Criminal Justice

Court officials from Northampton County first asked for help getting more staff over a year ago. Since November, the center netted no new full-time hires.

Two 15-year-old girls were removed from Northampton Area High School and will be charged after several threats of violence were made against the school.

A motorcade of 40 dirt bikes and ATVs ignored traffic laws and endangered others last year. They also delayed an injured Allentown detective from getting medical treatment. Only one driver, a Pen Argyl man, has been identified and charged.

Allentown police are investigating a homicide after a 38-year-old Allentown man died days after he was assaulted, according to the Lehigh County coroner.

It happened a little before 7 p.m. Wednesday at Easton Avenue and Beech Street in Bethlehem.

Clement Swaby was sentenced to up to 150 years in prison in the 2020 rape of a Lehigh University student, plus subsequent break-ins and attempted sexual assaults in Easton.

Lehigh County Judge Thomas Capehart denied the appeal of Patrick Palmer, who argued election staff should accept his paperwork because he paid a filing fee on time.

Patrick Palmer, an Allentown School Board director, argued in Lehigh County Court he should not be denied a spot on the primary ballot. County officials ruled he missed the March 7 filing deadline by a matter of seconds.

Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s nominees for attorney general and state police commissioner received unanimous approval from the Pennsylvania’s Republican-controlled Senate.

Lehigh Valley Health Network was victimized in a cybersecurity attack last month. The network said it refused to pay a ransom. Now, patient information and photos have been posted on the dark web, according to LVHN.

Pennsylvania House Democrats are putting their freshly minted majority status to work in shutting down Republican efforts to make changes to legislation designed to let victims of childhood sexual abuse file otherwise outdated lawsuits.

A 28-year-old man is charged with multiple drug crimes after a raid Friday by the Northampton County Drug Task Force. Authorities say they also recovered a stolen firearm.

Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro says he won't allow Pennsylvania to execute any inmates while he is in office and calls for the state's lawmakers to repeal the death penalty.

Nothstein, 52, will spend a year on probation after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge in Lehigh County Court on Wednesday, in a case that involved his ex-girlfriend.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives released a major report on stolen guns.

Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering a host of changes to the state’s cannabis laws that would expand who is eligible for a medical marijuana card.

A 20-year-old Coplay man fatally shot by Allentown police on Friday had multiple gunshot wounds, an autopsy report from the Lehigh County Coroner's Office said.

Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin said police recovered a semiautomatic handgun from the man, as well as shell casings believed to have been fired from the weapon. No officers were hurt, but a projectile nicked an officer's bulletproof vest, Martin said.

Police are stepping up DUI enforcement for Super Bowl weekend. Each year, there’s a spike in the number of car crashes immediately following the Super Bowl than what is typical for a Sunday night.

Part of Route 412 in South Bethlehem had been closed early Monday after police found a gunshot victim.

Recent incidents of violence prompted several people to speak out on safety concerns at the Allentown City Council meeting on Wednesday night. They emphasized the need for action and community involvement.

Allentown City Council formally thanked and recognized the emergency workers involved in the trench collapse rescue on January 11