Senator John Fetterman was taken to a Pittsburgh hospital early Thursday morning after experiencing a fall near his Braddock home. According to a statement from his spokesperson, the incident occurred during an early morning walk. That statement says out of an abundance of caution, he was transported to a hospital in Pittsburgh and that it was established he had a ventricular fibrillation flare-up that led to Fetterman feeling light-headed, falling to the ground and hitting his face with minor injuries. The statement continues to state the senator is doing well and receiving routine observation at the hospital but has opted to stay so doctors can fine-tune his medication regimen. "If you thought my face looked bad before, wait until you see it now!", Fetterman posted to social media.
A longtime Northampton Borough firefighter and former state police fire marshal has died. Capt. Michael Booke has died passed away at the age of 57. Booke joined the Northampton Fire Department in 1998 and served in several roles, most recently captain. In addition to his role as a firefighter, he was also a state trooper and served as the fire marshal for state police Troop M, which covers Lehigh, Northampton and Bucks counties. He retired in 2017.
The bison herd at Lehigh Valley Zoo is a bit thinner. The zoo has agreed to donate four male bison to the Wildlife Restoration Foundation for transfer to a tribe in the InterTribal Buffalo Council in South Dakota. The zoo says last year's death of the herd's dominant bull led to conflicts among other male bison, causing the zoo to split the 14 bison into two groups of seven to ensure safety. Now, the zoo has decided to send four of the bison out.
A Lehigh Valley Christmas tradition resumes today. Christkindlmarkt opens its annual run this morning at 10. The huge Christmas market will be open Thursdays and Sundays from 10-6 and Fridays and Saturdays from 10-8 through December 21st at SteelStacks in South Bethlehem. Christkindlmarkt features dozens of artisan vendors, food and family activities.
A brand new hotel opened on Thursday in Pottsville. The Towne Place Suites by Marriott at High-Ridge Industrial Park is an extended-stay hotel with 111 rooms. The hotel is employing 30 people.
Full SNAP payments are now going out to recipients across Pennsylvania. Yesterday, the state's Department of Human Services announced food assistance benefits were being distributed following the end of the federal government shutdown. Officials say those enrolled in SNAP should see the full amount for November by this weekend. Recipients can check balances using the ConnectEBT app or website.
There are three high school football playoff games being played in the Lehigh Valley tonight. Accu-Weather's Joe Lundberg says fans better bundle up. "We're going to average to partly cloudy skies with lows down near freezing," Lundberg says. Notre Dame-Green Pond plays Northwestern Lehigh at Catasauqua's Alumni Field, Easton and Parkland play at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium and Whitehall hosts Roman Catholic.
Southern Lehigh is the District 11 4A football champions after beating Bethlehem Catholic 49-28 Thursday night. It's the second straight district crown for the Spartans, who now head off to the PIAA state football playoffs next week. They'll play the winner of tonight's Bellefonte/Shamokin game. Two more district football championships will be won tonight. Notre Dame-Green Pond plays Northwestern Lehigh at Catasauqua's Alumni Field for the 3A title. Both teams are 12-0. Easton and Parkland play at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium for the 6A title tonight. Each of those teams are also a perfect 12-0. In the first round of the PIAA 5A state playoffs, Whitehall takes on Philadelphia's Roman Catholic at Whitehall High School.
The largest great white shark ever recorded is near a popular spot in New Jersey. A marine research group, called OCEARCH, is reporting the shark, called "Contender" has been detected just miles from Atlantic City. Contender is reported to be over 16 hundred pounds, 13 feet long and is believed to be about 32 years old. Contender was first tagged back in January, in waters near the Florida- Georgia line, and has pinged the research group more than 40 times since he's been headed north. In order for the group to receive a ping on Contender's location, his dorsal fin has to break the ocean's surface.