IN A STATEMENT, ALLENTOWN DIOCESE BISHOP JOHN BARRES SAYS THE ELECTION OF JORGE MARIO BERGOGLIO AS THE NEW POPE WILL CARRY ON THE MISSION OF CHRIST'S CHURCH. THE BISHOP'S STATEMENT SAYS POPE FRANCIS' DIVERSIFIED PRIESTLY ASSIGNMENTS HAVE ENRICHED HIM WITH AN ACUTE UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF THE MORAL, ETHICAL, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PROBLEMS OF OUR WORLD. A MASS OF THANKSGIVING TO CELEBRATE THE ELECTION OF POPE FRANCIS IS BEING HELD TONIGHT AT 7 O'CLOCK AT THE CATHEDRAL OF SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA IN ALLENTOWN.
ATTORNEY GENERAL KATHLEEN KANE SAYS A "PAY TO PLAY" INVESTIGATION INVOLVING THE PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE COMMISSION LEADS TO CHARGES AGAINST EIGHT PEOPLE. "CRIMINAL CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED AGAINST ONE FORMER PENNSYLVANIA STATE SENATOR, FIVE FORMER PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE COMMISSION OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES AND TWO BUSINESSMEN WHO HAD MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACTS WITH THE TURNPIKE," KANE SAYS. THE DEFENDANTS INCLUDE FORMER STATE SENATE DEMOCRATIC LEADER BOB MELLOW, FORMER TURNPIKE CHAIRMAN MITCHELL RUBIN AND FORMER TURNPIKE CHIEF EXECUTIVE JOE BRIMMEIER. MELLOW IS ALREADY IN JAIL SERVING A CORRUPTION SENTENCE. THE ALLEGATIONS INCLUDE CONSPIRACY, COMMERCIAL BRIBERY, BID RIGGING, THEFT AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST. KANE ALLEGES COMPANIES WERE FORCED TO PROVIDE GIFTS OR CONTRIBUTIONS IN EXCHANGE FOR TURNPIKE CONTRACTS.
PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE COMMISSION C.E.O. MARK COMPTON SAYS IF CHARGES OF "PAY TO PLAY" AGAINST FORMER TOP TURNPIKE OFFICIALS ARE PROVEN TRUE THEY WILL NOT BE DEFENDED. HOWEVER, COMPTON SAYS THOSE CHARGES DON'T REFLECT ON CURRENT EMPLOYEES OR POLICIES. "WE'VE HIRED A CHIEF COMPLIANCE OFFICER TO ENSURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES AND BUSINESS PARTNERS OPERATE AND ACT ABOVE REPROACH. SECONDLY, WE'VE ALSO CHANGED OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS SO THAT IT'S A MUCH MORE OPEN PROCESS AND TO ENSURE THAT ONLY THE HIGHEST QUALITY FIRMS ARE BEING SELECTED," COMPTON SAYS. THE DEFENDANTS INCLUDE FORMER TURNPIKE CHAIRMAN MITCHELL RUBIN AND FORMER TURNPIKE CHIEF EXECUTIVE JOE BRIMMEIER. THE ALLEGATIONS INCLUDE CONSPIRACY, COMMERCIAL BRIBERY, BID RIGGING, THEFT AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
A NEW QUINNIPIAC POLL INDICATES GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT FACES A TOUGH ROAD TO RE-ELECTION. THE POLL SHOWS CORBETT TRAILING MOST POTENTIAL DEMOCRATIC OPPONENTS INCLUDING EX-CONGRESSMAN JOE SESTAK, CURRENT CONGRESSWOMAN ALLYSON SCHWARTZ AND ALLENTOWN MAYOR ED PAWLOWSKI. NEITHER SESTAK NOR PAWLOWSKI HAVE OFFICIALLY SAID THEY'RE RUNNING. PAWLOWSKI SAYS HE'S FLATTERED BY THE POLL RESULTS AND IS CONSIDERING RUNNING. ONE NUMBER THAT WOULD CONCERN PAWLOWSKI IS 87 PERCENT. THAT'S HOW MANY PEOPLE POLLED SAY THEY DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT HIM TO HAVE AN OPINION OF HIM.
EASTON CITY COUNCIL HAS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO MOVE CITY HALL FROM THE ALPHA BUILDING TO THE TOP TWO FLOORS OF THE PROPOSED INTERMODAL CENTER TO BE BUILT ON SOUTH THIRD STREET. IN THE PROCESS, COUNCIL OK'D SELLING THE ALPHA BUILDING AND A $26 MILLION PROJECT THAT WILL INCLUDE THE NEW CITY HALL, A LANTA BUS TERMINAL, A 370-SPACE PARKING DECK AND THE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME. MAYOR SAL PANTO SAYS AT LEAST THREE DEVELOPERS HAVE ALREADY EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THE ALPHA BUILDING, WHICH IS NEXT TO THE CRAYOLA EXPERIENCE ON CENTRE SQUARE.
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY JOHN MORGANELLI HAS RE-FILED A LAWSUIT ACCUSING COUNTY EXECUTIVE JOHN STOFFA OF IMPROPERLY PREVENTING HIM FROM PROMOTING HIS WORKERS. MORGANELLI SAYS THE COUNTY CHARTER GIVES HIM THE RIGHT HIRE, FIRE OR PROMOTE HIS EMPLOYEES AS HE SEES FIT. STOFFA SAYS MORGANELLI IS CREATING NON-EXISTING POSITIONS THAT NEED TO BE APPROVED BY COUNTY COUNCIL. THE D.A. ORIGINALLY FILED THE LAWSUIT A WEEK AGO, BUT WITHDREW IT BECAUSE IT INCORRECTLY NAMED THE COUNTY'S HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR INSTEAD OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR AND BECAUSE HE WANTED TO SETTLE THE ISSUE OUT OF COURT.
PENN STATE'S INTERNAL REPORT INTO HOW UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS HANDLED THE JERRY SANDUSKY CHILD MOLESTATION SCANDAL IS AMONG THE TOPICS EXPECTED WHEN THE TRUSTEES MEET OVER TWO DAYS. THE UNIVERSITY'S BOARD WILL CONVENE TODAY IN HERSHEY, AND IS EXPECTED ALSO TO CONSIDER CHANGES TO ITS OWN MAKE-UP. THE TRUSTEES' GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE HAS BEEN CRITICIZED FOR HAVING THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT SERVE AS A VOTING MEMBER, AS WELL AS THE PARTICIPATION OF THE GOVERNOR. PENN STATE COMMISSIONED AN EXAMINATION OF THE SCANDAL BY A GROUP LED BY FORMER FBI DIRECTOR LOUIS FREEH. IT'S BEEN A TARGET FOR CRITICS SINCE ITS RELEASE LAST SUMMER, AND THE FAMILY OF FORMER COACH JOE PATERNO RECENTLY ISSUED ITS OWN RESPONSE. SANDUSKY, A FORMER ASSISTANT UNDER PATERNO, IS SERVING PRISON TIME AFTER BEING CONVICTED OF CHILD MOLESTATION CHARGES.
PENN STATE HAS SUSPENDED ITS LICENSING CONTRACT WITH ADIDAS, SAYING THE APPAREL COMPANY OWES 2,600 WORKERS SEVERANCE PAY AFTER THEY LOST THEIR JOBS WHEN AN INDONESIAN FACTORY CLOSED. THE UNIVERSITY SAYS THE SUSPENSION WILL LAST 60 DAYS. THE UNIVERSITY SAYS IT WILL TERMINATE THE CONTRACT IF THE COMPANY DOESN'T PAY THE SEVERANCE DURING THAT TIME. A PENN STATE STUDENT GROUP HAD SAID THEY WOULD PROTEST IF THE UNIVERSITY DIDN'T TAKE ACTION ON THE MATTER BY WEDNESDAY. PENN STATE PRESIDENT RODNEY ERICKSON INFORMED ADIDAS OF THE SUSPENSION IN A LETTER WEDNESDAY TO BOB LEUENBERGER, OF ADIDAS TEAM SPORT, IN IOWA. ERICKSON SAYS "ADIDAS' ACTIONS FALL SHORT OF OUR EXPECTATION FOR FAIR, JUST AND HUMANE BEHAVIOR."
STATE LAWMAKERS LIKE CARBON COUNTY REPUBLICAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE DOYLE HEFFLEY HAVE UNVEILED THE LATEST VERSION OF THE PROPERTY TAX INDEPENDENCE ACT. "ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HEAR LOUD AND CLEAR IN MY DISTRICT IS THAT WE NEED PROPERTY TAX ELIMINATION OR PROPERTY TAX REFORM. THIS IS JUST ANOTHER STEP IN THAT DIRECTION," HEFFLEY SAYS. THE PLAN WOULD CLOSE SALES TAX LOOPHOLES AND BUMP THE PERSONAL INCOME TAX RATE FROM 3.07 PERCENT TO 4.34 PERCENT AND THE STATE SALES TAX FROM 6 PERCENT UP TO 7 PERCENT.
GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT'S BUDGET CHIEF SAYS ANY MEANINGFUL CHANGES TO PENNSYLVANIA'S PUBLIC PENSION PLANS MUST INCLUDE AT LEAST SOME REDUCTIONS IN FUTURE BENEFITS FOR CURRENT WORKERS. BUDGET SECRETARY CHARLES ZOGBY MADE THE COMMENT DURING A BRIEFING ON CORBETT'S WIDE-RANGING PENSION REFORM PLAN. IT WOULD CUT FUTURE BENEFITS FOR CURRENT STATE AND SCHOOL EMPLOYEES, DIVERT NEW HIRES INTO A 401(K)-STYLE PLAN AND SLOW THE INCREASE IN TAXPAYERS' CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STATE'S TWO MAJOR PUBLIC RETIREMENT FUNDS. ZOGBY SAYS SAVINGS FROM FUTURE BENEFITS ARE CRUCIAL TO THE LONG-RANGE SUCCESS OF THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS TO REIN IN AN UNFUNDED LIABILITY THAT NOW STANDS AT $41 BILLION. CRITICS SAY THOSE PROPOSALS ARE ON SHAKY LEGAL GROUND AND UNLIKELY TO WITHSTAND A COURT CHALLENGE.
SUSPENDED STATE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE JOAN ORIE MELVIN STANDS TO LOSE A SIZEABLE STATE PENSION ONCE SHE'S SENTENCED ON CORRUPTION CHARGES IN MAY. MELVIN QUALIFIES FOR A MAXIMUM ANNUAL PENSION OF AS MUCH AS $140,322. THE REQUEST ALSO COVERED MELVIN'S SISTER, FORMER STATE SENATOR JANE ORIE, WHO IS SERVING A PRISON SENTENCE IN A RELATED CORRUPTION CASE. BASED ON THAT INFORMATION, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CALCULATED ORIE'S MAXIMUM ANNUAL PENSION AT $37,700. THE STATE PENSION LAW REQUIRES PENSION FORFEITURES BY OFFICIALS WHO COMMIT CERTAIN CRIMES.
MOTORISTS TICKETED BY NEW JERSEY'S RED-LIGHT CAMERAS LAST YEAR ARE CLOSER TO GETTING SOME OF THEIR MONEY BACK. A PRELIMINARY SETTLEMENT WAS FILED WEDNESDAY IN A LAWSUIT THAT CLAIMS THE LIGHTS DIDN'T GIVE DRIVERS AMPLE TIME TO HIT THE BRAKES. UNDER TERMS OF THE SETTLEMENT, ARIZONA-BASED AMERICAN TRAFFIC SOLUTIONS WOULD SET UP A $4.2 MILLION FUND TO PAY PLAINTIFFS. THE COMPANY ISN'T ADMITTING ANY WRONGDOING OR LIABILITY. ANYONE WHO WAS TICKETED BEFORE AUGUST 2012 IN ANY OF 18 TOWNS AND PAID THE $85 FINE WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE MONEY BACK. A JUDGE MUST APPROVE THE AGREEMENT.
