ACCU-WEATHER'S DEAN DEVORE SAYS A LATE WINTER SNOWSTORM IS PAYING THE LEHIGH VALLEY A VISIT TODAY. "THE BULK OF THE ACCUMULATION WILL COME LATER TODAY INTO THIS EVENING BEFORE IT TAPERS OFF," DEVORE SAYS. BY THE TIME IT TAPERS OFF DEVORE FIGURES WE'LL SEE ONE TO THREE INCHES OF SNOW.
"THEY'RE OUR JUNKIE VERSION OF BONNIE AND CLYDE," SAYS CAMDEN POLICE CHIEF SCOTT THOMSON. HE IS TALKING ABOUT AN ENGAGED MACUNGIE COUPLE CHARGED WITH STEALING A CAMDEN POLICE CRUISER, LEADING POLICE ON A HIGH-SPEED CHASE INTO PHILADELPHIA AND THEN STEALING A POLICE CRUISER THERE BEFORE BOTH WERE ARRESTED. THOMSON SAYS STEALING THE POLICE CRUISERS WASN'T THE ONLY CRIME COMMITTED BY BLAKE BILLS AND SHAYNA SYKES ON TUESDAY. "WE SUSPECT THEM AS TRYING TO DO A CARJACK 20 MINUTES PRIOR ABOUT THREE BLOCKS OVER," THOMSON SAYS. HE BELIEVES THE COUPLE MAY HAVE BEEN IN CAMDEN TO BUY DRUGS. WHEN STEALING THE FIRST POLICE CAR, THEY STRUCK A CAMDEN POLICE OFFICER. HE IS EXPECTED TO BE OK.
A FREEMANSBURG MAN IS CHARGED WITH OPERATING A METH LAB INSIDE HIS HOME. 32-YEAR-OLD MARK SANTOS WAS ARRESTED TUESDAY BY POLICE WHO WENT TO HIS HOUSE TO HELP CONSTABLES SERVE AN UNRELATED ARREST WARRANT. WHEN POLICE WENT TO THE LOCKHOUSE ROAD HOME, THEY FOUND THE METH LAB IN SANTOS' BASEMENT. A STOLEN GUN WAS ALSO FOUND IN THE HOME.
A WHITEHALL TOWNSHIP WOMAN WON'T BE GOING TO JAIL AFTER PASSING A STOPPED SCHOOL BUS AND STRIKING A STUDENT WHO WAS CROSSING THE STREET TO GET ON THE BUS. 62-YEAR-OLD BEVERLY BELL, WHO HAS A MENTAL DISORDER AND WAS MEDICATED WHEN THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED SEPTEMBER 12, HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS OF PROBATION. THE FIVE-YEAR-OLD BOY IS A STUDENT IN THE WHITEHALL-COPLAY SCHOOL DISTRICT. HE SUFFERED A SKULL FRACTURE IN THE ACCIDENT, WHICH HAPPENED ON FAIRMONT AVENUE.
A LONGSTANDING BUSINESS DEAL BETWEEN NORTHAMPTON COUNTY AND EASTON TAXI IS OVER. D.A. JOHN MORGANELLI SAYS THE COUNTY PAID THE COMPANY MORE THAN $15,000 OVER A NEARLY THREE YEAR PERIOD TO TRANSPORT EASTON DUI SUSPECTS BACK HOME, BUT THAT AGREEMENT IS NOW HISTORY. "RECENTLY I LEARNED THAT THAT CAB COMPANY IS OWNED BY THE COURT ADMINISTRATOR AND AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS A FELONY CONVICTION FOR BANK FRAUD AND TAX EVASION. I FELT THE RELATIONSHIP WAS IMPROPER AND THAT THE COUNTY SHOULD NOT BE DOING BUSINESS IN THIS KIND OF SITUATION, SO I ENDED IT," MORGANELLI SAYS. ON TOP OF THAT, MORGANELLI SAYS THERE'S A SEPARATE ONGOING INVESTIGATION INTO EASTON TAXI. HE DECLINED TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THAT INVESTIGATION. COURT ADMINISTRATOR JAMES ONEMBO BOUGHT INTO THE COMPANY MORE THAN THREE YEARS AGO. JOSEPH MOUSSA, WHO ADMITTED TO TAX EVASION AND BANK FRAUD 21 YEARS AGO, IS THE CO-OWNER.
A MONROE COUNTY MILITARY BASE SAYS IT'S MOVING FORWARD WITH A PLAN TO FURLOUGH MORE THAN 5,000 CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES IN THE FACE OF AUTOMATIC FEDERAL SPENDING CUTS. TOBYHANNA ARMY DEPOT SAYS IT FACES A $309 MILLION BUDGET SHORTFALL AS A RESULT OF THE SEQUESTER. THE MILITARY INSTALLATION SAYS THAT WITHOUT A BUDGET DEAL, IT WILL FURLOUGH ALL 5,136 OF ITS CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES FOR 22 NON-CONSECUTIVE DAYS BETWEEN LATE APRIL AND SEPTEMBER 30TH. THE DEPOT'S COMMANDER, COL. GERHARD SCHROTER, SAID IN A MESSAGE TO WORKERS THAT EVEN THOUGH THE SEQUESTER HAS BEEN WEIGHING ON THEM, THEY SHOULD REMAIN FOCUSED ON THEIR MISSION. TOBYHANNA IS THE MILITARY'S LARGEST ELECTRONICS MAINTENANCE FACILITY.
LAWYERS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WON A COURT RULING ABOUT THE USE OF PENNSYLVANIA'S TOBACCO SETTLEMENT MONEY SAY THE STATE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOW RESTART ADULTBASIC, ITS SHUTTERED HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM FOR ADULTS. THE LAWYERS FOR DOZENS OF FORMER ADULTBASIC ENROLLEES SAID THE DECISION TUESDAY BY A COMMONWEALTH COURT JUDGE IS A WIN FOR LOW-INCOME PENNSYLVANIANS. THE JUDGE SAID STATE LAW REQUIRES A PORTION OF THE TOBACCO SETTLEMENT PROCEEDS TO GO TO BOTH MEDICAID FOR DISABLED WORKERS AND TO ADULTBASIC OR A SIMILAR PLAN. REPUBLICAN GOV. TOM CORBETT SHUT DOWN ADULTBASIC SHORTLY AFTER TAKING OFFICE IN 2011, SAYING IT WASN'T AFFORDABLE. CORBETT HASN'T COMMENTED ON THE NEW RULING, WHICH INVALIDATED LAWS PASSED IN 2010 AND 2011 THAT DIVERTED THE MONEY TO OTHER USES.
SIX JURORS HAVE BEEN SELECTED THIS WEEK FOR THE CAPITAL MURDER TRIAL OF A PHILADELPHIA ABORTION PROVIDER. POTENTIAL JURORS ARE BEING ASKED THEIR VIEWS ON ABORTION AND THE DEATH PENALTY, AND WHETHER THEY CAN ENDURE GRAPHIC TESTIMONY ABOUT PREGNANCY TERMINATION. DR. KERMIT GOSNELL IS CHARGED WITH KILLING A WOMAN DURING A BOTCHED ABORTION AND SEVEN BABIES ALLEGEDLY BORN ALIVE. THE 72-YEAR-OLD GOSNELL HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY AND SAYS HE CARED FOR POOR, VULNERABLE WOMEN AT HIS CORNER CLINIC IN WEST PHILADELPHIA. MANY OF THE POTENTIAL JURORS ARE QUICKLY BEING DISMISSED BECAUSE OF RELIGIOUS OR MORAL CONFLICTS. THE JURY INCLUDES FOUR WOMEN AND TWO MEN. MOST DESCRIBE THEMSELVES AS SUPPORTERS OF ABORTION RIGHTS. JURY SELECTION RESUMES TODAY AND IS EXPECTED TO TAKE ALL WEEK.
