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State Police in Lehighton have issued an arrest warrant for a man they say is wanted on drug charges and who led authorities on a high speed chase.



Officials say Jason Wilk was being pursued by officers on the Carbon County Drug Task force in Bowmanstown around noon Sunday.


Police attempted a traffic stop on his Buick Century, but he failed to stop his car, and hit a drug task force vehicle.


Wilk and his passenger, Curtis Margle of Lehighton then fled the scene, and led them on a chase down Route 895, traveling at speeds exceeding 80 mph, police said.


Task force members pursued the 30-year-old Wilk eastbound on Rt. 895, then stopped the pursuit near the overpass of I-476 (NE extension of the Pa. Turnpike) after they lost sight of the car.


Wilks' vehicle is said to have driver's side damage, including a smashed window and the mirror is either missing or hanging off.


Wilk is facing a slew of charges including aggravated assault, fleeing or attempting to elude police and more..


Anyone with information on Wilk's whereabouts is asked to contact state police at the Lehighton barracks at 610-681-1850.






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Fire damages vacant home in Reading

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Fire crews in Reading battled a house fire early Monday.



It broke out just before 1 a.m. in the 1200 block of Perkiomen Avenue.


Viewers tell us at one point flames and heavy smoke were shooting into the sky.


There were reports of part of the building collapsing.. and being unsafe for firefighters.


Reading fire officials said it appears the house was vacant and started on the second floor.


The main damage to the home was to the second floor bathroom and bedroom, as well as a second floor porch.


No injuries were reported.






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Fire at home on Perkiomen Ave

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morning commute >>> jaciel cordoba: New this morning.. fire crews in Reading battled a house fire overnight.>> eve tannery: It broke out just before 1:00 in the 12-hundred block of Perkiomen Avenue. Viewers tell us at one point flames and heavy smoke were shooting into the sky. There were reports of part of the building collapsing.. and being unsafe for firefighters.






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Light rain/freezing rain/snowflakes until mid-morning, then sunny

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***Winter Weather Advisory until 9 a.m.***


Watch for some light rain and freezing rain early and mid-morning along with a few snowflakes in certain areas.


There can be slippery spots in some locations through mid-morning as well, so use extra caution on your way out.


The sun will return by midday and temperatures will top out in the middle and upper 40s this afternoon.


Tuesday will feature mostly cloudy skies and rain arriving after lunchtime. Temperatures will reach the middle 40s.


Today: Light rain/freezing rain/snowflakes for awhile, then sunshine. High: 47


Tonight: Clear to start, then increasing clouds. Low: 30


Tuesday: Mostly cloudy with a little rain in the afternoon and evening. High: 46 Low: 37






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Life Lessons: Innovative education

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What’s the best way to get kids excited about education?


It’s a question teachers and parents usually ask themselves.


When you watch kids play, they usually bring a lot of excitement and creative energy to their ideas.


But how do you translate that to a structured education?


Allentown’s Swain School is toying with an innovative idea to do just that.


The school put classes on hold for a week so the kids could do innovative hands-on projects like building a speaker.


The kids learned how to do it and then put their hands to the test. And the speakers really work!


Andrew J. Katz, associate head for academics at Swain School implemented the program for 5th and 6th grade students.


"Kids are learning to work together. They're learning to be creative and they're learning to fail, which is something I don't think we do often enough in school."


Katz feels this type of hands-on learning-- things like discovering the science of ice cream and building a friendly monster-- are things that can have a lifelong impact on middle school kids, especially girls, who sometimes shy away from math and science at this age.


"By shifting the model and providing them with opportunities to get their hands dirty with real science, technology, engineering and math programs, I think we can do a better job at capturing their attention," says Katz.


Leili Thomas is in 5th grade and says she learned a lot by creating something unique. "In science we just learned about sound waves, and I think this helps us get it stuck in our brains even more," she says.


Aedryss Benkrid, in 6th grade, discovered the science behind making ice cream, which was harder than he thought.


"The best part was that you had to read the steps and you had to do it yourself. It's not done for you, so you actually found out how to make it," says Benkrid.


They call it Innovation Week and hope the kids and the teachers walk away energized.


"At Swain, we're doing a lot of this, but I think this really pushes that agenda a little bit and really lets teachers and students feel ownership over their own learning," says Katz.


Administrators at Swain say they are so happy with the program, they hope to expand it next year.






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Sanchez to reportedly stay with Eagles; Maclin leaving for KC

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Running back Frank Gore and defensive back Byron Maxwell will reportedly sign with the Eagles early this week. Good days work right? As it turns out, the Birds were just getting started.


As first reported by Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, veteran quarterback Mark Sanchez is returning to the Eagles on a two year-deal.



But top target Jeremy Maclin is reportedly leaving town for Andy Reid and the Chiefs. ESPN's Chris Mortensen had it first.



Maclin had 85 catches for over 1300 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. But the wideout will reportedly return to his home state of Missouri.



A wild, wild Sunday for the Eagles as free agency officially begins on Tuesday.






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Sanchez reportedly back; Maclin to leave for KC

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It was a busy Sunday for the Philadelphia Eagles, with several big name players involved in moves.


Running back Frank Gore and defensive back Byron Maxwell will reportedly sign with the Eagles early this week. Good days work right? As it turns out, the Birds were just getting started.


As first reported by Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, veteran quarterback Mark Sanchez is returning to the Eagles on a two year-deal.



But top target Jeremy Maclin is reportedly leaving town for Andy Reid and the Chiefs. ESPN's Chris Mortensen had the first report.



Maclin had 85 catches for over 1300 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.



But the wideout is reportedly returning to his home state of Missouri.



A wild, wild Sunday for the Eagles. Free agency officially begins on Tuesday.






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Should recreational marijuana be legalized in PA?

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Should people be able to recreationally smoke marijuana here in the Keystone State? It's a question lawmakers in the Senate, along with many across the area, are now debating.


In the legislation now on the State Senate floor, adults 21 and over could have any amount of pot in their possession. Those pro marijuan say legalizing the substance could help the economy.


Senator Daylin Leach, who introduced the bill, says the most conservative estimates show taxing the sale of marijuana could bring in more than $24 million in revenue.


In addition, the Office of National Drug Control policy says pot arrests cost tax payers more than $300 million a year.


However, Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli says legalizing the drug could open up the door to more crime in the area.


"I just don't see the value to having more high people driving around in the streets in our cars and being active in our community," said Morganelli. "I think we have enough people that are hooked on drugs and we don't need anymore."


Now at the same time, the State Senate is debating a different bill that would legalize medical marijuana.


The legislation would allow certain patients with debilitating diseases to be treated with cannabis.


Gov. Tom Wolf has come out in support of medical marijuana. It is likely the bill will pass in the next few months. Many say legalizing recreational marijuana will be a much tougher sell.






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Some snow, freezing rain possible Monday morning before temperatures moderate

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*** A winter weather advisory has been issued for Warren, Hunterdon, Carbon, Monroe, Berks, Lehigh, Northampton, Montgomery and Bucks counties for Monday morning 3 am - 9 am. ***


Sunday night: Partly cloudy with a few snow showers or a bit of freezing rain/drizzle form 3 am - 9 am. Low: 28


Monday: a.m. few snow showers or a bit of freezing rain (slick spots are possible). Then, turning mostly sunny, nice and mild. High: 49 Low: 30


After a very mild Sunday, a small area of moisture is moving towards the area. It is possible that we could see a brief period (2-3 hours) of snow showers or freezing rain overnight and early Monday (3 am - 9 am).


While we may only be dealing with a few hundredths of an inch of liquid, it could be enough moisture to bring a quick dusting of snow or freezing rain (with milder air aloft). Untreated surfaces could develop slippery conditions. Later Monday, we will see mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 40s once again (possibly near 50).


We will have to watch Tuesday as a storm system approaches the area with rain potentially overspreading the area Tuesday evening into Wednesday. But Wednesday afternoon, temperatures will reach the low 50s! After this system, Friday will be the next chance of rain.


Enjoy the moderating trend over the next couple of days as temperatures go back to normal because March, so far, has been averaging over 10 degree below normal! Have a great rest of your weekend.






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Cliff Lee dealing with elbow soreness again

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Cliff Lee's health is just as important as his performance this season. The lefty is considered a big trade piece for young talent. But the veteran is experiencing problems in his pitching elbow again.


Lee has soreness and swelling in the same area of the elbow that bothered him last year. The 36-year old hurler was limited to just 13 starts a season ago, making two stints on the disabled list.



Lee will not make his scheduled start on Tuesday and will seek a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews.






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Maxwell, Gore to sign with Eagles

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LeSean McCoy's reported trade to Buffalo earlier this week has stirred up plenty of discussion at both ends of the spectrum for Eagles fans. It might take more than a return of Kiko Alonso to appease some of the dissenters. Cue free agents Byron Maxwell and Frank Gore.


According to multiple reports, McCoy has agreed to a huge 5-year contract with the Bills.



Meanwhile, the money the Eagles saved by trading McCoy will reportedly go to veteran 49ers running back Frank Gore and Seahawks cornerback Byron Maxwell.



Houston sports-talk radio host Jayson Braddock first reported the Maxwell deal worth five-years, $54-million.



ESPN's Adam Schefter had the Gore move, which is expected to be a multi-year contract. Colleague Josina Anderson spoke to Maxwell, who told her he is coming to Philadelphia.



Both moves are expected to be announced when the league year begins Tuesday.






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Times, sites set for second round of state basketball tournament

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The PIAA has released the sites and times for the second round of the state basketball tournament this week.


AAAA Boys -


Parkland vs Pennsbury - 7:30, Wednesday, Souderton Area HS


Plymouth-Whitemarsh vs Pennridge - 7:00, Wednesday, Spring-Ford HS


AAA Boys -


Bishop McDevitt vs Central Catholic - 7:30, Tuesday, Martz Hall


Susquehanna Twp. vs Pottsville - 6:00, Tuesday, Geigle Complex


AAA Girls -


Conrad Weiser vs Becahi - 6:00, Wednesday, Souderton Area HS


Greencastle-Antrim vs Berks Catholic - 7:00, Wednesday, Cumberland Valley HS


AA Girls -


Holy Redeemer vs North Schuylkill - 7:00, Tuesday, Hazleton Area HS


For full brackets, click here.






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Villanova's Hilliard earns first team all-Big East honors

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Liberty grad Darrun Hilliard and the Villanova Wildcats are the regular season Big East champs. The senior can add first team all-conference selection to the year's resume.



Hilliard was a unanimous selection. He leads Nova in scoring and has been deadly from three-point range.



He will also be considered a favorite for Big East Player of the Year, which is announced later in the week.






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Darrun Hilliard named to first team All-Big East

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host American Wednesday for title. >>> Liberty grad Darrun Hilliard and the Villanova Wildcats are the regular season Big East champs.The senior can add 1st team all- conference selection to the year's resume.Hilliard, unanimous selection... leads Nova in scoring and has been deadly from three-point range. He will also be considered a favorite for Big East






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Lafayette men advance to Patriot League final

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The Lafayette men's basketball team won at Bucknell Sunday, 80-74, to clinch their spot in the Patriot League championship game. The Leopards will host American on Wednesday for the title.


Nick Lindner scored a game-high 23 points and tallied 7 assists. Dan Trist poured in another 21 points as the Leopards answered every run the Bison threw at them.


Lafayette's win at Bucknell was its first ever win at Sojka Pavilion in a Patriot League tournament game. The Bison are the first team in conference history to get knocked out before reaching the championship game.






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Missing Newtown Square eighth grader found dead

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According to partner station WPVI, the family of missing Newtown Square eighth grader Cayman Naib says the 13-year-old has been found dead.



Family members announced the news Sunday afternoon on the "Find Cayman" Facebook page.


According to the Facebook post, Naib's family "learned through the search and rescue team and local law enforcement that Cayman has been found deceased."


The post also says that the family "would like to thank all of the thousands of people over the last five days... who have come together to support the family to find Cayman."


WPVI says a cause of death has not been determined and no further information will be released at this time.


Cayman was last seen Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. when he left his home upset about a homework assignment, according to WPVI.






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