NAHEEM ADAMS IS A WANTED MAN. POLICE IN EASTON SAY ADAMS SHOT 28-YEAR-OLD GEORGE JETER TO DEATH FRIDAY NIGHT NEAR 14TH AND BUTLER STREETS NEAR JETER'S HOME IN THE WEST WARD AREA OF THE CITY. POLICE ARE ASKING FOR ANYBODY WHO MAY HAVE SEEN ANYTHING IN THE AREA FROM 9PM TO 11PM FRIDAY NIGHT TO CONTACT THEM AT 610-250-6634. IT'S BELIEVED ADAMS IS FROM NEW YORK. HE'S DESCRIBED AS LIGHT SKINNED BLACK MAN, ABOUT 6 FOOT TALL WITH CORN ROWS OR BRAIDS.
SEVERAL DOZEN PEOPLE IN ALLENTOWN HAVE BEEN FORCED TO FIND NEW HOMES AT LEAST TEMPORARILY AFTER A SINKHOLE OPENED UNDER THEIR STREET. THE HOLE SPOTTED BY A RESIDENT SATURDAY AFTERNOON PROMPTED EVACUATION OF A BLOCK OF ROW HOMES. FIRE CHIEF ROBERT SCHEIRER SAYS OFFICIALS HOPE TO BE ABLE TO SHORE UP AND REPAIR THE HOMES ON FIFTH STREET, BUT RESIDENTS WOULD PROBABLY BE DISPLACED FOR A FEW DAYS OR LONGER. ENGINEERS WILL SEND A ROBOTIC CAMERA DOWN TO SEE HOW DEEP THE HOLE IS AND TEST HOW FAST IT'S SPREADING. IN DECEMBER A WATER MAIN BREAK AND A SINKHOLE ELSEWHERE FORCED TWO DOZEN ALLENTOWN RESIDENTS TO EVACUATE. IN 1994, A SINKHOLE DAMAGED THE CITY'S CORPORATE PLAZA BUILDING, WHICH HAD TO BE DEMOLISHED.
PENN STATE PRESIDENT RODNEY ERICKSON HOPES THE CIVIL SUITS FILED AGAINST THE UNIVERSITY BY SEXUAL-ABUSE VICIMS OF EX-PENN STATE ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACH JERRY SANDUSKY WILL BE SETTLED BEFORE THEY GET INTO THE COURTROOM. "WE DON'T WANT TO, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, DRAG VICTIMS THROUGH ANOTHER ROUND OF COURT CASES AND LITIGATION," ERICKSON TOLD CBS'S "FACE THE NATION" PROGRAM. HE SAYS THE ATHLETICS PROGRAM REMAINS "A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS" BUT SAID SOME PARTS PERHAPS, AS HE PUT IT, "BECAME TOO MUCH AREAS UNTO THEMSELVES." ERICKSON SAYS A COMBINATION OF FUNDS INCLUDING THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM'S FINANCIAL RESERVES WILL BE USED TO PAY THE $60 MILLION FINE IMPOSED AS A RESULT OF THE SCANDAL. HE SAYS PENN STATE WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO GIVE ITS ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT A LONG-TERM LOAN TO PAY OFF THAT FINE.
SEVERAL OF THE TOP PROSPECTS WHO HAVE GIVEN VERBAL COMMITMENTS TO PENN STATE HAVE TOLD THE TEAM'S COACHES THEY WILL STICK WITH THE PROGRAM DESPITE THE SANCTIONS HANDED DOWN BY THE NCAA LAST WEEK. OFFENSIVE LINEMEN BRENDAN MAHON OF RANDOLPH, N.J., AND ANDREW NELSON OF HERSHEY, PA., PHILADELPHIA WIDE RECEIVER WILL FULLER, DEFENSIVE END GARRETT SICKELS OF LITTLE SILVER, N.J., AND TWO OF BILL O'BRIEN'S MOST ANTICIPATED COMMITMENTS -TIGHT END ADAM BRENEMAN OF CAMP HILL, PA., AND QUARTERBACK CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG OF FORK UNION, VA. - VISITED STATE COLLEGE ON SATURDAY AND MET WITH PENN STATE COACHES. DEFENSIVE TACKLE GREG WEBB OF SICKLERVILLE, N.J., AND CORNERBACK ROSS DOUGLAS OF AVON, OHIO, HAVE DE-COMMITTED BUT 12 OTHERS HAVE STAYED FIRM IN THEIR PLEDGES TO THE NITTANY LIONS.
FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS YEAR, A 38-YEAR-OLD EAST STROUDSBURG MAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED FOR TRYING TO TRADE MARIJUANA FOR SEX ON CRAIGSLIST. BRIAN RYDER WAS FIRST ARRESTED JUNE 1 AFTER POSTING A CRAIGLIST AD OFFERING POT TO ANY WOMAN WHO WOULD HAVE SEX WITH HIM. LAST WEEK, RYDER RESPONDED TO A CRAIGLIST AD POSTED BY AN UNDERCOVER DETECTIVE ASKING FOR A MAN TO MEET AND PARTY WITH. RYDER REPLIED AND WAS ARRESTED BY THE SAME OFFICER WHO ARRESTED HIM LAST MONTH. THIS TIME, RYDER TOLD POLICE HE KNEW THE AD WAS POSTED BY THEM AND WAS "JUST MESSING WITH THEM". POLICE DIDN'T BUY IT AND ARRESTED HIM ONCE AGAIN.
THE NAZARETH SCHOOL BOARD IS LOOKING INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING A UNIVERSAL DRESS CODE. RIGHT NOW, EACH OF THE DISTRICT'S ELEMENTARY, INTERMEDIATE, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS HAS ITS OWN SEPARATE POLICY. AT THE PRODDING OF BOARD MEMBER CHRIS MILLER, THE BOARD HAS DECIDED TO COMPARE NAZARETH'S DRESS CODE WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN NORTHAMPTON, MONROE AND PIKE COUNTIES OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS. THE BOARD IS EXPECTED TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE AGAIN AT ITS AUGUST MEETING.
A PRELIMINARY HEARING IS SET IN PITTSBURGH FOR STATE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE JOAN ORIE MELVIN ON CAMPAIGN CORRUPTION CHARGES. MELVIN HAS DENIED THE CHARGES, RECOMMENDED BY AN ALLEGHENY COUNTY GRAND JURY, AND SUGGESTED THEY'RE A POLITICAL VENDETTA BY DEMOCRAT DISTRICT ATTORNEY STEPHEN ZAPPALA JR. THE GRAND JURY FOUND THAT MELVIN ILLEGALLY USED HER TAXPAYER-FUNDED STAFF WHEN SHE WAS STILL A SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE TO CAMPAIGN FOR A SEAT ON THE HIGH COURT IN 2003 AND AGAIN IN 2009, WHEN SHE WON HER SUPREME COURT RACE. MELVIN'S SISTER, FORMER STATE SEN. JANE ORIE, IS IN PRISON AFTER BEING CONVICTED ON SIMILAR CHARGES RELATED TO THE SENATOR'S OWN CAMPAIGNS, ALTHOUGH ORIE WAS ACQUITTED OF CHARGES THAT SHE ALSO DIRECTED HER LEGISLATIVE STAFF TO WORK ON MELVIN'S CAMPAIGNS.
