EVENTHOUGH SLEET AND WET SNOW ARE IN THE FORECAST FOR TONIGHT, ACCU-WEATHER'S DEAN DEVORE DOESN'T EXPECT TOO MUCH OF A DRIVING HASSLE AS LONG AS ROAD CREWS PLAN AHEAD. "IT'S NOT A LOT OF PRECIPITATION. I THINK TEMPERATURE AND SURFACES ARE THE CONCERN ESPECIALLY IN THE POCONOS WHERE IT MIGHT DROP A FEW DEGREES COLDER THAN THAT. THERE COULD BE SOME SLICK STUFF THERE," DEVORE SAYS. TONIGHT'S LOW IS EXPECTED TO DIP TO 32 DEGREES IN THE IMMEDIATE LEHIGH VALLEY.
POLICE IN ALLENTOWN ARE LOOKING FOR THE PERSON WHO SHOT A MAN WHILE HE SAT IN HIS CAR SUNDAY MORNING. 26-YEAR-OLD ALEXIS NUNEZ WAS IN HIS CAR IN THE 200 BLOCK OF NORTH SEVENTH STREET AROUND 7 O'CLOCK SUNDAY MORNING WHEN SEVERAL SHOTS WERE FIRED AT HIM. HE WAS HIT IN THE ARM BY ONE OF THOSE SHOTS. NUNEZ IS EXPECTED TO FULLY RECOVER.
A SUNDAY EVENING FIRE FORCED MORE THAN 100 RESIDENTS OUT OF WHITEHALL MANOR FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. THE FIRE WAS APPARENTLY CAUSED BY A BATHROOM FAN AND DAMAGED TWO ROOMS. WHITEHALL FIREFIGHTERS SAY THE FIRE PRODUCED A LOT OF SMOKE BUT WAS QUICKLY BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL BEFORE THEY EVEN ARRIVED. NO INJURIES ARE REPORTED.
IF YOU HOPE STATE SENATOR DAYLIN LEACH'S PUSH TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA USE HERE SUCCEEDS, POLITICAL ANALYST TERRY MADONNA SAYS YOU'RE GOING TO BE DISAPPOINTED. "IT'S NOT LIKELY TO EVEN GET A CONSIDERATION OUT OF A SENATE COMMITTEE," MADONNA SAYS. HE ADDS POLLS INDICATE THE MAJORITY OF PENNSYLVANIANS DON'T FAVOR DECRIMINALIZING MARIJUANA AND THERE'S REALLY NO INTEREST AMONG LAWMAKERS EITHER. "THERE'S JUST ABSOLUTELY MINIMAL SUPPORT FOR IT IN THE PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATURE AND THAT'S NOT LIKELY TO CHANGE ANY TIME SOON," SAYS MADONNA. THERE WAS SIMILAR LEGISLATION TO LEGALIZE POT SEVERAL DECADES AGO THAT WENT NOWHERE. HE SAYS THIS IDEA WILL MEET THE SAME FATE.
THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE IS HOLDING A HEARING TODAY ON GOVERNOR CORBETT'S PLAN TO TURN OVER THE STATE LOTTERY TO A BRITISH COMPANY. THE GOVERNOR APPROVED THE DEAL THREE DAYS BEFORE TODAY'S HEARING AND DEMOCRATIC DAUPHIN COUNTY SENATOR ROB TEPLITZ SAYS THAT SHOWS CONTEMPT FOR BOTH THE LEGISLATURE AND THE PUBLIC. "I THINK WE SHOULD GIVE THE UNION AND OTHER POSSIBLE PROPOSERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROPOSE ALTERNATIVES," TEPLITZ SAYS. ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS SAY THE CONTRACT ISN'T BINDING UNTIL IT'S EXECUTED. THAT'S EXPECTED TO HAPPEN LATER THIS WEEK. A COURT CHALLENGE TO THE DEAL IS PENDING.
LEHIGH VALLEY CONGRESSMAN CHARLIE DENT SPENDS SOME OF HIS MONDAY IN NEW YORK CITY AT A MEETING ORGANIZED BY THE GROUP 'NO LABELS', WHICH DESCRIBES ITSELF AS BEING DEDICATED TO PROMOTING A NEW POLITICS OF PROBLEM SOLVING. DENT SAYS IT'S LONG PAST TIME FOR BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES TO WORK TOGETHER. "THERE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY WHO ARE ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED TO SEEING US DEAL WITH THESE BIG ISSUES. I THINK THE COUNTRY AND MANY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE GETTING TIRED OF SOME OF THE BRINKMANSHIP THEY'RE SEEING AND THEY WANT US TO RESOLVE THESE ISSUES BEFORE THEY REACH A CRISIS," DENT SAYS. AMONG THOSE EXPECTED AT TODAY'S MEETING IN NEW YORK ARE FORMER UTAH GOVERNOR JON HUNTSMAN AND WEST VIRGINIA SENATOR JOE MANCHIN.
SOME PROSECUTORS AND POLITICIANS ARE CALLING FOR CHANGES IN PENNSYLVANIA LAW THAT THEY SAY MAY BE ENCOURAGING DRIVERS TO FLEE THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT IF THEY HAVE BEEN DRINKING. UNDER CURRENT LAW, PEOPLE CONVICTED OF DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE IN A FATAL ACCIDENT FACE A MANDATORY MINIMUM PRISON SENTENCE OF THREE YEARS. BUT THOSE WHO LEAVE THE SCENE AND ARE CAUGHT AFTER ANY ALCOHOL HAS LEFT THEIR SYSTEM USUALLY CAN ONLY BE CHARGED WITH FLEEING THE SCENE, WHICH CARRIES A ONE-YEAR MINIMUM TERM. LUZERNE COUNTY PROSECUTORS SAY THE MANDATORY MINIMUM FOR LEAVING THE SCENE SHOULD BE HIGHER. LAST YEAR, LAWMAKERS CONSIDERED INCREASING THE MANDATORY MINIMUM PENALTY FOR HIT-AND-RUN DRIVERS BUT EVENTUALLY RAISED ONLY THE MAXIMUM TERM.
A FEDERAL JUDGE HAS REJECTED THE ARGUMENTS OF THE MENNONITE OWNERS OF A CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FURNITURE MANUFACTURING COMPANY THAT NEW REQUIREMENTS TO PAY FOR EMPLOYEES' CONTRACEPTIVE SERVICES VIOLATE THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE MITCHELL GOLDBERG HAS TURNED DOWN A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION REQUEST BY THE OWNERS OF CONESTOGA WOOD SPECIALTIES, SAYING NORMAN HAHN AND HIS FAMILY WERE UNLIKELY TO PREVAIL IN THEIR CASE. THEY SAID HAVING TO PAY FOR CONTRACEPTIVES AND DRUGS USED TO ABORT A PREGNANCY WOULD VIOLATE THEIR RIGHTS TO FREE SPEECH AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. BUT THE JUDGE SAID THEY HAD NOT PROVEN THAT COMPLYING WITH THE NEW HEALTH CARE LAW AMOUNTED TO A "SUBSTANTIAL BURDEN" ON THEIR RELIGIOUS RIGHTS. ATTORNEY CHARLES W. PROCTOR III TOLD THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER THAT AN APPEAL WAS PLANNED.
NEWARK MAYOR CORY BOOKER SAYS IT'S "PREMATURE" TO SAY HE'LL RUN FOR A U.S. SENATE SEAT IN 2014. SPEAKING SUNDAY ON NBC'S "MEET THE PRESS", BOOKER CONFIRMED HE HAS FILED PAPERWORK WITH THE FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION THAT ALLOWS HIM TO RAISE MONEY FOR A SENATE CAMPAIGN. BUT HE SAYS THE FILING WAS A PROCEDURAL STEP THAT HAD TO BE DONE SO HE COULD LEGALLY EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF RUNNING. IF BOOKER DOES RUN, HE WOULD BE SEEKING THE SEAT NOW HELD BY 88-YEAR-OLD FELLOW DEMOCRAT FRANK LAUTENBERG, WHO HAS NOT GIVEN ANY INDICATION THAT HE WANTS TO RETIRE. BOOKER, PERHAPS NEW JERSEY'S HIGHEST-PROFILE DEMOCRATIC POLITICIAN, LAST MONTH TURNED DOWN PARTY LEADERS WHO WANTED TO SEE HIM CHALLENGE INCUMBENT GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE IN THIS YEAR'S GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION.
THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES HAVE INTERVIEWED FORMER RAVENS COACH AND CURRENT FOX ANALYST BRIAN BILLICK FOR THEIR COACHING VACANCY. BILLICK, WHO LED BALTIMORE TO A SUPER BOWL TITLE IN THE 2000 SEASON, MET WITH THE EAGLES LAST MONDAY. THE EAGLES ARE KNOWN TO HAVE INTERVIEWED EIGHT OTHER CANDIDATES, INCLUDING THREE HIGH-PROFILE COLLEGE COACHES WHO DECIDED TO STAY AT THEIR SCHOOLS. PHILADELPHIA FIRED ANDY REID ON DECEMBER 31, A DAY AFTER FINISHING 4-12 IN HIS 14TH SEASON.
