A FORMER PASTOR IS GUILTY OF KILLING HIS SECOND WIFE. A MONROE COUNTY JURY HAS CONVICTED ARTHUR SCHIRMER OF BEATING TO DEATH HIS WIFE, BETTY, IN JULY 2008 AND THEN STAGING A CAR CRASH TO TRY TO COVER IT UP. SCHIRMER'S ATTORNEY SAYS THE JURY GOT IT WRONG AND WAS TAINTED BY ALLEGATIONS SCHIRMER ALSO KILLED HIS FIRST WIFE. "I THINK THE ADMISSION OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE DEATH OF JEWEL SCHIRMER REALLY DID PREJUDICE THE CASE," BRANDON REISH SAYS. SCHIRMER IS CHARGED SEPARATELY IN THE 1999 DEATH OF HIS FIRST WIFE, JEWEL, AND AWAITS TRIAL IN LEBANON COUNTY. SCHIRMER SAYS SHE FELL DOWN THE STAIRS WHILE VACUUMING. HE SAYS A VACUUM CORD WAS WRAPPED AROUND HER ANKLE.
IF YOU HAVE TO BE OUTDOORS FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS, ACCU-WEATHER'S DEAN DEVORE SAYS YOU'LL NEED TO DRESS IN LAYERS. "IT IS GOING TO BE COLD. BE CAREFUL OUT THERE," DEVORE SAYS. AFTERNOON HIGHS WON'T HIT 30 UNTIL SUNDAY AT THE EARLIEST AND NIGHTTIME LOWS WILL DROP TO 10 DEGREES OR LOWER THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT.
ASSISTANT ALLENTOWN FIRE CHIEF LEE LAUBACH SAYS FIREFIGHTERS WERE FIGHTING AN UPHILL BATTLE ALMOST AS SOON AS THEY ARRIVED AT YOUELL'S OYSTER HOUSE EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. "WE WENT INTO THE OFFENSIVE AND TRIED TO GET IT KNOCKED DOWN ON THE FIRST FLOOR, BUT IT SEEMED TO HAVE HAD A GOOD HEADSTART ON US. WE MET WITH SOME STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS AND WE STARTED HAVING SOME THINGS FALL DOWN ON US SO WE PULLED EVERYBODY OUT AND WENT DEFENSIVE. THE WIND AND THE COLD DIDN'T HELP THE EFFORT EITHER," LAUBACH SAYS. A PASSERBY REPORTED THE FIRE JUST BEFORE 4:30 TUESDAY MORNING. LAUBACH SAYS THE RESTAURANT IS A COMPLETE LOSS. FIVE FIREFIGHTERS SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS STILL UNKNOWN.
A LEHIGH VALLEY MOTHER HAS BEEN CHARGED IN THE BEATING DEATH OF HER 5-YEAR-OLD SON LAST FALL. THE LEHIGH COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE SAID CASHMIERE HILL WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD NOVEMBER 30 AT LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL. THE SAYS THE CAUSE OF DEATH WAS FOUND TO BE MULTIPLE BLUNT FORCE INJURIES AND WAS RULED A HOMICIDE. TWENTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD JESSICA ADAMS IS CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL HOMICIDE AND ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF A CHILD. SHE WAS HELD WITHOUT BAIL PENDING A JANUARY 29 PRELIMINARY HEARING.
A TUESDAY NIGHT ACCIDENT KNOCKED OUT POWER FOR HOURS IN THE WESTERN PART OF LEHIGH COUNTY. POLICE SAY A DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THEIR CAR AND SLAMMED INTO A UTILITY POLE AT ROUTE 100 AND CLAUSSVILLE ROAD IN LOWHILL TOWNSHIP. THE ACCIDENT LEFT ABOUT 2200 PPL CUSTOMERS IN NEIGHBORING UPPER MACUNGIE TOWNSHIP IN THE DARK. STATE POLICE ARE CALLING THE ACCIDENT A HIT AND RUN.
A YOUNG MAN WHO TESTIFIED AT THE CHILD SEX ABUSE TRIAL OF FORMER PENN STATE ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACH JERRY SANDUSKY LAST SUMMER IS SUING HIM, HIS CHARITY AND THE UNIVERSITY. THE MAN WAS CALLED VICTIM 6 IN COURT PAPERS. HE SUED TUESDAY IN FEDERAL COURT IN PHILADELPHIA, CLAIMING SANDUSKY'S BEHAVIOR WAS "RATIFIED" BY THE SECOND MILE CHARITY AND PENN STATE. HE'S SEEKING AT LEAST $75,000 IN DAMAGES. SANDUSKY WAS CONVICTED OF ABUSING VICTIM 6 AND NINE OTHER BOYS BUT MAINTAINS HIS INNOCENCE. HE'S SERVING A LENGTHY PRISON TERM. PENN STATE HAS DECLINED TO COMMENT. THE SECOND MILE SAYS IT WILL RESPOND "THROUGH THE LEGAL PROCESS." VICTIM 6 TESTIFIED SANDUSKY CALLED HIMSELF "THE TICKLE MONSTER" AND GRABBED HIM INSIDE A UNIVERSITY SHOWER IN 1998. HIS MOTHER'S COMPLAINT TRIGGERED A POLICE INVESTIGATION BUT NO CHARGES.
HUNDREDS OF CANDLES CREATED A DULL GLOW AT THE BASE OF THE MURAL THAT CONTAINED A LIKENESS OF JOE PATERNO, EACH FLAME FLICKERING TO COMMEMORATE THE YEAR SINCE THE DEATH OF PENN STATE'S HALL OF FAME COACH. TIME HASN'T ERASED THE PAIN OF SUPPORTERS WHO FEEL PATERNO'S REPUTATION HAS BEEN UNFAIRLY SULLIED IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE JERRY SANDUSKY CHILD SEX ABUSE SCANDAL. THE HALL OF FAME COACH DIED OF LUNG CANCER JANUARY 22, 2012, AT AGE 85. HIS DEATH CAME ABOUT TWO MONTHS AFTER HE WAS FIRED FOLLOWING SANDUSKY'S ARREST. AT LEAST 150 SUPPORTERS ATTENDED THE CANDLELIGHT VIGIL TUESDAY, BRAVING FRIGID CONDITIONS TO PAY TRIBUTE AT THE DOWNTOWN MURAL ABOUT A BLOCK AWAY FROM THE PENN STATE CAMPUS.
JETS COACH REX RYAN WAS UNINJURED IN A THREE-CAR ACCIDENT IN THE LEHIGH VALLEY ON JANUARY 14, THE TEAM HAS CONFIRMED. RYAN WAS ISSUED A WARNING AND NO CITATION, A TEAM SPOKESMAN SAYS TUESDAY. NO ONE IN THE OTHER TWO CARS WAS INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED AT WYANDOTTE AND WEST THIRD STREETS IN BETHLEHEM. RYAN WAS IN HIS RED MUSTANG JUST AFTER 6PM THAT NIGHT WHEN HE COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER CAR, WHICH SMACKED INTO A THIRD.
THE DEBATE OVER GUN CONTROL IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE CONNECTICUT SCHOOL SHOOTINGS IS COMING TO THE PENNSYLVANIA CAPITOL. SEVERAL RALLIES ARE PLANNED TODAY AT THE CAPITOL COMPLEX. AT 10 A.M., PENNSYLVANIA RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS WILL SPEAK OUT IN DEFENSE OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT AT A RALLY AND MARCH. AT NOON, CEASEFIREPA WILL GATHER IN THE ROTUNDA TO CALL FOR ACTION TO STOP GUN VIOLENCE IN THE STATE. THAT WILL BE FOLLOWED AT 1 P.M. BY A PRAYER VIGIL SPONSORED BY THE PHILADELPHIA-BASED GROUP, HEEDING GOD'S CALL. SOME GUN ENTHUSIASTS ARE CALLING FOR A BOYCOTT OF WHAT'S BILLED AS PENNSYLVANIA'S LARGEST OUTDOOR-SPORTS SHOW BECAUSE OF A BAN ON DISPLAYS OF ASSAULT WEAPONS. THE NINE-DAY SHOW OPENS FEBRUARY 2 AT THE PENNSYLVANIA FARM SHOW COMPLEX.
THE STATE'S TOP REPUBLICAN SENATORS ARE ASKING GOV. TOM CORBETT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE PRIVATELY RUN PENNSYLVANIA LOTTERY WON'T BE ABLE TO COMPETE WITH CASINOS THROUGH ONLINE GAMBLING. SENS. JOE SCARNATI, DOMINIC PILEGGI AND PAT BROWNE WROTE TO CORBETT LAST WEEK. CASINO OWNERS HAVE BEEN QUIET ABOUT CORBETT'S PLANS TO EXPAND THE SCOPE OF LOTTERY GAMBLING IN PENNSYLVANIA. BUT THE SENATORS NOW SAY THEY WANT THE PRIVATE MANAGER'S CONTRACT REWRITTEN TO PROHIBIT INTERACTIVE VIDEO GAMES OR SIMULATED SLOT MACHINES OR TABLE GAMES, EVEN IF THERE AREN'T PLANS FOR SUCH GAMES. CORBETT'S ADMINISTRATION HAS FINALIZED A 20- TO 30-YEAR CONTRACT WITH BRITISH LOTTERY OPERATOR CAMELOT GLOBAL SERVICES TO MANAGE THE STATE-OWNED LOTTERY. THE ADMINISTRATION SAYS CORBETT IS COMMITTED TO A CAUTIOUS APPROACH TO INTRODUCING ANY NEW GAMES.
GOV. TOM CORBETT WILL ANNOUNCE THAT HE PLANS TO REQUEST MORE MONEY FROM THE LEGISLATURE TO HELP THE MENTALLY DISABLED GET SERVICES THAT HELP THEM LIVE INDEPENDENTLY. CORBETT WILL DELIVER A BUDGET FOR THE 2013-14 FISCAL YEAR TO THE LEGISLATURE ON FEBRUARY 5. IN IT, HIS ADMINISTRATION SAYS HE'S PLANNING TO REQUEST $20 MILLION MORE THAN THE $919 MILLION THAT IS BEING PROVIDED THIS YEAR FOR DAY, HOME AND COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR THE MENTALLY DISABLED. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE SPOKESWOMAN ANNE BALE SAYS THE PROPOSAL IS DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE WAITING LIST OF ABOUT 15,000 PEOPLE BY 1,200. SHE COULD NOT IMMEDIATELY SAY HOW MANY ALREADY RECEIVE SUBSIDIZED SERVICES. THE WAITING LIST HAS STEADILY GROWN IN RECENT YEARS.
NEW JERSEY GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE CONTINUES TO RIDE A WAVE OF POPULAR OPINION THAT STARTED IN NOVEMBER AFTER HURRICANE SANDY. A QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY POLL FINDS THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR GETTING A POSITIVE JOB APPROVAL RATING FROM EVERY DEMOGRAPHIC GROUP SURVEYED INCLUDING DEMOCRATS, INDEPENDENTS AND WOMEN. SIXTY-EIGHT PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS SAY CHRISTIE DESERVES RE-ELECTION, COMPARED WITH 24 PERCENT WHO WANT SOMEONE ELSE IN CHARGE.
THE PHILLIES HAVE SIGNED DELMON YOUNG TO A ONE-YEAR DEAL FOR $750,000, ADDING TO THEIR OUTFIELD DEPTH. THE 27-YEAR-OLD OUTFIELDER BATTED .267 WITH 27 DOUBLES, 18 HOMERS AND 74 RBIS FOR DETROIT LAST SEASON. HE WAS THE MVP OF THE AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES, BATTING .313 WITH THREE HOMERS AND A TEAM-HIGH NINE RBIS DURING 13 PLAYOFF GAMES. YOUNG'S DEAL INCLUDES PERFORMANCES BONUSES.
