Layoffs are coming to one local health network. Jefferson Health, the parent company of Lehigh Valley Health Network, is reportedly laying off 1% of its workforce, which figures out to around 600 to 700 people. It’s unclear how many workers at LVHN will be affected. CEO of Jefferson health Joseph Cacchione says, "To sustain our mission and continue serving our communities, we must take thoughtful, strategic actions to align our operations for the future.” Jefferson completed its merger with LVHN in the summer of 2024. It reported a $195-million operating loss for the last fiscal year.
The president of Allentown City Council and a council member have a difference of opinion. Councilwoman Ce-Ce Gerlach wants a bill that she says would protect the rights of the city's homeless sent to the parks & recreation committee. Council president Daryl Hendricks says it's too broad an issue for just the parks & recreation committee to look at it. "I know the attempt and why this is being sent to the Committee of the Whole so that everyone can be there and it will get tabled," Gerlach said at Wednesday night's meeting. Hendricks said, "It will go to the committee of the whole because of the impact it has on the entire city, not just parks & recreation," Hendricks said. Gerlach says Hendricks is making that move at the request of mayor Matt Tuerk. Hendricks says that's incorrect.
The 29th season of Lights in the Parkway begins on November 28th. More than 200,000 lights will illuminate the Lehigh Parkway every night from November 28th until January 6th except for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Every Monday night will be reserved for those who want to walk or bike through the display. No cars will admitted on those Mondays and the display's final night on January 6th.
The Saucon Valley School Board has dropped the idea of creating a Charlie Kirk Recognition Day within the district. The idea, which was raised during a September board meeting, never gained enough support to become a formal agenda item. To become an agenda item, an issue must have the support of a minimum of three board members and this topic did not achieve that.
Pennsylvania Senator Dave McCormick is demanding action after a hacker was able to access the PA system at Harrisburg International Airport. An unauthorized user was reportedly able to gain access to the public address system Tuesday evening and played a message that said "Free Palestine" and "[Expletive] Netanyahu and Trump." McCormick called the incident "extremely disturbing" and said the "bad actors" responsible need to be held accountable, but he added that airport security "must be vigilant against such threats." The investigation is ongoing.
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is now accepting nominations for the 2026 River of the Year. The award is meant to celebrate and put a spotlight on one of the many amazing waterways across the Commonwealth. All Pennsylvania rivers are up for nomination through November 21st except for the past five winners. Those are the Delaware, Allegheny, Susquehanna North Branch, French Creek and Shenango.
E-commerce giant Amazon is looking to hire 250-thousand new workers ahead of this year's holiday season. The company says over 11-thousand seasonal positions will be filled across Pennsylvania. Corporate leaders for the retailer say average wages are now up over $19 per hour. Details on local opportunities can be found at www.amazon.com/localjobs.
A new poll shows a tightening contest between Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli in the race to become New Jersey's next governor. With fewer than three weeks to Election Day, Sherrill holds a six-point lead over Ciattarelli according to the latest Quinnipiac poll. It's a two-point swing in the Republican's favor since the last poll a month ago that showed Sherrill holding an eight-point advantage.
New Jersey Democrat gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill is accusing her Republican opponent, Jack Ciattarelli, of being complicit in the deaths of tens of thousands of state residents. Sherrill claims Ciattarelli's publishing business profited from printing articles that downplayed opioid addiction and helped residents obtain prescriptions for addictive painkillers. The Republican candidate calls his opponent's claims a "reckless lie," and says Sherrill is unqualified to be New Jersey's governor. "This is a person who is basing her entire campaign on a stack of lies about me, including raising the sales tax. I'm not raising any taxes. Her campaign is all about her disdain for Donald Trump and that she can fly a helicopter. None of that is going to fix New Jersey," Ciattarelli says. Ciattarelli also claims he is filing a defamation lawsuit against Sherill for her comments. A recent Fox News poll shows likely voters in New Jersey prefer Sherrill over Ciattarelli by eight percentage points in the upcoming election.