A SUNDAY AFTERNOON FIRE IN ALLENTOWN HAS FORCED 16 PEOPLE FROM THEIR HOMES. THE FIRE BEGAN JUST BEFORE 2 O'CLCOK IN A SECOND FLOOR CEILING AT 503 WEST WASHINGTON STREET AND QUICKLY SPREAD TO ROW HOMES ON EITHER SIDE. 13 ADULTS AND THREE CHILDREN WERE NOT ALLOWED BACK INTO THOSE THREE HOMES. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION.
POLICE IN ALLENTOWN ARE INVESTIGATING THE CITY'S FIRST MURDER OF 2013. 20-YEAR-OLD KYLE STROMAN, OF BROOKLYN, WAS SHOT TO DEATH JUST AFTER 2 O'CLOCK SATURDAY MORNING AT THE CORNER OF NORTH PENN AND TILGHMAN STREETS.
MAKING SURE TODAY'S INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT OBAMA GOES OFF SAFELY PRESENTS A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES FOR THE SECRET SERVICE. "THE THREAT PROFILE HAS CAUSED THE SECRET SERVICE TO EXPAND THE PERIMETERS, NOT JUST LATERALLY BY A BLOCK OR TWO BECAUSE OF THE THREAT OF A BOMB, BUT ALSO HORIZONTALLY BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL AIRPLANES AND DRONES AND THINGS LIKE THAT," SAYS JOE PETRO, WHO IS AN ALLENTOWN NATIVE AND SPENT MORE THAN TWO DECADES IN THE SECRET SERVICE. PETRO SAYS ALMOST ALL AVAILABLE AGENTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY WERE PROBABLY BROUGHT IN TO WORK THE INAUGURATION.
A LOCAL GOSPEL SINGER WILL PERFORM AT TONIGHT'S AFRICAN CARIBBEAN DIASPORA BALL. THE REV. KARI HOLMES WILL BE SINGING AT THE BALL AFTER BEING INVITED FOR HER WORK WITH THE RISING SUN INITIATIVE, WHICH HONORED LOCAL AFRICAN-AMERICANS DURING LAST YEAR'S LEHIGH COUNTY BICENTENNIAL. PRESIDENT OBAMA WON'T BE AT THE BALL, BUT IT WILL FEATURE AN ADDRESS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.
MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY IS BEING OBSERVED WITH A DAY OF VOLUNTEERISM AND CHURCH SERVICES. THE ST. JAMES A.M.E. ZION CHURCH IN ALLENTOWN AND THE GREATER SHILOH CHURCH IN EASTON ARE AMONG LOCAL CHURCHES HAVING SPECIAL KING DAY PROGRAMS TODAY. NORTHAMPTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND THE EASTON AREA COMMUNITY CENTER HOST A DAY OF SERVICE TODAY WITH VOLUNTEERS WORKING WITH CHILDREN AGES 5 TO 15.
POLICE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR THE TWO GUNMEN WANTED FOR A FRIDAY HOME INVASION AND KILLING IN HILLTOWN, BUCKS COUNTY. TWO MASKED MEN BROKE INTO THE HOME OF 48-YEAR-OLD JOSEPH CANAZARO AND THEN KILLED HIM, TIED UP HIS GIRLFRIEND AND SON AND STOLE A NUMBER OF ITEMS FROM THE HOME. CANAZARO'S BLACK LINCOLN PICKUP TRUCK WAS STOLEN AND LATER LOCATED AT THE QUAKERTOWN PLAZA. INVESTIGATORS ARE CHECKING WITH NEARBY BUSINESSES TO SEE IF VIDEO SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS RECORDED THE SUSPECTS.
A WOMAN WALKING A HORSE UP A HILL IN BUCKS COUNTY BECAME TRAPPED AFTER THE ANIMAL DIED SUDDENLY AND FELL ON TOP OF HER. AUTHORITIES SAY THE BIZARRE INCIDENT HAPPENED SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT THE BUCKS COUNTY HORSE PARK IN UPPER BLACK EDDY. FIREFIGHTERS LIFTED THE ANIMAL OFF THE WOMAN, AND SHE WAS TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL. SHE SUFFERED NON-LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES. IT'S NOT IMMEDIATELY CLEAR WHY THE HORSE DIED.
A CHECKPOINT AT NEWARK LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WAS BRIEFLY SHUT DOWN AFTER OFFICIALS DISCOVERED THAT A BOTTLE OF LIQUID HAD PASSED THROUGH THERE WITHOUT BEING PROPERLY SCREENED. PORT AUTHORITY OF NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY SPOKESMAN RON MARSICO SAYS THE INCIDENT OCCURRED SHORTLY BEFORE 7:30 A.M. SUNDAY AT CHECKPOINT 1 IN TERMINAL C. TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS SAY THE BOTTLE'S OWNER WAS QUICKLY FOUND AND THE BOTTLE WAS RESCREENED "WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS." THE PASSENGER WAS THEN CLEARED TO FLY, AND THE CHECKPOINT REOPENED AROUND 7:45 A.M. AUTHORITIES DID NOT IDENTIFY WHAT TYPE OF LIQUID WAS IN THE BOTTLE BUT TOLD SAY IT WAS SOMETHING THAT'S ALLOWED ON PLANES. HOWEVER, IT WAS LARGER THAN THE 3.4 OUNCE LIMIT THAT THE TSA HAS SET FOR PASSENGERS.
WHAT MAKES A BASEMENT A BASEMENT? SOME VICTIMS OF SUPERSTORM SANDY SAY THEIR APARTMENTS FLOODED DURING THE STORM AND THEY ARE NOT GETTING FULL FLOOD COVERAGE BECAUSE INSURANCE COMPANIES SAY THEIR HOMES OR BUSINESSES ARE TECHNICALLY BASEMENTS AND DO NOT QUALIFY. ACCORDING TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, A BASEMENT IS A STRUCTURE WHOSE FLOOR IS BELOW GROUND LEVEL. A JERSEY CITY MAN IS SUING INSURANCE COMPANIES, SAYING THEY UNFAIRLY DENIED CLAIMS. HOBOKEN MAYOR DAWN ZIMMER AND OTHERS ARE CALLING ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO CHANGE THE DEFINITION. THEY SAY THE RULES DON'T REFLECT THE REALITY OF URBAN LIVING.
