TWO PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE TROOPERS WHO WERE SHOT, ONE FATALLY, WHILE RESCUING A KIDNAPPED NAZARETH BOY FROM HIS FATHER NEARLY FOUR YEARS AGO HAVE RECEIVED THE NATION'S HIGHEST AWARD FOR VALOR BY A PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER. VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AWARDED THE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER MEDAL OF VALOR TO TROOPER ROBERT LOMBARDO AND TO THE FAMILY OF SLAIN TROOPER JOSHUA MILLER AT THE WHITE HOUSE. "PEOPLE ARE SAFER, FEEL SAFER, MORE SECURE, FEEL MORE SECURE IN THEIR LIVES AND IN THEIR HOMES BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU ALL DO," THE VICE PRESIDENT SAYS. THE TROOPERS EXCHANGED GUNFIRE WITH DANIEL AUTENRIETH, OF PALMER TOWNSHIP, WHO HAD KIDNAPPED HIS 9-YEAR-OLD SON IN NAZARETH. AFTER A 40-MILE CHASE, MILLER AND AUTENRIETH WERE KILLED IN THE MONROE COUNTY SHOOTOUT. LOMBARDO SURVIVED HIS WOUNDS AND RECENTLY RETURNED TO DUTY. THE CHILD WASN'T INJURED.
IT COULD BE MONTHS UNTIL A RULING IS MADE ON AN EASTON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT APPEAL OF A RULING ON THE WEARING OF "I HEART BOOBIES" RUBBER BRACELETS IN SCHOOL. IN 2010, TWO STUDENTS SUCCESSFULLY CHALLENEGED THEIR SUSPENSIONS FOR WEARING THE BRACELETS, WHICH ARE SUPPOSED TO RAISE AWARENESS OF BREAST CANCER. THE DISTRICT IS APPEALING THAT RULING TO THE ENTIRE 13 JUDGE 3RD U.S. CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS, CONTENDING THAT THE BRACELETS ARE LEWD, DISRUPTIVE AND TITALATING. THE GIRLS AND SUPPORTERS SAY IT'S A FREEDOM OF SPEECH RIGHT TO WEAR THE BRACELETS.
A MOTHER HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER IN WHAT SHE SAID WAS THE ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING DEATH OF HER 19-MONTH-OLD SON LAST FALL. 27-YEAR-OLD HOLLY PALLONE OF SLATINGTON TOLD A LEHIGH COUNTY JUDGE WEDNESDAY THAT SHE PLANNED TO SELL THE .44 CALIBER GUN AND WAS TRYING TO UNLOAD THE WEAPON WHEN IT DISCHARGED, HITTING ANTHONY PALLONE JR. SHE SAID SHE HAD TAKEN PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION BEFORE THE OCTOBER SHOOTING AND REMEMBERS "BITS AND PIECES" OF WHAT HAPPENED. HER DEFENSE ATTORNEY SAID HIS CLIENT NEEDED THE MONEY TO MAKE ENDS MEET BECAUSE OF A PROBLEM THAT MONTH WITH HER PAYCHECK. HE SAID SHE HAD COOPERATED WITH POLICE FROM THE START AND HAS TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR HER ACTIONS. PALLONE WILL BE SENTENCED MARCH 20.
BACK IN NOVEMBER, A ROSETO WOMAN ADMITTED TO EMBEZZLING $300,000 WHILE WORKING AS A BOOKKEEPER AT JLK CONTRACTING IN WILSON BOROUGH. WEDNESDAY, APRIL MILLER WAS SENTENCED TO ONE TO FIVE YEARS IN JAIL, 12 YEARS PROBATION AND ORDERED TO PAY $20,000 EVERY YEAR BEGINNING IN 2016 UNTIL THE $300,000 IS PAID OFF. MILLER USED THE MONEY TO PAY OFF CREDIT CARD BILLS.
NORTHWESTERN LEHIGH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER LEROY SORENSEN SAYS HE WON'T RESIGN FROM THE BOARD BECAUSE OF AN UNDERAGE DRINKING PARTY THAT TOOK PLACE AT HIS HOME EARLIER THIS MONTH. SORENSEN WAS NOT AT HOME AT THE TIME OF THE PARTY, DURING WHICH POLICE SHOWED UP AND CITED SIX JUVENILES AND SIX ADULTS UNDER THE LEGAL DRINKING AGE OF 21. SORENSEN SAYS HE AND HIS WIFE ARE EMBARRASSED BY THE INCIDENT, BUT HE SAYS HE WON'T RESIGN OVER IT. AT WEDNESDAY NIGHT'S MEETING, SOME RESIDENTS CALLED ON SORENSEN TO QUIT, WHILE OTHERS DEFENDED HIM AND SAID SORENSEN IS A GOOD MAN WHO DOESN'T DESERVE THE HEAT HE'S GETTING.
THE HEAD OF THE NCAA SAYS THE ORGANIZATION'S NEED TO ENFORCE ITS OWN RULES IS PART OF THE REASON IT SUED OVER A NEW PENNSYLVANIA LAW DESIGNED TO KEEP THE $60 MILLION PENN STATE FINE OVER THE JERRY SANDUSKY SCANDAL IN THE STATE. NCAA PRESIDENT MARK EMMERT SAYS IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE NCAA'S MEMBERS ABIDE BY ITS RULES. HE SAYS COLLEGE SPORTS WILL BE "DRAMATICALLY ALTERED" IF OTHER ENTITIES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DECIDING WHAT PENALTIES ARE APPROPRIATE. THE NCAA SUED GOV. TOM CORBETT AND STATE OFFICIALS WEDNESDAY, SAYING A LAW ENACTED EARLIER IN THE DAY WASN'T CONSTITUTIONAL. CORBETT'S OFFICE SAYS "THE LAW IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO." STATE AND CONGRESSIONAL LAWMAKERS HAVE OBJECTED TO USE OF THE NCAA FINE TO FINANCE CHILD-ABUSE PREVENTION EFFORTS IN OTHER STATES.
THE NCAA DISAGREES WITH TWO PENNSYLVANIA CONGRESSMEN WHO SAY THAT TAKING SOME FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIPS AWAY FROM PENN STATE FOR THE JERRY SANDUSKY CHILD SEX ABUSE SCANDAL UNFAIRLY PUNISHES INNOCENT STUDENT-ATHLETES. REPS. CHARLIE DENT AND GLENN THOMPSON ON WEDNESDAY RELEASED THE NCAA'S RESPONSE TO THEIR REQUEST. THEY SAY THAT NCAA PRESIDENT MARK EMMERT IS "STONEWALLING" FOLLOWING THEIR REQUEST TO RESTORE SCHOLARSHIPS. EMMERT IN THE LETTER WROTE THAT NO PENN STATE ATHLETE LOST A SCHOLARSHIP, AND THAT EACH ATHLETE REMAINS ELIGIBLE FOR A SCHOLARSHIP AT PENN STATE OR ANOTHER SCHOOL. THE LETTER ALSO SAID EMMERT COULDN'T DISCUSS THE SCHOLARSHIP REDUCTIONS FURTHER BECAUSE THE SANCTIONS ARE SUBJECT OF A PENDING LITIGATION. THE CONGRESSMEN SAY THE REDUCTIONS WERE PUNITIVE PARTLY BECAUSE OF A "LACK OF APPROPRIATE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES" BY THE NCAA IN LEVYING SANCTIONS.
PENN STATE HAS SELECTED EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRM ISAACSON, MILLER TO HELP THE SCHOOL FIND A REPLACEMENT FOR UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT RODNEY ERICKSON. SCHOOL LEADERS HAVE SAID THEY WOULD LIKE TO SETTLE ON ERICKSON'S SUCCESSOR BY YEAR'S END. HE PLANS TO RETIRE BY JUNE 2014, WHEN HIS CONTRACT EXPIRES. ISAACSON, MILLER WAS CHOSEN FROM A POOL OF FIVE CANDIDATES. IT HAS CONDUCTED PRESIDENTIAL SEARCHES FOR INSTITUTIONS INCLUDING DARTMOUTH, BROWN AND THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA. TRUSTEE PRESIDENTIAL SELECTION COUNCIL CHAIR KAREN PEETZ SAID ONE OF THE FIRM'S FIRST PRIORITIES WILL BE REACHING OUT TO VARIOUS UNIVERSITY STAKEHOLDERS THROUGH PUBLIC MEETINGS, SURVEYS AND FOCUS GROUPS. ERICKSON TOOK OVER ON NOVEMBER 2011 FROM GRAHAM SPANIER, WHO DEPARTED AS PRESIDENT UNDER PRESSURE DAYS AFTER FORMER ASSISTANT COACH JERRY SANDUSKY WAS ARRESTED ON CHILD MOLESTATION CHARGES.
STATE TREASURER ROB McCORD SAYS HE NEEDS MORE MONEY TO MAKE MORE MONEY FOR STATE GOVERNMENT. AT A SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE HEARING WEDNESDAY, MCCORD SAID REPUBLICAN GOV. TOM CORBETT'S PROPOSAL TO FLAT-LINE THE TREASURY'S $32 MILLION OPERATIONS BUDGET IS ACTUALLY A CUT BECAUSE OF RISING PERSONNEL COSTS. McCORD, A DEMOCRAT, SAYS HIS DEPARTMENT HAS PRODUCED HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR THE STATE THROUGH SAVVY INVESTMENTS, STEPPED-UP COLLECTIONS AND REDUCED PAYMENT ERRORS. McCORD SAYS HE NEEDS A NEARLY 25 PERCENT INCREASE TO BUILD ON THAT RECORD. BUT SEN. MIKE BRUBAKER, A LANCASTER COUNTY REPUBLICAN, TOLD McCORD HE NEEDS TO FIND MORE CREATIVE SOLUTIONS. AS HE PUT IT, IN THIS ECONOMY, "A FLAT-LINE BUDGET IS THE NEW UP."
THE U.S. OLYMPIC COMMITTEE WANTS TO KNOW IF PITTSBURGH OR PHILADELPHIA MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN HOSTING THE 2024 SUMMER OLYMPICS. THE COMMITTEE SAYS THAT 35 LETTERS WERE SENT OUT TUESDAY SEEKING TO GAUGE INTEREST. THE NATION'S 25 LARGEST CITIES GOT THE LETTER, ALONG WITH PITTSBURGH AND NINE OTHERS. PITTSBURGH MAYOR LUKE RAVENSTAHL SAYS THERE WOULD BE "EXTRAORDINARY" CHALLENGES TO SUBMIT A FORMAL BID, BUT THAT HE WILL SEEK COMMUNITY INPUT ABOUT THE OFFER. THE LETTER SUGGESTS THAT HOSTING THE EVENT WOULD REQUIRE A BUDGET OF MORE THAN $3 BILLION. THE USOC SAYS THE LETTER IS JUST AN INITIAL STEP IN EVALUATING A POTENTIAL BID, NOT A GUARANTEE THEY WILL BID FOR THE 2024 GAMES. THE U.S. HASN'T HOSTED THE SUMMER OLYMPICS SINCE ATLANTA IN 1996.
THE LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS IS OUT WITH ITS REPORT CARD ON CONGRESS' ENVIRONMENTAL VOTES LAST YEAR. ALEX TAUREL SAYS THE TWO MEN WHO REPRESENTED THE LEHIGH VALLEY IN THE HOUSE A YEAR AGO DIDN'T EXACTLY SHINE. "CHARLIE DENT GOT A 17 PERCENT ENVIRONMENTTAL SCORE FOR 2012. TIM HOLDEN, WHO WAS RECENTLY DEFEATED, GOT A 34 PERCENT. HOLDEN IS A DEMOCRAT AND HAD THE TENTH WORSE SCORE AMONG DEMOCRATS ACROSS THE COUNTRY," TAUREL SAYS. TAUREL SAYS HOLDEN IS BEING REPLACED BY "AN ENVIRONMENTAL CHAMPION" IN MATT CARTWRIGHT. PENNSYLVANIA'S TWO SENATORS BOB CASEY HAD A HUGE GAP ACCORDING TO TAUREL. BOB CASEY SCORED A 79 PERCENT WHILE PAT TOOMEY WAS GIVEN A GRADE OF ZER0 FOR HIS VOTES LAST YEAR.
THE NEW JERSEY ASSEMBLY IS POISED TO VOTE ON NEARLY TWO DOZEN MEASURES PROPONENTS SAY WILL CURB GUN VIOLENCE. THE BILLS ARE BEING FAST-TRACKED THROUGH THE CHAMBER FOLLOWING THE NEWTOWN, CONN. SCHOOL SHOOTINGS IN DECEMBER. NEW JERSEY'S GUN LAWS ARE ALREADY AMONG THE TOUGHEST IN THE NATION. THE ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATS' PROPOSALS WOULD PLACE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON ALLOWABLE AMOUNTS AND TYPES OF AMMUNITION. THEY ALSO WOULD REQUIRE PROOF OF FIREARMS TRAINING BEFORE GUN PERMITS ARE ISSUED AND MANDATE MENTAL HEALTH RECORDS FOR BACKGROUND CHECKS. LAWMAKERS WILL ALSO CONSIDER RESOLUTIONS SUPPORTING PRESIDENT OBAMA'S PROPOSED FIREARMS LEGISLATION AND THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S ONGOING GUN BUYBACK PROGRAMS. THE SENATE HAS INTRODUCED SEVERAL SIMILAR MEASURES, BUT NO HEARINGS HAVE BEEN HELD.
A NEW JERSEY STATE SENATE PANEL WILL CONSIDER A MEASURE THAT WOULD ALLOW WITNESSES OF SEXUALLY VIOLENT CRIMES TO BE AMONG THOSE NOTIFIED WHEN THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE IS RELEASED FROM CUSTODY. THE LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE IS DUE TO VOTE ON THE MEASURE TODAY. THE BILL IS SPONSORED BY SENATE MAJORITY LEADER LORETTA WEINBERG. THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS CAN NOW NOTIFY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OR COUNTY PROSECUTOR THAT A PERSON CONVICTED OF A SEXUALLY VIOLENT OFFENSE IS BEING RELEASED FROM CUSTODY. THE VICTIM AND WITNESS ADVOCACY OFFICE THEN NOTIFIES THE VICTIM OR THE VICTIM'S FAMILY IF THE CRIME RESULTED IN DEATH. UNDER THIS MEASURE, NOTIFICATION WOULD ALSO EXTEND TO ANY WITNESSES OF SUCH A CRIME.
NEW JERSEY HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE CREATED A NEW FORM THAT WILL GIVE PATIENTS WITH ADVANCED ILLNESSES A STANDARDIZED WAY TO MAKE THEIR END-OF-LIFE TREATMENT WISHES PART OF THEIR MEDICAL RECORD. MORE THAN A DOZEN OTHER STATES HAVE ALREADY MADE AVAILABLE SIMILAR FORMS, KNOWN AS ORDERS FOR LIFE-SUSTAINING TREATMENT. NEW JERSEY'S 'PRACTITIONER ORDER FOR LIFE-SUSTAINING TREATMENT' IS DESIGNED TO BE FILLED OUT JOINTLY BY THE PATIENT AND A DOCTOR OR AN ADVANCED PRACTICE NURSE. UNLIKE OTHER DOCUMENTS SUCH AS ADVANCE DIRECTIVES, THE NEW FORM IS A MEDICAL ORDER THAT BECOMES PART OF A PATIENT'S MEDICAL RECORD AND IS VALID IN ANY HEALTH CARE SETTING. IT PROVIDES INSTRUCTIONS FOR CURRENT TREATMENT. HEALTH COMMISSIONER MARY O'DOWD WILL UNVEIL NEW JERSEY'S FORM FRIDAY DURING BRIEFINGS AT THE NEW JERSEY HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION IN PRINCETON.
