Northampton and Warren county authorities say they are looking for two suspects.
Northampton County authorities seek Esmeralda Walker - fugitive of the week
Warren County authorities seek Michael Barron - fugitive of the week
Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Some areas topped two inches of rain.
Friday's rainfall rose to a record-breaking level, at least for the date.
The Lehigh Valley International Airport -- the official measuring station for the National Weather Service -- recorded 1.43 inches of rain in the 24-hour period that started at midnight Thursday.
That tops previous March 31 record of 1.22 inches set in 1980, said weather service meteorologist Valerie Meola.
Over the entirety of the rain, the airport logged 1.73 inches. Weather service spotter reports from elsewhere in the region had topped 2 inches, according to data released late Friday:
LEHIGH COUNTY
Allentown: 2.29 inches as of 9 p.m.
Heidelberg Twp.: 1.30 inches as of 4:30 p.m.
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY
Walnutport: 1.9 inches as of 9:35 p.m.
WARREN COUNTY
Riegelsville: 1.69 inches as of 5:30 p.m.
HUNTERDON COUNTY
Readington Twp.: 1.77 inches as of 8 p.m.
Clinton: 1.66 inches as of 9:35 p.m.
The heaviest rain was to the east where parts of Monmouth and Ocean counties in New Jersey saw more than 3 inches of rain, Meola said.
Rivers in the Lehigh Valley were up Saturday morning but looked as if they had crested and would stay safely below flood levels. The rain and snow melt did add a couple of feet to the major waterways, though: More than 2.5 feet to both the Delaware at Easton and the Lehigh at Bethlehem.
Any remaining rain will taper off by the afternoon, though clouds will remain with highs around 50, according to the weather service forecast.
Sunday, with sun and highs in the upper 50s, "might be one of the best days of the week," Meola said.
April showers are expected to return Monday and possibly again Thursday or Friday.
Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The patient was injured in the attacks, police said.
A 39-year-old Quakertown man is facing assault charges after repeatedly beating a patient he was responsible for caring for, Pennsylvania State Police said.
State police at the Dublin barracks said the attacks spanned September 2016 to April 1 at a home in the 600 block of Apple Road in Haycock Township. The victim is a 39-year-old Quakertown male whom police said is mentally challenged.
Cops: Caregiver caught on camera stealing from disabled patient
The accused was hired as the victim's caregiver, police said. Police did not identify the suspect or state which company he worked for in a news release.
The victim was taken to an area hospital for undisclosed injuries.
Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The woman was pronounced dead shortly after the 6:30 p.m. incident at West Berwick and Valley streets.
A 46-year-old who died Saturday evening after she was run over by her own car outside an Easton laundromat has been identified as a city woman.
Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek identified the deceased as Tanya Heath 46, of the 200 block of West Berwick Street. Lysek said Heath's cause of death was crushing injuries and manner was ruled accidental.
The incident occurred just before 6:30 p.m. outside the Coin Laundry at West Berwick and Valley streets. Heath resided not far from the laundromat.
She was involved in a minor crash among three vehicles in the parking lot of the laundromat, city police said. She was backing out of a parking spot and grazed or lightly bumped another vehicle, Lysek said.
Woman dies in freak crash on South Side Easton
"She then went forward and opened her door but the car was still in drive. She was leaning out or fell out and the car ran her over," Lysek said.
Heath was taken by ambulance to Easton Hospital. She was pronounced dead shortly after arrival at the hospital, Lysek said.
Heath had a young girl as a passenger who was not injured, police said.
Police Saturday had cordoned off the lot outside the corner laundry and draped a tarp over the back of a vehicle.
Barricades remained around the lot Sunday, but the laundromat was open for business. A man who lives next to the laundromat said Heath and her sister frequented the area.
He saw the young girl who was with Heath on Saturday evening walking near the parking lot seeking help for Heath, he said.
Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Easton Hospital is helping to plant the seeds to a second teaching garden in the Lehigh Valley.
A teaching garden supported by the American Heart Association will be planted at Wind Gap Middle School, which is part of the Pen Argyl Area School District.
A groundbreaking is set for 2 p.m. Friday, April 7.
The garden is supported by Easton Hospital as part of the hospital's commitment to the American Heart Association and the annual Lehigh Valley Heart Walk. The hospital also supported the planting of the Lehigh Valley's first teaching garden at Wilson Intermediate School in Wilson Borough in 2015.
On April 28, Wind Gap students will be able to plant a crop of vegetables and herbs for fall harvesting at the school off Teels Road in Plainfield Township.
"Following a successful growing season at Wilson Intermediate School, Easton Hospital is proud to be at it again in Wind Gap Middle School," Stephen Wilson, vice president of marketing for Easton Hospital, said in a news release.
"The American Heart Association teaching gardens are great examples of what teachers, administrators, students, medical professionals and community advocates can do to foster health and wellness in our districts," he said.
"The teaching garden is a wonderful addition to our Structures of Life unit in our science curriculum," said Scott Kupec, a fourth-grade teacher at Wind Gap and teaching garden champion.
The American Heart Association's teaching gardens program provides hands-on experiences and an interactive curriculum aimed at first- through fifth-graders that includes nutrition and physical activity.
With the gardens, students learn how to plant seeds, nurture plants, harvest food and ultimately understand the value of good eating habits and the importance of physical activity.
Organizers say the idea is to give young people the knowledge and tools to build a foundation for healthy habits and empower their families to do the same.
With one-third of American children overweight or obese, health officials say fewer than one in 10 high school students receive the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables daily.
Studies have shown that health interventions at school positively influence healthy behavior in children, officials say.
Do you have community or education news to share? To see it posted here and possibly in The Express-Times, send me an email.
An estimated 50 DeSales University nursing students and nine medics participated Saturday morning.
An estimated 50 DeSales University nursing students and medics from nine various agencies Sunday morning ensured preparedness in the event of a mass casualty incident.
The exercise, held at the Isenring Center at DeSales University's Upper Saucon Township campus, began at 9 a.m. with a fictitious "sudden and severe" thunderstorm wreaking havoc during an NCAA Mid-East Regional Cross Country meet.
Participants learned the meet was being held behind the center. They were told during the mock drill lightning and high winds uprooted nearby trees, injuring bystanders and participants.
Organizers said the scenario was based on how likely it were to occur at DeSales.
In an additional twist this year to the program, organizers pit two teams -- made up of a mix of students and professional medics -- against each other. The nursing department then graded the teams on how well they could triage injured patients based on the START triage system.
Winners were awarded gift cards and other prizes.
Dennis Rasley, director of emergency services, said he thought the competition aspect of the drill would increase learning.
"It will be beneficial for both nursing and the regional providers," he said prior to the drill. "It also gives students a chance to job shadow what an EMT and paramedic would experience out in the field."
Some students also participated by playing the role of victims and dressed the parts in full makeup.
Besides the DeSales University EMS team, participating were Muhlenberg College EMS, Upper Saucon EMS, Allentown EMS, St. Luke's EMS, Lehigh Valley Health Network-Medivac Ground EMS, Emmaus EMS, Dewey EMS, Cetronia EMS and Macungie EMS.
Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The Liberty High School student allegedly showed his genitals to another student on the way to school.
A Bethlehem high school student is accused of lewd behavior toward two other students outside of school.
Armani Blount, of the 300 block of East Laurel Street in Bethlehem, is charged with indecent exposure, open lewdness and harassment.
The 20-year-old Blount was arraigned Thursday in his case, and is free on $10,000 unsecured bail.
An attorney has not yet entered an appearance for Blount, and a phone number for him or his address could not be located.
Superintendent Joseph Roy said he was aware of the allegations, and that Blount was not currently a student at Liberty High School.
Although the reported events occurred before school and off school property, Roy noted in some cases school districts can still legally commence disciplinary proceedings against students involved.
Police said Blount was speaking to a fellow student walking to school the morning of March 20, when Blount asked her if she had a boyfriend and then said he wanted a sex act. The girl walked away after the comments, police said.
The following morning, a different girl reported she was walking to school when she saw Blount walking in the opposite direction. Police said Blount asked the girl why she was so quiet in school, and she saw he was holding his genitals.
When Blount allegedly told the girl to touch him, she walked away and went to school, police said.
Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Rain, maybe with thunderstorms, is forecast Monday night through Tuesday evening, the National Weather Service says.
Northampton County and northwestern New Jersey are under a flood watch beginning at midnight Monday and continuing through Tuesday evening, according to the National Weather Service.
On the heels of Friday's record rainfall, another 3/4 of an inch to 1 1/4 inches of rain are forecast Monday night through Tuesday at Lehigh Valley International Airport. Some locally higher amounts of 2 inches are possible, and there is a chance of thunderstorms after 2 a.m. Tuesday.
Friday's rainfall set Lehigh Valley record
The flood watch applies to an area encompassing Northampton, Warren and Hunterdon counties. The weather service on Monday afternoon expanded the watch from northwestern New Jersey into the eastern Lehigh Valley. A flood watch means that there is the potential for flooding based on the current forecast.
The Flood Watch for tonight and Tuesday has been expanded into northeastern Pennsylvania. #pawx #njwx pic.twitter.com/fK9f219bBh
-- NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) April 3, 2017
"Rain is forecast to overspread eastern Pennsylvania this evening," the expanded watch reads. "The rain is expected to become moderate to heavy overnight into early Tuesday morning. Rainfall rates should diminish during the mid to late morning hours on Tuesday. However, there is a chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms on Tuesday afternoon that could bring additional locally heavy rain. All precipitation should end by Tuesday evening."
The moderate-to-heavy rainfall comes as the ground remains wet and rivers and streams continue to run high, according to the weather service.
April showers aren't done.
"Another heavy rain event is anticipated from late Wednesday night into Thursday," the watch states. "Widespread rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are expected with locally higher amounts. It should not take much rainfall to result in new flooding at that time in light of the wet conditions leading up to the event."
It is impossible to know how deep the water is just by looking at it. https://t.co/NifPjd3ZYq #FloodSafety pic.twitter.com/ZuwWIjTcpQ
-- NWS (@NWS) April 3, 2017
Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
A federal health inspection from September 2016 details the incident at the Gracedale nursing home.
Staff at Northampton County's nursing facility failed to prevent a resident from gashing her arm with a piece of glass despite numerous warnings she would try to kill herself.
The failure to prevent the suicide attempt at Gracedale in Upper Nazareth Township was part of a scathing federal health inspection report complied Sept. 21, 2016, and posted on the website medicare.gov.
Dates are redacted in the report, which says the resident cut a three-inch gash between her wrist and elbow using a piece of broken magnifying glass.
In the days leading up to the suicide attempt she threatened to break a television so she could hurt herself, she said she wanted to shoot herself and said she was tormented by Satan and by the memory of her deceased children.
"I will kill myself tonight and no one knows how I will do it except me or else I will have the cops shoot me on live TV," she said about 35 minutes before a staffer found her with the cut arm near a stream of blood on the floor.
The report says Gracedale failed to provide adequate safety and supervision to prevent the resident from harming herself. Gracedale also failed to investigate how the resident accessed the magnifying glass.
A nurse reported the glass "may have been brought into the facility by family" but no one talked to the family or bothered to investigate further, the report says.
Northampton County Executive John Brown said the county takes the report seriously.
"It's an unfortunate incident," he said. "We have put corrections in place to mitigate the possibility of that in the future."
The 688-bed nursing home received two out of five stars on its medicare.gov profile, a "below average" rating. Its quality measures received a one-star "much below average" rating. Its health inspections and staffing were rated at three stars, or "average."
Brown said the county's rating has fluctuated based on what inspectors have found over the years. Gracedale at one point had a four-star rating, he said.
"We have lost ground with the latest inspection report," he said. "We take that very seriously. We will sit down with the staff to go over the deficiencies."
Nurses failed to fill out forms explaining why the suicidal resident needed increased observation, and no one documented her whereabouts and safety on each shift.
The resident was admitted to Gracedale after an attempted overdose of medication, the report says.
After expressing suicidal thoughts on two separate days she was placed under 24-hour observation, but none of the nurses documented that anyone followed through and checked up on her during that period.
After a three-day in-patient hospitalization, she threatened to break a television to hurt herself, said Satan was coming to harm her on another date and hit another resident on a third date.
Who owes the most back taxes in the Nazareth area?
According to the report, nurses documented medication changes and the woman's various delusions but failed to note how and when they supervised her.
Inspectors found 14 deficiencies during the annual inspection report on Jan. 13, 2017, nearly double the state average of 8.5.
The report says one resident fell out of her chair because she wasn't strapped in. One employee left a computer unattended in a hallway, leaving residents' personal information accessible to visitors.
One resident who needed help feeding herself was seen attempting to eat poached eggs with her fingers and spilling pureed food onto her tray. An employee left some medication on a cart in the hallway, neglecting to lock it up. Another failed to wash her hands after administering medication to multiple residents, according to the report.
Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.
Authorities are looking for the next of kin for the man who died at Manor Care in Bethlehem.
The Lehigh County Coroner's Office is seeking family of a 72-year-old Bethlehem man who died Friday.
James A. Mease, of the first block of East Fourth Street, was pronounced dead of natural causes at Manor Care on Westgate Drive in Bethlehem.
Authorities are hoping to locate next of kin.
Anyone with information is asked to call the county coroner's office at 610-782-3426.
Jim Deegan may be reached at jdeegan@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @jim_deegan. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook.
See the 1st, 2nd and 3rd teams.
The female victim jumped out of a moving car to escape from the accused, police said.
A Northampton Borough man is accused of assaulting and threatening to kill a woman because she was expected to testify at an upcoming preliminary hearing.
Charged is Nicholas B. Brudnak, 54, of the 500 block of South Cottonwood Road.
Officers at 10:26 a.m. Wednesday were called to a home in the 1300 block of Blue Mountain Drive in Lehigh Township. The female victim was taken into the house by a stranger after the homeowner heard her screaming for help.
The victim reported to police Brudnak threatened to kill her because she was scheduled to provide testimony at the Lehigh County hearing. Court records did not specify what the case entailed, but stated the victim also was a victim in that incident.
The victim told investigators she was with Brudnak Tuesday evening at an Allentown hotel, where he was consuming alcohol and wanted to have sex with her, but she refused. She then asked Brudnak to driver her home.
The victim told police Brudnak initially refused to give her a ride, allegedly replying, "No, walk" and wouldn't allow her to use the hotel phone.
He then began driving her in the wrong direction of her home, telling the victim she "ruined his life" and to "shut up" or he'll hit a telephone pole at 90 mph, according to police.
Brudnak proceeded to threaten the woman, telling her he was going to drive them so far away, no one would ever find them, police said. He also allegedly told her he would carry out a homicide-suicide.
The victim was so scared, she threw her purse out a window to get away, police said. She waited until Brudnak jammed on the brakes and jumped out of the car.
But Brudnak chased the victim until he caught her, put his arms around her neck and dragged her back to the vehicle, according to police.
Brudnak is charged with aggravated assault (two counts), making terroristic threats, unlawful restraint causing bodily injury, simple assault, reckless endangerment, harassment public drunkenness and disorderly conduct.
He was arraigned before Distict Judge Robert Hawke, who set bail at $250,000. In lieu of bail, Brudnak was taken to Northampton County Prison.
Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The man raped two girls and sexually assaulted a third girl.
A Northampton County man who raped two girls and sexually assaulted a third admitted his sexual assault of children was a habit he could not break.
So when it was time to sentence Antonio Rosario on Thursday, Judge Maria Dantos gave him the maximum -- 20 to 40 years in state prison.
"In fact, this is a lifetime condition. He's not going to get better," the judge said. "We have to stop you."
Northampton County man admits to raping 2 children
Dantos noted the 21-year-old Rosario was not deemed a sexually violent predator, because he was an adolescent when the assaults began, but that the report stressed his crimes met the definition of predatory sexual behavior.
Allentown police said detectives began investigating the case in December 2015.
The victims reported Rosario, of the first block of Oakwood Court in Bath, sexually assaulted them on a regular basis from 2008 to 2015, when they were 5, 7 and 8 years old, police said.
Two of the victims were in court on Thursday, but did not speak on the record. All three completed victim impact statements, and Assistant District Attorney Sarah Heimbach read parts of them into the record.
"Their lives will never, ever be the same," Heimbach said.
The youngest victim, who is now 13, wrote, "I've missed out on my childhood. I've known things or experienced things that no child should know or feel."
The middle victim, 15, wrote of telling Rosario to stop raping her because he was hurting her. Rosario told the girl he could not stop, that he was weak and it was a habit, the girl wrote.
"I blame myself because I never said anything," the girl said in her statement.
The oldest victim, who is 16, spoke of blaming herself for not preventing the assault of the other girls, as well as worrying for her father, who blamed himself for the assault.
"I just kept thinking it was my fault," she wrote.
The victims and their families sitting in the courtroom began sobbing as the letters were read.
"These girls need to know it was not their fault," Dantos said, calling the girls survivors. "You bear no responsibility for the criminal acts of this man."
When police interviewed Rosario, he admitted to sexually assaulting the two younger girls and raping the older teen, police said. Rosario pleaded guilty in January to two counts of child rape, and one count of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child in the case.
Defense attorney Richard Webster noted while Rosario was deemed mentally competent to stand trial, he is diagnosed as having the mental capacity of an adolescent.
Rosario reported of a lifetime of abuse in his presentence investigation, which meant "he did not understand that what he was doing was wrong," Webster said.
Dantos countered Rosario didn't tell anyone about sexually assaulting the girls because he knew it was wrong.
Rosario's understanding and his accepting responsibility for his crimes has improved since he has taken sex offender counseling, his attorney said.
That acknowledgement was not on display in Rosario's first comments to the judge, where he spoke of telling fellow inmates about his charges and asking them to hurt him.
"They won't. They respect me too much," he said.
An incredulous Dantos said Rosario was being sentenced for child rape and "all you have to say is about people respecting you?"
Rosario then said he prays for the victims to "get better" and that they can move on with their lives. He told the judge if she could order him to be castrated, or have his hands cut off, she should.
"I deserve to suffer," he said.
Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
One Bethlehem site since 1983 allegedly never declared the sale of alcohol to be its primary business.
The Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement has identified 11 Lehigh Valley establishments that allegedly violated liquor codes in the latest round of citations, announced Friday.
Penalties can range from $50 to $5,000, license suspensions or revocations as decided by an administrative law judge.
According to state police:
The Bethlehem Volunteer Firemen's Home Association, 6 Hillmond St. in Bethlehem, since 1983, did not declare its primary business to be the sale of alcoholic beverages; sold alcohol to nonmembers; between July 2, 2015, and Dec. 8, 2016, failed to submit annual reports to the state revenue department; failed to maintain complete records of the business for two years; on June 15, 2016, refused to allow officers to fully inspect the premises; and a slew of other regulatory and gambling violations.
Issam Inc., 238 Sycamore Road in Upper Macungie Township, on Feb. 1 permitted gambling.
Ovations Food Services, at the PPL Center in Allentown, for a year starting Nov. 7, 2015, failed to clean beverage dispensing systems at least once a week and failed to maintain cleaning records.
Vera Cruz Tavern, 3883 Main Road West in Upper Milford Township, on Feb. 8 "fortified, adulterated and/or contaminated liquor," and sold alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person.
La Casa Blanca, 946 Evans St. in Bethlehem, for a year starting Nov. 9, 2015, failed to adhere to additional restrictions on its license agreed upon with the state Liquor Control Board.
Edge, 74 West Broad St. in Bethlehem, on Nov. 17 sold alcohol to an 18-year-old, and between Aug. 16 and Jan. 10 failed to notify the Liquor Control Board within 15 days of a change of officers.
Drinky's, 5 Centre Square in Easton, on Dec. 17 had sound devices that could be heard beyond the property.
The 6 Pack Shack, 748 E. Fourth St. in Bethlehem, on Jan. 12 sold alcohol to a 19-year-old, and between June 24 and Dec. 15, 2016, failed to comply with a citation mandating alcohol management certification.
Hampton Lanes, 326 Main St. in Northampton, on Jan. 26 sold alcohol to a 20-year-old.
The Shack, 751 Main St. in Slatington, on Jan. 26 sold alcohol to a 20-year-old.
Berlinsville Hotel, 4588 Lehigh Drive in Lehigh Township, on Jan. 26, sold alcohol to a 20-year-old.
Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The Bethlehem couple is now in prison, charged with criminal trespass.
A Bethlehem couple is in Northampton County Prison, accused of breaking into a neighboring apartment over missing mail.
City police said Brandi Cressman and Bertrand Rejouis on Thursday night broke down the door to a neighbor's apartment in the 300 block of New Street.
The neighboring couple reported they were asleep at the time in their bedroom, when they were woken up by Cressman and Rejouis, police said.
Cressman and Rejouis, both 24, believed something was taken from their mailbox, and were confronting the neighbors about it, police said. One of the victims said he secured the door before going to bed that night, locking the door handle, a dead bolt and a small chain.
One of the pair was holding a light, according to police, so the victims could see it was their neighbors, Cressman and Rejouis.
Eventually the trespassers left, and the victims believed Cressman and Rejouis went back to their apartment down the hall, police said.
Police said they were called by one of the victims' parents, who reported getting a text from their child that there was a home invasion and their child was barricaded in the apartment for safety.
Officers said they found a large crack in the door, as well as "significant"damage to the door frame, specifically around the deadbolt and door handle lock.
Cressman and Rejouis are each charged with criminal trespass, and Cressman is also facing a drug charge in connection with a vial with Alprazolam found on her.
The pair were sent to prison in lieu of $25,000 bail each.
Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The pipeline proposed to traverse the Lehigh Valley and central New Jersey has faced stiff opposition.
The PennEast Pipeline will result in "some adverse environmental impacts," but not enough to warrant killing the project, a federal agency has concluded.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Committee on Friday issued its highly-anticipated final environmental impact statement on the 120-mile, natural gas pipeline project proposed to traverse the Lehigh Valley and central New Jersey.
It concluded the pipeline can be built provided its developers adhere to a series of measures aimed at reducing its effects on the environment.
The consortium proposing the pipeline heralded the FERC decision as the "last major federal regulatory hurdle" that the project needed to clear.
"The thorough review conducted by federal regulators assessed impacts on everything from safety to water resources to air quality and wildlife," Dat Train, chairman of the board of managers for PennEast Pipeline, says in a statement. "Their finding is a clear win for the region, business competitiveness, economic growth and job creation."
Environmental groups who have been fighting to stop the pipeline from being built decried the decision and labeled it as indicative of an agency that's more interested in supporting the natural gas industry than being good stewards of the environment.
"The entire document in a sham," New Jersey Sierra Club Director Jeff Tittel says in a news release. "It does not look at the environmental impacts of this project or the damage it will do."
Other groups opposed to the pipeline say they will take their case to court should the project get federal approval.
The final environmental impact statement is only a recommendation. FERC still needs to issue an order of approval, but PennEast says it anticipates a "favorable order" now that the recommendation has been issued.
Pipeline applies for permit day ahead of federal report
"Reaching conclusions without facts in hand tramples on the rights of impacted landowners who will pay the price if FERC conditionally approves a project that only benefits PennEast's investors," says Michael Heffler, board member of HALT PennEast (Homeowners Against Land Taking). "We strongly urge FERC's commissioners to consider these facts before making their final decision on the project."
PennEast says the final environmental impact statement is the culmination of three years of scientific review and input from various stakeholders. It points to an issuance of a Water Quality Certification from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection as further evidence that the project will have little impact on the waterways it crosses, a major point of contention among environmental groups opposing the project.
The pipeline would cross both the Lehigh and Delaware rivers in Northampton County before entering New Jersey's Hunterdon County. The line starts in Luzerne County, part of the Marcellus Shale region that's become a major source for natural gas. It ends in Jersey's Mercer County.
In addition to waterways, opponents also say the pipeline will also destroy preserved open space, farmland and ecosystems.
PennEast has changed the pipeline route multiple times in an effort to ease concerns. FERC's environmental impact statement says these changes and other mitigation efforts adequately address the concerns.
PennEast Pipeline plans change: How we're affected
"The FERC staff concludes that approval of the project would result in some adverse environmental impacts; however, these impacts would be reduced to less than significant levels with the implementation of PennEast's proposed mitigation and the additional measures recommended by staff in the final EIS," the statement says.
PennEast, which wants to start construction on the pipeline possibly before the end of the year, says the more than $1 billion project will bring jobs to the region and lower electric bills to its residents all while delivering clean-burning, American-sourced natural gas.
Nick Falsone may be reached at nfalsone@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @nickfalsone. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
But the tally is nothing to write home about when compared to other cities.
More mail carriers were bitten by dogs in Allentown than anywhere else in the Lehigh Valley last year, though the tally may be nothing to write home about when compared to other cities, according to data released Friday by the U.S. Postal Service.
The data, which provides a real look at a stereotypical hazard of the job, was released as part of National Dog Bite Prevention Week, which starts Sunday, the postal service said in a news release.
The Centers for Disease Control says there are 4.5 million dog bites a year in the U.S., and half of them happen to children.
The figures provided for the postal service's Central Pennsylvania region -- which extends from Easton through Harrisburg -- recorded 114 dog attacks on carriers in 2016, up from 100 last year. Nationally, 6,755 postal employees were bitten.
REGIONAL TOP 5
1) Reading: 12
2) York: 7
3) Harrisburg, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre: 6
4) Allentown: 4
5) Lancaster: 3
Also notable: Catasauqua, Easton and Northampton all recorded 2. Bethlehem, Coopersburg, Coplay, Emmaus and Macungie had 1.
NATIONAL TOP 5
1) Los Angeles: 80
2) Houston: 62
3) Cleveland: 60
4) San Diego: 57
5) Louisville, Ky.: 51
Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Citations in Lehigh and Northampton counties have risen more sharply than Pennsylvania as a whole, new data show.
The Lehigh Valley has seen a steeper rise in citations for distracted driving than Pennsylvania as a whole, according to a state analysis released Friday.
The data go back to 2012, when Pennsylvania's ban on texting while driving a passenger vehicle took effect. This analysis by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts also looked at texting while driving and handheld mobile phone use -- both in a commercial vehicle -- and use of headphones in both ears.
Using earbuds while driving in Pa.? OK, in 1 ear
Statewide, the total citations for these four categories rose 94.7 percent from 1,713 in 2012 to 3,336 in 2016. The five-year grand total was 12,201.
In Lehigh County, total citations rose 121 percent from 42 in 2012 to 93 in 2016, with a five-year sum of 319.
In Northampton County, total citations rose 189 percent from 27 in 2012 to 78 in 2016. The five-year total was 256.
Most of the citations fall under the 2012 prohibition on texting while driving in a non-commercial vehicle.
Click on the following for more on each distracted driving law, under Title 75 of Pennsylvania statutes:
Section 1621: Texting While Driving - Prohibition - Commercial Motor Vehicle
Section 1622: Handheld Mobile Telephone - Commercial Motor Vehicle
Section 3314: Use Headphones
Section 3316: Prohibiting text-based communications
The following graphic from the AOPC further breaks down distracted driving citations across Pennsylvania:
Lehigh Valley Zoo, in North Whitehall Township, is among the many places looking for volunteer help.
COMPEER OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY, Allentown, needs volunteers for one-on-one friendship matches. Compeer matches volunteers from the community with members who are in stable, mental health recovery. Volunteers spend time with the member doing things like talking over a cup of coffee, taking a walk, going to a free concert. Hours are flexible and available in both Northampton and Lehigh counties. Contact: 610-774-1450 or email compeer@pbfalv.org.
DA VINCI SCIENCE CENTER, Allentown, needs summer teen volunteers (15+ years) from June 19 to Aug. 25. Volunteers are needed to run live science demonstrations and assist on the exhibit floor. Also needed are summer camp volunteers to assist the lead counselor with lessons and camp games. Requirements include criminal history and background check, parental consent form, and 2 recommendation letters. Inquire by April 30: Joan Amayo, 484-664-1002, joan@davincisciencecenter.org.
ITTY BITTY KITTY INC., Allentown, needs volunteers to help at their purse bingo fundraiser from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday April 23 in Emmaus. Volunteers help set up tables and raffle baskets and help people purchase their boards and other items for the bingo. Contact: Kathy Kuzo, 610-973-7400, ittybittykitty@bdog.org.
LEHIGH VALLEY ZOO, Schnecksville, needs volunteers to be an integral part of the zoo family by providing Smart fun for over 200,000 visitors annually. Volunteers help in all areas of the zoo, including animal exhibits, events, conservation messaging activities, development, marketing and maintenance. Contact: Call Julia Bieski, 610-799-4171, jbieski@lvzoo.org.
MEALS ON WHEELS OF LEHIGH COUNTY, Allentown, needs volunteers (18+ years) to go grocery shopping for homebound seniors and adults with disabilities in an area of Lehigh County. Flexible scheduling based on client's needs (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly). A 40-minute orientation is required. Orientation is scheduled for 1 p.m. April 21, 6:30 p.m. May 4, or call/email to schedule a one-on-one that fits your schedule: Lindsay Fly, 610-841-7132, lfly@mealsonwheelslc.org.
MORAVIAN HALL SQUARE, Nazareth, needs a gift shop sales assistant to volunteer in beautiful and friendly environment. Experience working with retail computer helpful. Contact: Laurie Brunstetter, 610-746-1334, laurieb@moravian.com.
PROJECT BLUEPRINT, The Volunteer Center, is seeking ethnic diverse volunteers for its volunteer leadership program that develops and trains leaders to serve on boards and committees of local nonprofit agencies. Six sessions are scheduled 5:30-8:15 p.m. April 19-May 24 at Olympus, Center Valley. A light dinner is provided. Register at bit.ly/2nTzvwQ. Contact: Karen Smith, 610-807-0430, Karen@volunteerlv.org.
More opportunities: 610-807-0336, vc@volunteerlv.org or www.volunteerlv.org
ITNLehighValley provides 24/7 door-through-door ride service for seniors age 60 and over and visually impaired adults to any destination in the Lehigh Valley. In order to provide this service, volunteer drivers to help us with the increasing demand for rides. All rides in Lehigh Valley only. Drive when and where you want; no minimum hours required. Must have own vehicle and clean driving record. Information: 610-419-1645.
The 29-year-old was charged with burglary and drunken driving, according to the Northampton County Sheriff's Department.
Secundino Luis Cruz, 29, is wanted after being charged with burglary and drunken driving, according to the Northampton County Sheriff's Department.
Cruz, known to frequent the Allentown area, is described as 5 feet 8 inches tall and 170 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.
The sheriff's department asks anyone with information about Cruz to call Sgt. Michael Orchulli at 610-829-6520.
