OSHA IS INVESTIGATING AFTER A MAN DIED AFTER GETTING PINNED BENEATH A BACKHOE AT AN EQUIPMENT LOT IN BETHLEHEM. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED AROUND 7:15 A.M. FRIDAY AT A PRIVATE LOT IN BETHLEHEM. OFFICIALS WITH THE RAY GONZALES TRUCKING COMPANY SAY THEY HAD CALLED THE VICTIM IN TO DO WORK ON THE BACKHOE, BUT DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. THEY SAY THEY STORE EQUIPMENT AT THE SITE AND THAT THE VICTIM HAD BEEN WORKING ALONE THERE ON FRIDAY MORNING.
TODAY IS THE ANNUAL CROP WALK IN A NUMBER OF LEHIGH VALLEY MUNICIPALITIES. DIANNE KAREHA SAYS THE WALK WILL HELP LOCAL FOOD PANTRIES WHO HELP KEEP LOCAL STOMACHS FILLED. "IN THE LEHIGH VALLEY WE ARE VERY BLESSED TO HAVE A GOOD NETWORK OF FOOD PANTRIES SO THERE IS NOT A WHOLE LOT OF REAL HUNGER IN THE LEHIGH VALLEY," KAREHA SAYS. WALKS ARE SCHEDULED IN ALLENTOWN, BETHLEHEM, EASTON, LEHIGHTON, PALMERTON AND QUAKERTOWN. MONEY WILL BE SPENT TO KEEP SHELVES FILLED AT LOCAL FOOD BANKS, HELP AMERICAN DISASTER AREAS AND FEED THE HUNGRY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
NEW JERSEY TRANSIT PLANS TO ADD PLASTIC SAFETY SHIELDS TO PROTECT DRIVERS FROM VIOLENCE ON ITS FLEET OF 2,170 BUSES. RETROFITTING EACH BUS WITH THE SHIELDS, WHICH ENCLOSE ABOUT 75 PERCENT OF THE DRIVER'S COMPARTMENT, WILL COST ABOUT $2,220. NJ TRANSIT'S BOARD IS SET TO VOTE MONDAY ON SPENDING UP TO $1.82 MILLION TO OUTFIT 820 BUSES. NJ TRANSIT SPOKESWOMAN NANCY SNYDER SAYS THE AGENCY HAS ALREADY INSTALLED SAFETY SHIELDS IN 70 BUSES UNDER A PILOT PROGRAM. SNYDER SAYS ASSAULTS AGAINST DRIVERS HAVE DROPPED FROM 60 INCIDENTS IN 2010 TO ROUGHLY 25 SO FAR THIS YEAR. A BUS DRIVER IN NEWARK WAS STABBED SEVEN TIMES LAST YEAR.
WHEN THE EAGLES LINE UP AGAINST THE DETROIT LIONS OFFENSE TOMORROW AFTERNOON, DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR JUAN CASTILLO KNOWS HIS TEAM WILL HAVE TO TRY TO CONTAIN WIDE RECEIVER CALVIN JOHNSON. "HE CAN RUN. HE CAN JUMP. HE'S GOT GREAT HANDS. HE DOES A GOOD JOB RUNNING ROUTES. HE DOES A GREAT JOB OF CATCHING THE FOOTBALL IN TRAFFIC AND OVER THE MIDDLE AND THE QUARTERBACK TRUSTS HIM," CASTILLO SAYS. WHILE THE LIONS WERE A SURPRISE PLAYOFF TEAM LAST YEAR, THEY'RE OFF TO A SLOW START THIS SEASON WITH A RECORD OF 1-AND-3. THE EAGLES ARE 3-AND-2.
AFTER A BYE WEEK THIS WEEK, PENN STATE RETURNS TO ACTION NEXT SATURDAY AT IOWA. WHEN THE NITTANY LIONS PLAY THE HAWKEYES, COACH BILL O'BRIEN SAYS THEY WON'T BE CHANGING THE STYLE THAT HAS GIVEN THEM A FOUR GAME WINNING STREAK. "IT'S IMPORTANT TO PLAY THE GAME, WHETHER IT'S OFFENSE OR DEFENSE, AT A FAST PACE AND THAT'S WHAT WE TRY TO DO HERE AT PENN STATE," O'BRIEN SAYS. IOWA CARRIES A 3-AND-2 RECORD INTO THIS WEEKEND'S GAME AT MICHIGAN STATE.
