SEVERAL LOCAL MAYORS, STATE REP. MICHAEL SCHLOSSBERG AND MEMBERS OF CEASE FIRE PA SAY IT'S TIME TO GET RID OF ALL EXCEPTIONS TO GUN BACKGROUND CHECKS. ALLENTOWN MAYOR ED PAWLOWSKI AND THE MAYORS OF WHITEHALL TOWNSHIP, COPLAY AND NORTHAMPTON WANT TO CLOSE THE LOOPHOLE THAT CURRENTLY ALLOWS THE PRIVATE SALES OF GUNS WITHOUT A BACKGROUND CHECK. SCHLOSSBERG SAYS HE'D SUPPORT REGULATING AMMUNITION SALES, LIMIT THE NUMBER OF GUNS PURCHASED AT ONE TIME AND REQUIRING LOST OR STOLEN FIREARMS BE REPORTED TO POLICE.　

  THE LEHIGH COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAVEN'T VOTED YET ON WHETHER TO EXTEND THE LEHIGH COUNTY AUTHORITY'S CHARTER SO THE AUTHORITY COULD BID ON ALLENTOWN'S WATER AND SEWER LEASE. FOUR COMMISSIONERS WANT MORE INFORMATION ON A POSSIBLE BID AND HOW IT MIGHT AFFECT THE AUTHORITY'S CUSTOMERS' RATES. FOUR OTHER COMMISSIONERS SAY THE AUTHORITY SHOULD HAVE THE CHANCE TO BID ON THE LEASE. THE NINTH COMMISSIONER, TOM CREIGHTON, HASN'T INDICATED HIS THOUGHTS.　

  BUCKS COUNTY D.A. DAVID HECKLER BELIEVES SURVEILLANCE VIDEO SHOWS THE PICKUP TRUCK STOLEN FROM THE THE HILLTOWN TOWNSHIP HOME OF JOSEPH CANAZARO AFTER HE WAS SHOT TO DEATH JANUARY 18. THE VIDEO SHOWS THE PICKUP DRIVING INTO THE QUAKERTOWN PLAZA'S PARKING LOT AND A RED NISSAN ALTIMA OR MAXIMA PULLING UP NEXT TO IT. "FIGURES CAN BE SEEN, WE BELIEVE, OFF-LOADING GUNS AND OTHER THINGS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN TAKEN IN THE BURGLARY," HECKLER SAYS. THE NISSAN IS THEN DRIVEN AWAY. INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE CANAZARO WAS TARGETED BECAUSE OF ONGOING FINANCIAL PROBLEMS. CANAZARO'S GIRLFRIEND AND 12-YEAR-OLD SON WERE TIED UP BY TWO MASKED MEN WHO FORCED THEIR WAY INO THE HOME. THE GIRLFRIEND AND BOY MANAGED TO ESCAPE AND CALL POLICE.　

  EASTON CITY COUNCIL HAS OK'D A 99-YEAR LEASE FOR LANTA TO USE THE CITY'S INTERMODAL. LANTA IS SHELLING OUT $7.2 MILLION UP FRONT AS PART OF THE DEAL. CONSTRUCTION ON THE INTERMODAL COULD BEGIN THIS SUMMER. A PERKINS RESTAURANT AND A MOVIE THEATER ON SOUTH THIRD STREET WERE TORN DOWN LAST YEAR.　

  ST. LUKE'S HOSPITAL IN PHILLIPSBURG IS SPENDING $30 MILLION ON AN EXPANSION, BUT THE EXPANSION WILL NOT INCLUDE REOPENING ITS MATERNITY WARD THERE. THE HOSPITAL HAD HOPED TO REINSTATE MATERNITY SERVICES THERE BUT SAYS BIRTH RATES IN THE AREA DON'T WARRANT THE INVESTMENT. ST. LUKE'S 'IS' EXPANDING THE WARREN CAMPUS' SATELLITE FACILITIES AND RECRUITING MORE DOCTORS. THIS YEAR THE HOSPITAL IS CELEBRATING ITS 90TH ANNIVERSARY AND ITS FIRST YEAR IN THE ST. LUKE'S NETWORK.　

  THE NORTHAMPTON COUNTY CORONER SAYS AN ALLENTOWN WOMAN ACCIDENTALLY KILLED HERSELF WITH A COMBINATION OF HEROIN AND ALCOHOL ON DECEMBER 5. ZACHARY LYSEK SAYS CHAD DELP FOUND AMY SOULE DEAD IN HIS BETHLEHEM TOWNSHIP HOME AFTER MEETING WITH HER AT A CLUB THE NIGHT BEFORE.　

  GOV. TOM CORBETT SAYS HE AND U.S. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS WILL MEET TO DISCUSS ISSUES SURROUNDING A POTENTIAL EXPANSION OF MEDICAID IN PENNSYLVANIA. CORBETT SAYS, HOWEVER, THAT HE'S STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THE COST OF AN EXPANSION OF TAXPAYER-PAID HEALTH CARE COVERAGE FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF LOW-INCOME PENNSYLVANIANS. HE ALSO SAYS HE'S NOT PERSUADED THAT HE SHOULD FOLLOW FELLOW REPUBLICANS LIKE NEW JERSEY GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE AND FLORIDA GOV. RICK SCOTT WHO ARE SUPPORTING AN EXPANSION. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OFFERS AN INCENTIVE FOR STATES TO JOIN: IT'S PROMISING TO PAY THE FULL COST OF THE EXPANSION FOR THREE YEARS, AND AT LEAST 90 PERCENT OF THE COST AFTER THAT. BUT CORBETT ALSO SAYS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN'T ALWAYS BE TRUSTED TO DELIVER ON FUNDING PROMISES.　

  A PENNSYLVANIA JUDGE HAS NAMED A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR TO EXAMINE WHETHER SECRECY RULES WERE VIOLATED IN RELATION TO THE GRAND JURY THAT INVESTIGATED JERRY SANDUSKY AND THREE FORMER PENN STATE ADMINISTRATORS CURRENTLY FACING CRIMINAL CHARGES. JUDGE BARRY FEUDALE ORDERED THE APPOINTMENT OF ATTORNEY JAMES REEDER ON FEBRUARY 8. PENNSYLVANIA INVESTIGATIVE GRAND JURIES OFTEN WORK ON MORE THAN ONE MATTER, AND IT WASN'T CLEAR FROM THE DOCUMENT WHETHER THE POSSIBLE SECRECY VIOLATIONS WERE RELATED THE PENN STATE CASES OR OTHER CASES THE SAME JURY EXAMINED. FEUDALE HAS RECENTLY BEEN TRYING TO SORT OUT A LEGAL DISPUTE INVOLVING WHETHER FORMER PENN STATE LAWYER CYNTHIA BALDWIN SHOULD HAVE BEEN PRESENT AT A GRAND JURY PROCEEDING, AND THE ORDER REFERENCED A RULE THAT GOVERNS SUCH MATTERS.　

  EIGHT STUDENTS HAVE NOW WAIVED A PRELIMINARY HEARING ON CHARGES THEY SUPPLIED ALCOHOL AT A PARTY WHERE A PENN STATE CHEERLEADER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AFTER FALLING FROM A FIFTH-FLOOR WINDOW. SIX STUDENTS WAIVED WEDNESDAY'S HEARING, WHILE TWO OTHERS HAD PREVIOUSLY AGREED TO DO SO AND WILL NOW FACE POSSIBLE TRIAL ON THE MISDEMEANOR CHARGES. THE CHARGES WERE FILED IN JANUARY AFTER AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE OCTOBER FALL THAT INJURED 19-YEAR-OLD PAIGE RAQUE. SHE SUFFERED HEAD AND PELVIC INJURIES AFTER FALLING 39 FEET OUT A SCREENED WINDOW OF THE STATE COLLEGE APARTMENT. POLICE SAY THE FALL WAS ACCIDENTAL. RAQUE HAS RETURNED TO HER KENTUCKY HOME, BUT HER FAMILY SAYS SHE STILL SUFFERS PAIN.　

  THE ACLU SAYS A BERKS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT IS BLOCKING INTERNET CONTENT ABOUT GAYS. THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION SAYS GOVERNOR MIFFLIN SCHOOL DISTRICT'S INTERNET FILTERING SOFTWARE BLOCKED SITES THAT A STUDENT TRIED TO ACCESS FOR RESEARCH. THE GROUP SAYS THE DISTRICT'S "SEXUALITY" FILTER BLOCKS SITES EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE GAY-RIGHTS MOVEMENT, WHILE AN "INTOLERANCE" FILTER BLOCKS A RANGE OF POLITICAL ADVOCACY SITES, INCLUDING ONES THAT OPPOSE LEGAL PROTECTIONS FOR GAYS. THE ACLU SAYS THAT VIOLATES STUDENTS' FREE SPEECH RIGHTS. THE ACLU HAS SENT A LETTER TO GOVERNOR MIFFLIN ASKING THAT IT RECONFIGURE THE FILTERING SOFTWARE.