MORE WARM WEATHER FLIGHTS COULD BE ON THE HORIZON AT LVIA. LEHIGH VALLEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT APPEARS READY TO EMPHASIZE THE WORD INTERNATIONAL IN ITS NAME. THE AIRPORT IS READY TO SPEND $5 MILLION TO ADD A U.S. CUSTOMS STATION THAT WOULD ALLOW LVIA TO HAVE FLIGHTS OUT OF THE COUNTRY, PERHAPS AS SOON AT 2014. THOSE DIRECT FLIGHTS COULD TAKE LOCAL TRAVELERS TO WARM WEATHER DESTINATIONS LIKE PUERTO RICO, JAMAICA AND MEXICO. THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY BACKS THE PLAN TO ACCEPT A $1.5 MILLION STATE GRANT AND BORROW $3.5 MILLION TO BUILD THAT INSPECTION STATION.
A 16-YEAR-OLD BOY IS CHARGED WITH SHOOTING INTO A CROWD OF ALLEN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AFTER SCHOOL ON DECEMBER 12. SHATIEK RANSOME IS CHARGED AS AN ADULT WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER AND IS IN LEHIGH COUNTY PRISON UNDER $1 MILLION BAIL. TWO ALLEN HIGH STUDENTS WERE WOUNDED, BUT WILL RECOVER. POLICE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR 18-YEAR-OLD HANSON GORDON, WHO ALLEGEDLY ALSO TOOK PART IN THE SHOOTING.
WHITEHALL HIGH AND THE WHITEHALL COPLAY MIDDLE AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WERE BOTH LOCKED DOWN TUESDAY MORNING AS POLICE INVESTIGATED RUMORS OF THREATS OF VIOLENCE. ONE OF THE RUMORS CENTERED AROUND THE MAYAN PREDICTION THAT THE WORLD WILL END FRIDAY AND THAT A THREAT OF VIOLENCE WOULD BE CARRIED OUT TO COINCIDE WITH THE MAYAN DOOMSDAY. ONE STUDENT HAS BEEN DETAINED AND MAY BE CHARGED. SCHOOLS WERE LOCKED DOWN FOR A LITTLE MORE THAN TWO HOURS.
ARTSQUEST IS ELIMINATING THREE MUSIC FESTIVALS IN 2013 WHILE ADD A NEW EVENT. THE NOWADAYS INDIE ROCK FESTIVAL AND THE STEEL JAM BAND FESTIVAL ARE NOT ON THE 2013 SCHEDULE AND NEITHER IS THE BLAST FURNACE BLUES FESTIVAL, BUT THAT IS LIKELY TO RETURN IN 2014 ACCORDING TO ARTSQUEST. THE CANCELLED EVENTS DREW SMALL CROWDS THIS YEAR. NEW NEXT YEAR IS A JANUARY ONE-DAY FAMILY CELEBRATION OF THREE KINGS DAY.
TWO AMERICAN WOMEN AND A MARYLAND TEEN WON'T BE SENTENCED UNTIL MAY FOR THEIR ROLES IN A FOILED TERROR PLOT BASED IN IRELAND. COLLEEN LAROSE, A PENNSBURG WOMAN WHO CALLED HERSELF "JIHAD JANE" ONLINE, FACES A LIFE SENTENCE FOR PLANNING TO KILL A SWEDISH CARTOONIST. SHE'S BEEN IN CUSTODY SINCE SURRENDERING TO THE FBI IN 2009. HER SENTENCING, INITIALLY SET FOR TODAY, IS NOW SCHEDULED FOR MAY 7. JAMIE PAULIN-RAMIREZ OF COLORADO AND MARYLAND TEEN MOHAMMAD HASSAN KHALID ARE DUE IN COURT ON MAY 9. EACH FACES UP TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON FOR CONSPIRING TO PROVIDE MATERIAL AID TO TERRORISTS.
STATE OFFICIALS SAY GOV. TOM CORBETT IS CONSIDERING DELAYING A DECEMBER 31 DEADLINE TO DECIDE ON WHETHER TO ACCEPT A BRITISH FIRM'S BID TO TAKE OVER MANAGEMENT OF THE PENNSYLVANIA LOTTERY. PENNSYLVANIA'S REVENUE SECRETARY SAYS THE GOVERNOR WOULD BE WILLING TO POSTPONE IT, IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MOVE AND ALLOW UNIONIZED EMPLOYEES TIME TO OFFER A COMPETITIVE ALTERNATIVE. CAMELOT GLOBAL SERVICES IS PROMISING TO PRODUCE LOTTERY PROFITS OF $34 BILLION OVER 20 YEARS TO MANAGE THE PENNSYLVANIA LOTTERY. BUT CORBETT FACES A LAWSUIT CHALLENGING HIS AUTHORITY TO AWARD THE CONTRACT AND EXPAND THE SCOPE OF LOTTERY GAMBLING AND STATE TREASURER ROB MCCORD SAYS HE MAY NOT AUTHORIZE PAYMENTS TO CAMELOT UNLESS ITS PLANS TO EXPAND LOTTERY GAMBLING ARE CLEARLY LEGAL.
PENNSYLVANIA'S LABOR SECRETARY SAYS CALLS TO THE STATE'S UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION SERVICE CENTERS HAVE MYSTERIOUSLY SKYROCKETED SINCE SEPTEMBER, AND THE AGENCY IS STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY. A LETTER SENT TO STATE LAWMAKERS BY LABOR AND INDUSTRY SECRETARY JULIA HEARTHWAY SAYS THE VOLUME OF CALLS TO THE CENTERS ROSE TO NEARLY EIGHT MILLION IN SEPTEMBER, COMPARED TO JUST MORE THAN 900,000 A YEAR EARLIER. HEARTHWAY SAYS OCTOBER CALLS EXCEEDED 11 MILLION, AND IN NOVEMBER THE FIGURE WAS 15.5 MILLION. HEARTHWAY SAYS THE PROBLEM IS ALL THE MORE PERPLEXING BECAUSE THE UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIM CASELOAD IS ON THE DECLINE. A DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN IS ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO GO ONLINE, OR USE A NEWLY ESTABLISHED FAX LINE.
FORMER STATE REP. BILL DEWEESE IS APPEALING HIS CORRUPTION CONVICTION. THE LONGTIME HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADER FROM GREENE COUNTY FILED THE APPEAL TUESDAY IN SUPERIOR COURT. DEWEESE IS SERVING A TWO-AND-A-HALF TO FIVE-YEAR TERM AT RETREAT STATE PRISON IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA FOR HIS FELONY CONVICTIONS FOR THE ILLEGAL USE OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES AND RESOURCES FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES. IN HIS APPEAL, DEWEESE ARGUES THAT THE TRIAL JUDGE ERRED BY LIMITING THE NUMBER OF DEFENSE WITNESSES WHO TESTIFIED AND REFUSING TO ALLOW HIS LAWYER TO FULLY CROSS-EXAMINE A PROSECUTION WITNESS. HE ALSO SAYS THE JUDGE ERRED IN REFUSING TO INSTRUCT THE JURY THAT CAMPAIGN WORK DONE DURING A LEGISLATIVE DAY IS NOT ILLEGAL IF DONE ON LEAVE TIME.
MEMBERS OF THE AMISH COMMUNITY WHERE A GUNMAN KILLED FIVE GIRLS IN A ONE-ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE IN 2006 ARE WRITING LETTERS TO REACH OUT IN SYMPATHY TO PARENTS IN NEWTOWN, CONN. A NON-AMISH FARM SERVICES BUSINESS OWNER WHO HAS PROMISED TO DRIVE THE LETTERS TO CONNECTICUT SAID TUESDAY HE RAISED THE IDEA OVER THE WEEKEND WITH THE FATHER OF THE TEACHER WHEN THE WEST NICKEL MINES AMISH SCHOOL MASSACRE OCCURRED. JERRY FEISTER OF HONEY BROOK SAYS HE GOT A POSITIVE REACTION, AND "IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A CONNECTION OR BOND THERE."
THE JUDGE WHO PRESIDED OVER JERRY SANDUSKY'S CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE CASE IS GIVING DEFENSE LAWYERS AN EVIDENTIARY HEARING TO EXPLORE THEIR CLAIM THAT THEY LACKED SUFFICIENT TIME TO PREPARE FOR TRIAL. JUDGE JOHN CLELAND ON TUESDAY SCHEDULED THE PROCEEDING FOR JANUARY 10 IN THE CENTRE COUNTY COURTHOUSE IN BELLEFONTE. SANDUSKY'S LAWYERS REQUESTED THE HEARING LAST WEEK, SAYING IT WOULD PROBABLY TAKE LESS THAN TWO HOURS. THEY ARGUE CLELAND'S RULINGS THAT MOVED THE CASE FROM ARREST TO TRIAL IN SEVEN MONTHS VIOLATED HIS RIGHTS BECAUSE SANDUSKY'S LAWYERS COULD NOT FULLY PROCESS A VAST AMOUNT OF MATERIAL FROM PROSECUTORS. SANDUSKY IS SERVING A 30- TO 60-YEAR SENTENCE AFTER BEING CONVICTED OF 45 COUNTS INVOLVING 10 VICTIMS.
PENN STATE TRUSTEES CHAIRWOMAN KAREN PEETZ WON'T RUN FOR ANOTHER TERM AS LEADER OF THE UNIVERSITY'S GOVERNING BODY, BUT WILL REMAIN ON THE BOARD. THE SCHOOL MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT TUESDAY, FIVE DAYS AFTER BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON PROMOTED PEETZ TO PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1. PEETZ CITED THE DEMANDS OF HER NEW POST AT BNY MELLON AS A REASON FOR NOT RUNNING FOR ANOTHER ONE-YEAR TERM AS TRUSTEES CHAIR. A TRUSTEE SINCE 2010, PEETZ TOOK OVER AS CHAIRWOMAN THIS PAST JANUARY. SHE HAS LED THE BOARD'S EFFORTS TO REFORM UNIVERSITY GOVERNANCE IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE CHILD SEX ABUSE SCANDAL INVOLVING RETIRED PENN STATE ASSISTANT COACH JERRY SANDUSKY.
HERSHEYPARK PLANS TO EXPAND ITS CHOCOLATE WORLD ATTRACTION AND CLOSE DOWN A 10-YEAR-OLD WATER RIDE TO MAKE WAY FOR NEW ATTRACTIONS. THE PARK ANNOUNCED ON ITS FACEBOOK PAGE THAT IT'S SHUTTING DOWN THE ROLLER SOAKER ATTRACTION AND WILL REPLACE IT WITH UNNAMED RIDES. THE WATER RIDE OPENED IN 2002 AND WAS BILLED AS THE NORTHEAST'S ONLY INTERACTIVE WATER RIDE. THE DERRY TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS APPROVED A PLAN TUESDAY FOR THE PARK TO EXPAND CHOCOLATE WORLD IN A TWO PHASES TOTALING MORE THAN 10,000 SQUARE FEET. MUCH OF THE NEW SPACE WOULD BE DEDICATED TO RETAIL.
A JUDGE SAYS HE WILL RULE LATER THIS WEEK ON WHETHER A LAWSUIT OVER SPORTS GAMBLING IN NEW JERSEY CAN CONTINUE. U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE MICHAEL SHIPP HEARD ARGUMENTS TUESDAY IN TRENTON. HE SAYS HE WILL ISSUE A RULING BY FRIDAY AS TO WHETHER THE LEAGUES HAVE STANDING TO CONTINUE THE LAWSUIT. THE FOUR PRO LEAGUES AND THE NCAA SUED GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE IN AUGUST AFTER HE VOWED TO DEFY A FEDERAL BAN ON SPORTS WAGERING. NEW JERSEY'S LEGISLATURE ENACTED A SPORTS BETTING LAW IN JANUARY, LIMITING BETS TO THE ATLANTIC CITY CASINOS AND THE STATE'S HORSE RACING TRACKS. THE LEAGUES ARGUE GAMBLING HURTS THE INTEGRITY AND PERCEPTION OF THEIR GAMES. LAWYERS FOR THE STATE ARGUED TUESDAY THAT THE LEAGUES HAVE PROSPERED FOR DECADES ALONGSIDE LEGALIZED SPORTS GAMBLING IN NEVADA AND WIDESPREAD ILLEGAL GAMBLING.
TWO SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS FACE DRUG POSSESSION CHARGES AFTER ONE YOUTH ALLEGEDLY GAVE THE OTHER A SMALL BAG OF MARIJUANA AS A BIRTHDAY GIFT. VINELAND POLICE SAY THE INCIDENT OCCURRED EARLIER THIS MONTH AT THE WALLACE MIDDLE SCHOOL. THE TWO STUDENTS, AGES 12 AND 13, WERE SEEN EXCHANGING A SMALL BAG OF MARIJUANA IN A SCHOOL HALLWAY. WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT THEIR ACTIONS, THE YOUNGER BOY SAID HIS FRIEND HAD REQUESTED THE MARIJUANA AS A BIRTHDAY GIFT.
PITCHER JOHN LANNAN AND THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES HAVE FINALIZED A $2.5 MILLION, ONE-YEAR CONTRACT. THE 28-YEAR-OLD LEFTY WAS 4-1 WITH A 4.13 ERA IN SIX STARTS FOR THE NL EAST-CHAMPION WASHINGTON NATIONALS THIS YEAR. HE ALSO MADE 24 STARTS FOR TRIPLE-A SYRACUSE, GOING 9-11 WITH A 4.30 ERA. LANNAN IS 42-52 WITH A 4.01 ERA IN 134 GAMES IN SIX SEASONS FOR WASHINGTON.
