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our reporters' "Most Memorable Stories of 2014." >>> rob vaughn:>> wendy davis: >>> The Freedom boys basketball has been on a see-saw early in the season. Three wins here. Three losses there. The Patriots...streaky and inconsistent thus far.... Head coach Joe Stellato would like that see-saw to balance out in the near future.Freedom knows it has a chance to be much better than .500...so long as it cleans up some defensive rebounding and turnover issues.It will also take a constant mental approach for the Patriots to reach the level of play they know they are capable of. >>>>>> High school hoops returns to the Friday night spotlight next week...January 2nd.It's the premiere of the second season of Big Ticket Winter Edition.Basketball, wrestling, highlights and scores...it's all back next Friday at 11:00...New Year...>>> "ok, we won a game yesterday. If we win today, it's called "two in a row".And if we win again tomorrow, it's called a "winning streak"...It ha happened before!" Whether or not Brett Brown used Lou Brown's speech from Major League ii, the Sixers have managed to win two straight games... ...Philadelphia guns for its third consecutive w tonight in Portland.Even more impressive, this streak has come on the road...with wins at Orlando and Miami....holding both teams to under 90 points.Tall task tonight though...the Trail Blazers are one of the best teams in the nba at 23-7.Late tip tonight, 10:00...we'll have score updates this evening.>>> College football's bowl schedule starts to heat up over the next week. Penn State plays Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl tomorrow. The first-ever national semifinals are less than a week away.But in the mean time, there's still plenty of time for build-up bowls...such as the Heart of Dallas Bowl at Cotton Bowl Stadium between Illinois and Louisiana Tech today... - 1st qtr, tech building on a 7-3 lead... cody sokol passes to kenneth dixon for the 80 yd td ....14-3 la tech after the 1st quarter...sokol doing his best john cena impression... - 2nd qtr...illinois' reilly o'toole is picked off by xavier woods...which is, by the way, the name of another wwe pro wrestler...goes 69 yds for the td 21-9 la tech...vince mcmahon?- 4th qtr, tech puts it away... blake martin goes untouched 28 yds for the td...makes it a 17-point game... 35-18 la tech...heart of dallas bowl champions.>>> How about the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit between Rutgers and North Carolina...Rutgers - 23North
Members of the Delta Chi fraternity from the University of Maryland trashed a villa at the Fernwood Resort in the Poconos in early December.
What state police at Swiftwater define as criminal mischief occurred during the night of Dec. 6-7 in Fairway Villa 1648 at the resort, which is located in Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe County.
Police report large quantities of alcohol were consumed by 75-80 people inside the villa that night, during a party hosted by the fraternity.
During the party, "extreme" damage was done to the interior of the villa, reported police, who said members of the fraternity left the resort on Dec. 7 without offering restitution for that damage.
Council Rock North's standout quarterback Brandon McIlwain has verbally committed to South Carolina.
Penn State, Auburn and California had been in the running for the one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country.
McIlwain had over 2,000 yards through the air and more 1,000 on the ground. He also accounted for a combined 35 touchdowns this past season as a junior.
Crayton’s Creations is the winner of the 2014 Holiday Window Decorating Contest sponsored by Easton's Main Street Initiative.
The store, located just off Centre Square at 249 Northampton St., specializes in artisan jewelry and repair.
Thirty-three downtown businesses participated in this year’s contest and more than 2,000 community members voted online on Easton Main Street Initiative's .
This year’s theme was holiday movies, with scenes from It’s A Wonderful Life, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, Elf and A Year Without Santa Claus recreated throughout town.
Crayton’s Creations chose the movie Bad Santa as the inspiration for its window.
Second and third place winners were DC Dancewear, portraying The Nutcracker, and Lauter’s Fine Furniture, with How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
As the winner, Crayton’s Creations will receive a marketing prize package including ad space from The Elucidator, Radius Magazine, Express-Times’ State Theatre FREDDY Awards Special Section and Adams Outdoor Digital Billboards.
Perhaps the Phillies' New Year's resolution was to face reality and start clearing house. The team took another step in that direction Wednesday by trading Marlon Byrd to Cincinnati.
The Reds have sent their seventh-ranked prospect back to Philly, pitcher Ben Lively.
He had solid numbers between single- and double-A last season, going 13-7 with an ERA just over three.
The veteran outfielder Byrd is coming off a career year in which he hit 25 home runs.
But the Phillies are choosing to continue their youth movement.
It's time to un-deck the halls.
Reading is helping residents get rid of their Christmas trees.
Undecorated trees can be left near the playground at Schlegel Park and near the basketball courts in City Park.
The trees can be dropped off through Jan. 15.
Wholesale taxes on gasoline in Pennsylvania are scheduled to jump with the start of the new year, but how much it will affect consumers remains to be seen.
Wholesalers will pay an additional 10 cents per gallon, starting Jan. 1.
PennDOT officials said it's unclear how much of that spike will be passed on to drivers.
"It doesn't mean it will be a direct 10-cent increase at the pump," said Ron Young, a PennDOT spokesman. "It could. It could be more, could be less. It depends what the wholesaler decides to charge."
According to Young, it's believed some wholesalers may not impose the raise on consumers as a way to draw them into convenience marts.
The hike is part of a five-year plan signed into law by Gov. Tom Corbett in 2013.
Last year, the law removed a 12-cent tax imposed on drivers at the pump and replaced it with an increase for wholesalers instead.
Act 89 looks to generate more state revenue to fund infrastructure improvements, primarily to roads and bridges.
"We had the highest rate of bridges on the structurally deficient list. This will help us get that down and fix hundreds, if not thousands, of these bridges," Young said.
It's expected to bring in more than $2 billion annually by 2017.
"You're going to see a lot more work this year and in coming years. Projects that were on the shelf are going to happen," Young said.
Last year, the Act 89 funds paid for improvements to more than 1,600 miles of roads and more than 80 bridges in Pennsylvania.
The plan also is expected to generate more than 50,000 jobs across the state.
The tax will be raised again in 2017.
A new report says Pennsylvania has the highest rate of structurally-deficient rural bridges in the country.
The report, by TRIP, a national transportation research group, said a quarter of Pennsylvania's rural bridges were found to be structurally deficient in 2013. That's up eight percent from 2012.
The researchers said this number is expected to decline, however, with the recent passing of Act 89. The measure includes funding for road, highway and bridge repairs.
The sheriffs say Easton is breaking the law.
More specifically, the Northampton County Sheriffs Association maintains the city illegally is taxing its members who do not live in Easton.
The association is seeking a court injunction on the grounds that its "members that are non-residents of the city should not be required to pay an unlawful tax."
All of the non-profit association's 67 members work in Easton, but only two of them live in Easton.
The city imposes a 1.75 percent earned income tax on non-city residents who work in Easton, to help pay for the city's "moderately distressed" municipal pension system.
That is increasing to 1.95 percent on Thursday -- Jan. 1, 2015.
A lawsuit filed by the association in Northampton County Court states the city imposes that tax solely on non-residents, not on city residents who work in Easton.
The association maintains that violates Pennsylvania's constitution and other state laws.
In early December, Northampton County also sued Easton over the so-called commuter tax.
The Centers for Disease Control is issuing a warning about the flu. At the same time, the virus appears to be on the rise in Berks County.
The CDC said the flu is widespread in 36 states, including Pennsylvania.
Fifteen children have died from the flu this season.
This year's flu strain has mutated in ways that make the vaccine less effective. Still, health officials recommend a flu shot for everyone six months of age and older.
Officials at Reading Hospital said more than 300 people with flu-like symptoms have gone to the emergency room in the past week.
Hospital officials recommend a flu shot. They also said you should wash your hands, focus on good hygiene, and stay home from work if you're sick.
The hospital is taking precautions.
"We've actually tired to unload the emergency room because so many people are going to the emergency room," said Dr. Robert Jones, Reading Health System. "We've created some off-site, meaning not the ER, places where people can seek or get medical attention for influenza-like illnesses.
Flu season typically starts around this time of year. It will likely peak over the next month before it starts to taper off.
Preparations for New Year's Eve events are in full swing across Berks County.
In Reading, atop Mount Penn, crews are working to set up the annual fireworks show, kicking off at midnight. Before that, starting at 10 p.m., visitors will be treated to live music and free access to the Pagoda.
Earlier, starting at 7:30 p.m., the Reading Symphony Orchestra will present a two-hour show with "Jeans 'n Classics," performing a number of Elton John and Billy Joel hits. Tickets were still available as of Wednesday afternoon, although they've been selling fast.
"The energy in the hall is really high for these concerts," said Jon Mosbo, executive director. "I think you'll be missing out if you don't come."
Those opting for a quieter evening may prefer to visit the Boyertown Area Historical Society, which is holding a "bear drop" at 6 p.m. The event is embracing both the school district's bear mascot, as well as the borough's roots.
"We start a little bit early to honor our Pennsylvania German heritage. In Germany, at midnight, it's 6 p.m. here, so we're dropping the bear at 6 p.m. in conjunction with midnight in Germany," said Lindsay Dierolf, who works at the society.
Over on the western side of Berks County, the Womelsdorf Fire Company is preparing its own drop. At the borough's social quarters, members will be dropping a cigar at midnight. A fireworks show will also be provided and, earlier in the night, attendees will be treated to live music.
"We're hoping [for] over 100 people, so it'll be a nice time. It's gonna be cold. Bundle up and everyone enjoy themselves," said Chief Bob Martin.
A Chester County woman and her live-in boyfriend will face a possible death sentence if they're convicted of murder in the torture killing of the woman's three-year-old son.
The Chester County district attorney's office filed formal notice Wednesday to seek the death penalty against Jillian Tait and Gary Fellenbaum III.
The couple appeared before a judge on video from prison for their formal arraignment. Both pleaded not guilty to the multiple charges against them, including first and third degree murder.
Tait and Fellenbaum are accused of hanging Tait's three-year-old son, Scott McMillan, upside down and whipping and beating him with a frying pan inside the mobile home they shared in West Caln Township in the days leading up to his death on Nov. 4.
Scott six-year-old brother was also abused, but he survived and was placed in foster care, authorities said.
Fellenbaum's estranged wife and infant daughter also lived with the couple and the two boys. Amber Fellenbaum is charged with failing to report the abuse.
Her hand may look a little bruised, but for 78-year-old Diana Coy, it's a welcome sight, considering what it once looked like.
"I looked down and it looked like this, and the next day when I woke up, they were just big," Coy said of her hands.
It began as a mole on her arm, which turned out to be melanoma and was removed. Months later, it came back, growing at an alarming rate.
"The worry of course was that it might eventually spread to her vital organs, including her lungs and liver," explained Dr. Amita Patnaik, medical oncologist and associate director of clinical research at South Texas Accelerated Research Therapeutics, or START.
Coy joined a clinical trial at START. Every three weeks, she receives an infusion of a drug called keytruda, which stimulates the patient's own immune system to fight the cancer.
"Miracle is after about the third treatment I noticed they just started to dry up and they fell off, and it was just amazing," explained Coy.
Photos taken of Coy's hand every couple weeks show significant progress.
"I think it's incredibly unique and representative of a completely different era that's evolving now in cancer medicine whereby we're beginning to use the immune system in fighting cancer," Patnaik explained.
It's a development that's giving the avid reader her life back.
Because of the results, the FDA has now approved keytruda to be standard-of-care for patients with advanced melanoma.
Patnaik said there are 76,000 cases of melanoma expected this year.
Taylor Swift tops this year's list of celebrity do-gooders.
The nonprofit "Do Something" posted its annual "celebs gone good" list, which ranks celebrities who donate money to good causes.
Swift was recognized for giving the proceeds from her single, "Welcome to New York," to the city's public schools.
This is the third year the Wyomissing, Berks County, native has topped the charity watch chart.
Laverne Cox came in second, followed by Beyonce, Miley Cyrus and Emma Watson.
A 27-year-old Northampton man was arrested and jailed Tuesday for vandalizing a Northampton County district court office in Lehigh Township.
Christopher Smith, who resides in the 700 block of White Circle in the borough, was arrested for institutional vandalism, reported Lehigh Township Police Chief Scott Fogel.
Police charge that Smith broke the front window and damaged the front door of the office of Magisterial District Judge Robert Hawke, at 4330 Lehigh Drive (Route 248) in Lehigh Township, at 2:10 p.m. Nov. 30.
A warrant had been issued for Smith's arrest after township police reviewed surveillance video of what happened to the office, which is in the Lehigh Towne Center shopping center.
Smith was taken into custody by state constables and arraigned, then committed to Northampton County Prison. Bail was set at $30,000.
A judge is denying an effort to stop a part of Gov. Tom Corbett's plan to overhaul Pennsylvania's Medicaid program a day before it takes effect.
A federal judge in Philadelphia on Wednesday denied a motion by Community Legal Services of Philadelphia.
The lawsuit involves the switch of about 40,000 adults from state-paid Medicaid coverage called General Assistance. They are to be covered beginning Thursday by policies paid entirely by the federal government under the guidelines of the 2010 health care law's Medicaid expansion.
Community Legal Services had sought to keep the General Assistance enrollees covered by a more generous Medicaid plan for sicker people, but U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond said he did not find that there was a widespread threat of people losing access to services they need.
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Police have arrested and charged a mother in Carbon County with the death of her six-week-old baby.
Tory Lyn Schlier, 20, of Lehighton was charged Tuesday with involuntary manslaughter and endangering the welfare of children.
The baby, whose name and gender have not been released, died on October 17 at a home in the 200 block of North 7th Street in Lehighton, according to police.
Officers have not released much information about the death or the result of an autopsy.
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