>>COVID Numbers Have Stopped Falling Due To New Strain
(Harrisburg, PA) -- Pennsylvania Department of Health officials say the number of COVID cases in the state have stopped declining. They believe that's due partially to a new strain of the virus catching on. The latest figures from the CDC show that the new subvariant, labeled BA-point-two is the dominant strain showing up cases now. In PA, nearly 800 new cases were reported as of Tuesday.
>>Fire Department Sells Clothing Items to Help Pay Colleague's Medical Bills
(Middletown, PA) - Middletown Firefighters are selling t-shirts and helmet stickers to help pay the medical bills of one of their own. The money raised will go to assist Volunteer Firefighter Shawn Menear with his expenses during his long-term recovery. He suffered third-degree burns and other injuries while trying to save a 67-year-old man who ultimately died in a house fire in Royalton. A homecoming for Menear will be staged Wednesday in Royalton beginning at noon.
>>Gunfire Reported In Camp Curtain Neighborhood
(Harrisburg, PA) -- Harrisburg Police say no one has been hit by gunfire that was reported in the area of 4th and Emerald Streets Tuesday afternoon. It happened around 1:30 p.m. A car that was driving in the area reportedly may have been hit by crossfire, but officials are still investigating the incident.
>>Two Arrested In Shooting Deaths from Over The Weekend
(Harrisburg, PA) -- Two people are under arrest in connection with the shooting deaths of two men who died from their wounds Sunday in Harrisburg. On Tuesday, police arrested Jeremy Bailey and Brooke Bechtold in relation to the deaths of Leonard Quattlebaum and Nelbenson Sanchez, who were shot near 13th and Derry streets. Bailey is charged with the actual shootings and Bechtold allegedly tampered with evidence.
>>Hershey Bears Win 3,000th Game
(Hershey, PA) -- The Hershey Bears have won their 3,000th game in their franchise history. They defeated Bridgeport four-to-three Tuesday to make the historic milestone. Hershey is the first team in the American Hockey League to cross that mark and only the fifth professional hockey franchise to accomplish it. With the win, the Bears continue their reputation for being the winningest franchise in AHL history.
>>Reading Police Arrest Suspect In 6-Month-Old Shooting Case
(Reading, PA) -- Reading Police have arrested a man for shooting that took place last September. In a post on the department's social media pages, police said Jonathon Michael Rodriguez was arrested Tuesday on various homicide charges for an incident that happened September 21st. Officials say Rodriguez, who is 20 and from Sinking Spring, remains at the Berks County Prison because he can't post bail. The FBI and U.S. Marshals assisted in making the arrest.
>> Postal Worker Arrested For Allegedly Stealing $700K in Checks
(Lancaster County, PA) -- A postal worker at the Leola Post Office in Lancaster County is accused of stealing nearly $700,000 in mailed checks. Jennesy Rodriguez faces charges including forgery, identity theft and receiving stolen property. According to a criminal complaint, she stole and altered the checks while she was a mail carrier, changing the information and then cashing them under assumed names.
>>Uber Driver Convicted of Threatening Client with a Gun
(Lancaster Co., PA) -- An Uber driver in Lancaster County could get up to 14 years in prison for threatening a passenger with a gun. Lorenzo Lee Plauger, who is 28 and from Lancaster, has been convicted of various assault charges relating to an August 2020 attempted robbery incident. A jury returned the verdict for Plauger last week following a two-day trial.
>>Old K-Mart Location in Reading to House New Business Soon
(Cumru, PA) -- The old K-Mart location in Shillington Plaza in Cumru Township will host a new business soon. Discount retailer Ocean State Job Lot has purchased the property and will open a store in late summer. The space has been vacant for over two years. The retailer said in a statement that it will hire 50 people for various supervisory, full-time and part-time positions.
>>Cause of Death Reported For Two Sisters
(Hallertown, PA) -- The Lehigh County Coroner's Office has released the cause of death for two sisters who were killed in a house fire in Hallertown. The deaths of Brianna Baer, who was 15, and Abigail Kaufman who was ten, stemmed from the "inhalation of products of combustion and thermal injuries." The coroner's office ruled their deaths as accidental. Funeral services for the two will take place Sunday in Hellertown.
>>Tornado Confirmed For Hitting Town In Franklin Township
( Franklin Township, PA) - Weather officials have confirmed it was a tornado that hit Lairdsville in Lycoming County last week. The National Weather Service says an EF-1 level tornado passed through the afternoon on Wednesday, March 31. It was carried by destructive winds of up to 95 miles per hour that resulted in much destruction in the North Central Pennsylvania. The American Red Cross has been helping people in Lairdsville who've been affected.
>>Young Boy Accidently Shoots and Kills Young Girl
(Philadelphia, PA) -- A four-year-old girl is dead after a two-year-old boy accidently shot her in Delaware County. Authorities say this happened yesterday morning in Chester at a gas station. Detectives are trying to figure out how the young boy got the gun. An investigation continues in this case.
>>Zoo Adjusts to Keep Birds Safe
(Philadelphia, PA) -- Officials at the Philadelphia Zoo are making changes to keep birds safe from the avian flu. The zoo has decided to pull all the birds inside, so they won't catch the flu. It's something they started back in February and they're not sure when they will let the birds go back outside. Multiple cases of the contagious bird flu have been detected in Delaware.
>>Sixers Out Pace Pacers
(Philadelphia, PA) -- The Philadelphia 76ers have extended their win streak to three-games following a road victory in Indiana. Joel Embiid dropped 45-points last night on the Pacers to help Philly win by nine. Tyrese Maxey did his part by adding 30-points and seven-assists. Philly will get some rest tonight before taking on the Toronto Raptors tomorrow night.