Three people are charged in a massive identity theft scheme, including the son of an Allentown city official. Francisco Rodriguez-Ayala, Melissa Ramos, and Giovanni Guridy were arrested in Bethlehem for allegedly creating fraudulent accounts using stolen financial information to make purchases. Police said the suspects also used the stolen identities to cash counterfeit checks, causing some of the victims to be charged with crimes. Guridy is the son of Julio Guridy, a former Allentown City Councilman who now serves as the Executive Director of the Allentown Housing Authority. All three suspects face hundreds of charges.
30 people are out of their home after a Tuesday morning fire in Allentown. It happened shortly after midnight on North 3rd Street. Allentown Fire Marshal Jon Steed says propane tanks in an alley may have made the situation more dangerous. "We received reports of multiple explosions in that area. At this point, it's possible that the propane tanks were the cause of those," Steed says. Three Allentown firefighters suffered minor injuries. The cause of the fire is undetermined at this point.
A local manufacturer has settled lawsuits against it. Medical equipment maker B Braun says it has settled most of the lawsuits filed by nearby residents of the company's facility in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. The lawsuits claim cancer-causing emissions were released from the plant. A statement from B. Braun says the settlement is not the admission of any wrongdoing and that the company has continuously complied with all environmental safety regulations. Details of the settlement are confidential.
There's essentially no movement in Pennsylvania gas prices over the past seven days. According to AAA East Central, the average price for a gallon of gas sat at $3.36 as of Tuesday, up a fraction of a penny from the previous Tuesday. That price is 19 cents below last February 18th's price. In the Lehigh Valley, gas prices ticked up by two cents to $3.25 a gallon, which is 21 cents below last year's price.
College enrollment at colleges within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education continues to dwindle. Interim chancellor of the system Chris Fiorentino says there's at least one big reason why. "I took a look at the community college enrollment numbers and they have been dropping dramatically and that has significantly impacted the pipeline of students," Fiorentino says. Educators say the least expensive path to a 4-year degree remains two years at a community college, and two years at a state system school. State system schools have lost one-third of enrollments over the past decade plus, and expect another 20% decline over the next 15 years.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is announcing his nominations for two open positions in his cabinet. Shapiro says Dr. Carrie Rowe is his nominee to serve as Education Secretary, and Jessica Shirley is his pick for Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection. Shirley has served in the role on an acting basis since 2023, while Rowe currently serves as Deputy Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education. The governor said both Shirley and Rowe are "experienced, dedicated public servants."
In announcing his run for a third term as Philadelphia's district attorney, Larry Krasner said one of his objectives in another term would be to keep President Trump in check. "We are going to make sure than even a lawless president, which is what he is, even a president who thinks he can scribble words on a piece of paper and rewrite the Constitution, which is what he is, we are going to make sure that his little plan to take over America fails," Krasner says. Krasner is being challenged in the Democrat primary by retired Common Pleas Judge Patrick Dugan, who criticizes Krasner's policy of not prosecuting retail theft under $500.
A coalition of progressive groups has scheduled a protest tomorrow in Trenton against what they warn are huge cuts to the state budget. The protest is scheduled tomorrow morning on the Statehouse annex steps. The demonstrators say they're protesting Governor Phil Murphy's planned budget cuts to vital services that would address the state's $3 billion. The protesters will call for a responsible budget that prioritizes raising new revenues instead of slashing essential services.
An air show will officially take to the skies over Wildwood later this year. The "Wildwoods Thunder Over the Ocean Airshow" was given the go-ahead late last week by the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Authority. Practice flights will take place September 5th, with the actual event set for September 6th. Officials say it's not a replacement for the Atlantic City Airshow, which won't return until at least 2026. The Atlantic City show, which had been facing financial challenges, was canceled in 2024 and this year.