BROOKE WOOMER IS LUCKY TO BE ALIVE AFTER A SUNDAY FIRE KILLED FOUR PEOPLE IN AN EMMAUS APARTMENT NEXT TO HER'S. "IT HURTS SO MUCH TO KNOW THAT SO MANY PEOPLE DIED FROM SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT YOU NEVER EXPECT TO HAPPEN TO YOU," THE 14-YEAR-OLD SAYS. FOUR PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE FIRE AT 36 AND 38 SOUTH FIFTH STREET IN EMMAUS. IT'S BELIEVED THE VICTIMS ARE 48-YEAR-OLD MELISSA TWINING, HER 16-YEAR-OLD SON, MONTANA, TWINING'S BOYFRIEND, DAVID AND A WOMAN NAMED MARIA. EAST PENN SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT THOMAS SEIDENBERGER SAYS SIX STUDENTS WERE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THE FIRE, INCLUDING ONE WHO'S MISSING. WHILE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE STILL HASN'T BEEN DETERMINED, INITIAL INDICATIONS ARE IT WASN'T ARSON.
LEHIGH COUNTY CORONER SCOTT GRIM HASN'T YET BEEN ABLE TO OFFICIALLY IDENTIFY THE FOUR PEOPLE KILLED IN A SUNDAY FIRE IN EMMAUS. "DUE TO THEIR CONDITION, POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION NEEDS TO BE MADE THROUGH SCIENTIFIC MEANS, WHICH IS EITHER DENTAL RECORDS OR DNA," GRIM SAYS. HE SAYS THAT COULD TAKE A FEW DAYS OR SEVERAL WEEKS.
A KEY LEGISLATIVE PANEL HAS ENDORSED A CHANGED VERSION OF REPUBLICAN GOV. TOM CORBETT'S LIQUOR-PRIVATIZATION BILL. THE HOUSE LIQUOR CONTROL COMMITTEE VOTED 14-10 YESTERDAY TO APPROVE AN AMENDED VERSION THAT GIVES BEER DISTRIBUTORS THE FIRST SHOT AT BUYING 1,200 LIQUOR AND WINE SALES LICENSES. AFTER ONE YEAR, THE REMAINING LICENSES WOULD BE OFFERED TO OTHER BUYERS. THE 600 STATE STORES WOULD BE GRADUALLY REDUCED AS THE NUMBER OF LICENSEES IN EACH COUNTY GROWS. ONCE THE NUMBER OF STATE STORES FALLS BELOW 100, THEY ALL WOULD CLOSE. THE AMENDMENT, APPROVED ON A PARTY-LINE VOTE, ALSO WOULD CREATE A WINE AND BEER LICENSE FOR GROCERY STORES. CORBETT'S SPOKESMAN PRAISED THE VOTE AND CALLED THE AMENDED BILL A GOOD COMPROMISE.
A FORMER PENNSYLVANIA PASTOR WAS SENTENCED MONDAY TO LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE IN THE FATAL BLUDGEONING OF HIS SECOND WIFE IN 2008. 64-YEAR-OLD ARTHUR SCHIRMER WAS SENTENCED IN MONROE COUNTY COURT NEARLY TWO MONTHS AFTER A JURY CONVICTED HIM OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER IN THE DEATH OF BETTY SCHIRMER. THE CONVICTION BROUGHT AN AUTOMATIC LIFE SENTENCE. NATE NOVACK IS BETTY SCHIRMER'S SON. "IT'S A GREAT DAY OVERALL. EVENTHOUGH A LIFE CONVICTION ISN'T GOING TO BRING MY MOM BACK, IT'S DEFINITELY A LOT BETTER TODAY," NOVACK SAID AFTER SCHIRMER'S SENTENCING. PROSECUTORS SAID SCHIRMER CLUBBED HIS WIFE ON THE HEAD WITH A CROWBAR, THEN LOADED HER INTO THEIR CAR AND STAGED A LOW-SPEED ACCIDENT IN AN EFFORT TO CONCEAL THE CRIME. SCHIRMER IS CHARGED SEPARATELY WITH KILLING HIS FIRST WIFE, JEWEL, IN 1999. HE AWAITS TRIAL IN THAT CASE.
DOZENS OF PEOPLE HAVE RETURNED TO THEIR HOMES AFTER A GAS LEAK FORCED EVACUATIONS IN QUAKERTOWN. THE LEAK WAS REPORTED BY RESIDENTS ON A BLOCK IN QUAKERTOWN AROUND 2 A.M. THIS MORNING. AUTHORITIES SAY GAS WAS LEAKING THROUGH SOME STORM DRAINS AND MORE THAN 50 PEOPLE WERE EVACUATED FROM HOUSES IN THE AREA. CREWS RESPONDED AND BEGAN REPAIRS ON A GAS LINE. MOST OF THOSE EVACUATED STAYED WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS, BUT A SHELTER WAS ALSO SET UP IN THE BOROUGH HALL. THE WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND RESIDENTS WERE ALLOWED BACK INTO THEIR HOMES AROUND 6:30 A.M. NO INJURIES ARE REPORTED.
A 64-YEAR-OLD BETHLEHEM WOMAN IS UNDER ARREST FOR ALLEGEDLY HELPING RUN A METH LAB OUT OF HER GREENLEAF STREET HOME. ELAINE NOONE WAS AMONG FIVE PEOPLE INJURED IN A MARCH 8 EXPLOSION THAT POLICE SAY WAS SPARKED BY THE METH LAB IN NOONE'S BASEMENT. ARREST WARRANTS HAVE BEEN FILED FOR THREE OTHER PEOPLE, NONE OF WHOM HAS BEEN ARRESTED YET.
THE DAVINCI SCIENCE CENTER HAS CHOSEN A FAMILIAR FACE AS ITS NEXT C.E.O.. LIN ERICKSON, WHO HELD THAT JOB FROM 1997 TO 2005, IS RETURNING TO THE CENTER AFTER SPENDING FIVE YEARS AT WITTENBERG UNIVERSITY IN OHIO AND THE PAST YEAR-AND-A-HALF AT THE AIR FORCE MUSEUM FOUNDATION IN DAYTON, OHIO. SHE LEFT THE LEHIGH VALLEY WHEN HER HUSBAND, MARK, BECAME PRESIDENT OF WITTENBERG UNIVERSITY. LAST YEAR, HE RETURNED HERE AS PRESIDENT OF NORTHAMPTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE, GIVING HIS WIFE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN TO THE SCIENCE CENTER. SHE REPLACES TROY THRASH, WHO LEFT TWO MONTHS AGO FOR A JOB IN MICHIGAN.
AFTER TWO YEARS UNDER A GAG ORDER, AN ABORTION PROVIDER IS GETTING HIS CHANCE TO ANSWER CHARGES THAT HE KILLED A FEMALE PATIENT AND SEVEN BABIES AT HIS CLINIC. PROSECUTORS CALL DR. KERMIT GOSNELL'S CLINIC A FILTHY "HOUSE OF HORRORS." THEY SAY THE 72-YEAR-OLD GOSNELL ROUTINELY KILLED LATE-TERM BABIES AFTER THEY WERE BORN ALIVE. BUT DEFENSE LAWYER JACK MCMAHON ACCUSES THEM OF AN "ELITIST, RACIST PROSECUTION" OF HIS CLIENT, WHO IS BLACK. MCMAHON SAYS GOSNELL HELPED POOR WOMEN IN WEST PHILADELPHIA FULFILL THEIR WISH TO TERMINATE PREGNANCIES. BUT PROSECUTORS SAY HE GAVE THEM SUBSTANDARD AND EVEN DEADLY CARE.
A FORMER ATTORNEY SERVING TIME IN STATE PRISON IN THE SHOOTING DEATH OF A FELLOW HUNTER HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO A FEDERAL FIREARMS CHARGE. FIFTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD DAVID MANILLA ENTERED THE PLEA MONDAY IN FEDERAL COURT IN PHILADELPHIA TO A CHARGE OF BEING A FELON IN POSSESSION OF A FIREARM. DEFENSE ATTORNEY ROBERT GOLDMAN SAYS MANILLA FACES A MAXIMUM 10-YEAR TERM WHEN HE IS SENTENCED JUNE 27. MANILLA IS SERVING A 10- TO 25-YEAR INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER SENTENCE IN THE NOVEMBER 2010 DEATH OF 52-YEAR-OLD BARRY GROH OF QUAKERTOWN IN RICHLAND TOWNSHIP. HE PLEADED NO CONTEST, SAYING HE HAD MISTAKEN THE VICTIM FOR A DEER. AUTHORITIES SAID HE ENGAGED IN A PROLONGED COVER-UP, REMOVING DOZENS OF GUNS FROM HIS HUNTING PROPERTY AND PACKING THE RIFLE WITH DIRT TO THWART BALLISTICS TESTING.
THREE FORMER PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNORS RENEWED A CALL TO STATE LAWMAKERS TO ALLOW VOTERS TO DECIDE WHETHER APPELLATE COURT JUDGES SHOULD BE NOMINATED BY THE GOVERNOR AFTER BEING RECOMMENDED BY A PANEL OF CITIZENS. THE ADVOCACY YESTERDAY BY FORMER GOVS. ED RENDELL, TOM RIDGE AND RICHARD THORNBURGH CAME IN THE WAKE OF A STATE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE'S CORRUPTION CONVICTION. THE GROUP MADE THE SAME PLEA IN 2010, BUT THE STATE LEGISLATURE HASN'T SHOWN INTEREST IN ENABLING VOTERS TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION. THE EX-GOVERNORS SAY THE FUNDRAISING AND CAMPAIGNING PROCESS CREATES A PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF BIASED JUDGES AND JUSTICES. PHILADELPHIA-BASED PENNSYLVANIANS FOR MODERN COURTS ENVISIONS A PANEL OF LAWYERS AND REGULAR CITIZENS SCREENING CANDIDATES AND RECOMMENDING THE MOST QUALIFIED TO THE GOVERNOR, WHO THEN PICKS ONE TO NOMINATE FOR SENATE CONFIRMATION.
TWO PENN STATE UNIVERSITY TRUSTEES TESTIFYING BEFORE STATE LAWMAKERS HAVE DISAGREED OVER WHETHER THE SIZE OF THE BOARD SHOULD BE REDUCED. THE CENTRE DAILY TIMES SAYS TRUSTEES JAMES BROADHURST AND ANTHONY LUBRANO APPEARED BEFORE THE STATE SENATE PANEL YESTERDAY TO TALK ABOUT PROPOSED GOVERNANCE CHANGES. BROADHURST READ OFF A LIST OF PROPOSED CHANGES THE BOARD HAS ALREADY ADOPTED, INCLUDING OFFERING A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AT MEETINGS AND SETTING 12-YEAR TERM LIMITS. OTHER CHANGES THAT WILL NEED A FINAL VOTE OF APPROVAL IN MAY INCLUDE STRIPPING THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT AND STATE GOVERNOR OF THEIR VOTING POWERS. BUT BROADHURST SAID THERE IS NO CONSENSUS ON CHANGING THE SIZE OF THE 32-MEMBER BOARD. LUBRANO SAID HE FAVORS A SMALLER BOARD, AND A DELAY WOULD LIKELY MEAN THAT THE ISSUE WOULD FADE.
A MINISTER WITH NO PREVIOUS POLITICAL EXPERIENCE IS THE NEWEST DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR. MAX MYERS HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY AT THE STATE CAPITOL AS PART OF A THREE-DAY TOUR TO PUBLICIZE HIS CANDIDACY. AN ILLINOIS NATIVE, MYERS IS AN ARMY VETERAN WHO SERVED AS PASTOR AT SEVERAL ASSEMBLY OF GOD CHURCHES IN THE MIDWEST REGION AND NOW LIVES IN SUBURBAN HARRISBURG. UNTIL LAST YEAR, HE WORKED WITH AN EVANGELICAL GROUP CALLED GLOBAL AWAKENING. THE FORMER REPUBLICAN SWITCHED POLITICAL AFFILIATION THREE YEARS AGO AND SAYS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY BETTER REFLECTS HIS PRINCIPLES. AS GOVERNOR, HE SAYS HE'D WORK TO ERADICATE POVERTY AND ENSURE THAT ALL CHILDREN RECEIVE A WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION. MORE THAN A HALF-DOZEN OTHER DEMOCRATS ARE ALSO CONSIDERING RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR NEXT YEAR.
THE STATE SENATE HAS PASSED A MEASURE GIVING THE LEGISLATURE A SAY IN PLANS TO PRIVATIZE NEW JERSEY'S LOTTERY. THE BILL APPROVED MONDAY REQUIRES LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL OF ANY PRIVATE VENDOR. IT NOW HEADS TO THE DESK OF GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE, WHO MAY VETO THE MEASURE. THE STATE TREASURY DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING TO HAND OVER SALES AND MARKETING TO A PRIVATE COMPANY. THE STATE WOULD KEEP OWNERSHIP OF THE LOTTERY AND WOULD TRY TO FIND WORK FOR 150 LOTTERY WORKERS UNDER THE NEW ARRANGEMENT. NEW JERSEY HAS THE EIGHTH LARGEST STATE LOTTERY IN THE COUNTRY. BUT SOME OFFICIALS BELIEVE A PRIVATELY MANAGED LOTTERY COULD BRING IN MORE REVENUE, WHICH IT SHARES WITH EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES PROGRAMS. THE LOTTERY GROSSED $2.8 BILLION IN REVENUE LAST YEAR.
A SPOKESWOMAN FOR SENATOR ROBERT MENENDEZ SAYS THE DEMOCRAT HOPES U.S. AUTHORITIES JOIN THEIR DOMINICAN COUNTERPARTS IN INVESTIGATING THE ORIGIN OF REPORTS HE PAID WOMEN IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FOR SEX. MENENDEZ SPOKESWOMAN TRICIA ENRIGHT SAYS MENENDEZ HAS MAINTAINED ALL ALONG SUCH CLAIMS ARE FALSE AND PART OF A SMEAR CAMPAIGN. HER COMMENTS CAME AFTER A DOMINICAN POLICE SPOKESMAN SAID YESTERDAY THAT THREE WOMEN WERE PAID TO FALSELY CLAIM IN VIDEOTAPED INTERVIEWS THAT MENENDEZ PAID THEM MONEY FOR SEX. ENRIGHT SAYS IT'S A CRIME TO INTENTIONALLY MAKE FALSE REPORTS TO A FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THE WASHINGTON POST HAS SEPARATELY REPORTED THAT MENENDEZ IS UNDER A FEDERAL GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION OVER REPORTS THAT HE TRADED FAVORS WITH A PROMINENT CAMPAIGN DONOR.
SENATOR FRANK LAUTENBERG, THE NATION'S OLDEST SENATOR AT 89, PLANS TO RETURN TO THE SENATE THIS WEEK AFTER BEING SIDELINED WITH PAIN AND WEAKNESS IN HIS LEGS. LAUTENBERG SPOKESMAN CALEY GRAY SAID MONDAY THAT THE NEW JERSEY DEMOCRAT WAS FEELING BETTER AND WOULD BE BACK FOR SENATE VOTES ON THE BUDGET EXPECTED LATER THIS WEEK. LAUTENBERG HAD MISSED SEVERAL VOTES OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS AFTER HIS DOCTOR ADVISED HIM NOT TO TRAVEL. HE ANNOUNCED LAST MONTH HE WOULD RETIRE NEXT YEAR AND NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION.
A BILL THAT TIGHTENS RESTRICTIONS ON THE PRACTICE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE NEW JERSEY SENATE. ASSEMBLYWOMAN VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE SAYS THE PRACTICE OF COERCING PEOPLE INTO PROSTITUTION, LABOR AND DRUG ACTIVITY ISN'T JUST RESTRICTED TO IMPOVERISHED, FOREIGN COUNTRIES. THE BERGEN COUNTY DEMOCRAT ALSO SAYS THE MEASURE APPROVED MONDAY DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH. HUMAN TRAFFICKING HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED AS A FELONY IN NEW JERSEY SINCE 2005. THE STATE'S DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE HAS REPORTED 179 CASES OF TRAFFICKING IN THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, AND EXPERTS ESTIMATE THE OFTEN UNREPORTED CASES COULD NUMBER IN THE THOUSANDS. THE BILL EXPANDS THE LAW TO CRIMINALIZE ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES RELATED TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND INCREASE PROTECTIONS FOR VICTIMS, AMONG OTHER ACTIONS. THE FULL ASSEMBLY IS SCHEDULED TO VOTE ON THE MEASURE THURSDAY.
PENN STATE HAS KICKED OFF SPRING PRACTICE INDOORS AFTER A LATE-WINTER SNOWSTORM CHASED THE NITTANY LIONS OFF THEIR OUTDOOR PRACTICE FIELDS. THE QUARTERBACK RACE IS FRONT AND CENTER. COACH BILL O'BRIEN EXPLAINS HOW HE'LL PROCEED. "WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS SPRING IS BASICALLY BALANCE THE REPS BETWEEN STEVEN BENCH AND TYLER FERGUSON AND THEN AT THE END OF THE SPRING WE'LL EVALUATE AT THAT POINT. WE WILL NOT NAME A STARTER AT THE END OF THE SPRING. SOMETIME DURING TRAINING CAMP, WHENEVER I DECIDE, WE'LL NAME A STARTER," O'BRIEN SAYS. PRIZED FRESHMAN RECRUIT CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG IS SCHEDULED TO JOIN BENCH AND FERGUSON THIS SUMMER. O'BRIEN SAID MONDAY THAT HACKENBERG SHOULD "CERTAINLY BE IN THE MIX."
PHILADELPHIA SAYS 76ERS CENTER ANDREW BYNUM WILL HAVE SEASON-ENDING ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERY ON BOTH KNEES TODAY. BYNUM HAS NOT PLAYED THIS SEASON BECAUSE OF BONE BRUISES IN BOTH OF HIS KNEES. THE 25-YEAR-OLD IS AN UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT AND MAY NEVER PLAY A GAME FOR THE SIXERS. BYNUM WAS SHUT DOWN IN TRAINING CAMP AS A PRECAUTION AND THE SIXERS ORIGINALLY HOPED HE'D BE READY BY OPENING NIGHT OCTOBER 31. BYNUM WAS ACQUIRED FROM THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS AS PART OF A FOUR-TEAM TRADE AND WAS EXPECTED TO MAKE THE 76ERS CONTENDERS IN THE EAST.
