There's finally a budget in place in Allentown. Three months after it was introduced and after City Council voted against it, Matt Tuerk's original $245 million budget has now been approved in a 4-3 vote. Council President Santo Napoli says the mayor and council both must do better next time around. "We are going to work on that process to prevent that from happening again. I do not want to be in this situation in January 2027," Napoli says. The budget will raise taxes by nearly four percent and tack another $140 onto the city's trash fee. Napoli, Candida Affa, Jeremy Binder and Cristian Pungo voted for the budget. Ce-Ce Gerlach, Natalie Santos and Cynthia Mota voted against the spending plan.
The Lehigh County DA says charges could be filed after an early Tuesday morning incident in Catasauqua. "It appears two gentlemen were attempting to either break into a car or steal a car when a homeowner saw that happening and fired a gun at one or each of those people. One of the people was struck," says Gavin Holihan. He says the two suspected car thieves will likely be charged and the person who shot them might also face charges. The DA says the use of deadly force for stealing a car is not justified under law and he is considering charges against the shooter. The alleged thief is expected to survive.
Mack Trucks' redesigned Anthem truck has begun rolling off the company's Lower Macungie Township assembly line. The Anthem was first introduced nine years ago, but Mack says the redesigned truck is "the new standard in regional haul." Mack says the new Anthem improves upon fuel efficiency, maneuverability, driver comfort, safety, connectivity and uptime.
First responders were called to put out a brush fire in Lower Saucon Township on Tuesday. Officials said a homeowner was burning debris on the 2300 block of Wassergass Road when high winds caused the flames to spread out of control. The fire burned about three acres before it was extinguished, and no injuries were reported. Authorities say residents should contact their local fire department before starting a fire in the dry conditions.
While there likely won't be accumulating snow, Accu-Weather's Joe Lundberg says there's still a chance of some slippery weather late tonight into Thursday morning. "There may not very much snow at all to be honest with you. It just looks like it'll be mostly very light rain tonight and it'll try to mix with some snow at the very end and then it just ends by daybreak tomorrow," Lundberg says. He says that still might be just enough to cause slick spots in some areas overnight tonight.
Pennsylvania Senator Dave McCormick believes a woman who was shot and killed by an ICE officer "acted inappropriately." The Republican said the deadly shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis last week was a tragedy, but the mother of three made the officer feel his life was at risk. The shooting sparked anti-ICE protests across the country, including in the Lehigh Valley. McCormick said ICE officers in the communities are "enforcing a law" and should be supported.
Officials in Pennsylvania's logging industry say they would like a federal bailout to ease the impact of import taxes and tariffs. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports dozens of PA mills, lumber companies, and industry groups have asked President Trump for relief payments to ease the impact of his tariffs, which they say have slowed export demand for their products. They say the tariffs have also boosted the cost of buying and operating their machinery.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is encouraging citizens to have their homes tested for radon. The message is part of the National Radon Action Month initiative, aimed at highlighting serious health risks high levels of the colorless, odorless gas can pose. Officials say radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, and roughly 40 percent of homes in Pennsylvania have levels that exceed U.S. EPA recommendations. DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley says radon test kits can be purchased from many home improvement stores for about 20 to 30 dollars.
There were 16-percent fewer fatal crashes last year, compared with the year before in New Jersey. Stats from State Attorney General Matthew Platkin and Highway Traffic Safety show there were 547 fatal crashes last year, while there were 647 traffic-related deaths in 2024. The number of people who died in those crashes also dropped by 15-percent, from 684 in 2024 to 582 drivers, passengers, cyclists and pedestrians last year. Pedestrian deaths alone fell by about 24-percent, while motorcycle fatalities dropped by about 40-percent, from a historic high of 120 in 2024 to 72 last year.
Phil Murphy has delivered his final State of the State Address. Looking back on his two terms as New Jersey's 56th Governor he said he leaves the state fairer and stronger. "Today, we are a state brimming with opportunities for all," Murphy said. Murphy did admit that affordability remains a major issue for lots of people in New Jersey. But he also took credit for "fiscal responsibility" returning, citing nine consecutive credit rating upgrades and five full pension payments in a row.
The Eagles are making a change at offensive coordinator. Head coach Nick Sirianni says Kevin Patullo has been removed from the role following the Wild Card loss to San Francisco last weekend. ESPN reports the team is still open to keeping the 44-year-old on the coaching staff. Patullo led the Eagles offense to just over 22 points per game during the regular season, which ranked 19th in the league.
Mike Tomlin has stepped down as the coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Owner Art Rooney the second said Tomlin informed him of his decision in a meeting on Tuesday. He coached the Steelers for 19 seasons. This comes after the team was blown out in the AFC Wild-Card round against the Houston Texans. Tomlin won Super Bowl 48 in his second season, becoming just the second African-American head coach to win a Super Bowl. He ends his tenure with a 201-126-and-2 career record.