The goal of the checkpoint is to reduce the amount of drug and alcohol related fatal and serious crashes, police said.

Pennsylvania State Police will be conducting a sobriety checkpoint on state highways throughout Northampton County during the holiday weekend.

The checkpoint will last from Friday to July 4, according to police.

Seen this purse-snatcher? Cops say woman stole at Walmart

Police said the goal of the checkpoint is to reduce the amount of drug and alcohol related fatal and serious motor vehicle crashes.

Troopers plan to systematically stop drivers and briefly observe if they show behaviors typical with drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol, according to police

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

The local Marine Corps League won accolades at a PA state convention.

The Northampton County Detachment, Marine Corps League recently returned from the Pennsylvania state convention receiving the following:

Detachment awards: First place in the Americanism program. Certificates
of participation for hospital and newsletter programs and a attendance streamer for the detachment banner.

Membership awards:  Tenure plaques marking 25 years  to Neil B. Corley, of Millisboro, Del.; Kenneth Garr, of Bangor; and James Mellon Jr., of Effort.

Joseph M. Pokojni Sr., of Palmer Township, received the Citizens Medal, bronze.

James V.  Mineo, of Palmer Township, was awarded the "Medal of Heroism" from National Headquarters, Marine Corps League during the state event.

Other awards received by Mineo include: First runner up in recruiting; certificate of appreciation as editor for the detachment newsletter "Incoming"; and a Meritorious Commendation (individual).

Inducted into the Legion of Honor Chapel of Four Chaplains was Annmarie
Henson of Washington, N.J., and Thomas A. Hess, of Easton.

Pokojni was elected Pennsylvania District Three vice commandant; Mineo
was elected vice president of the Marine of the Year Society and  Robert
"Doc" Hockenbury, of Hellertown, was elevated to "Devil Dog" with the
military order of the devil dogs.

Bethlehem police said they found the driver in a car blocking part of a road in the city.

A Bethlehem man who was so drunk he had to be hospitalized is facing charges after being found passed out with his pants down, according to city police.

Police on patrol in the early morning of April 24 saw a car parked partially in the road in the 700 block of Fiot Street with its brake lights on.

City police said the found a man later identified as Angel Calderon Jr. passed out in the reclined driver's seat, with his pants unzipped and halfway down his thighs.

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Calderon's genitals were exposed and visible from the road and sidewalk, police said. Officers said his pants were soaked with what they believed was urine.

Police said they loudly knocked on the car's window several times before Calderon woke up.

The 29-year-old Calderon opened the door, and police said they could smell the odor of alcoholic beverages. Calderon's eyes were bloodshot, his speech was slurred and he almost fell over when he tried to get out of the car, police said.

Calderon said he was drinking earlier in the night in Quakertown, and believed he was still in Quakertown, police said.

Calderon, of the first block of Finady Avenue in Bethlehem, was hospitalized due to his high level of intoxication.

On Tuesday, Calderon was arraigned on charges of indecent exposure, open lewdness, public drunkenness, disorderly conduct and driving a car with an expired inspection. He was sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $15,000 bail.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

A new Pennsylvania report shows rising hospital admissions, deaths and costs of care.

Rose Faryna was hired as deputy director of administration on May 30.

Northampton County's executive and top administrator have declined to return phone calls about the appointment of the No. 2 ranking administrator last month.

Rose Faryna was appointed deputy director of administration for Northampton County on May 30, according to county Controller Stephen Barron. Barron confirmed she will earn $49,146.86 a year.

She takes over the spot formerly held by Cathy Allen, who was promoted to director of administration after Luis Campos resigned in June 2016.

Allen was County Executive John Brown's first choice for director of administration, but county council refused to confirm her in 2014 because she lacked a college degree and experience managing large groups of people.

Allen said on Friday she'd confirm Faryna's hiring and provide her date of hire and her salary but never followed through. Brown never returned phone calls on the matter.

County Councilman Robert Werner said he was surprised to learn about the hiring last week from a news reporter. He said he would have appreciated a heads-up from Brown at a county council meeting.

OD hospitalizations in Northampton County top Pa. average

Barron confirmed that Brown can hire whoever he wants to fill the deputy director of administration post. That position does not require a county council confirmation, unlike the director of administration job.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.

Several other arrests are made, the Northampton County Sheriff's Department says.

A 28-year-old Slate Belt man, who was on Northampton County's Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive list, was arrested Tuesday by Slate Belt Regional police, the county sheriff's department reports.

Greg Vosper. (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com) 

Greg Vosper, of Wind Gap, who was wanted on a bench warrant tied to a 2012 burglary, was a passenger on Tuesday in a suspicious vehicle at the Square One gas station in the borough, regional police Chief David Mettin said Wednesday.

Vosper and another man on Dec. 8, 2012, tried to break into a Moore Township home but when a burglary alarm went off, an open window fell and broke on Vosper as the duo tried to flee, authorities said at the time. He later said it was his first break-in and they didn't take anything. He was arrested Dec. 14 of that year, records show.

He pleaded guilty July 23, 2013, to a burglary charge after sitting in jail for more than six months on 10 percent of $40,000 bail and was sentenced to 10 to 20 months behind bars, with time served credited toward that, court papers say. He was ordered to pay the victim $726.89 in restitution, court papers say. Four related counts were withdrawn.

He was first ordered paroled March 5, 2014, but violated it in a little more than two months, court papers say. He failed to appear at the hearing and a bench warrant was issued, court papers say. After the hearing happened nearly a year later, he was ordered to serve the balance of his sentence and be paroled into an in-patient treatment facility, court papers say.

On May 1, 2015, he was denied entry into the county's Drug Court because he "was found unsuitable for admission into the program," court papers say.

He was paroled again two weeks later, but was in violation by Nov. 3 of that year, court papers say. A bench warrant was issued Jan. 14, 2016, and on May 6 of that year he was back behind bars, with the possibility of his sentence being halved if he paid the restitution.

As of Wednesday, he has only paid $18.50 of the restitution, fines and costs that total $3,474.

He was paroled yet again on Oct. 11 and by Nov. 18, he had violated again, court papers say. A bench warrant was issued Dec. 8 and Slate Belt police arrested him Tuesday on that warrant.

Vosper faces no other charges related to that arrest, Mettin said.

It was a "great job by" Slate Belt police in making the arrest, county Sheriff David Dalrymple said in a news release.

The sheriff's department's Criminal Warrants and Field Operations divisions made several arrests of fugitives on Monday and Tuesday during warrant sweeps, Dalrymple said.

• CHARISHA J. NICKENS, 32, of Easton, was arrested at 444 Northampton St. in the city. She was wanted by the sheriff's department on a probation violation. Original Charge: Fraudulently obtaining food stamp assistance. She was committed to county prison.
• JASON M. PEEBLES, 43, of Easton, was arrested at home. He was wanted by the sheriff's department on a bench warrant for failure to appear for a district court hearing. Original Charge: Theft by deception.  He was committed to county prison.
• JOSE MARTINEZ-ROSARIO, 27, of Allentown, was arrested at 105 S. Union St. in Easton. He was wanted by the sheriff's department on a probation violation. Original Charge: Receiving stolen property. He was committed to county prison.
• BRANDON NEDEROSTEK, 32, of Whitehall Township, was in Lehigh County Jail. He was wanted by the sheriff's department on a probation violation. Original Charge: Possession of a controlled substance. He was committed to Northampton County Prison.
• ROBERT DEPOALO,  33, of Northampton, was arrested at 359 E. Ninth St. in Northampton. He was wanted by the the sheriff's department for failure to appear for a parole violation. Original Charge: DUI second offense. He was committed to county prison.
• STEVEN BORTON, 29, of Nazareth, was arrested at 489 Sportsmans Club Road in Plainfield Township. He was wanted by the sheriff's department for probation violations. Original Charge: Burglary. He was committed to county prison.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

The man allegedly ran through residential yards to avoid arrest in Northampton Borough.

A stun gun had to be used by police on a Carbon County man as he allegedly ran through residential yards, ignoring commands and resisting arrest.

Charged is Todd Allen Beltzner Jr., 26, of Palmerton.

Northampton Borough police at 10:20 p.m. Tuesday were dispatched to a home in the 1500 block of Poplar Street for a report of a man violating a protection-from-abuse order. An officer found Beltzner allegedly forced open the front door, damaging the frame and door itself.

Beltzner at some point walked out of the home and the officer handcuffed him, telling him he was under arrest for violating the protection-from-abuse order. The officer began leading Beltzner to the back passenger side of the patrol vehicle, but the doors at some point locked automatically and the officer was unable to open it, police said.

The officer left Beltzner standing by the cruiser as he walked to the other side to try and unlock the doors. Beltzner then allegedly bolted, sprinting into neighborhood yards along Newport Avenue.

Police eventually found Beltzner hiding under a tree in a nearby yard and ordered him to come out, in which he allegedly refused multiple times. He resisted arrest, kicking at officers until a taser was deployed in an attempt to get Beltzner to surrender, police said.

Beltzner complied for a brief time as he was being walked back to the cruiser with two officers, but then resisted arrest again, letting his feet fall to the ground multiple times, police said. Officers then had to pick up Beltzner and carry him to the patrol vehicle.

Cops: Woman rang up $3.1K worth of goods on fraudulent credit cards

As the officers approached the cruiser, police said Beltzner resisted even more intensely and additional force had to be used to get him into the car. Beltzner then complained of chest pain, shortness of breath and feeling a burning sensation, police said.

Beltzner was taken to an area hospital for treatment by Emergency Medical Services with police accompanying him.

Beltzner is charged with escape and resisting arrest. He was arraigned before District Judge Antonia Grifo, who set bail at $20,000.

The judge ordered Beltzner to enroll in Pretrial Services, submit to random drug and alcohol testing and stay away from the victim. The judge allowed 10 percent of $20,000 bail if Pretrial Services approved it.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

The chase ended in a crash in Wilson Borough, and Nikolas Davis fled on foot, troopers said.

A man accused of leading troopers on a high-speed chase on Route 22, then running away after crashing, has been arrested three months after the incident.

Pennsylvania State Police have been looking for Nikolas Erik Davis, of Allentown, since the early-morning chase on March 18, which began at the Route 378 interchange in Bethlehem and ended about eight miles away in Wilson Borough.

Davis is facing 23 charges, including fleeing police and six counts of reckless endangerment. He was arraigned Tuesday and sent to Lehigh County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.

State police at the Bethlehem barracks said a trooper on patrol on Route 22 East was traveling behind a vehicle going 100 mph. The trooper sped up to get the car's registration, and the car began speeding over 100 mph, state police said.

The trooper put on his cruiser's lights and sirens, and the Chrysler 200 slowed down and turned into the right lane before allegedly speeding up again.

The driver, later identified as Davis, "flew by" two troopers who were out of their vehicles for a traffic stop on Route 22 near Route 191, state police said.

Cops search for driver who allegedly hit vehicle head-on and ran

The 25-year-old Davis began driving at more than 120 mph in a 55 mph zone, the trooper said, while switching lanes and tailgating other vehicles.

Davis took the 25th Street exit in Wilson Borough, and was traveling at 80 mph while running a series of red traffic lights by driving in the oncoming lane of traffic, the trooper said.

When Davis began reaching "excessive speeds" in a residential area, the trooper said he stopped the chase and notified local police departments to keep an eye out for the vehicle.

At 3:05 a.m., a Wilson officer saw the Chrysler 200 parked in the 1800 block of Freemansburg Avenue, police said.

The officer angled his patrol vehicle to box in the Chrysler and turned on his emergency lights, but Davis sped up and attempted to ram the cruiser, police said.

The officer was able to get out of the way, and Davis sped away, police said.

Davis turned onto the 1800 block of Butler Street and allegedly struck a Chevrolet Cavalier head-on with two female occupants, then the Chrysler slid off the road and struck a sign.

Davis got out of the car and ran, according to police, leaving a female passenger in the car. The female said Davis picked her up in her mother's car, which she had loaned him earlier in the evening.

An open bottle of Hennessey, a small bag of marijuana and drug paraphernalia were found in the car, as well as Davis' cellphone and his wallet with his driver's license and Social Security card, state police said.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

The state issued 27 dispensary permits, according to an announcement Thursday.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Thursday announced that it has granted 27 permits to companies to operate medical marijuana dispensaries that are expected to open next year. 

And two of those permits are for dispensaries in the Lehigh Valley.

GuadCo LLC, which will operate under the dispensary name Keystone Canna Remedies, received approval and intends to open its primary dispensary at 2467 Baglyos Circle, off Emrick Boulevard within Lehigh Valley Industrial Park VI in Bethlehem Township. 

Department of Health documents released Thursday show its primary dispensary street address at 1309 Stefko Blvd., Bethlehem, but GuadCo's co-owner said in an email that the company intends to amend its application to reflect its preference to the Bethlehem Township location. 

Mission Pennsylvania II LLC, is the second Lehigh Valley dispensary granted a permit. The dispensary will have the same name as the company and will operate out of 2733 W. Emmaus Ave., Allentown, the documents state.

"Each of the 27 dispensary permit holders is eligible to open a total of three locations. Some dispensary permit holders have opted not to open all eligible locations at this time," the Department of Health says in a news release.

That's the case for both companies targeting the Lehigh Valley. 

Victor Guadagnino, co-founder of GuadCo, said the company's current plans call for opening only one dispensary at the Bethlehem Township location, but his email didn't rule out the possibility of opening dispensaries elsewhere in the future. 

GuadCo has already received local approval from Bethlehem Township to open its dispensary at LVIP VI. Township commissioners signed off on that project earlier this month. 

Medical marijuana dispensary wins local approval

"We feel that 2467 Baglyos Circle is a better location to serve the patient population and have made all the proper preparations to be operational inside the (Department of Health's) timeline," Guadagnino said. 

Securing a state permit for dispensing medical marijuana products requires meeting strict state standards on top of municipal requirements.

Pennsylvania's medical marijuana prohibits use of marijuana in leaf or flower form. Rather it will be prescribed and dispensed in forms such as fluids for vaporization, pills, absorption under the tongue and topical ointments. 

Patients seeking a prescription must have a qualifying illness and gain approval from a state-certified physician. Gov. Tom Wolf signed the law creating the program in April 2015, and the state continues refining rules of the program.

State Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-Lehigh/Northampton, lauded the local dispensaries' selections. 

"It will mean more local jobs and a foundational role in this promising new medical marijuana industry" she said in a statement. "As someone who voted for legalizing medical marijuana in Pennsylvania, I am very pleased by the progress of the program and our regional economic role in this industry.

"More so, I am both encouraged and heartened by what this medication will mean to our children, veterans and other patients who can benefit through the safe and controlled availability of medical cannabis."

John Collins, director of the Department of Health's Office of Medical Marijuana, said in a statement that the application process for dispensaries was highly competitive, noting the state reviewed hundreds of applications.

The state previously released a list of the applicants, but didn't specify where they were looking to open dispensaries. To ensure that medical marijuana is accessible to all residents with a prescription, the state created six regions, each of which would be awarded a specified number of dispensaries. 

The Lehigh Valley is in Region 2, which comprises the northeast part of the state. 

"Once this program is fully operational, patients with serious medical conditions will have locations throughout the commonwealth where they can purchase medication to help in their treatment," Collins says. "We remain on track to provide medication to patients in 2018."

Earlier this month, the state announced the issuance of permits to marijuana growers, but none are located in the Lehigh Valley. 

Nick Falsone may be reached at nfalsone@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @nickfalsone. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

Help needed for Musikfest in August and Blueberry Festival in July.

ARTSQUEST, Bethlehem, is looking for volunteers for Musikfest from Aug. 4-Aug. 13. Various shifts and many ways to volunteer are available. Age minimum is 16 years or 14 with adult supervision. Register online or ccontact Adam Lattimore, 610-332-1370, alattimore@artsquest.org.

EQUI-LIBRIUM INC., Nazareth, is looking for volunteers (14+ years) to help with their Horse Summer Camps. Equi-librium enables people with disabilities to ride horses and do horse related activities. Side Helpers needed to walk next to the rider during riding lessons, as well as horse leaders and activity helpers. Camps run from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. July 10-14, July 24-28 and Aug. 14-18. Call Yvonne Darlington, 610-365-2266, volunteercoordinator@equi-librium.org.

FLINT HILL FARM EDUCATIONAL CENTER INC., Coopersburg, has summer opportunities for youth. Various farm chores from 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturdays (min. age 15); Camp counselor assistants (min. age 16) - various times/weeks through Aug. 18. Will train. Contact: Kathleen Fields, 610-838-2928, Kathy@flinthill-farm.org.

HISTORIC BETHLEHEM MUSEUMS & SITES needs volunteers for annual Blueberry Festival, Saturday, July 15 and Sunday, July 16. All festival volunteers receive free festival admission the day of their service and a free scoop of ice cream or slice of pie. They are accepting 14 year old volunteers with adult supervision, as well as those of 18+ years. Contact: Tavia Minnich, 610-882-0450, ext. 20, tminnich@historicbethlehem.org.

LEHIGH VALLEY SCORE, LCCC, Schnecksville, needs experienced business people to provide free business counseling and advice in all areas of business management (i.e. business plans, managing cash flow, marketing). Volunteer duties vary. Training provided. Contact: Tracy Damiani, 610-266-3000, tracy.damiani@scorevolunteer.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: Julia Bieski, 610-799-4171, jbieski@lvzoo.org.

LILY'S HOPE FOUNDATION, Center Valley, would like you to join their "Packing Party." Volunteers will assemble smaller items that go into their Packages of Hope. Examples of items are paper plates and cups, napkins, utensils, bowls, hand sanitizer and soap, paper towels, baby care items, toys, crayons, etc. Join them f5-7 p.m. July 17. Contact: John Kunes, 267-374-8512, john@lilyshopefoundation.org.

MEALS ON WHEELS OF LEHIGH COUNTY, Allentown, is looking for volunteers (18+ years) to distribute meals to homebound individuals between 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday-Friday. Teams of two deliver on 33 routes throughout Lehigh County. Drive a route or ride along as a visitor. Bring a friend and form a team or let us provide a partner for you. Training scheduled for 10:30am, July 13 and July and 1:30 p.m. July 25. Contact: Dawn Stillwagen, 610-398-2563, 610-398-2563, dstillwagen@mealsonwheelslc.org

More info: 610-807-0336, vc@volunteerlv.org or www.volunteerlv.org

Volunteer tutors needed at Project Self-Sufficiency

Volunteers are needed to tutor young adults in science, math, social studies and English as part of the New Jersey Youth Corps high school equivalency and employment skills training program offered by Project Self-Sufficiency. Opportunities are available 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  Contact: Brittany McCarthy at 973-940-3510, or visit www.projectselfsufficiency.org 

Fans visited Fairview Cemetery Thursday in honor of the 50th anniversary of actress Jayne Mansfield's death.

Thursday marks 50 years since the death of actress Jayne Mansfield, but her memory lives on in the hearts of her devoted fans -- and on their biceps.

Perhaps her biggest fan, Frank Ferruccio travels three hours every year from Princeton, N.J., to visit her Slate Belt gravesite on June 29, the day in 1967 when she was killed in a car crash.

As he beams at the heart-shaped grave, now decorated in pink flowers -- Mansfield's favorite color -- he points to an empty spot of grass nearby.

"I have to be near her," he said, explaining why he bought the plot of land to be buried himself one day. As he spoke of his love of Mansfield, he showed off a tattoo of her face on his bicep that he got 15 years ago. 

Man rediscovers rare Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield photos

Mansfield was born April 19, 1933, in Bryn Mawr, Pa., and moved to Phillipsburg shortly after. Three years later, she moved with her mother to Texas after the death of her father, Herbert Palmer, who she is now buried beside in Fairview Cemetery in Plainfield Township, just outside of Pen Argyl.

The actress, a sex symbol in the 1950s and 1960s, was killed in a car crash outside New Orleans. Her fans make an annual trip to the grave on the anniversary of her death, but the turnout is dwindling. With only two other fans attending Thursday, Ferruccio said many members of the fan club have died or moved away.

Starring in movies such as "The Girl Can't Help It" and "Kiss Them for Me," Mansfield was a popular sex symbol that never became quite as famous as she wanted to be.

She is arguably more famous in her death than she was in her life, Ferruccio said, as her fan base is ever-growing, partially due to the popularity of her daughter, Mariska Hargitay, who is best known for her role in Law and Order: SVU. 

Jayne Mansfield never forgot her small-town roots

Ferruccio has been a fan since he was 13. He used to watch old movies with his parents and was immediately drawn to Mansfield's beauty and the irony of her story. Although she was typically depicted as a dumb blonde, she actually had an extremely high IQ and could speak five languages.

Actress Jayne Mansfield tragically died at the young age of 34 in a car accident 50 years ago today, June 29, 1967. She is pictured here in an iconic photo from 1957 in a pool filled with bottles shaped like bikini-clad versions of herself in Los Angeles, California. (Allan Grant--The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) #JayneMansfield #LIFElegends #tbt

A post shared by life (@life) on Jun 29, 2017 at 6:11am PDT

He became obsessed with collecting Mansfield memorabilia, he said. He now has everything from clothes and jewelry to furniture of the deceased actress. In his film based on Mansfield's life, "Diamonds to Dust," Ferruccio utilized the pieces he's collected over the years.

"I can't imagine my life without Jayne," Ferruccio said. "She's been the biggest source of positive energy for me."

Alyssa Mursch may be reached at amursch@lehighvalleylive.com. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. 

Andrew T. Hunsucker was sentenced Friday for sexually assaulting a student.

Andrew Hunsucker's sister recounted his horrific upbringing that led to mental illness, including a schizophrenia diagnosis. She said Hunsucker's childhood has left him with the maturity of a young teen.

A Northampton County judge still felt a trip to state prison was warranted for the sex offender, not just because he can get treatment there but because it will prevent him from victimizing another woman.

Judge F.P. Kimberly McFadden sent the 24-year-old Walnutport man to state prison for nine months to three years followed by two years of probation.

Hunsucker admitted he held down a student and sexually assaulted her June 3, 2015. He pleaded guilty to indecent assault and several additional offenses were dropped.

During a pre-sentence interview, Hunsucker blamed the victim for what happened and said he didn't feel sorry for her, according to Assistant District Attorney Tatum Wilson.

"I'm basically here for nothing," she said he told the interviewer.

That's because Hunsucker has serious mental health issues and doesn't understand the gravity of what happened, according to his lawyer Joseph Yannuzzi. Hunsucker's sister told the judge that she, Hunsucker and her three other siblings were raised by an alcoholic, drug-addicted mother who rotated through abusive boyfriends.

He's a great playmate to the sister's children, ages 10 and 13. That's because he has the maturity and mindset of a young teen, she said.

"I know there's no excuse or anything but you have to trust that he is sorry about what has happened. He expressed remorse to me," the sister said.

Facing felony, man 'regrets' indecent assault on student, cops say

However, Wilson said Hunsucker has committed crimes as a juvenile and an adult. Wilson said a second victim claimed to have been abused, although she didn't say whether charges were ever filed based on that claim.

She said the victim Hunsucker admitted to assaulting suffered an injury to her cervix, she said. The victim repeatedly told him to stop and finally punched him, according to police.

"He needs sex offender treatment so he doesn't victimize another person. He'll receive that treatment in state prison," Wilson said.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.

Gary Foley, 33, killed the 17-month-old child in Lehigh Township.

A Bangor man admitted Friday he beat and killed a 17-month-old toddler, cracking open her skull from ear to ear.

Gary Foley, 33, inflicted a massive hemorrhage, caused seven soft tissue hemorrhages and broke several of the girl's ribs on Feb. 24, 2015, in Lehigh Township. He faces 20 to 40 years in prison when he's sentenced Aug. 11.

Foley was the only adult present in the three hours leading up to the child's death in a filthy, cold mobile home. He told police the child had choked on a hot dog.

"There was absolutely no evidence of choking," said Northampton County Assistant District Attorney Tatum Wilson.

Foley pleaded guilty to third-degree murder to avoid a trial for first-degree murder. That charge carries a mandatory life sentence.

"I can understand why both sides agreed to this resolution," Northampton County Judge Stephen Baratta said. "It seems to make sense."

Caretaker charged with beating 17-month-old girl to death

The child's mother, Heather Surget, spent seven months in county prison after pleading guilty to endangering the welfare of the child who died plus three others. She endangered them by forcing them to live in sub-standard conditions.

Police said dirty dishes and garbage were strewn about the kitchen. Bugs crawled on the countertop and table. The home had no running water and frozen pipes. The occupants relied on space heaters to keep warm even though the low temperature the day of the baby's death was minus 8.

"The floor had holes in it where if you weren't sure where to step you could fall through," Lehigh Township police Chief Scott Fogel said.

Surget, 28, of Great Meadows, agreed to testify against Foley if the case went to trial. Surget's 17-month-old daughter, who died, lived there with her 3-year-old and 2-month old children. Foley's 4-year-old child also lived there.

Both third-degree and first-degree murder are committed with malice. However, third-degree murder lacks premeditation.

Prosecutors considered the death penalty but opted not to pursue it.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.

The 37-year-old is a Northampton County top-10 fugitive and wanted in multiple jurisdictions, according to the Northampton County Sheriff's Department.

Jonathan W. Vazquez (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com) 

Jonathan W. Vazquez, 37, is wanted to appear for trial on theft and conspiracy charges, according to the Northampton County Sheriff's Department and court records.

A Northampton County top-10 fugitive, Vazquez is also wanted by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on a charge of false statement, by Lehigh County probation and by Palmer and Bethlehem township police, according to the sheriff's department.

He should be considered armed and dangerous, and anyone coming in contact with him is advised to use caution, sheriff's officials said.

Vazquez, last known to frequent the Bethlehem area, is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall and 300 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

The sheriff's department asks anyone with information about Vazquez to call Sgt. Michael Orchulli at 610-829-6520.

Northampton and Warren county authorities say they are looking for two suspects, including a top-10 fugitive.

Northampton County authorities seek Jonathan Vazquez - fugitive of the week

Warren County authorities seek Anthony Waln - fugitive of the week

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

However, things are supposed to be dry and comfortable for Independence Day.

Saturday may end on a stormy note, but skies should clear up over the rest of the weekend for Independence Day fireworks.

The National Weather Service early Saturday afternoon issued a severe thunderstorm watch that covers eastern Pennsylvania and northwestern New Jersey -- including Lehigh, Northampton and Warren counties -- until 9 p.m.

An earlier prediction put the greatest risk between 3 and 10 p.m. and west of I-95. The anticipated primary threat is locally damaging winds.

"If you are one of the many people enjoying the outdoor holiday weekend festivities today, please keep a watchful eye on the sky as any storms that develop today could produce dangerous cloud to ground lightning," the weather service said in a Facebook post.

Looking forward, AccuWeather says to expect some spotty storms moving across the Northeast on Sunday into Monday.

After that, humidity will be greatly reduced and conditions should be comfortable for Tuesday's parades, fireworks and other activities.

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

See which lax standouts earned end-of-the-year recognition.

The open house is scheduled for Saturday, July 8, 2017, at the new stables at 615 E. Langhorne Ave. in Bethlehem.

Bethlehem's police horses have been enjoying their new home for a few months, and now it's the public's turn to check out the new digs.

Grey, Asa, George and Pharaoh moved in in May, and have been enjoying a new stable and wide-open pastures.

Now the Bethlehem Police Department is throwing open the barn doors for a public open house. It's set for Saturday, July 8, at the stables at 615 E. Langhorne Ave.

From 1 to 4 p.m., rain or shine, there will be barn tours, food trucks, face painting and free popcorn. Bethlehem's horses will be joined by the Budweiser Clydesdales, in town for four days of visits.

When the police horse unit was relaunched in 2009, the horses lived at Burnside Plantation. Officials said the historic barn couldn't provide the climate-controlled space needed for the team and its supplies, and the search for a new home began.

The Diocese of Allentown owns land near Holy Saviour Cemetery on Linden Street, and part of it is leased to a farmer for crops. The diocese carved out a 10-acre spot for the Mounted Unit, and the Friends of the Bethlehem Mounted Police signed a lease for the spot.

Roomy $500K home almost ready for police horses

Construction began in January on the new stable, but the conditions at Burnside became too dangerous, so the horses were moved to Bay Ridge Stables outside Northampton Borough while waiting for the barn to be completed.

The new barn has seven stalls -- four for Bethlehem's horses and three for guest horses -- as well as an isolation stall for when the horses are ill or injured.

The new home has surveillance cameras that connect to the police department's system, and can also be accessed by officers' cellphones.

The project was built without taxpayer money, and the nonprofit friends group is still raising money for the $500,000 capital campaign. The open house will include information on the Adopt-A-Post campaign, where donors get an engraved tag on the pasture fence posts.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

Some Lehigh County residents also remained without power Sunday.

Lehigh Valley International Airport are assessing what could become thousands in damages after a swift-moving storm with wind gusts totaling upward of 64-mph plowed through the region Saturday evening.

Colin Riccobon, spokesman for the airport's owner, the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority, said two planes were damaged, which included a Cessna 152 that flipped over and a Cherokee 140 losing its nose gear. Both general aviation aircraft were at Hangar 7.

In addition, the top layer of Wiley Post Concourse also sustained damage due to leakage and a portion of the building had to be shutdown. The concourse re-opened later Saturday evening and was functioning throughout Sunday, he said.

"It was all weather related," Riccobon said. "No pilots were inside (the planes) at the time and there were no reported injuries."

The airport also had several downed trees after the storm passed, including one that fell right across the entrance. Staff members are told to stay away from the ramp when there's a warning of lightning so there wasn't much time to move the planes, Riccobon said.

Foam was dispensed to handle any spilled fuel and both planes were removed by 8:30 p.m., Airport Executive Director Charles Everett had said.

"This was the summer time pop up storm that comes through with wind and rocky weather," he said, noting a total value of the damages is still being assessed by airport officials.

The storm began sometime between 3:51 and 4:51 p.m. with gusts totaling 64 miles per hour of "straight wind," said Lee Robertson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. No tornado touched down, but the winds were significant, Robertson said.

Plane overturns, other damage at Lehigh Valley International Airport

An inch and a half of rain fell within two hours at the airport, the weather service said, and hail was reported falling from the sky in North Catasauqua.

It's unclear the extent of damage across Lehigh County from the storm; Scott Lindenmuth, the county's Office of Emergency Management coordinator, was away from the office and no one was immediately available to provide information.

Plane overturns, other damage at Lehigh Valley International Airport

Warren County Office of Emergency Management coordinatorFrank Wheatley did not immediately return a voicemail seeking information.

Todd Weaver, OEM coordinator in Northampton County, said the extent of damage was mostly downed wires. Sporadic power outages had been reported across Northampton County Saturday evening with PPL Electric Utilities having more than 9,000 customers without power and Met-Ed showing 50 in Northampton County.

By Sunday afternoon, 94 PPL customers in Lehigh County remained without power and none in Northampton County. Met-Ed was reporting no customers in the dark in Northampton County and five customers without power in Lehigh County.

The last time Lehigh Valley International Airport sustained damage was from a 2015 storm, which left downed trees and led to roof repair. Winds during that storm were just over 60 miles per hour, Riccobon said.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

Celebrations, parades and fireworks mark the Independence Day holiday.

Independence Day, or the Fourth of July as it is commonly known, is a federal holiday.

It commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress, declaring that the 13 original colonies were a new nation and no longer a part of British rule.

It is a holiday of celebrations, parades and fireworks. 

On July 4, federal offices, state and local government offices are closed, which means no mail delivery.

Here's a rundown of what else is closed:

Liquor stores: In Pennsylvania, liquor stores are state-run and are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. New Jersey liquor stores are privately owned and hours vary by location.

Department of Motor Vehicles: New Jersey DMV offices and Pennsylvania driver's license centers are closed. 

Libraries: In New Jersey, four branches of the Warren County library system, the Phillipsburg Free Public Library, the Hackettstown Free Public Library and WH Walters Free Public Library, in Alpha, are all closed. In Pennsylvania, the Easton Area Public Library, Bethlehem Area Public Library, Hellertown Library, Memorial Library of Nazareth and Vicinity and Allentown Public Library are all closed.

4th of July events, fireworks

Money and markets: The New York Stock Exchange is closed. Most banks and financial institutions are closed. Online banking and ATMs will remain available, though transactions such as transfers may not show up until the next business day.

Public transportation: LANTA bus and van services will not operate. TransBridge will follow a Sunday schedule, except there will be no Wall Street service. Information: transbridgelines.com.

Email KJ Frantz at kjfrantz@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow lehighvalleylive.com on Twitter at @lehighvalley. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.