A Word From Our East Penn Students

College Costs Way Too Much, Emmaus High Student Says

Emmaus High School sophomore Kelsey Patterson contemplates the rising cost of college education.

Special to Emmaus Patch by Kelsey Patterson College; it is a simple yet complex word most teenagers my age think about. Progressing through high school, this word appears in our lives almost every day. When thinking about college, many things pop into a young person’s head. Where will I go to college? What will I major in? How far will I be from home? The most important question a teen can ask themselves in this generation is, “How much will college cost?” College tuition in community colleges alone have risen 40% over the past decade. As for four-year public schools, their rates have gone up by 68%. It should not be outrageously expensive for anyone in the United States to better their knowledge by attending college. College is a …

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Jay Leno, Seth Meyers Coming to Sands

Retiring host and soon-to-be host of NBC late night television shows both scheduled to appear at Bethlehem Event Center this summer.

  “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno will make his second trip to the Sands Bethlehem Event Center on Aug. 11 at 7 p.m. Sticking with the comedy theme, Vision Entertainment on Monday also announced performances by "Saturday Night Live" cast member Seth Meyers and the cast of truTV’s “Impractical Jokers.” Leno, who has been “The Tonight Show” host for most of the past 20 years, has continued to perform stand-up comedy throughout his tenure as television host. Leno appeared for a nearly sold out at the Event Center in August 2012. In March, NBC announced that Leno would retire from “The Tonight Show” at the end of the 2014 Winter Olympics and be replaced by “Late Night” host Jimmy Fallon. Meyers, who on Sunday was named by NBC to be Fallon’s …

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Lehigh Valley OMG PD

OMG PD: $2,500 Ransom Demanded from Woman, Police Say

Here's a round-up of unusual police news from the Lehigh Valley.

$2,500 ransom demanded from woman, police say: Upper Macungie Police said a woman received a phone call Monday stating that her father was being held captive. The caller demanded a $2,500 ransom. However, the woman later found out her father was safe. Bethlehem man charged with bigamy: A woman with a marriage certificate from New York complained to police that her husband married another woman in Northampton County, according to court records. Man exposed self to cops, threatened judge, police say: An Easton man was charged with disorderly conduct Wednesday morning after he allegedly exposed himself and cursed at police officers, urinated on police paperwork, and threatened a district judge. Police officer breaks toe chasing man at Palmer …

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Pa. Voters Don't Support Legalizing Marijuana

One poll suggests that, while Pennsylvania voters might support medical marijuana use, they aren't in favor of legal pot.

Pennsylvania voters aren't in favor of legalizing marijuana, according to a recent poll. The Frankin and Marshall College poll of Pennsylvania voters for May 2013 showed that 54 percent of voters polled opposed to legalizing marijuana in the state.  A similar F&M Poll at the beginning of February found that 55 percent of respondants were against legalizing marijuana. While voters don't support its outright legalization, 82 percent of those polled favor the use of marijuana for medical reasons if prescribed by a doctor. The poll, which was conducted between April 30 and May 5, gathered responses from 526 registered voters, including 265 Democrats, 196 Republicans and 65 Independents. The full poll is available for review here. The following…

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Angry Mom Fed Poisoned Burritos to Family, Police Say

Police arrested a Lower Macungie Township woman after she allegedly put medication into burritos and fed them to her husband and daughter.

A Lower Macungie woman, angry because her husband and daughter didn't invite her to go car shopping with them, allegedly poisoned burritos with some sort of medication and fed them to her family, according to a WFMZ report. Ann Marie Haines, 42, of Yorkshire Drive in Lower Macungie Township, was arrested last week and jailed in lieu of $25,000 bail. According to online court records, Haines was charged with: Haines' husband and daughter felt dizzy and tired after eating the burritos, according to a Lehigh Valley Live report. Haines has been assigned a public defender to represent her.

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Who's Hiring: UPS, Pottstown Medical Center, T-Mobile

Looking for a job? These businesses in the East Penn area are hiring.

Are you looking for a job?  Here are some positions available in the Emmaus area, all advertised on Careerbuilder in the past week. Are you or someone you know looking for work? Check out these local jobs posted recently around town and online at Careerbuilder.com and Craigslist.org. Click on the job title to view the posting. (Job listings were posted between May 12 and May 18, 2013; some positions may have been filled.) Sales Consultants at Lehigh Valley Acura UPS Part Time Package Handler Public Relations Manager Clinical Director Project Manager - Engineering Design C++ Developer Director, Health Information Management HHA/Home Health Aide Needed Systems Administrator Retail Sales Associate   Find more jobs nearby. Does your business …

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Liquor Bill Could Reform Beer Sales in Pa.

Privatization debates in the Pennsylvania General Assembly could mean changes to where Pennsylvanians can buy six-packs.

By Melissa Daniels | PA Independent HARRISBURG — A simple six-pack of beer is becoming a focal point of the most substantive legislative debate on Pennsylvania alcohol laws since Prohibition. A Tuesday afternoon Senate Law and Justice Committee on liquor privatization, headed by Chairman Chuck McIlhinney, R-Bucks, featured numerous testifiers discussing the already-private industry of beer sales. Chief among the concerns from the beer distributor industry and taverns is package reform, or allowing establishments who sell beer to sell different amounts. Under current law, beer distributors cannot sell less than a case, and bars or grocery stores with the ability to sell bottles cannot sell more than a 12-pack. The Senate, under McIlhinney’s…

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Democrats Pushing Corbett on Medicaid Expansion

Medicaid expansion continues to hang over Gov. Tom Corbett and budget-making lawmakers.

By Eric Boehm | PA Independent HARRISBURG – Democratic leaders in the General Assembly say Gov. Tom Corbett has delayed long enough on a decision about expanding Medicaid in Pennsylvania. And if the governor won’t make a decision, they are ready to force his hand. “If Gov. Corbett is unwilling to do the right thing, my colleagues in the Senate must send a clear message that this is unacceptable. It’s time for a vote on Medicaid expansion,” said state Sen. Vincent Hughes, D-Philadelphia, on Tuesday. Hughes has filed a resolution to force the state Senate to vote on Medicaid expansion. If a majority of senators support the resolution, a proposal to force the state to accept the expansion would be busted out of committee and brought …

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