Jefferson Health President Baligh Yehia will take over leadership of Lehigh Valley Health Network effective immediately. Dr. Brian Nester, who has led LVHN since being appointed president and CEO in 2014, has been given an expanded role as chief operating officer of Jefferson.
Pennsylvania State Police say a man and a woman are both dead after a Monday night incident inside a Monroe County home. Just before 10:30 Monday night police were called to a Hamilton Township home after a 911 call was made by a woman who was crying while a man was screaming in the background. During the call, gunshots were heard. When police arrived, 35-year-old Cheryl Okie and 36-year-old Robert Okie were both shot. Cheryl was pronounced dead at the scene. Robert was pronounced dead after being taken to the hospital. Autopsies are planned for Wednesday.
Two people were taken to the hospital after a fire this morning in Allentown. The fire began just after 7:30 at a home in the 100 block of North 13th Street. There is no word yet on the extent of their injuries or if anyone else is injured. There is no word yet on what caused the fire.
The Bethlehem Police Chief wants to add more cameras in the city. Chief Michelle Kott called for cameras at what she called "dangerous spots," including Broad Street at the intersections of Center and Linden and along Stefko Boulevard. "We are hoping that adding more cameras throughout the city will hopefully correct some bad driver behavior," Kott told council Tuesday night. Kott said more cameras could also help the department solve crimes. There are currently cameras at 28 intersections throughout Bethlehem. Funding for the camera project is through a federal grant. Before any new cameras are purchased, Bethlehem City Council must approve the use of that grant funding.
Bethlehem City Council has approved some pay raises while denying others. In a 4-3 vote, council voted against increasing the salary of the city controller from $49,000 to $56,000 and increasing the mayor's salary from $90,500 to $98,000. Both men currently holding those jobs are okay with the move. Mayor William Reynolds indicated he'd veto a pay increase for his position and controller George Yasso said he considered it his moral and ethical responsibility to oppose the measure. In another 4-3 vote, council voted in favor of increasing the pay of council members to $10,650 and council president to $11,400 beginning in 2026. The increases will take effect only for newly elected or reelected positions and may not directly benefit any current council members.
Authorities are investigating a string of small brush fires along a road in Lehigh County on Tuesday. Officials said several fires were reported along a half-mile of Route 309 at Blue Mountain in Lynn Township shortly after six p.m. Crews were able to get the fires under control before they could develop into a bigger blaze on Blue Mountain. Nobody was injured.
Eight people were taken to area hospitals after being injured yesterday in a seven-vehicle crash in Monroe County. The accident happened along Route 33 Northbound in Hamilton Township. There has been no word on the condition of the injured.
The interim Pennsylvania Consumer Advocate will stay in the role on a permanent basis. Darryl Lawrence has been officially nominated to be the new Consumer Advocate by Attorney General Dave Sunday. Lawrence has served as the interim Consumer Advocate since January, when his predecessor Patrick Cicero resigned after accusing Sunday of politicizing the office. The Office of Consumer Advocate is an agency that represents the interests of Pennsylvania utility consumers before the state Public Utility Commission.
A Dominican judge is ruling that the young man who last saw a missing Pitt student should be released from police surveillance. An attorney representing 22-year-old Joshua Riibe filed a legal request asking that he be granted freedom following his detention over the disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki. Authorities have argued that Riibe is not in custody and has not been accused of any wrongdoing but his lawyer claims he has had a police escort any time he has left his Punta Cana hotel since last Saturday. Officials confiscated Riibe's passport after finding video footage showing him walking onto a beach alone with Konanki before she went missing in the early morning hours of March sixth. Riibe has claimed he helped Konanki reach the shore after the two of them were hit by a large wave while swimming in the ocean. He says he had been drinking and he cannot remember whether Konanki made it out of the water completely, according to investigators.
Jury selection continues in the federal bribery trial of Nadine Menendez, wife of former New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez. The judge anticipates going through roughly 200 potential jurors over the next couple of days, expecting the trial to last at least nine weeks. Nadine Menendez is accused of helping her husband in a bribery scheme, with her trial postponed while she underwent breast cancer treatment. It comes months after Bob Menendez was sentenced to eleven years in prison. The former senator has called prosecutors inhumane and arrogant since his wife just underwent reconstructive surgery.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is urging high schoolers in Newark to register to vote under a new law allowing underage teens to vote in school board elections. Murphy was in Newark today to take part in a voter registration drive for 16 and 17-year-olds. Last year, Newark approved a change to lower the voting age to 16 for school board elections, becoming the first place in New Jersey to make such a move. The voter registration deadline is March 25th and school board elections take place April 15th.
An emotional Brandon Graham made it official Tuesday afternoon. He's retiring after 15 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. "I gave everything I had here and I don't have regrets," Graham said. Graham recalled what it was like being drafted by the Eagles back in 2010. "15 years ago, I walked in to this city with dreams, big dreams, a little bit of nervousness and a whole lot of fire in my heart. I had no idea back then what this journey would bring," Graham said. Graham's 15 seasons are the most in Eagles history as are his 206 games. His 76-and-a-half sacks are third most in franchise history and Graham is one of four Eagles to be on both Super Bowl winning teams.