RIGHT NOW, PENNSYLVANIA IS ONE OF THE CROWN JEWELS OF EVERY PRESIDENTIAL RACE, WITH 20 ELECTORAL VOTES UP FOR GRABS. DEMOCRATIC STATE SENATOR MIKE STACK SAYS IF REPUBLICAN SENATOR DOMINIC PILEGGI'S PLAN TO CHANGE HOW ELECTORAL VOTES ARE ALLOCATED HERE IS PASSED, PENNSYLVANIA'S STATUS WOULD TAKE A BIG HIT. "YOU WOULD DILUTE THE POWER OF PENNSYLVANIA VOTERS INSTEAD OF EMPOWERING THEM EVEN MORE WHICH IS THE NAME OF THE GAME," STACK SAYS. PILEGGI'S PLAN WOULD AWARD TWO ELECTORAL VOTES TO THE POPULAR VOTE WINNER AND ALLOCATE THE REMAINING ELECTORAL VOTES BASED ON STATEWIDE VOTE PERCENTAGE. STACK SAYS THE CURRENT SYSTEM IS NOT BROKEN AND DOESN'T NEED TO BE CHANGED.
AS IT DOES EVERY DECEMBER, THE CITY LIMITS ASSEMBLY OF GOD CHURCH ON RIDGE AVENUE IN ALLENTOWN IS GIVING AWAY MORE THAN 1000 FREE CHRISTMAS TREES TONIGHT. THERE WILL BE LIVE CHRISTMAS MUSIC AND FREE HOT DOGS AND HOT CHOCOLATE FOR EVERYBODY WHO COMES OUT TONIGHT AT 7 O'CLOCK. THIS IS THE 19TH STRAIGHT YEAR THE CHURCH HAS GIVEN AWAY CHRISTMAS TREES.
A SHOT AT THE STATE 3A FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP IS AT STAKE TONIGHT IN BETHLEHEM. DISTRICT 11 CHAMP CENTRAL CATHOLIC TAKES ON DISTRICT 12 CHAMPION AND DEFENDING STATE CHAMP ARCHBISHOP WOOD TONIGHT AT 7 AT THE BETHLEHEM AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT STADIUM. CENTRAL IS 9-AND-5. ARCHBISHOP WOOD IS 11-AND-2. THE WINNER PLAYS FOR THE STATE TITLE NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AGAINST THE WINNER OF TONIGHT'S BISHOP McDEVITT-ERIE CATHEDRAL PREP GAME.
IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE GOVERNOR AND HIS WIFE OPEN THE DOORS TO THEIR HOME. "GOVERNOR CORBETT AND I ARE COMMITTED TO SHARING THIS BEAUTIFUL HOME AND THIS IMPORTANT ASSET OF THE COMMONWEALTH WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC," FIRST LADY SUSAN CORBETT SAYS. TOURS NEXT MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY ARE FREE AS IS SUNDAY'S OPEN HOUSE FROM ONE TO SIX. THE CHRISTMAS TREES AND DECORATIONS ON DISPLAY CELEBRATE THE PEOPLE AND TRADITIONS OF PENNSYLVANIA AND WERE PAID FOR BY PRIVATE DOLLARS AND NOT TAX MONEY.
NEW JERSEY'S FIRST MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY HAS OPENED FOR BUSINESS. GREENLEAF COMPASSION CENTER IN MONTCLAIR SAYS IT IS SERVING ONLY 20 CLIENTS PER DAY AT FIRST AND THEY CAN GET THEIR MEDICINE ONLY BY APPOINTMENT. IT'S TAKEN NEARLY THREE YEARS TO GET TO THIS POINT SINCE THE LAW WENT ON THE BOOKS LEGALIZING CANNABIS FOR PATIENTS WITH CERTAIN CONDITIONS IN NEW JERSEY. PATIENTS SAY IT RELIEVES PAIN AND NAUSEA ASSOCIATED WITH GLAUCOMA, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND OTHER MEDICAL CONDITIONS. MORE THAN 330 PATIENTS HAVE REGISTERED SO FAR. STATE HEALTH COMMISSIONER MARY O'DOWD SAYS HER DEPARTMENT WILL MONITOR THE PROCESS.
THE EAGLES HAVE LOST EIGHT IN A ROW AND ARE FLIRTING WITH HAVING THE WORST RECORD IN THE NFL. DESPITE THAT, COACH ANDY REID SAYS HIS PLAYERS HAVE NOT QUIT. "I SEE GUYS UPSET THAT THEY'RE NOT WINNING. BUT THEIR PREPARING AND WORKING THEIR TAILS OFF TO GET READY AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING AT THIS POINT," REID SAYS. THE EAGLES WILL TRY TO SNAP THEIR TWO MONTH LOSING STREAK SUNDAY AFTERNOON IN TAMPA AGAINST THE 6-AND-6 BUCCANEERS.
