JERRY SANDUSKY HAD AN INSPIRING REPUTATION FOR HELPING YOUTH, AND BOASTED SUCH A SOFT SPOT FOR CHILDREN THAT HE INVITED THEM TO PENN STATE FOOTBALL GAMES AND SPEND THE NIGHT AT HIS HOME, WITNESSES FOR THE RETIRED COACH HAVE TESTIFIED AT HIS CHILD MOLESTATION TRIAL. TODAY, SANDUSKY MIGHT FINALLY TELL HIS SIDE OF THE STORY IN COURT. THE JUDGE IN THE CASE HAS SAID SANDUSKY'S DEFENSE TEAM IS CLOSE TO WRAPPING UP. HE'S AIMING TO HAVE CLOSING STATEMENTS THURSDAY, WITH DELIBERATIONS BEGINNING THAT AFTERNOON.
SHE'S BEEN A CONSTANT, IF SILENT, PRESENCE BY JERRY SANDUSKY'S SIDE. DOTTIE SANDUSKY HAD NOT SPOKEN PUBLICLY IN MORE THAN SIX MONTHS UNTIL TAKING THE WITNESS STAND TUESDAY IN HER HUSBAND'S CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE TRIAL. SHE SAYS HE NEVER HAD INAPPROPRIATE CONTACT WITH BOYS. CRITICS SAY SANDUSKY'S WIFE STOOD QUIETLY BY WHILE THE ONCE-REVERED PENN STATE ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACH SEXUALLY ABUSED BOYS IN THE BASEMENT OF THEIR HOME. BUT EXPERTS IN CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE SAY OFFENDERS ARE TYPICALLY VERY GOOD AT CONCEALING THEIR PROCLIVITIES, EVEN FROM THOSE CLOSEST TO THEM.
IF YOU LIKE YOUR WEATHER HOT AND STEAMY, ACCU-WEATHER METEOROLOGIST DEAN DEVORE SAYS YOU'LL LOVE THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS. "IT IS A HEAT WAVE. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET UP TO 90 ON FRIDAY SO THAT WOULD QUALIFY. TECHNICALLY, YOU NEED THREE DAYS IN A ROW OF 90 DEGREES OR BETTER AND WE'RE CERTAINLY GOING TO HAVE THAT TODAY. 95 TODAY AND I THINK 98 TOMORROW ON THE THERMOMETER," DEVORE SAYS. IF WE REACH 98 TOMORROW, THAT WILL TIE THE JUNE 21 ALL-TIME RECORD THAT WAS SET BACK IN 1923. DEVORE SAYS TEMPERATURES WILL BACK OFF A BIT ON FRIDAY, WITH THE EXPECTED HIGH TEMP AT 90 DEGREES.
CONSTRUCTION OF AN ALLENTOWN HOCKEY ARENA IS ALMOST AT A STANDSTILL DUE TO A LEGAL FIGHT BETWEEN THE CITY AND SURROUNDING MUNICIPALITIES BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR THE HOCKEY TEAM. THE PHANTOMS BEGIN SELLING 2013-2014 SEASON TICKETS TODAY EVENTHOUGH THE LITIGATION IS PUTTING HOCKEY BEGINNING IN ALLENTOWN IN THE FALL OF 2013 IN SERIOUS JEOPARDY. ADULT SEASON TICKETS ARE AS LOW AS $600, WHILE TICKETS UP AGAINST THE GLASS GO FOR MORE THAN $1200.
THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT THE NEW ST. LUKE'S UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL-ANDERSON CAMPUS IN BETHLEHEM TOWNSHIP IS SET TO GET QUITE A BIT BIGGER. TOWNSHIP COMMISSIONERS HAVE GREENLIGHTED THE HOSPITAL'S PLANS FOR A NEARLY 11,000-SQUARE-FOOT ADDITION TO THE E.R. AT THE EIGHT-MONTH-OLD HOSPITAL. THE $4 MILLION PROJECT, WHICH SHOULD BE WRAPPED UP NEXT SPRING, WILL ALLOW THE HOSPITAL OFF OF ROUTE 33 TO HANDLE 60,000 PATIENTS EVERY YEAR, ABOUT DOUBLE WHAT IT CURRENTLY CAN.
A 27-YEAR-OLD ALLENTOWN MAN IS CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED HOMICIDE AFTER ALLEGEDLY SHOOTING A MAN THREE TIMES MONDAY AFTERNOON. CHRISTOPHER PEREZ IS IN LEHIGH COUNTY PRISON WITHOUT BAIL AFTER ALLEGEDLY SHOOTING ANGEL FILOMENO III. AFTER A STANDOFF AT A WEST TILGHMAN STREET HOME, PEREZ GAVE HIMSELF UP AND WAS ARRESTED. FILOMENO IS EXPECTED TO RECOVER FROM HIS WOUNDS.
THE LEGISLATURE'S LEADING ADVOCATE OF PRIVATIZING LIQUOR AND WINE SALES IN PENNSYLVANIA HAS THROWN IN THE TOWEL, AT LEAST UNTIL FALL. HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER MIKE TURZAI ACKNOWLEDGED TUESDAY THE OPEN SECRET THAT HE LACKS THE VOTES TO GET HIS BILL THROUGH THE HOUSE. THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY REPUBLICAN SAID LEGISLATORS NEED TO FOCUS NOW ON PASSAGE OF A STATE BUDGET. CORBETT VOWED TO WORK WITH TURZAI IN WRITING A LIQUOR BILL FOR POSSIBLE CONSIDERATION THIS FALL.
STATE INSPECTORS HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THREE TOP OFFICIALS AT THE PENNSYLVANIA LIQUOR CONTROL BOARD ACCEPTED GIFTS AND FAVORS FROM VENDORS AND OTHER BUSINESSES. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER SAID IT HAD OBTAINED A CONFIDENTIAL REPORT THAT THE STATE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE IN LATE MARCH. A SPOKESMAN TOLD THE PAPER THAT THE MATTER HAD BEEN REFERRED TO THE STATE ETHICS COMMISSION. THE REPORT ALLEGES THAT CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER JOE CONTI, BOARD MEMBER PATRICK STAPLETON III AND MARKETING DIRECTOR JAMES SHORT ACCEPTED GIFTS AND FAVORS SUCH AS WINE AND TICKETS TO SPORTING EVENTS AND GOLF TOURNAMENTS.
REPAIRS ARE SET TO BEGIN NEXT MONTH FOR THE NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA LEVEE SYSTEM DAMAGED BY LAST FALL'S FLOODING BROUGHT ON BY THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM LEE. THE LUZERNE COUNTY FLOOD PROTECTION AUTHORITY SAID TUESDAY WORKERS WILL BEGIN MORE THAN $2 MILLION IN REPAIRS AND REINFORCEMENTS TO THE WYOMING VALLEY LEVEE SYSTEM IN A COUPLE WEEKS. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS FOOTING THE BILL. THE LARGEST PHASE OF REPAIRS WON'T BEGIN UNTIL OCTOBER. THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS SAYS THE LEVEE IS STRONG ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND FLOODING IF WATER LEVELS RISE BEFORE THE WORK IS FINISHED. THE 15-MILE LEVEE SYSTEM PROTECTS WILKES-BARRE AND OTHER COMMUNITIES ALONG THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER. THE LEVEE WAS DAMAGED IN SEPTEMBER AFTER THE MASSIVE STORM BROUGHT RECORD FLOODING TO THE AREA.
FORMER STATE REP. MIKE VEON HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO AT LEAST ANOTHER YEAR IN STATE PRISON FOR HIS CONVICTION ON CORRUPTION CHARGES. DAUPHIN COUNTY JUDGE BRUCE BRATTON ON TUESDAY SENTENCED THE ONE-TIME HOUSE MAJORITY WHIP TO A PRISON TERM OF ONE TO FOUR YEARS, FINED HIM $1,500 AND ORDERED HIM TO PAY $119,000 IN RESTITUTION. THE 55-YEAR-OLD VEON IS ALREADY SERVING SIX- TO 14-YEAR PRISON TERM, WHICH IS THE LONGEST HANDED OUT IN A STATE CORRUPTION PROBE, FOR ILLEGALLY USING PUBLIC RESOURCES FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES. TUESDAY'S SENTENCE WAS FOR HIS CONVICTION FOR MISUSING STATE FUNDS AT A NONPROFIT HE ONCE RAN IN BEAVER COUNTY.
FORMER PITTSBURGH-AREA STATE SEN. JANE ORIE'S REQUEST TO BE RELEASED ON BAIL WHILE APPEALING HER CONVICTION ON CAMPAIGN CORRUPTION CHARGES HAS BEEN DENIED. ORIE'S ATTORNEY REQUESTED LAST WEEK THAT THE FORMER LAWMAKER BE RELEASED WHILE SHE APPEALS HER MARCH CONVICTION ON CHARGES SHE USED HER TAXPAYER-FUNDED STAFF FOR CAMPAIGN PURPOSES. PROSECUTORS OPPOSED THAT REQUEST MONDAY, AND A JUDGE REJECTED IT YESTERDAY. ORIE'S ATTORNEYS ARE SEEKING A NEW TRIAL ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE JUDGE ERRED BY BARRING DISCUSSION OF THE "PERSONAL ANIMUS" BETWEEN HER FAMILY AND ALLEGHENY COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY STEPHEN ZAPPALA JR. THE DEFENSE ALLEGED THAT THE CHARGES WERE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED, WHICH PROSECUTORS DENIED. TWO OTHER ORIE SISTERS ARE CHARGED IN THE CAMPAIGN CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION, INCLUDING SUSPENDED STATE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE JOAN ORIE MELVIN.
PROSECUTORS ARE ALLEGING THAT A NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA MAN ACCUSED OF HAVING KILLED TWO PEOPLE WHOSE REMAINS WERE FOUND IN HIS YARD ALMOST A DECADE AGO ALSO TORTURED ONE OF THE VICTIMS. LUZERNE COUNTY PROSECUTORS ALLEGED DURING A HEARING YESTERDAY THAT 38-YEAR-OLD HUGO SELENSKI AND AN ACCOMPLICE TORTURED A WYOMING COUNTY PHARMACIST TO TRY TO MAKE HIM REVEAL A SAFE'S COMBINATION, THEN STRANGLED HIM. PROSECUTORS WANT JURORS TO BE SHOWN GRAPHIC PHOTOS OF THE BODIES OF PHARMACIST MICHAEL KERKOWSKI AND HIS GIRLFRIEND, TAMMY FASSETT, WHICH WERE UNEARTHED IN 2003 BEHIND SELENSKI'S KINGSTON TOWNSHIP HOME. SELENSKI WAS ACQUITTED IN THE SLAYINGS OF TWO OTHER MEN WHOSE REMAINS WERE FOUND BUT IS SERVING 32½ TO 65 YEARS IN A HOME INVASION CASE.
A PHILADELPHIA JURY IS SET TO RETURN FOR A 12TH DAY OF DELIBERATIONS TODAY IN A NOVEL CLERGY-ABUSE CASE, BUT THERE'S NO WORD THE PANEL IS AT A STALEMATE. THE CASE IS THE FIRST IN THE COUNTRY IN WHICH A ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH OFFICIAL IS CHARGED OVER HIS HANDLING OF ABUSE COMPLAINTS. PROSECUTORS SAY MONSIGNOR WILLIAM LYNN CONSPIRED TO ENDANGER CHILDREN BY TAKING PART IN AN ALLEGED COVER-UP. LYNN SERVED AS SECRETARY FOR CLERGY AT THE PHILADELPHIA ARCHDIOCESE FROM 1992 TO 2004. THE REV. JAMES BRENNAN IS CHARGED WITH THE ATTEMPTED RAPE OF A 14-YEAR-OLD BOY IN 1996. THE JURY HAS BEEN DELIBERATING SINCE JUNE 1.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES ROOKIE INFIELDER FREDDY GALVIS HAS BEEN SUSPENDED 50 GAMES BY MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL FOR USING A BANNED SUBSTANCE. MLB SAYS GALVIS TESTED POSITIVE FOR A METABOLITE OF CLOSTEBOL, A PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING SUBSTANCE. GALVIS SAYS A "TRACE AMOUNT" OF THE SUBSTANCE WAS FOUND IN HIS URINE AND HE CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW IT GOT THERE.
