A WOMAN ACCUSED OF STABBING HER FIANCE TO DEATH ON THEIR WEDDING DAY HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF MURDER. AFTER JUST THREE HOURS OF DELIBERATIONS, A JURY IN ALLENTOWN FOUND NA COLA FRANKLIN GUILTY ON THURSDAY. PROSECUTORS SAY FRANKLIN AND 36-YEAR-OLD BILLY BREWSTER GOT INTO AN ARGUMENT EARLY IN THE MORNING ON AUGUST 11, THE DAY THEY WERE TO BE MARRIED. DEFENSE ATTORNEY JOHN WALDRON SAYS BREWSTER WENT HOME TO THEIR WHITEHALL TOWNSHIP APARTMENT DRUNK AFTER AN IMPROMPTU BACHELOR PARTY. HE SAYS BREWSTER ATTACKED FRANKLIN AND THEN TRIED TO LEAVE WITH THE COUPLE'S 9-MONTH-OLD SON. WALDRON ARGUED FRANKLIN GRABBED A KNIFE TO PROTECT HER CHILD. PROSECUTORS SAY THE CHILD WAS NOT IN DANGER. FRANKLIN FACES LIFE IN PRISON.
MICHAEL FLECK IS LEAVING EASTON AND AND THAT MEANS HE'S LEAVING EASTON CITY COUNCIL. THE 37-YEAR-OLD FLECK IS MOVING TO ALLENTOWN, WHICH IS WHERE HIS POLITICAL CONSULTING BUSINESS IS LOCATED. FLECK SERVED ON COUNCIL FROM 2002 TO 2005 AND WAS ELECTED AGAIN TO COUNCIL BACK IN 2009. FLECK SAYS HIS FINAL COUNCIL MEETING WILL BE IN JULY.
AN EASTON MAN CHARGED WITH KILLING A MAN WITH A PUNCH DURING A CHRISTMAS EVE FIGHT WILL GO TO TRIAL. A NORTHAMPTON COUNTY JUDGE HAS DETERMINED THERE'S ENOUGH EVIDENCE FOR 34-YEAR-OLD ANTONIO ORTIZ WILL TO STAND TRIAL FOR ALLEGEDLY KILLING ANDRES RUIZ-AVELIZAPA, WHO DIED TWO WEEKS AFTER THE ATTACK IN THE 400 BLOCK OF NORTHAMPTON STREET IN EASTON. AT A THURSDAY HEARING, A WITNESS SAYS ORTIZ WAS ARGUING WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND WHEN RUIZ-AVELIZAPA APPROACHED HIM. AT THAT POINT ORTIZ THREW ONE PUNCH, KNOCKING RUIZ-AVELIZAPA OUT. ORTIZ REMAINS IN PRISON WITHOUT BAIL.
PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE SAY A MISSING COLLEGE STUDENT FROM COLLEGEVILLE HAS BEEN FOUND UNHARMED. HOWEVER, AUTHORITIES ON THURSDAY WOULD NOT DISCLOSE WHERE 21-YEAR-OLD MATTHEW ROYER WAS LOCATED. STATE TROOPERS SAY THEY WON'T COMMENT FURTHER ON THE CASE. THEY SAY ROYER'S FAMILY HAS ASKED FOR PRIVACY. ROYER DISAPPEARED EARLIER THIS MONTH WHILE RETURNING HOME FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND. THEY SAY HE WAS SEEN LEAVING HIS APARTMENT IN RHODE ISLAND ON MAY 16. AUTHORITIES SAY HE WAS LAST SEEN THE FOLLOWING DAY ON SURVEILLANCE VIDEO IN BREINIGSVILLE AND COOPERSBURG. ROYER'S PARENTS HAD OFFERED EMOTIONAL PLEAS FOR THEIR SON TO RETURN HOME.
FIREFIGHTERS RESPONDING TO AN APARTMENT BLAZE IN ALLENTOWN HAVE DISCOVERED A MAN'S BODY IN A TOP-FLOOR UNIT. INVESTIGATORS SAY THE BLAZE WAS REPORTED AT THE THREE-STORY BUILDING AROUND 3:30 A.M. THURSDAY. THEY SAY IT'S NOT IMMEDIATELY CLEAR WHAT CAUSED THE MAN'S DEATH, BUT THAT IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE RELATED TO THE FIRE. THE LEHIGH COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE IDENTIFIED THE MAN AS 46-YEAR-OLD RICHARD CHAPARRO. OFFICIALS SAY THERE WASN'T MUCH OF A FIRE UNTIL THEY REACHED THE TOP FLOOR OF THE BUILDING, WHERE THEY FOUND THE BODY. A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION FOUND THE FIRE MAY HAVE STARTED IN A CEILING FAN AND SPREAD TO THE ROOF, WHICH APPEARED TO BE SEVERELY DAMAGED.
THE BEST OF THE BEST IN LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL MUSICALS WERE HONORED THURSDAY NIGHT AT THE STATE THEATRE IN EASTON. THE FREDDYS BIG WINNER THIS YEAR IS PARKLAND HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH EARNED SIX FREDDYS FOR ITS PRODUCTION OF "PHANTOM OF THE OPERA". FREEDOM HIGH TOOK HOME THREE FREDDYS FOR "LES MISERABLES", WHILE PHILLIPSBURG, SOUTHERN LEHIGH AND MORAVIAN ACADEMY ALL EARNED TWO AWARDS.
A NEW ERA IN AN ALLENTOWN MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND TRADITION BEGINS TODAY. MAYFAIR, WHICH HAS SPENT ITS ENTIRE HISTORY BASED IN CEDAR BEACH PARK, MOVES TO THE ALLENTOWN FAIRGROUNDS FOR THIS YEAR'S FRIDAY-THROUGH-MONDAY RUN. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ARLENE DAILY SAYS WEATHER PROBLEMS FORCED MAYFAIR'S HAND. "WE REALLY WANT TO GROW THE VISUAL ARTS COMPONENT OF THE FESTIVAL. THIS IS MY SECOND YEAR WITH THE FESTIVAL AND WHEN I WAS OUT TALKING WITH ARTISTS, THERE ARE MANY OF THEM WHO WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE BUT DON'T BECAUSE THEY JUST DON'T DO OUTDOOR FESTIVALS BECAUSE IT'S JUST TOO DANGEROUS TO THEIR ARTWORK," DAILY SAYS. AMONG THE NEW FEATURES AT THE NEW MAYFAIR WILL BE FOUND IN THE FAIRGROUNDS' LIVESTOCK STALLS. THE PIG PEN PROJECT WILL FEATURE EXPERIMENTAL ART WITH ARTISTS CREATING SITE-SPECIFIC ART USING EVERYTHING FROM SOUND TO FOUND ITEMS.
POLICE SAY A DRUNK 16-YEAR-OLD BOY STARTED A WEEKEND FIRE IN UPPER MACUNGIE TOWNSHIP. TOWNSHIP POLICE SAY THE TEEN STARTED THE EARLY SATURDAY MORNING FIRE IN THE WOODS NEXT TO LONE LANE PARK. HE'S BEING CHARGED AS A JUVENILE WITH A NUMBER OF OFFENSES.
GOV. TOM CORBETT HAS NOMINATED WILLIAM HARNER TO BE PENNSYLVANIA'S NEXT EDUCATION SECRETARY. THE POSTING OF HARNER'S NOMINATION, ANNOUNCED THURSDAY SETS THE STAGE FOR A SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARING AND VOTE. THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR HAD ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK THAT HARNER, SUPERINTENDENT OF CUMBERLAND VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN MECHANICSBURG, IS HIS CHOICE TO SUCCEED RON TOMALIS AS SECRETARY. TOMALIS IS MOVING INTO AN ADVISORY ROLE IN THE ADMINISTRATION. HARNER IS A GRADUATE OF THE U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT. HE HOLDS A DOCTORATE IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND TWO MASTER'S DEGREES. HE IS SLATED TO TAKE OVER AS ACTING SECRETARY ON JUNE 3. THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OVERSEES MORE THAN $14 BILLION IN STATE AND FEDERAL MONEY FOR PENNSYLVANIA'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS, CHARTER SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES.
NEW JERSEY GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE CO-HOSTED NBC'S "TODAY" AS PART OF A CAMPAIGN TO PROCLAIM THAT THE STATE'S SHORE IS READY FOR BUSINESS SEVEN MONTHS AFTER BEING DEVASTATED BY SUPERSTORM SANDY. THE FRIDAY MORNING SHOW WAS BROADCAST FROM SEASIDE HEIGHTS, WHERE THE OCTOBER STORM SWEPT A ROLLER COASTER INTO THE OCEAN, MAKING FOR ONE OF THE SUPERSTORM'S ICONIC IMAGES. CHRISTIE IS TRYING TO SPREAD THE WORD THAT MANY SHORE BUSINESSES AND BOARDWALKS ARE REOPENED AND READY FOR SUMMERTIME CROWDS. THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR AND HIS FAMILY ALSO APPEAR IN A FEDERALLY FUNDED AD CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE THE SHORE. SOME DEMOCRATS HAVE COMPLAINED THAT AMOUNTS TO A FREE POLITICAL COMMERCIAL FOR THE GOVERNOR, WHO IS SEEKING RE-ELECTION THIS YEAR.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA PLANS TO GIVE THE JERSEY SHORE A BOOST WITH A POST-MEMORIAL DAY VISIT TO SHOWCASE RECOVERY EFFORTS IN THE AFTERMATH OF SUPERSTORM SANDY. THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS THE PRESIDENT WILL TOUR THE COASTLINE WITH NEW JERSEY GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE ON TUESDAY AND SPEAK ABOUT THE NEED TO EXPAND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES HIT BY THE STORM. HE PLANS TO MEET WITH BUSINESS AND HOME OWNERS WHO HAVE BENEFITTED FROM THE RECOVERY. OBAMA AND CHRISTIE WERE A PICTURE OF BIPARTISANSHIP AFTER SANDY HIT IN OCTOBER. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS SPENT $1.3 BILLION TO ASSIST FAMILIES DIRECTLY VICTIMIZED BY THE STORM. THE GOVERNMENT HAS SET ASIDE MORE THAN $1 BILLION TO HELP REBUILDING EFFORTS IN STATES AND $5.4 BILLION TO HELP LONGER-TERM RECOVERY EFFORTS IN THE AFFECTED STATES.
A FORMER PENN STATE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER HAS TAKEN TO WRITING TO RESUME THE ANTI-BULLYING EFFORTS SHE CHAMPIONED OFF THE COURT. GIZELLE STUDEVENT'S BOOK, "BRIDGES," DEBUTED THIS MONTH ON AMAZON.COM. IT DRAWS IN PART ON STUDEVENT'S OWN EXPERIENCES BEING BULLIED IN HIGH SCHOOL WHILE GROWING UP IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND THE LIFE LESSONS SHE'S DRAWN SINCE THEN. STUDEVENT JUST FINISHED HER FOUR-YEAR CAREER FOR THE LADY LIONS. SHE WAS A KEY RESERVE ON THE BACK-TO-BACK BIG TEN REGULAR-SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS. STUDEVENT ALSO STARTED THE PROGRAM PENN STATE ATHLETES TAKE ACTION, IN WHICH ATHLETES VISITED A LOCAL MIDDLE SCHOOL TO TALK ABOUT BULLYING AND ITS IMPACT. STUDEVENT SAYS SHE PLANS TO STAY IN THE STATE COLLEGE AREA TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM TO OTHER CENTRE COUNTY SCHOOLS.
THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES HAVE PLACED FIVE-TIME ALL-STAR SECOND BASEMAN CHASE UTLEY ON THE 15-DAY DISABLED LIST WITH AN OBLIQUE STRAIN. UTLEY COULD MISS UP TO FOUR WEEKS. THE TEAM WILL MAKE A ROSTER MOVE BEFORE FRIDAY'S GAME AT WASHINGTON. "WE DO BELIEVE AND HOPE THAT CHASE WILL BE READY TO PLAY IN PHILADELPHIA WITHIN 15 DAYS," GENERAL MANAGER RUBEN AMARO JR. SAID. "WE ARE BEING CAUTIOUS WITH THIS INJURY AS IT IS A TRICKY ONE AND WANT TO MAKE SURE IT ISN'T AN ISSUE FOR HIM THROUGHOUT THE SEASON." UTLEY IS BATTING .272 WITH SEVEN HOMERS AND 25 RBIS. FREDDY GALVIS HAS REPLACED HIM IN THE STARTING LINEUP.
