Vice President JD Vance is set to speak in the Lehigh Valley this morning. Vance will make remarks at the Uline Shipping Supplies warehouse in Alburtis. The vice president's visit comes about a week after President Trump made an appearance at Mount Airy Casino in the Poconos. The event is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
Governor Josh Shapiro is making an early endorsement in the race for Pennsylvania's Seventh Congressional District. Shapiro recently announced he is backing Bob Brooks to represent the Lehigh Valley in Congress. Brooks, the president of the Pennsylvania Firefighter's Association, is part of a crowded Democratic primary field that includes former Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure and former federal prosecutor Ryan Crosswell. The winner of the primary will go on to challenge Republican Congressman Ryan Mackenzie.
Lights in the Parkway reopened Monday night after it was forced to close Sunday thanks to vandalism. One woman, among those walking through the display on "Move It Monday", says she's disgusted by the vandalism but gratified the Allentown tradition was able to reopen so quickly. "I've been coming here my entire lifetime. I'm really disappointed to see someone come in here and put a damper on a real Lehigh Valley Christmas tradition," she says. The City of Allentown says it'll cost at least $100,000 for repairs, replacements, closure and clean-up costs. Police are still looking for whomever is responsible for the damage. Lights in the Parkway reopens to vehicle traffic tonight.
A Bethlehem woman is facing DUI and aggressive driving charges for a crash in Northampton County back in September. Authorities said Hannah Lipkin was captured on video tailgating another vehicle and swerving on State Route 145 before crossing the median and colliding with multiple vehicles. One of the other drivers was severely injured. Officials said Lipkin tested positive for alcohol, THC, and cocaine following the wreck.
President Trump is vowing retaliation after two American soldiers and an interpreter were shot by a man believed to be with an ISIS fighter. Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Dave McCormick says Syria's president has an opportunity to help the U.S. in its fight against terror. "One of the things he has to do is bring together people and stop this internal violence. Of course, American soldiers are going to be supporting that effort, but they're going to need to have the security," McCormick says. Syria's government says the suspect was a member of the country's security forces, but was under investigation for connections to ISIS.
Folks who are planning to send Christmas gifts through the mail this year don't have much time left to get those packages out. Officials with the U.S. Postal Service say tomorrow is the last day to ship Ground Advantage boxes and first-class letters if they are meant to arrive ahead of the holiday. The deadline for Priority Mail items is Thursday and Priority Express packages need to be out by Saturday. Christmas Day is a little over a week away.
New Jersey has extended its schedule for its annual bear hunt by four days after hunters failed to reach the state's 20 percent of bears harvested. In the first two periods of the bear hunt, more than 450 bears were killed for a total of 19.3 percent, just short of the goal for a sustainable bear population in New Jersey. The third period will begin tomorrow, December 17th, and end this Saturday, December 20th. The county with the greatest number of bears harvested is Sussex County, where more than 220 bears were killed.
Workers for several Atlantic City casinos have asked an appeals court to ban smoking in the city's casinos, after New York State granted licenses to three casinos that will compete with the New Jersey resort town. New York voted unanimously to award licenses to Bally's in the Bronx, Hard Rock Metropolitan Park near Citi Field and Resorts World near the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens. The Atlantic City workers argue the current exemption for workers from the Smoke-Free Air Act violates the state constitution, which prohibits laws that give special favors to corporations.