The Lehigh Valley's congressman will will hold a telephone town hall tonight. Ryan Mackenzie's event is being held at the same time Democrats plan a People’s Town Hall to call on Mackenzie to oppose President Donald Trump’s agenda. Mackenzie’s town hall begins at 6:05 p.m. and can be accessed by calling 877-228-2184 and entering the pin 123440.
Six people were injured in a rowhome fire in Allentown Wednesday morning, including four firefighters. Deputy Allentown Fire Chief Matt Eharth says it was all hands on deck when the call came in. "Everyone in the city was called to report. We also had mutual aid companies called to assist," Eharth says. One person inside had to be rescued when crews arrived at the three-story structure on North 13th Street. The fire department says two firefighters fell through a hole on the second floor and landed on two other firefighters below them. The injured firefighters were treated and released, while the rescued resident is still in the hospital.
An Allentown City Council candidate that was removed from the ballot yesterday will continue his campaign. Luis Acevedo says he will run as a write-in after a court ordered his name be taken off the ballot on Wednesday. A judge said Acevedo filed his statement of financial interest a day after the deadline on March 11th. Acevedo announced his candidacy in January for the May 20th Democratic primary.
Gas prices are down both across the commonwealth and here in the Lehigh Valley. According to AAA East Central, Pennsylvania's average price for a gallon of gas as of Tuesday was $3.21, down four cents from the previous week and 37 cents below the March 18, 2024 price. In the Lehigh Valley, the average price is $3.07, down three cents from the previous week and 41 cents less than one year ago.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board says revenue generated from all forms of gaming totaled more than $477.2 million in the month of February, down nearly four-and-a-half percent from last February. Wind Creek in Bethlehem says its profits dipped by 13 percent last month to $39.2 million, nearly a $6 million decline from February 2024.
The man who was last seen with missing Pitt student Sudiksha Konanki is back in the United States. NBC News reports 22-year-old Joshua Riibe flew out of the Dominican capital of Santo Domingo yesterday afternoon accompanied by his father and his attorneys. Riibe had been detained and questioned by police over Konanki's March sixth disappearance in Punta Cana but was granted the ability to travel freely by a judge this week. He reportedly told investigators that he was alone with Konanki in waist-deep water near a beach after the two had been drinking when they were hit by a large wave. He says he helped her back to the beach but he then began vomiting and fell asleep, finding out later that she was gone. Riibe has not been accused of any wrongdoing and is not considered a suspect in Konanki's disappearance. Authorities in the Dominican Republic and Konanki's parents have said they believe she drowned.
Rita's Italian Ice is celebrating the first day of spring with a free treat. Rita's will continue its tradition of offering customers a free 6-ounce Italian ice in the available flavor of their choice. Rita's has more than 500 locations and says it expects to give away about one million cups of Italian ice. Spring officially arrived at 5:01 this morning.
Pennsylvania-based Sheetz is looking to fill hundreds of positions at their locations across the Commonwealth. Folks are invited to apply at individual stores during a hiring event planned for March 26th. Sheetz.com has more details.
It turns out there 'will' be an Atlantic City Air Show this summer after all. After last year's show was cancelled and the announcement that this year's show was off too, Karina Anthony with Visit Atlantic City now says there will be an air show on July 15th and 16th. "We are incorporating our historic Atlantic City Boardwalk and we'll be able to sit on our beautiful beaches and watch the air show and incorporate all of the festival activities that we'll be having as well," Anthony says. Past air shows were mostly military-themed events, but Anthony says this summer's show will be a civilian event. Organizers say the air show could have a $23 million economic impact in Atlantic City.
Jury selection in the federal bribery trial of Nadine Menendez continues in Manhattan and is expected to last into next week. The wife of former New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez headed into court Wednesday morning wearing a pink mask and talking to reporters, for the first time, about her breast cancer battle. "I feel horrible. I just had surgery a week ago," Menendez told reporters. Nadine's husband has called prosecutors inhumane for scheduling the trial now. It was postponed last year because of her illness while Bob Menendez went to trial and was sentenced to 11 years in that gold bars case. Nadine's trial is expected to last nine weeks once the jury is seated.