History's Headlines The House on Ott Street

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beat the flyers 7-4 >>> wendy davis: You may have never heard of Allentown's former "Wright School".. but you may have seen its former home... in the city's West End. Tonight's History's Headlines has more... about the house on Ott Street.>> reporter: "Home is where the heart is".. so the saying goes. And.. for more than five decades... Rose Chromiak's heart has been right here... deep in Allentown's West End.>> We're here about 55 years.>> reporter: Rose moved into the home on Ott Street with her husband Peter Jay and their four children in 1961. You might say.. it was a bit of a fixer-upper.>> rose chromiak: They had blackboards all over. The doors opened outward instead of indoors like a home. There was no kitchen in here.>> reporter: That's because the Chromiak's dream house... was once a school house. But the Chromiak kids... weren't complaing.>> jane larsen: We got to play on an in-ground playground in the back. Full playground. Sliding board, merry go round, swings. >> reporter: The Wright School was a Montessori school founded by Ada Wright in 1915. It re-located to Ott Street in 1940... after the home was vacated by its previous tenants. First, the home's original owner and his family left in 1923.>> jane larsen: From there it was run by one of the Muhlenberg College fraternities- Delta Theta.>> reporter: When the Wright School came along... it found favor with a neighbor who had deep pockets.>> jane larsen: Max Hess was a very big supporter of the Wright School.. only a half a block away from where they lived. >> reporter: Hess paid for the construction of an auditorium behind the school. It was around the same time that the property caught Peter Jay Chromiak's eye. a photographer by trade... he was tapped to photograph many of the Wright School's students.>> rose CHROMIAK:He liked the house. he thought it was a nice location. Very well built house. He wanted to own it.>> reporter: Now family members hope the home's next owners will cherish it as much as they did.>> jane larsen: Just would hope to have somebody carry it on..






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Stroudsburg teacher charged with child sex abuse

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An elementary school teacher in the Poconos is facing a dozen charges in a child sex abuse scandal.



Brandon Flatley, 39, was placed on unpaid leave earlier this month amidst a criminal investigation.



The Stroudsburg Area School District is now considering firing him permanently, after criminal charges were filed last week.



One of the charges indicates Flatley, a father of two, may have had sexual contact with a student while on district property.



Flatley's next-door neighbor in Stroud Township said she is shocked by the allegations.



"He looked like a real nice father, they doing homework and singing. I was so surprised," said Huong DeSa. "I had no idea what was going on inside, but on the outside they were good to me."



According to the district superintendent, the child's parents came forward with allegations in late December.


That also sparked the criminal investigation with Stroud Area Regional Police.



Flatley was placed on paid leave on December 24th, officials said.



According to court records, the alleged crimes happened in April 2013.



The Pennsylvania Department of Education confirmed Flatley has been certified as a teacher since 2008.



Prior to employment with Stroudsburg schools, Flatley was granted child abuse clearance and passed a criminal background check, officials said.



"All of those clearances were in place, but that's really not a stop gap, or a predictor, on how some of these may go, and decisions some people might make, unfortunately," said Dr. John Toleno, Superintendent of Schools.



Flatley was employed as a fourth grade strings music teacher at Stroudsburg Intermediate Elementary School.



According to the district, about 120 students are currently enrolled in the program.



Flatley also worked with the middle and high school music program, according to district officials.



The school board is expected to vote on whether or not to fire Flatley permanently at a regular meeting in February.



A source close to the case tells 69 News Flatley is expected to turn himself in to police later this week.



Stick with 69 News for developments in this story.






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Death of Berks man found on porch due to natural causes, police say

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A 67-year-old man who was found dead by a friend on the side porch of his home in Berks County died of natural causes, state police said Monday.


Investigators from both the state police and the coroner's office remained at the home on Mountain View Road in Upper Tulpehocken Township for the better part of the day Saturday.


"I left this morning at around 11 a.m. and cops came in blaring their horns," one neighbor said Saturday. "When I came home, my husband said something went on over there."


Neighbors said they rarely saw the man who lived inside the home.






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Lehigh Valley celebrated MLK Day

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Today is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and people across the country are coming together to remember the civil-rights leader.


Some spent the day volunteering, others used it as a time to tackle race issues, including here in Bethlehem, at Northeast Middle School.


The NAACP put on a tribute play with dancing and poetry.


Officials also held an open discussion on race.


In Philadelphia, thousands of people took to the streets in a massive march.


We've posted 10 things about the March on Washington on our website.






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Project Keep warm giveway help hundreds in Allentown

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They asked for help and their calls were answered and then some.


Now hundreds of local residents will be able to wait out the winter in warm coats.



Rooms and racks full of clothing ready to be given away to those in need.



"We've seen so many families and children, primarily here in Allentown, that we've heard don't have jackets, can't afford jackets, can't afford winter gear," said Kevin Cope, CEO/Founder of Project Keep Warm.



That is where Project Warm steps in.


Two years ago, Cope collected blankets.



Now many local business have joined the effort to help collect items and they say the outpouring of support from the community has been overwhelming.



"To this day Project Keep Warm has expanded to two states, seven counties and I think today we've collected several thousand pieces of items as far as winter gear items," said Cope.



"We had a great turnout from our listeners," said WLEV radio personality, Josh Gears. "They were mailing coats to us.



WLEV is the primary sponsor of the event and organizers said one month after making the plea for help, they're still getting items to be given away free of charge.



'It looks like a department store basically," said Scot Evans, as he looked at all the coats to be given away. "It's amazing what everyone has done."



Coats of all sizes and for everyone that braved the cold before finding that perfect fit.



"It's pretty good because some people don't have enough money to get coats for their kids," added one woman. "Especially if they have maybe five, six, seven kids. they don't really have that much money."



Organizers hope the event grows even larger next year.

They say it will fulfill their mission statement which is to provide hope, meaning Helping Other People Everyday.






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Berks Catholic High School stage for active shooter drill

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First responders from around the region gathered at Berks Catholic High School in Reading to train for active shooter situations.


Police and EMTs had to work together to respond to a hypothetical shooting Monday.


About 30 students and the principal played the role of the victims.


Police learned how to respond and how to help EMTs get to the victims as fast as possible.


"Each one of us is trained specifically to address what we know in our specialty, but it's learning what the other individuals have and what the other individuals expect that lets us work together as a team," said Duane Siberski, Reading Hospital.


Officials said being able to train in a school really helps the first responders.






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Former assistant solicitor wins termination suit

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Jill Mancini, a former Northampton County assistant solicitor, has won her wrongful termination suit against the county.


On Friday, a federal jury awarded Mancini $94,230.


Mancini sued the county after she was terminated at the beginning of last year.


She had been a a full-time assistant solicitor since 2007 and a part-time assistant district attorney in the county from 2001 to 2007.


The jury found that Mancini was a career service employee, not an at-will employee, and therefore had been deprived of a meaningful hearing before she was fired.


Mancini claimed her termination was politically motivated because she is a Democrat and County Executive John Brown, who took office last year, is a Republican.


The jury found that the county was at fault, but did not find any wrongdoing on the part of Brown or county solicitor Victor Scomillio.


The jury also agreed with the county that Mancini was not fired for political reasons.


Atty. Patrick Reilly, Mancini's lawyer, said he will be petitioning for attorney's fees, which are greater than the jury's award.


Atty. David Schwalm, who represented the county, could not be reached for comment.






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Police: Shot fired during store robbery in Reading

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Police said an observant customer helped them nab a man who fired a shot during a robbery attempt in Reading.


Robert Taylor II demanded money and fired a shot in the Family Dollar in the 900 block of North Sixth Street on Sunday night and then took off, police said.


A customer who previously left the store contacted police and followed Taylor until officers arrived.


Taylor is behind bars on robbery charges.






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Truck Accident on NJ Turnpike: Out Of Control

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A two-trailer truck slides out of control directly towards this driver on the New Jersey Turnpike I-95 on January 19 before crashing over a guardrail. The truck nearly causes a car accident...


From: ABC News

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Boyertown grad's touchdown helps lead New England Patriots to Super Bowl XLIX

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A Boyertown Area High School graduate helped his team clinch the AFC Championship Sunday night, and now he is headed to the Super Bowl.


James Develin, a former Boyertown Bear, is now set to play in the biggest game of his football career.


"He's going to the Super Bowl!" said Ron Zeiber, the former head football coach at Boyertown Area High School.


Develin is a fullback with the New England Patriots and wears number 46. On Sunday night, he caught his first ever receiving touchdown from Tom Brady. Now, he's heading to Arizona to battle it out against the Seattle Seahawks.


"That long process to get there he kept working hard and had a dream and didn't let anybody tell him no and he kept working through it," said Mike Boyer, the former assistant coach at Boyertown.


Develin graduated from Boyertown Area High School in 2006. He played defensive end at Brown University and graduated with an engineering degree. Then, he played in the arena league before breaking into the NFL.


"He was really fun to coach because of that attitude he had all the way through," said Zeiber. "He's a hard worker, no matter what you told him to do he did it and was always a team player."


The Boyertown area is usually Philadelphia Eagles territory, but since Develin is a local guy, many people will likely be rooting for the Patriots on Super Bowl Sunday.


"I like the Seahawks as well, but I'm definitely going to be rooting for Jimmy and the Patriots," said Zeiber. "I hope he gets that ring."


Develin's parents still live in the area. They told 69 News they already have their flight booked out west for the big game.


At age 26, Develin may not be the biggest household name on the Patriots' roster, but his coaches said he comes to work every day and has a motor that doesn't quit.


"Jimmy is one of those people that you always think that's what you want your son to be like," said Boyer. "Aside from the NFL, he's just a tremendous young man."






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Community service projects celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.'s life

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Alvernia University students and staff spent the day scrubbing tables, raking leaves and removing graffiti at the Second and Oley Playground in Reading as part of the Martin Luther King Day of Service.


"What is really nice about Alvernia is they like to help the community, get out there with outreach and other stuff. So right now, we are just helping clean up the park," said Nick Bombard, a freshman at Alvernia.


Nick Bombard is just one of the students who volunteered on his day off. Alvernia staff members said they give students a list of options to sign up for and then branch out all over the community to help.


"I think the community overall is really responsive to us. A lot of smiles, a lot of handshakes and a lot of thank yous which is always really nice," said Kim Stoudt, a professor at Alvernia University.


But they were not the only ones getting their hands dirty. Penn State Berks students volunteered at the Animal Rescue League in Cumru Township. They helped clean windows and walk the dogs in the center.


"They get cooped up inside most the time, so it is great to bring them out and play with them and have them just run around the lose energy," said Kiana Yau, a freshman at Penn State Berks.


Students said they enjoyed serving the community on their day off.


"It is fulfilling. It feels really good just getting out and helping people. It is great," said Corbin Jankowski, a sophomore at Penn State Berks.


People with the Neighborhood Housing Services Family & Youth Resource Center also spent the day serving others.


It is an organization that typically provides an after-school program for kids in Reading, but for MLK Day, they decided to serve close to 100 people a hot meal.


"They were really glad. They said we really made their day," said Rose Cook, NHS Family & Youth Resource Center.


"Throughout the country, it is a day where people give back to the community and that is what Dr. King was about," said Timothy Cook Sr., NHS Family & Youth Resource Center.






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World-famous illusionist appears in Bethlehem

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He's caught a bullet, walked on water and made a stuffed animal strut, On Monday, world-famous illusionist Criss Angel turned his cousin's diner into the hottest spot in Bethlehem.


"Folks, thank you so much for coming out. I'm honored and I appreciate it," Angel told the crowd that lined the street to see him.


Angel arrived at Billy's Downtown Diner to talk to fans and media about his two-show, one-night stint at the State Theatre in Easton.


"When you're a kid, you look at the world with a different set of eyes. For me, it was looking at the State Theatre, specifically as a landmark place in my career, I wanted to work at so badly, "Angel said.


Angel is in the middle of a 10-year contract at the Luxor in Las Vegas. The show is reported to gross more than $150 million in ticket sales per year, but many years ago, Angel was just a kid from Long Island visiting his grandfather's diner in Easton, across the street from the State Theatre.


I lost my father to stomach cancer in 1998 and I wanted to do it so badly. I didn't do it for the money. It means something for me and my family," Angel said.


For fans, like Brice Agostinelli, it's a chance to meet their hero


"The one thing I didn't expect was some of his hair was red," Agostinelli said.


This stop proves sometimes the best magic is a little personal connection.


"You can have all the Rolls Royce's on the planet and be the most famous man on the planet, but it comes back to where your dad was and happy memories were made. It says everything," said Shelley Brown, president/CEO, State Theatre.


For Angel, it's no illusion.






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Tom Wolf poised to take inaugural oath as Pennsylvania's 47th governor

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Former businessman Tom Wolf is poised to be sworn in as Pennsylvania's 47th governor in a ceremony at the state Capitol in Harrisburg.


Wolf is slated to be sworn in at noon Tuesday.


He was the only Democrat nationally to unseat a sitting Republican governor in the Nov. 4 election, crushing Gov. Tom Corbett's re-election bid with nearly 55 percent of the vote.


Wolf's running mate, Pa. Sen. Mike Stack of Philadelphia, will take his oath as lieutenant governor in an earlier Senate ceremony. Stack will give up his Senate seat, but his new duties include serving as the Senate's presiding officer.


Post-inaugural events include an art show at the Pennsylvania State Museum and a $100-a-ticket inaugural bash at the Hershey Lodge.






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Officials investigating death of man hospitalized since his arrest

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Officials are investigating the death of a Lehigh County man who had been in hospice care ever since being arrested by Easton police nearly two months ago.


Andrew Ohl, 25, of Upper Saucon Township died Thursday.


His cause of death is pending toxicology results.


Officials say Ohl was a prison inmate on work release when he was involved in a scuffle with police on November 25th at the Easton Corner Grocery and Deli.


Police say they were called out to the store for a silent panic alarm.


They say Ohl attacked a police officer as soon as the officer entered the store.


Police say it took several officers to subdue Ohl and place him in handcuffs. Ohl and two officers were injured.


Police say they called an ambulance for Ohl.


They say he went into cardiac arrest after being given a sedative by EMS personnel.


Police say the synthetic drug k2 was found in Ohl's prison cell.


Easton Mayor Sal Panto says officers acted appropriately to subdue Ohl.


Easton Police are internally investigating the use of force.






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Health Beat: Osteoporosis: Steroid danger

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Playing on the floor with her dog, Belle, wasn't possible for Robin Brunnquell after she slipped and broke her back last Christmas.


"The pain was so bad you couldn't even cry," Brunnquell said.


The moments leading up to the fall began in 2007 when Brunnquell was treated for asthma with the steroid prednisone. It led to osteoporosis and a condition that causes her bones to crumble.


"Avascular necrosis is where the bone gets deprived of blood," explained Brunnquell, whose airway collapsed. "My bones were so frail from when they put the tracheal stint in, I broke four ribs from coughing."


Brunnquell also broke her pelvis and had to replace both shoulders and hips.


Dr. Sean Tutton, an interventional radiologist at Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin, said, while Brunnquell is an extreme case, "osteoporosis is the main cause of these fractures. You're walking. You're doing stairs. You're doing maybe light weights, and those are the things that help you to preserve your skeleton."


In Brunnquell's case, Tutton devised a way to fix her pelvis with medical grade cement.


"We inject the cement to basically glue that back together again," Tutton explained.


When Brunnquell broke her back, Tutton used the cement and a new spine implant, known as KIVA, that works like an internal cast to heal her spine. Now Brunnquell is back on her feet.


"Sometimes, when you think there's no hope, there's hope," Brunnquell said.


Brunnquell said she's thrilled with the results of her surgeries and is thankful to Tutton and his team.


To prevent the disease, he recommends supplementing with vitamin D, calcium and regular exercise.


Tutton also said smoking and drinking alcohol can put you at risk for osteoporosis. He said, since the disease often runs in families, consider having a bone density test done to measure your risk, if it runs in yours.


DOWNLOAD and VIEW medical blueprint






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Woman charged with theft and heroin possession at Kphl's

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Police say they responded to the Kohl's department store in Lower Nazareth Township on January 10th for a female in custody for retail theft.


Store security officials say they observed Erica Long of Stroudsburg place five video games and clothing into a Kohl's shopping cart before entering a fitting room.


Officials say Long then exited the fitting room with an empty cart and left the store.


She was stopped by security and brought back into the store, where officials sat all the items were found both on her body and in her purse.


Police say they also found a syringe and three empty packets of heroin in Long's pocket. She also had a pair of cutting pliers in her purse, along with a cut Kohl's security tag, police said.


Long was charged with retail theft, possession of an instrument of crime and possession of drug paraphernalia.


Bail has since been set at $15,000 and Long was admitted to Northampton County Prison.






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Roadmaster Drivers School Opening in Bethlehem

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Roadmaster Drivers School, which trains men and women to become licensed to drive Class A CDL vehicles in the in-demand Professional Trucking Industry, has just opened a new location in Bethlehem, Pa.


This latest Roadmaster school, located just off Route 22 near Dutch Springs Aqua Park at 4219 Fritch Drive in Bethlehem, marks the company’s 13th in the U.S.


According to Holli Hudson, VP of Marketing for Roadmaster, “We’re really excited about this particular location because we’re finally able to bring our national reputation for quality CDL training to the Northeast. Men and women from all over the region — from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware — now have a nearby option for training with us and earning a career in Trucking.”


Along with local trainees, Roadmaster also expects the rolling influx of out-of-town students staying in the area — each for the four-week duration of training — to be a boon for the area’s economy.


Says Hudson, “Not only are we now able to provide a bridge to meaningful employment for our students throughout the Northeast, but we are also excited to employ expert CDL driving instructors from in and around the Eastern Pennsylvania area. We are bringing jobs and attracting visitors to Bethlehem, Allentown, and the surrounding communities, all of which we believe will help to boost the local economy.”


Providing opportunities for growth is something with which Roadmaster is familiar. The school has trained over 75,000 men and women since its inception in 1992.


Anyone interested in training to become a Professional Class A CDL Truck Driver can get started by visiting Roadmaster Drivers School’s website.






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Groups call for preservation of fire-damaged prison

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Two historical organizations are urging officials of a central Pennsylvania county to preserve a nearly 140-year-old prison despite heavy damage from a fire last week.


County officials have called the Northumberland County Prison a total loss that cannot be rebuilt at its current location at39 N. 2nd Street in Sunbury, but haven't said whether they plan to demolish the castle-like building.


Victoria Rosancrans, a member of both the Northumberland County Historical Society and Sunbury Old Towne Neighborhood Council, said the structure should be kept even if the prison isn't rebuilt.


"I think this is one way to get our citizens together and have some pride," she said.


Cindy Inkrote, who is on the historical society board, told The (Sunbury) Daily Item that "there would be resistance" to the idea of tearing the building down.


"There's no other building in the city that has the same type of architectural look to it," she said. "It gives the city a unique flavor. It's important to maintain it."


The prison isn't listed on the National Register by the Bureau for Historic Preservation but is listed as a significant element in the city's historic district. According to a seven-page National Register form, "The architecturally imposing county courthouse (1865) and county jail (1876) reflect Sunbury's past pre-eminence in government."


The fire Wednesday afternoon prompted evacuation of the 208 inmates to a nearby church and later to state prisons. The cause remains under investigation.


County officials have said they plan to explore regionalizing the jail system with neighboring counties.






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