"IT COULD GET A LITTLE MESSY TOWARDS THE MIDDLE TO END OF THE EVENING COMMUTE TONIGHT," SAYS ACCU-WEATHER'S DEAN DEVORE. HE EXPECTS RAIN TO PERHAPS MIX WITH SOME SLEET AND WET SNOW RIGHT AROUND THE AFTERNOON DRIVE HOME. WHILE THAT WINTRY MIX WILL EVENTUALLY CHANGE OVER TO PLAIN RAIN, IN THE POCONOS, DEVORE THINKS THAT RAIN WILL REMAIN MIXED WITH SLEET AND SNOW OVERNIGHT.
A MAN WHO HAS BEEN ON PENNSYLVANIA'S 10 MOST WANTED LIST FOR 18 YEARS IS WANTED NO LONGER. NORTHAMPTON COUNTY D.A. JOHN MORGANELLI SAYS FRANCISCO MIRANDA WAS ARRESTED IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC IN NOVEMBER AND IS NOW IN NORTHAMPTON COUNTY PRISON FOR ALLEGEDLY KILLING JORGE VELAZQUEZ. "EVENTHOUGHT TIME HAS PASSED AND IT IS A CASE THAT IS ESSENTIALLY 20 YEARS OLD, WE BELIEVE THIS IS A CASE THAT CAN BE SUCCESSFULLY PROSECUTED," MORGANELLI SAYS. THE D.A. SAYS MIRANDA STABBED VELAZQUEZ TO DEATH IN A PARKING LOT ON AARON STREET IN BETHLEHEM IN JUNE 1994 AFTER AN ARGUMENT. MIRANDA FLED THE STATE IMMEDIATELY AND WAS FINALLY FOUND THREE MONTHS AGO IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.
BETHLEHEM'S MAYOR HAS APOLOGIZED FOLLOWING HIS EJECTION FROM A HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING TOURNAMENT AFTER CRITICIZING CALLS MADE BY MAT OFFICIALS. ON HIS FACEBOOK PAGE, MAYOR JOHN CALLAHAN SAID HE COULD HAVE HANDLED THE SITUATION BETTER NO MATTER HOW HE FELT ABOUT SATURDAY NIGHT'S CALLS DURING THE DISTRICT 11 CLASS AAA WRESTLING TOURNAMENT. IN HIS APOLOGY, CALLAHAN SAID HE HAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ADMIRATION FOR THE SPORT OF WRESTLING AND THE REFEREE'S RIGHT TO CALL THE MATCH AS HE SEES IT. IN A JOINT STATEMENT, REFEREE DENNIS BUCHMAN SAID THAT HE ACCEPTS THE APOLOGY AND THE MATTER HAD BEEN BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION.
U.G.I. HAS AGREED TO PAY A $500,000 FINE AND SPEED REPLACEMENT OF ITS CAST-IRON PIPELINES FOLLOWING AN ALLENTOWN GAS EXPLOSION THAT KILLED FIVE PEOPLE TWO YEARS AGO. UGI PRESIDENT ROBERT BEARD AGREED TO THE STATE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION'S ORDER IN A LETTER MONDAY THAT EXPRESSED "HEARTFELT SYMPATHIES" TO THE VICTIMS. THE ORDER REQUIRES THE COMPANY TO REPLACE ALL CAST-IRON PIPELINES WITHIN 14 YEARS AND EXPAND TESTING AND MONITORING. THE FEBRUARY 2011 BLAST IN ALLENTOWN THAT ALSO FLATTENED A PAIR OF ROW HOUSES AND SET A BLOCK OF HOMES AFIRE WAS TRACED TO A CRACK IN A CAST IRON MAIN. BEARD SAYS "THE COMPANY IS COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING THE MANY SIGNIFICANT OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES FACING HIS UTILITY AND OTHERS."
BETHLEHEM'S SCHOOL BOARD HAS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO HIRE PROJECT MANAGERS FOR A NEW $53.7 MILLION NITSCHMANN MIDDLE SCHOOL. THE NEW SCHOOL WILL BE 173,000 SQUARE FEET AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACCOMODATE 900 STUDENTS. THE SCHOOL IS TO BE BUILT ON WHAT IS NOW ATHLETIC FIELDS AT EIGHTH AVENUE AND UNION BOULEVARD.
A WEEKEND FIRE IN NORTH WHITEHALL TOWNSHIP HAS BEEN RULED AN ARSON. STATE POLICE SAY ACCELERANTS WERE USED IN THE SATURDAY MORNING FIRE AT A VACANT MOBILE HOME ALONG ROUTE 145. NOBODY WAS INJURED, BUT THE MOBILE HOME, WHICH WAS FOR SALE, WAS DESTROYED.
A CARBON COUNTY MAN IS IN THE HOSPITAL AFTER BEING STABBED LAST NIGHT. POLICE SAY ERIC MONTANARI SR. STABBED JOSEPH MUSE SEVERAL TIMES IN WEISSPORT AND IS NOW CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. MUSE'S CONDITION IS NOT YET KNOWN.
STATE SENATOR BOB MENSCH'S OPINION ON PRIVATIZING THE STATE LIQUOR SYSTEM AND LOTTERY HASN'T CHANGED, BUT HE ISN'T OPTIMISTIC ABOUT EITHER HAPPENING. "I FAVOR BOTH, BUT I DON'T THINK EITHER IS GOING TO HAPPEN," MENSCH SAYS. HE SAYS THE RULING BY ATTORNEY GENERAL KATHLEEN KANE THAT GOVERNOR CORBETT'S DEAL WITH A BRITISH COMPANY TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE LOTTERY WAS ILLEGAL WILL PROBABLY KILL PRIVATIZATION'S CHANCES. "THE LEGAL ACTION WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO OVERCOME. I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY, BUT RIGHT NOW GIVEN THE WAY IT'S GOING, I WOULD BET AGAINST IT," MENSCH SAYS. AS FOR PRIVATIZING THE STATE LIQUOR STORES, MENSCH DOESN'T THINK THERE'S ENOUGH POLITICAL WILL FOR THAT TO HAPPEN EITHER.
PENNSYLVANIA GOV. TOM CORBETT SAYS THE NCAA HAS BEEN TRYING TO USE HIS ANTITRUST LAWSUIT OVER ITS SANCTIONS AGAINST PENN STATE IN A CHILD SEX ABUSE SCANDAL TO COMBAT A GROUNDSWELL OF PUBLIC CRITICISM. CORBETT FILED A COURT DOCUMENT LATE MONDAY SAYING A JUDGE SHOULDN'T DISMISS THE LAWSUIT HE FILED IN JANUARY AGAINST COLLEGE SPORTS' GOVERNING BODY. THE REPUBLICAN SAYS THE NCAA'S REQUEST TO HAVE THE LAWSUIT THROWN OUT MAKES A FACTUAL ERROR IN SAYING THE PENALTIES WERE VOTED ON BY THE UNIVERSITY'S TRUSTEES. CORBETT'S LAWSUIT SEEKS TO THROW OUT THE PENALTIES, INCLUDING A $60 MILLION FINE, A FOUR-YEAR BOWL BAN AND THE LOSS OF FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIPS. THE NCAA HAS SAID THE PENALTIES ARE UNRELATED TO REGULATION OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY SO ANTITRUST LAW DOESN'T APPLY. IT SAYS IT STANDS BY THAT.
A PENN STATE FACULTY SENATE PANEL SAYS ADDING ACADEMIC REPRESENTATION TO THE SCHOOL'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES WOULD HELP THE GOVERNING BODY UNDERSTAND THE MISSION, VALUES AND COMPLEXITIES OF OVERSEEING THE UNIVERSITY. THE FACULTY REPORT MONDAY IS THE LATEST SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO TRUSTEES LOOKING INTO CHANGES IN GOVERNANCE FOLLOWING THE JERRY SANDUSKY CHILD MOLESTATION SCANDAL. THE FACULTY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THAT MORE EMPHASIS BE PLACED ON SELECTING TRUSTEES BASED ON QUALIFICATIONS TO HELP OVERSEE RUNNING A UNIVERSITY THAN ON THE CONSTITUENCY THEY REPRESENT. IT ALSO RECOMMENDS THAT THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT REMAIN ON THE BOARD, GIVEN THE DIRECT EXPERIENCE WITH HIGHER EDUCATION GOVERNANCE. THAT CONTRASTS TO FORMER STATE AUDITOR GENERAL JACK WAGNER'S REPORT LAST YEAR THAT RECOMMENDED REMOVING THE PRESIDENT AS A VOTING TRUSTEE.
SEN. BOB CASEY SAYS HE WANTS TO REPLACE SOME OF THE LOOMING AUTOMATIC SPENDING CUTS WITH MOVES TO CLOSE TAX LOOPHOLES, WHILE SEN. PAT TOOMEY PREFERS TO GIVE PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S ADMINISTRATION MORE FLEXIBILITY IN CHOOSING WHERE TO CUT THE SPENDING. PENNSYLVANIA'S U.S. SENATORS SPOKE MONDAY, BEFORE $85 BILLION IN DEFICIT-REDUCING BUDGET CUTS HIT THE U.S. ON FRIDAY. BOTH CASEY, A DEMOCRAT, AND TOOMEY, A REPUBLICAN, AGREE THAT THE CUTS AS THEY ARE DESIGNED NOW SHOULD BE AVOIDED. THAT'S BECAUSE THEY WERE APPROVED BY CONGRESS AND OBAMA IN 2011 AS A PAINFUL HAMMER TO FORCE THEMSELVES TO FIND A BETTER WAY TO ADDRESS THE COUNTRY'S MASSIVE DEFICIT. BUT CASEY SAYS THE IDEA OF REDUCING THE DEFICIT BY CUTTING SPENDING ALONE IS A TERRIBLY FLAWED PREMISE. TOOMEY OPPOSES THE TAX INCREASES.
NEW JERSEY LAWMAKERS SAY THEY PLAN TO PASS A BILL LEGALIZING INTERNET GAMBLING. IT'S SCHEDULED FOR A VOTE ON TODAY. IF PASSED, IT WILL BE SENT TO GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE BY DAY'S END. THE ASSEMBLY AND SENATE PLAN TO APPROVE THE CHANGES CHRISTIE ASKED FOR EARLIER THIS MONTH IN VETOING AN ONLINE BETTING BILL. THEY INCLUDE A 10-YEAR TRIAL PERIOD AND HIGHER TAXES ON CASINOS' ONLINE WINNINGS. PATRONS WOULD SET UP ONLINE ACCOUNTS WITH ONE OR MORE ATLANTIC CITY CASINOS, WHICH WOULD USE SPECIAL SOFTWARE TO VERIFY A PLAYER'S AGE. ONCE THE PROGRAM IS OPERATIONAL, SOMETHING THAT COULD TAKE SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR, GAMBLERS COULD PLAY ANY GAME NOW OFFERED IN ATLANTIC CITY CASINOS, INCLUDING ELECTRONIC VERSIONS OF SLOTS AND TABLE GAMES. ONLINE POKER IS EXPECTED TO BE BIG.
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE IS EXPECTED TO DELIVER AN AUSTERE BUDGET MESSAGE AS NEW JERSEY STRUGGLES TO REGAIN ITS FOOTING AFTER THE WORST NATURAL DISASTER IN ITS HISTORY. HIS BUDGET IS EXPECTED TO FOCUS ON REBUILDING FROM SUPERSTORM SANDY. HIS ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATURE IS SET FOR 3 P.M. TODAY. THE GOVERNOR IS COUNTING ON BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FEDERAL SANDY RELIEF FUNDING TO BOOST CONSTRUCTION JOBS AND HELP COMMUNITIES THAT LOST PART OF THEIR TAX BASE WHEN HOMES WERE DESTROYED AND BUSINESSES CLOSED. THE FIRST $1.8 BILLION IN SANDY AID IS DUE IN APRIL. BUT NEW JERSEY COULD SEE $100 MILLION LESS THAN EXPECTED IF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND CONGRESS FAIL TO STRIKE A DEAL ON FEDERAL BUDGET CUTS SET TO TAKE EFFECT FRIDAY. PRESCHOOL CLASSES AND REGIONAL AIRPORTS COULD ALSO BE SHUTTERED.
NEW JERSEY'S LARGEST TEACHERS UNION IS OFFICIALLY BACKING THREE OF THE MORE THAN 20 GUN MEASURES APPROVED BY THE STATE ASSEMBLY AND AWAITING ACTION IN THE SENATE. ONE BILL WOULD PROHIBIT THE STATE FROM INVESTING PENSION OR ANNUITY FUNDS IN COMPANIES THAT MAKE OR SELL FIREARMS FOR CIVILIAN USE. THE OTHER TWO WOULD AUTHORIZE MUNICIPALITIES TO ESTABLISH WEAPONS-FREE ZONES AROUND SCHOOLS AND CREATE A 15-MEMBER TASK FORCE TO STUDY ISSUES OF SCHOOL SECURITY.
THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SAYS IT WILL DISTRIBUTE $1.25 MILLION IN GRANTS TO HELP SCHOOLS THAT WERE HIT HARD BY SUPERSTORM SANDY LAST YEAR. THE MONEY COMES FROM A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROGRAM. SCHOOLS GOT WORD MONDAY THAT THEY CAN SEEK THE FUNDS. SCHOOL DISTRICTS OR CHARTER SCHOOLS MAY APPLY FOR FUNDS TO REIMBURSE POST-STORM COSTS, SUCH AS MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS, OVERTIME FOR STAFF, SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS AND EMERGENCY TRANSPORTATION. SCHOOLS IN NEARLY 60 DISTRICTS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A SHARE OF THE MONEY. REIMBURSEMENTS FOR REPAIRING DAMAGED SCHOOLS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH A SEPARATE FEDERAL PROGRAM.
THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES HAVE RELEASED VETERAN DEFENSIVE TACKLES CULLEN JENKINS AND MIKE PATTERSON. JENKINS SIGNED A FIVE-YEAR, $30 MILLION CONTRACT WITH THE EAGLES IN 2011 AND STARTED EVERY GAME THE LAST TWO SEASONS. HE WAS DUE TO MAKE $5.5 MILLION THIS SEASON. PATTERSON WAS THE LONGEST-TENURED EAGLE. THE EAGLES DRAFTED HIM IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE 2005 DRAFT.
