AFTER SEVEN HOURS OF DEBATE, THE STATE HOUSE VOTED 105-TO-90 THURSDAY NIGHT TO PHASE OUT PENNSYLVANIA'S 600 STATE-OPERATED LIQUOR STORES. HOUSE SPEAKER SAM SMITH SUPPORTS THE IDEA. "IT ALLOWS THE COMMONWEALTH TO FOCUS ON ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS AND NOT HAVE THE CONFLICT OF ALSO PROMOTING AND SELLING ALCOHOL," SMITH SAYS. THE PROPOSAL IS LIKELY TO SEE CHANGES IN THE SENATE. DEMOCRATIC OPPONENTS ARE WARNING THE PRIVATIZATION BILL WILL PUT THOUSANDS OF STATE STORE EMPLOYEES OUT OF WORK, COST MORE AND GENERATE LESS REVENUE THAN SUPPORTERS PREDICT.

  GOVERNOR CORBETT SCORES A WIN IN THE STATE HOUSE, WITH THE PASSAGE OF HIS PLAN TO PRIVATIZE THE STATE LIQUOR SYSTEM. "I KNOW THAT WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE SENATE AS WE MOVE THIS BILL OVER TO THE SENATE, TALKING TO THEM AND CONVICING THEM THAT NOW IS THE TIME TO MOVE PENNSYLVANIA INTO THE 21ST CENTURY," CORBETT SAYS. THE SENATE IS EXPECTED TO CHANGE THE HOUSE-PASSED MEASURE CONSIDERABLY.

  EVENTHOUGH THE ALLENTOWN SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT CALLS IT THE "WORST POSSIBLE SCENARIO", THE BOARD HAS OK'D A PLAN THAT WOULD LAYOFF 144 TEACHERS AND ELIMINATE ART, LIBRARY AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION FROM THE DISTRICT'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. UNLESS THE DISTRICT COMES UP WITH MORE MONEY BEFORE THE END OF JUNE, FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN WOULD BE ELIMINATED AND FOUR OF THE DISTRICT'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WOULD END UP SHARING TWO PRINCIPALS. BOARD PRESIDENT ROBERT SMITH, WHO VOTED FOR THE PLAN, SAYS THE 6-3 VOTE ISN'T FINAL AND HE PROMISES HE'LL WORK TO COME UP WITH THE MONEY TO SAVE THOSE PROGRAMS AND TEACHERS BEFORE THE JUNE 30 BUDGET DEADLINE.

  ROSA SILK SAYS HER SON WILL BE HOME-SCHOOLED RATHER THAN GO BACK TO FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL UNLESS DOCTORS COME UP WITH A WAY TO CURB HER SON'S ALLERGIC REACTION TO AXE BODY SPRAY. 15-YEAR-OLD BRANDON SILK WAS HOME-SCHOOLED FOR SOME OF HIS EIGHTH-GRADE YEAR, BUT BEGAN HIS NINTH-GRADE YEAR BACK IN SCHOOL. THAT ENDED ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN HE HAD A SEVERE REACTION TO THE BODY SPRAY WORN BY SOME STUDENTS. HIS THROAT BEGAN TO SWELL AND A NURSE NEEDED TO USE AN EPI-PEN TO PREVENT HIM FROM GOING INTO SHOCK. EARLIER THIS WEEK THE SCHOOL SENT OUT A MESSAGE TO ALL PARENTS AND STUDENTS ASKING THEM TO STOP WEARING AXE.

  THE THIRD OF FOUR PEOPLE WANTED FOR RUNNING A METHAMPHETAMINE LAB IN A BETHLEHEM HOME HAS SURRENDERED TO POLICE. 28-YEAR-OLD JEFFREY CAULFIELD TURNED HIMSELF IN THURSDAY. ONLY DANIEL HOUSER REMAINS AT LARGE. POLICE SAY HOUSER, CAULFIELD, 64-YEAR-OLD ELAINE NOONE AND 39-YEAR-OLD DAVINA BOWLER OPERATED THE METH LAB THAT BLEW UP ON MARCH 8 IN NOONE'S HOME ON GREENLEAF STREET.

  A MAN IS NOW CHARGED WITH A CHRISTMAS EVE MURDER. 34-YEAR-OLD ANTONIO ORTIZ IS CHARGED WITH KILLING ANDRES RUIZ-AVELIZAPA DURING A FIGHT ON NORTHAMPTON STREET IN EASTON. RUIZ-AVELIZAPA DIED TWO WEEKS AFTER THE FIGHT AND THE CORONER DETERMINED HIS DEATH WAS DUE TO BLOWS TO THE HEAD. ORTIZ WAS INITIALLY CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, BUT THE MURDER CHARGE WAS OFFICIALLY ADDED ON THURSDAY.

  A BIG PART OF EASTON'S FUTURE STARTS TO TAKE SHAPE TODAY. CREWS ARE BREAKING GROUND ON A NEW CITY HALL AT 2 O'CLOCK THIS AFTERNOON ON SOUTH THIRD STREET. THE NEW CITY HALL WILL OCCUPY THE TOP TWO FLOORS OF THE $26 MILLION BUILDING THAT WILL ALSO HOUSE THE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME, A LANTA TERMINAL AND OTHER COMMERCIAL SPACE ON THE FIRST FLOOR. THE CITY IS SELLING THE ALPHA BUILDING, WHICH HAS BEEN THE HOME OF CITY HALL SINCE 1996.

  POLICE SAY A MAN STOPPED FOR DRUNKEN DRIVING IN THE POCONOS TURNED OUT TO BE THE SUSPECT IN AN OCTOBER HEIST OF $20,000 WORTH OF ROLEX WATCHES. TERENCE MCARDLE JR. WAS ARRESTED WEDNESDAY IN POCONO TOWNSHIP. POLICE SAY MCARDLE WALKED INTO A JEWELRY STORE AT THE CROSSINGS OUTLET CENTER IN TANNERSVILLE ON OCTOBER 17, SMASHED A GLASS CABINET WITH A HAMMER AND STOLE TWO ROLEX WATCHES. POLICE SAY HE THEN FLED THE SCENE WITH AN ACCOMPLICE. THE ALLEGED HEIST WAS CAUGHT ON SURVEILLANCE VIDEO. MCARDLE WAS IDENTIFIED AS A SUSPECT BY THE TATTOOS ON HIS NECK. CONFRONTED WITH THE VIDEO, POLICE SAY THE 32-YEAR-OLD TANNERSVILLE MAN BROKE DOWN CRYING AND SAID, "TAKE ME TO JAIL." HE'S JAILED ON $25,000 BAIL.

  AUGUST 7 WILL BE CLASSIC ROCK NIGHT AT MUSIKFEST'S SANDS STEEL STAGE. STYX WILL BRING MORE THAN 40 YEARS OF MUSIC WITH THEM TO BETHLEHEM THAT NIGHT. THEY WON'T BE ALONE HOWEVER. FOREIGNER RETURNS TO THE LEHIGH VALLEY AFTER APPEARING AT THE 2011 ALLENTOWN FAIR WITH JOURNEY AND NIGHT RANGER. TICKETS FOR THE STYX/FOREIGNER SHOW GO ON SALE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON MARCH 29.

  NEW JERSEY LEGISLATORS HAVE ADOPTED A BILL THAT WOULD ALLOW EARLY VOTING AT POLLING PLACES. THE MEASURE WAS ADOPTED BY A 46-31 VOTE IN THE ASSEMBLY ON THURSDAY. IT NOW HEADS TO GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE. IN BOTH CHAMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE, THE BILL HAD SUPPORT OF DEMOCRATS AND OPPOSITION FROM REPUBLICANS. IT WOULD ALLOW VOTING IN THREE TO SEVEN LOCATIONS IN EACH COUNTY FOR FIVE WEEKS BEFORE ELECTIONS. SPONSORS SAY THE MEASURE WOULD GIVE VOTERS A USEFUL THIRD OPTION BESIDES VOTING BY MAIL, OR IN-PERSON ON ELECTION DAY. THIRTY-TWO OTHER STATES HAVE IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING.