THE LEHIGH VALLEY'S JULY UNEMPLOYMENT RATE STOOD AT 8.5 PERCENT. LABOR ANALYST STEVEN ZELLERS SAYS AUGUST'S NUMBER WENT HIGHER THAN THAT. "IT DID INCREASE TWO-TENTHS OVER THE MONTH," ZELLERS SAYS. THAT 8.7 UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS THE FOURTH HIGHEST IN THE STATE, BEHIND ONLY SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE, JOHNSTOWN AND PHILADELPHIA. THE STATEWIDE JOBLESS FIGURE ALSO BUMPED UP TWO-TENTHS TO 8.1 PERCENT IN AUGUST.
PENNSYLVANIA'S DEPUTY SECRETARY OF ELECTIONS SEEMS TO THINK THE STATE'S VOTER ID LAW WILL SURVIVE ITS LATEST LEGAL CHALLENGE. "I AM OPTIMISTIC THAT THE LAW WILL BE UPHELD AND WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN FULL FORCE THIS NOVEMBER. THE JUDGE MAY TWEAK IT A LITTLE, WHICH IS ACCEPTABLE WITH US, BUT AS LONG AS HE DOESN'T THROW OUT THE BABY WITH THE BATH WATER, WE'LL BE OK," SHANNON ROYER SAYS. THE STATE WOULD BE OK WITH JUDGE ROBERT SIMPSON TWEAKING THE LAW TO ALLOW VOTERS WHO CAN'T GET AN ID IN TIME FOR THE ELECTION TO CAST A PROVISIONAL BALLOT. A RULING IS EXPECTED TODAY.
SOME POLITICAL MOMENTUM COULD BE ON THE LINE IN A JUDGE'S FORTHCOMING RULING ON PENNSYLVANIA'S TOUGH NEW VOTER IDENTIFICATION LAW. THE LAW WAS OPPOSED FURIOUSLY BY DEMOCRATS AND HAS BEEN A VALUABLE DEMOCRATIC PARTY TOOL TO MOTIVATE VOLUNTEERS AND CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS. REPUBLICANS, TOO, HAVE ISSUED FUNDRAISING APPEALS HIGHLIGHTING LEGAL CHALLENGES TO THE LAW, AND THE PARTY WOULD LIKELY ADD A COURT DEFEAT TO ITS RALLYING CRY.
EASTON'S $31.2 MILLION PRELIMINARY BUDGET INCLUDES NO TAX INCREASE, HOWEVER RESIDENTS WILL SEE A $2-A-MONTH INCREASE IN THEIR SEWER BILL. MAYOR SAL PANTO'S SPENDING PLAN CALLS FOR $2.4 MILLION MORE IN SPENDING THAN A YEAR AGO, BUT DOESN'T INCREASE PROPERTY TAXES IN EASTON. INSTEAD, PANTO IS BANKING ON REVENUE GROWTH FROM CASINO TAXES, PARKING FEES, ADMISSIONS TAXES AND BUSINESS PRIVILEGE TAXES TO PAY FOR THE INCREASED SPENDING.
A MONROE COUNTY MAN HAS ADMITTED TO DRIVING DRUNK IN AN ACCIDENT THAT KILLED HIS SON LAST DECEMBER. CHRISTOPHER THOMAS WILL BE SENTENCED IN DECEMBER AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO HOMICIDE BY VEHICLE. THOMAS'S 16-MONT-OLD SON DIED SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT ON ROUTE 611 IN POCONO TOWNSHIP.
MILITARY VETERANS WOULD BE ENTITLED TO A SPECIAL DESIGNATION ON STATE DRIVER'S LICENSES AND ID CARDS UNDER A BILL PASSED BY THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THE BILL WAS APPROVED 196-TO-0 ON MONDAY. THE PURPOSE OF THE BILL IS TO PROVIDE A CONVENIENT FORM OF IDENTIFICATION TO VETERANS WHO HAVE BEEN HONORABLY DISCHARGED. THEY COULD USE IT TO APPLY FOR GOVERNMENT SERVICES OR QUALIFY FOR DISCOUNTS OFFERED BY SOME LOCAL MERCHANTS. UNDER THE BILL, VETERANS WOULD APPLY TO PENNDOT TO INCLUDE THE DESIGNATION ON THEIR LICENSES OR ID CARDS AT NO COST TO THEM. THE MEASURE MUST BE APPROVED BY THE SENATE BEFORE IT CAN BECOME LAW.
POLICE HAVE CHARGED A MAN WITH TRYING TO SMOTHER HIS GIRLFRIEND WITH A PILLOW. 44-YEAR-OLD DIRK HELBIG ALLEGEDLY TRIED TO SMOTHER MICHELLE LAWSHE EARLY MONDAY MORNING DURING A DOMESTIC DISPUTE IN THE HOTEL LAFAYETTE. LAWSHE SAYS HER BOYFRIEND ACCUSED HER OF CHEATING AND THEN BIT HER AND PUT A PILLOW OVER HER FACE. HELBIG IS IN NORTHAMPTON COUNTY PRISON UNDER $25,000 BAIL.
A LOCAL MOVIE THEATRE HAS A NEW OWNER. CARMIKE CINEMAS EXPECTS TO WRAP UP ITS ACQUISITION OF THE RAVE CINEMA BY THE END OF THIS YEAR. CARMIKE SAYS IT'S BUYING 16 RAVE CINEMAS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING THE ONE IN THE PROMENADE SHOPS IN CENTER VALLEY. THE LOCAL RAVE INCLUDES 16 SCREENS AND IS 3-D CAPABLE AND IMAX EQUIPPED.
THE SUBJECT OF CLASS FEATURES IN NEW TV ADS BY PENNSYLVANIA'S CANDIDATES FOR U.S. SENATE. DEMOCRATIC SEN. BOB CASEY'S CAMPAIGN SAID IN AN AD RELEASED MONDAY THAT "REPUBLICAN TOM SMITH SUPPORTS AN INCOME TAX PLAN THAT WOULD REWARD MILLIONAIRES LIKE HIMSELF AND HURT THE MIDDLE CLASS." IN HIS AD, SMITH TAKES AIM AT CASEY AND EVERYBODY ELSE IN WASHINGTON, D.C., SAYING, "I'M RUNNING FOR U.S. SENATE BECAUSE I'M FED UP WITH WHAT BOB CASEY AND THE POLITICAL CLASS HAVE DONE TO AMERICA."
THE PROPOSED CREATION OF A STATEWIDE PANEL ON ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THE MEASURE APPROVED MONDAY WOULD SET UP A 23-MEMBER ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE STATE PLANNING COMMITTEE CHAIRED BY THE STATE SECRETARY OF AGING. THE PANEL WOULD DEVELOP A STRATEGY FOR DEALING WITH AN EXPECTED INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH ALZHEIMER'S. 280,000 PENNSYLVANIANS ARE CURRENTLY LIVING WITH THE DISEASE. THE BILL AWAITS ACTION BY THE STATE SENATE.
LAWYERS FOR A PENNSYLVANIA DEATH-ROW INMATE STILL FEAR HE COULD BE EXECUTED EVEN THOUGH HIS DEATH SENTENCE HAS BEEN THROWN OUT. TERRANCE "TERRY" WILLIAMS COULD STILL BE EXECUTED IF THE STATE SUPREME COURT REVERSES THE DECISION BEFORE A MIDNIGHT WEDNESDAY DEADLINE. THE 46-YEAR-OLD WILLIAMS IS ON DEATH ROW FOR KILLING TWO MEN IN HIS TEENS. WILLIAMS SAYS BOTH HAD SEXUALLY ABUSED HIM AND A PHILADELPHIA JUDGE HAS FOUND EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE CLAIM IN NEWLY UNEARTHED POLICE FILES. PHILADELPHIA PROSECUTORS HAVE APPEALED HER DECISION TO THE STATE SUPREME COURT. WILLIAMS' LAWYERS WANT CHIEF JUSTICE RONALD CASTILLE TO RECUSE HIMSELF BECAUSE HE WAS DISTRICT ATTORNEY DURING WILLIAMS' 1986 TRIAL. CASTILLE ON MONDAY REJECTED THE REQUEST.
A FEDERAL JUDGE HAS THROWN OUT A LAWSUIT FILED BY AN ORGANIZATION THAT INCLUDES ATHEISTS AND AGNOSTICS OVER A PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE RESOLUTION DECLARING 2012 THE "YEAR OF THE BIBLE" BUT CRITICIZED THE LANGUAGE ENDORSED BY LAWMAKERS AS "PROSELYTIZING AND EXCLUSIONARY." U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE CHRISTOPHER CONNER ON MONDAY AGREED WITH HOUSE REPUBLICANS THAT THE SUIT FILED BY THE MADISON, WIS.-BASED FREEDOM FROM RELIGION FOUNDATION SHOULD BE DISMISSED ON THE GROUNDS OF LEGISLATIVE IMMUNITY. BUT THE JUDGE SUGGESTED THAT THE RESOLUTION APPROVED IN JANUARY WAS AT WORST "PANDERING DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A RE-ELECTION SOUND BITE" AND RESOURCES WOULD BE BETTER USED IN "MEANINGFUL LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS" TO BENEFIT ALL. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER SAYS HOUSE GOP MEMBERS EXPRESSED SATISFACTION, AND A FOUNDATION LEADER SAID HE WAS GLAD THAT THE JUDGE ACKNOWLEDGED INJURY TO NONBELIEVERS.
A NEW JERSEY STATE SENATE COMMITTEE HAS AGAIN ADVANCED A BILL THAT WOULD CREATE A STATE-RUN HEALTH INSURANCE EXCHANGE. BUT THE REAL SUSPENSE IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE MEASURE GETS TO GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE'S DESK. THE LEGISLATURE APPROVED A SIMILAR BILL EARLIER THIS YEAR, BUT THE GOVERNOR VETOED IT. CHRISTIE SAID MONDAY THAT HE WANTS TO TAKE TIME TO DECIDE HOW NEW JERSEY'S EXCHANGE WILL WORK. HE SAYS IT MAY BE BEST TO LET THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RUN IT FOR THE STATE. UNDER FEDERAL LAW, EACH STATE HAS TO DECIDE BY NOVEMBER 16 WHAT KIND OF EXCHANGE IT WILL USE AS PART OF A FEDERAL HEALTH INSURANCE OVERHAUL. THE EXCHANGES ARE INTENDED TO BE A PLACE PEOPLE CAN BUY HEALTH INSURANCE.
THE PHILADELPHIA 76ERS HAVE PICKED UP THE 2013-14 OPTION ON COACH DOUG COLLINS' CONTRACT. COLLINS LED THE SIXERS TO THE PLAYOFFS IN HIS FIRST TWO SEASONS WITH THE TEAM, INCLUDING A RUN TO THE EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS LAST SEASON. COLLINS SAYS HE WANTS TO STAY WITH THE SIXERS IN A FRONT OFFICE OR CONSULTING ROLE WHEN HE'S FINISHED COACHING. HE HAS A 408-359 RECORD IN 10 SEASONS.
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS CENTER ANDREW BYNUM WILL SIT OUT THREE WEEKS AS A PRECAUTION AFTER RECEIVING KNEE TREATMENT IN GERMANY. BYNUM HAD INJECTIONS OF PLASMA-RICH PLATELETS THAT SUPPOSEDLY STIMULATE HEALING IN ARTHRITIS-AFFECTED AREAS IN BOTH OF HIS KNEES. THE SIXERS SAID LAST WEEK HE WAS CLEARED TO PLAY IN CAMP. THE TEAM SAID MONDAY THAT BYNUM HAD A BONE BRUISE ON HIS RIGHT KNEE. HE WILL CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN LOW-IMPACT CONDITIONING DRILLS.
