCED NEXT MONTH.
PPL POSTED A FOURTH-QUARTER PROFIT OF $359 MILLION, DOWN 21 PERCENT FROM THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2011. DESPITE THAT, PPL BEAT ITS 2012 EARNINGS FORECAST. FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR OF 2012, PPL MADE A PROFIT OF $1.53 BILLION, UP FROM $1.5 BILLION IN 2011.
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LEHIGH-NORTHAMPTON AIRPORT AUTHORITY HOPES THE PROPOSED MERGER BETWEEN U.S. AIRWAYS AND AMERICAN AIRLINES WILL MEAN GOOD THINGS AT L.V.I.A.. "CURRENTLY, U.S. AIRWAYS FLIES TO CHARLOTTE AND PHILADELPHIA FROM HERE. AMERICAN PULLED OUT OVER A YEAR AGO. I THINK THAT LONG-TERM THERE MIGHT BE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR SERVICE TO PLACES THAT AMERICAN AIRLINES CURRENTLY FLIES," SAYS CHARLES EVERETT. HE SAYS LOCAL U.S. AIRWAYS CUSTOMERS WON'T SEE ANY CHANGES ANYTIME SOON, BUT MORE LOCAL CONNECTIONS IS AT LEAST ONE POSSIBLE SHORT-TERM RESULT.
ENERGY EXPERTS SAY THE BOOM IN MARCELLUS SHALE NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION WILL SLOW THIS YEAR BUT NOT BECAUSE OF A LACK OF SUPPLY. THE SLOWDOWN IS HAPPENING BECAUSE DRILLERS ARE WAITING FOR PIPELINES TO EXPAND, NEW MARKETS TO DEVELOP AND WHOLESALE PRICES TO RISE. THE PRESIDENT OF THE INDUSTRY GROUP MARCELLUS SHALE COALITION SAYS HIRING HAS TAPERED OFF AND MOST COMPANIES ARE IN A HOLDING PATTERN. COLORADO COMPANY BENTEK, WHICH ANALYZES ENERGY TRENDS, ESTIMATES THAT TOTAL MARCELLUS PRODUCTION ROSE TO ABOUT 2.8 TRILLION CUBIC FEET IN 2012, ABOUT DOUBLE LAST YEAR. THAT'S ABOUT 10 PERCENT OF THE NATION'S NATURAL GAS OUTPUT. ABOUT 75 PERCENT OF THE MARCELLUS PRODUCTION CAME FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
U.S. SEN. FRANK LAUTENBERG SAYS HE WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION WHEN HIS TERM ENDS IN 2015. THE 89-YEAR-OLD DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKER IS THE LAST REMAINING VETERAN OF WORLD WAR II IN THE SENATE AND HAS BEEN ELECTED EASILY FIVE TIMES BUT WAS FACING A LIKELY CHALLENGE FROM CHARISMATIC NEWARK MAYOR CORY BOOKER. LAUTENBERG FIRST WON ELECTION TO THE SENATE IN 1982. HE IS A STAUNCH ADVOCATE OF GUN CONTROL AND PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND IS A CHAMPION OF THE AMTRAK RAILROAD.
NEW JERSEY VOTERS WILL GET THE LAST WORD ON WHETHER TO INCREASE THE MINIMUM WAGE. THE ASSEMBLY GAVE FINAL APPROVAL ON THURSDAY TO A RESOLUTION PUTTING A $1 MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER AND TYING FUTURE ANNUAL ADJUSTMENTS TO THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX. IF VOTERS APPROVE, THE MINIMUM WAGE WOULD RISE TO $8.25 PER HOUR. PRESIDENT OBAMA PROPOSED INCREASING THE FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE TO $9 PER HOUR AND TYING FUTURE INCREASES TO CONSUMER PRICES. GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE VETOED A DEMOCRAT-SPONSORED BILL THAT WOULD HAVE INCREASED THE WAGE TO $8.50 PER HOUR AND PROVIDED YEARLY INDEXED ADJUSTMENTS. HE PROPOSED A $1 WAGE INCREASE PHASED IN OVER THREE YEARS AND NO FUTURE INDEXING OF THE WAGE.
A CALIFORNIA COMPANY HAS BOUGHT ATLANTIC CITY'S TRUMP PLAZA HOTEL AND CASINO FOR $20 MILLION. THURSDAY'S SALE IS THE LATEST IN A SERIES OF BARGAIN-BASEMENT DEALS FOR STRUGGLING CASINOS IN THE SEASIDE RESORT. THE MERUELO GROUP OF DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA, PLANS TO CLOSE THE DEAL BY MAY 31. THE CASINO, WHICH COST $210 MILLION TO BUILD, OPENED IN MAY 1984 AS ONE OF DONALD TRUMP'S PET PROJECTS. THE REAL ESTATE MOGUL HAS SINCE LIMITED HIS DEALINGS IN ATLANTIC CITY. THE SALE LEAVES THE COMPANY HE ONCE RAN, TRUMP ENTERTAINMENT RESORTS, WITH JUST ONE CASINO, THE TRUMP TAJ MAHAL CASINO RESORT. THE COMPANY SOLD THE FORMER TRUMP MARINA TO A TEXAS COMPANY THAT REBRANDED IT AS THE NEW GOLDEN NUGGET IN 2011.
ATTORNEYS FOR NEW JERSEY HAVE SAID IN FEDERAL COURT A 1992 LAW BANNING LEGAL BETTING IN ALL BUT FOUR OTHER STATES IS DISCRIMINATORY AND TRAMPLES ON THE AUTHORITY OF STATE LEGISLATURES. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAYS CONGRESS IS ALLOWED TO TREAT STATES DIFFERENTLY. THE NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA AND MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SUED LAST YEAR AFTER REPUBLICAN GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE SIGNED A SPORTS WAGERING LAW AND ANNOUNCED HIS INTENTIONS OF AWARDING GAMBLING LICENSES. THE LAW WOULD ALLOW SPORTS WAGERING AT ATLANTIC CITY CASINOS AND STATE HORSE RACING TRACKS. NEW JERSEY HAS SAID ABOUT $380 BILLION A YEAR IS WAGERED ILLEGALLY ON SPORTING EVENTS BUT THAT HASN'T DAMAGED THE INTEGRITY OF THE MAJOR SPORTS LEAGUES, AS THE LEAGUES HAVE CLAIMED. A JUDGE SAID THURSDAY HE'LL RULE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
PHILLIES FIRST BASEMAN RYAN HOWARD IS AT SPRING TRAINING AND SAYS HE'S FEELING GREAT. "MY LEFT LEG FEELS PHENOMENAL COMPARED TO WHERE IT WAS THIS TIME LAST YEAR AND COMPARED TO WHERE IT WAS WHEN I CAME BACK," HOWARD SAYS. HOWARD MISSED THE FIRST HALF OF LAST SEASON WITH A TORN ACHILLES TENDON.
