>>Positive COVID-19 Cases Continue To Rise In Pennsylvania
(Harrisburg, PA) -- More positive COVID-19 cases are being reported in Pennsylvania. The state's Department of Health announced over 2,500 new positive cases yesterday. There have now been almost 873,000 positive cases reported statewide since the start of the pandemic. Four more people also passed away due to complications of the coronavirus.
>>Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board Files Charges Against District Judge
(Harrisburg, PA) -- The Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board is filing misconduct charges against a Dauphin County Magisterial District Judge. The board announced yesterday that it has charged Judge Sonya M. McKnight for her alleged actions during a traffic stop involving her son last year. According to the filing, McKnight is being accused of violating the rules governing standards of conduct of magisterial district judges. Board members say if she is found guilty by the court, she could face sanctions including censure, suspension, fines and possible removal from office.
>>Small Plane Forced To Make Emergency Landing On Pennsylvania Turnpike
(Harrisburg, PA) -- Authorities are investigating a small plane that was forced to make an emergency landing on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The incident happened yesterday evening on Interstate 76 between Lebanon-Lancaster Exit 266 and Harrisburg East Exit 247. Officials say a Cessna plane landed in the right lane of the highway and was hit by a tractor-trailer, but nobody was reported injured from the accident. The plane is registered to Mustang Sally Aviation which is located in Camden, South Carolina.
>>Winning Ticket Worth 300,000 Dollars Sold In Cumberland County
(Camp Hill, PA) -- Someone in Cumberland County is getting lucky before Valentine's Day this year. The Pennsylvania Lottery announced yesterday that a jackpot-winning Cash Five ticket worth $300-thousand was sold at a 7-Eleven store on Market Street in Camp Hill. The 7-Eleven store is going to get a $500 reward for selling the ticket. The lucky winner is being told to sign the back of the winning ticket and contact the nearest Lottery office to claim their prize.
>>Barber Stable After Weekend Shooting In Lower Paxton Township
(Lower Paxton Twp., PA) -- A barber shot several times over the weekend in Lower Paxton Township is reportedly in stable condition. Investigators say a man dressed in black with a ski mask entered the GQ Barbershop in the 4,500 block of Locust Lane Saturday evening and opened fire. It’s still unclear what may have sparked the incident.
>>Harrisburg Man In Custody For November Shooting
(Harrisburg, PA) -- US Marshals say they’ve made an arrest in a November 6th shooting in Harrisburg. Zaequan Black was wanted for the incident on the 1,800 block of Zarker Street that left one person hurt. He was taken into custody in Harrisburg yesterday morning on the 18-hundred-block of Walnut Street without incident.
>>Camp Hill School District To Examine Five-Day In-Person Learning Model
(Camp Hill, PA) -- The Camp Hill School Board is looking to examine ways to bring back the five-day in-person learning model. The plan, which would include the option of remote learning, will be evaluated March 29th, and voted on at a meeting April 5th. Currently, students can attend class in-person for up to three days a week.
>>Final Two P-A Kmart Stores Set To Close
(West Lampeter Twp., PA) -- The final two Kmart stores in Pennsylvania are set to close. One of the two, onNorth Willow Street in West Lampeter Township, Lancaster County, will close in mid-April. Forbes estimates there are only 30 Kmart stores left across the country.
>>Reading City Council To Forgive Small Business Loans
(Reading, PA) -- Reading City Council is going to forgive about one-million-dollars' worth of small business loans this year. The council voted yesterday to forgive loans given to over 125 small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials say the forgiveness was made because small businesses are still struggling due to the pandemic. Community First Fund gave money to support the loans last spring and will be verifying businesses for forgiveness.
>>Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed For Man Shot Dead By Lancaster Police
(Lancaster, PA) -- The mother of a man who was shot and killed by Lancaster Police last year is filing a lawsuit against the department, the city and the county. Ricardo Munoz's mother filed a wrongful death lawsuit yesterday. Munoz, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, ran towards police with a knife during an episode when he was allegedly off his medication. The lawsuit filed by his mother claims the officer who shot and killed him chose deadly force over less-lethal means.
>>One Love Project In Berks County Collecting Clothes
(Reading, PA) -- An organization based in Reading is asking the public for help in donating clothes for those in need across Berks County. One Love Project announced yesterday that it is teaming up with the L-G-B-T Center of Greater Reading and Zoo Much Fun to host a collection drive starting today. Clothing donations can be dropped off at The Gables at Overlook Mansion located at Six-20 Centre Avenue until March 8th. Organizers say the distribution of the donations will be held on March 14th at the Overlook Mansion.
>>Reading Public Library Accepts Grant To Help Programs
(Reading, PA) -- Reading Public Library is receiving a grant to help support some of its programs. The library announced yesterday that it is accepting a ten-thousand-dollar grant from the Baker Tilly Foundation. Officials say the funding will be used to fund its adult computer classes, SAT prep classes and literacy education programs. The grant was a part of the Baker Tilly Foundation's Wishes campaign, which donated ten-thousand-dollars to ten different nonprofit organizations in the country.
>>Berks Nature Looking For Volunteers
(Reading, PA) -- Berks Nature is looking for residents who want to volunteer to work as ambassadors. The conservation announced yesterday that it is seeking people with diverse backgrounds who can be trained to lead projects and help protect the environment. Officials say that those who are interested in volunteering will receive about 20 hours' worth of training that will focus on different subjects such as hydrology and invasive plants. Anyone who is interested in volunteering can apply on the Berks Nature website. The training is expected to begin April 20th.
>>Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Canceling High School Winter Sports Championships
(Lehigh, PA) -- The Eastern Pennsylvania Conference is canceling its high school winter sports championships. Officials say due to the high number of postponements and cancellations, they decided to cancel the 2020 through 2021 playoffs. Schools will continue to play as many conference games as they can, but just like in the fall, COVID-19 will prevent EPC from holding championships.
>>Suspected Drug Dealer Being Charged With Former Wrestler's Death
(Macungie, PA) -- A suspected drug dealer is being charged with the overdose death of former Slate Belt wrestler Michael "Mikey" Racciato. The 26-year-old, who was a three-time PIAA State Champion and two-time qualifier for the NCAA Wrestling Championships, was found dead on Christmas Day. Investigators say text messages between Racciato and his alleged dealer, Christopher Ferrante, on December 24th showed conversations of two drug transactions on the same day. Ferrante reportedly told investigators he would regularly supply Racciato with heroin to support his own habit and sold him three-to-five bags of fentanyl, which killed him. Officials say homicide charges will be filed against Ferrante among others.
>>Three Killed In Crash From Last Friday, Including A Toddler
(Lower Saucon Township, PA) -- Police are confirming that a three-year-old boy is dead following a car crash from last Friday in Northampton County. Police say around 8 p.m. that day, two vehicles collided on Route-33 south when one was trying to exit onto Interstate-78 eastbound and the other was trying to get on I-78 westbound. The car containing five people, including the three-year-old, crashed into a median and rolled over, throwing out a 35-year-old driver, a seven-year-old girl and the young boy. A 16-year-old girl and one-year-old girl were also in that vehicle, and the group was rushed to the hospital. The boy died from his injuries. The driver of the other car involved was not injured. The investigation into the crash is ongoing.
>>Update: Woman's Body Found Along I-80 Considered To Be Homicide
(White Deer, PA) -- Police are releasing more details in the case of the woman's body that was found along the off-ramp for Interstate-80 in White Deer Township on Sunday. Police say Rebecca Landrith's death is believed to be a homicide. She is reportedly from Virginia, has ties to several other states and was in Wisconsin and Indiana before she ended up in Pennsylvania. Her cause of death has yet to be revealed as the investigation is ongoing.
>>Former State Representative George Hasay Dead
(Luzerne County, PA) -- Former state Representative George Hasay, who represented Columbia, Luzerne, and Wyoming counties, is dead. His wife says he felt sick a few days prior to passing away overnight in his sleep, just a day after his 73rd birthday. Hasay was first elected in 1972, and he served in the state House for 17 terms. He then retired at the end of 2006.