FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING CHAMPION LARRY HOLMES IS RECOVERING AT HOME AFTER HE HAD TO BE HOSPITALIZED FOR TWO DAYS BECAUSE OF HIGH BLOOD SUGAR. THE 63-YEAR-OLD HOLMES WAS ADMITTED TO ST. LUKE'S HOSPITAL IN BETHLEHEM TOWNSHIP ON TUESDAY AFTER HIS BLOOD SUGAR SPIKED. HE SAYS HE HAD FELT LIGHTHEADED AND DROWSY AND HIS DOCTOR SENT HIM TO THE HOSPITAL. HE RETURNED TO HIS PALMER TOWNSHIP HOME THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND SAYS HE'S TAKING MEDICATION AND FOLLOWING HIS DOCTOR'S INSTRUCTIONS TO LOSE WEIGHT AND EAT RIGHT. HE SAYS BLOOD SUGAR PROBLEMS RUN IN HIS FAMILY.
PENNSYLVANIA HAS 67 COUNTIES. NONE OF THEM ARE GROWING AS FAST AS LEHIGH COUNTY. THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU SAYS LEHIGH COUNTY'S TOTAL POPULATION JUMPED BY 1.6 PERCENT, OR ABOUT 5800 PEOPLE, FROM APRIL 2010 TO LAST JULY. BERKS, BUCKS AND NORTHAMPTON COUNTIES SAW POPULATION GROWTH OF LESS THAN 1 PERCENT. CARBON AND MONROE COUNTIES EXPERIENCED A POPULATION DECREASE FROM APRIL 2010 TO LAST JULY.
IT'S STILL OFFICIALLY WINTER AND ACCU-WEATHER'S DEAN DEVORE SAYS WE MIGHT GET A REMINDER TONIGHT. "I EXPECT SOME RAIN AND DRIZZLE AND MAYBE SOME WET SNOW WILL MIX IN. WATCH FOR SOME SLICK SPOTS TONIGHT ON UNTREATED SURFACES," DEVORE SAYS. HE SAYS A LITTLE MORE RAIN-SNOW COMBINATION IS POSSIBLE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY AS WELL.
POLICE IN WILSON BOROUGH URGE YOU TO BE ON OUR TOES BECAUSE IMPOSTERS ARE POSING AS UTILITY WORKERS THERE. POLICE SAY MEN, WITH JAMAICAN ACCENTS, WERE WALKING AROUND THE BOROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT, KNOCKING ON DOORS CLAIMING TO BE WITH UGI, WHICH SAYS ITS SCHEDULED WORK USUALLY HAPPENS BETWEEN 7AM AND 5PM. UGI SAYS ITS WORKERS WEAR A BLUE UNIFORM WITH A UGI LOGO AND AN EMPLOYEE PHOTO ID BADGE.
KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS ARE BEEFING UP SECURITY AFTER THREE ASSAULTS WERE REPORTED IN LESS THAN A WEEK. UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT JAVIER CEVALLOS SAYS OFFICIALS BEGAN INCREASED SECURITY PATROLS AT THE CAMPUS THURSDAY. THE THIRD INCIDENT HAPPENED NEAR TWO CAMPUS BUILDINGS AROUND 9:40 P.M. WEDNESDAY, WHEN A MAN WAS HIT BEHIND BY ANOTHER MAN AND ONE OF THE ASSAILANTS PULLED A KNIFE. LAST FRIDAY, POLICE SAY THREE MEN, ONE ARMED, BROKE INTO A DORM ROOM IN AN ATTEMPTED ROBBERY. EARLY SUNDAY, POLICE SAY A STUDENT WAS ASSAULTED NEAR TWO CAMPUS BUILDINGS. THE CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL'S STUDENT GOVERNMENT'S SAFETY COMMITTEE IS ASKING FOR EXTRA SHUTTLE BUS SERVICE, INCREASED SECURITY CAMERAS AND EXTRA LIGHTING.
AFTER THE LEHIGH COUNTY COMMISSIONERS REFUSED TO EXTEND THE CHARTER OF THE LEHIGH COUNTY AUTHORITY, PREVENTING IT FROM BIDDING ON THE ALLENTOWN WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM LEASE, THE AUTHORITY IS GOING TO A BACKUP PLAN. TODAY'S MORNING CALL REPORTS THAT INSTEAD OF BIDDING FOR A 50-YEAR LEASE, THE AUTHORITY WILL BID FOR 35 YEARS, WHICH IS WITHIN THE AUTHORITY'S CURRENT CHARTER. THERE'S NO WORD IF A 35-YEAR LEASE SATISFIES ALLENTOWN, WHICH WANTS AT LEAST $150 MILLION FOR A 50-YEAR LEASE TO HELP PAY OFF SOARING PENSION COSTS.
A LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT FACES DRUG CHARGES AFTER HEROIN WAS FOUND ON HIM. POLICE SAY 19-YEAR-OLD TABIAS RICE WAS LATE FOR SCHOOL WEDNESDAY MORNING. WHEN HE SHOWED UP, STAFF SMELLED MARIJUANA AND BEGAN A SEARCH. THAT'S WHEN THE HEROIN AND DRUG PARAPHERNALIA WERE FOUND.
AN INVITATION TO A POLITICAL FUNDRAISER WAS SOMETIMES THE FIRST SIGN OF THE ALLEGED "PAY TO PLAY" CULTURE THAT PROSECUTORS SAY PERVADED THE PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE COMMISSION. A GRAND JURY REPORT ISSUED THIS WEEK DISCUSSED AT LENGTH THE WAYS TURNPIKE COMMISSION OFFICIALS TRACKED THE FIRMS DOING BUSINESS WITH THE AGENCY, THEN SOLICITED THEM FOR MONEY FOR CERTAIN GUBERNATORIAL OR STATE SENATE CANDIDATES. THE PRESIDENT OF A FIRM THAT HAD RECEIVED A CONTRACT TO DESIGN AND INSTALL A FOG DETECTION SYSTEM ALONG THE TURNPIKE TOLD THE GRAND JURY THAT "POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS WERE THE 800-POUND GORILLA THAT'S IN THE ROOM THAT NO ONE EVER WANTED TO TALK ABOUT." EIGHT DEFENDANTS WERE CHARGED WEDNESDAY. MOST OF THE CHARGES RELATE TO WHAT STATE PROSECUTORS CALL A "PAY TO PLAY" SCHEME FOR CONTRACT-HUNGRY VENDORS.
PENN STATE TRUSTEES CONTINUE A TWO-DAY MEETING THIS AFTERNOON IN HERSHEY. YESTERDAY'S OPENING MEETINGS INCLUDED ONE TRUSTEE CRITICIZING A PATERNO FAMILY REVIEW ON THE SANDUSKY SCANDAL, SAYING IT DIDN'T ADDRESS THE FREEH REPORT FINDINGS. TRUSTEE KENNETH FRAZIER SAYS THE PATERNO REPORT DIDN'T ADDRESS MANY OF THE FINDINGS AND DOCUMENTS IN THE PENN STATE STUDY, WHICH WAS LED BY FORMER FBI DIRECTOR LOUIS FREEH. FRAZIER SAYS DOCUMENTS UNEARTHED BY FREEH FROM 1998 AND 2001 "ARE AMONG THE MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS PRODUCED." FRAZIER ALSO SAID THE FAMILY REPORT STRAINED TO INTERPRET EMAILS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FROM ADMINISTRATORS HANDING THE MATTER. THE PATERNO FAMILY REPORT WAS CRITICAL OF THE UNIVERSITY'S OWN EXAMINATION OF HOW THE SANDUSKY MATTER WAS HANDLED BY PATERNO AND ADMINISTRATORS.
GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT IS ASKING A FEDERAL COURT TO DISMISS AN NCAA LAWSUIT AIMED AT OVERTURNING A PENNSYLVANIA LAW THAT CALLS FOR KEEPING $60 MILLION IN PENN STATE FINE MONEY FOR THE JERRY SANDUSKY CHILD SEX ABUSE SCANDAL IN THE STATE. STATE TREASURER ROB MCCORD FILED A SIMILAR MOTION THURSDAY IN FEDERAL COURT. MCCORD AND CORBETT ARE LISTED AS DEFENDANTS IN THE LAWSUIT. IN BOTH CASES, CORBETT AND MCCORD HAVE ASKED THE FEDERAL COURT TO REFRAIN FROM CONSIDERING THE NCAA'S CHALLENGE BECAUSE OF TWO RELATED PENDING LAWSUITS. CORBETT HAS FILED A FEDERAL ANTITRUST LAWSUIT AGAINST THE NCAA TO GET THE SANCTIONS INCLUDING THE $60 MILLION FINE OVERTURNED. PENNSYLVANIA STATE SENATOR JAKE CORMAN HAS ALSO SUED THE NCAA OVER ITS USE OF THE FINE.
IF IT SEEMS LIKE ST. PATRICK'S DAY IS A BIG DEAL IN PENNSYLVANIA, JENNIFER SHULTZ WITH THE PENN STATE DATA CENTER SAYS THERE'S A GOOD REASON WHY. "PENNSYLVANIA HAS MORE THAN 2.2 MILLION RESIDENTS WHO CLAIM IRISH ANCESTRY," SHULTZ SAYS. THAT'S THE THIRD MOST IN THE NATION, BEHIND ONLY NEW YORK AND CALIFORNIA. BOTH BETHLEHEM AND ALLENTOWN HAVE ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADES PLANNED THIS WEEKEND.
THE WASHINGTON POST IS REPORTING THAT NEW JERSEY DEMOCRATIC SENATOR ROBERT MENENDEZ IS BEING INVESTIGATED BY A MIAMI FEDERAL GRAND JURY FOR HIS ROLE IN ADVOCATING FOR THE BUSINESS INTERESTS OF A WEALTHY DONOR AND FRIEND. AS PART OF THE PROBE FEDERAL AGENTS HAVE QUESTIONED WITNESSES ABOUT THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN MENENDEZ AND FLORIDA OPHTHALMOLOGIST SALOMON MELGEN. THE NEWSPAPER CITES UNIDENTIFIED PEOPLE IT SAYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBE. MENENDEZ HAS RAISED QUESTIONS WITH U.S. OFFICIALS ABOUT THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC GOVERNMENT'S FAILURE TO HONOR A PORT SECURITY CONTRACT INVOLVING MELGEN, AND HE CONTACTED U.S. HEALTH AGENCIES TO QUESTION THEIR BILLING PRACTICES AND POLICIES AMID A DISPUTE BETWEEN MELGEN AND FEDERAL AUTHORITIES. THE POST SAYS MELGEN DECLINED TO SAY YESTERDAY WHETHER HE KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION, BUT HE SAYS ANY PROBE WILL FIND NO WRONGDOING.
DOG FIGHTING COULD BE ADDED TO THE LIST OF CRIMES UNDER NEW JERSEY'S RACKETEERING STATUTES KNOWN AS RICO. A BILL ESTABLISHING THE CRIMES OF DOG FIGHTING AND LEADING A DOG-FIGHTING NETWORK WAS ADVANCED BY THE ASSEMBLY'S JUDICIARY COMMITTEE THURSDAY. OFFENDERS COULD FACE UP TO THREE YEARS IN PRISON AND A FINE OF UP TO $15,000. ASSEMBLYMAN GORDON JOHNSON, THE BILL SPONSOR, SAYS NEW JERSEY HAS SEEN TOO MANY CASES OF CRIMINAL TREATMENT OF ANIMALS AND THAT PENALTIES FOR DOG FIGHTING AND ITS RINGLEADERS SHOULD BE STRENGTHENED. THE MEASURE ALSO WOULD ORDER THE COURTS TO SEIZE DOGS USED AS FIGHTERS OR BAIT, AND ALLOW JUDGES TO BAR OFFENDERS FROM OWNING ANIMALS IN THE FUTURE. A SIMILAR BILL STALLED DURING THE PRIOR LEGISLATIVE SESSION. THE SENATE HAS NOT CONSIDERED IT.
NEW JERSEY HAS ERADICATED A TREE-KILLING BEETLE FIRST SEEN IN THE STATE IN 2002. FEDERAL AND STATE AGRICULTURE OFFICIALS THIS WEEK HAVE DECLARED THE STATE FREE OF THE ASIAN LONGHORNED BEETLE. THEY MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT AT A SANCTUARY IN HARD-HIT LINDEN IN UNION COUNTY. MORE THAN 20,000 TREES WERE REMOVED IN UNION, MIDDLESEX AND HUDSON COUNTIES AS PART OF THE ERADICATION EFFORT. NEW JERSEY IS THE SECOND STATE, AFTER ILLINOIS, TO HAVE REMOVED ALL INFESTED TREES AND FOUND NO OTHER SIGNS OF BEETLE ACTIVITY. THE ASIAN LONGHORNED BEETLE WAS FIRST DETECTED IN THE U.S. IN 1996. OFFICIALS SAY IT LIKELY ARRIVED INSIDE WOOD PACKING MATERIAL FROM ASIA. IT HAS NO KNOWN NATURAL PREDATOR.
THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES HAVE MADE A SPLASH IN THEIR DEFENSIVE BACKFIELD, SIGNING CORNERBACK CARY WILLIAMS AND SAFETY KENNY PHILLIPS IN FREE AGENCY. THE MOVES CAME TWO DAYS AFTER THE EAGLES RELEASED CORNERBACK NNAMDI ASOMUGHA IN THE WAKE OF TWO DISAPPOINTING SEASONS IN PHILADELPHIA. WILLIAMS AGREED TO A THREE-YEAR DEAL, AND IS COMING OFF A BIG SEASON WITH THE SUPER BOWL-CHAMPION BALTIMORE RAVENS. HE STARTED ALL 16 GAMES, POSTING FOUR INTERCEPTIONS AND 67 TACKLES. A SEVENTH-ROUND PICK OF THE TENNESSEE TITANS IN 2008, WILLIAMS JOINED THE RAVENS IN 2009 AND EARNED A STARTING ROLE IN 2011. WILLIAMS, 28, HAS STARTED ALL 32 GAMES FOR BALTIMORE SINCE 2011. PHILLIPS COMES TO PHILADELPHIA AFTER FIVE SEASONS WITH THE RIVAL NEW YORK GIANTS. A FIRST-ROUND SELECTION OF THE GIANTS IN 2008, PHILLIPS, 26, HAD FOUR INTERCEPTIONS AND 72 TACKLES IN 2011, AS NEW YORK WON THE SUPER BOWL.
