Connect with us

Northeast

Key Pennsylvania region sees ‘waitlist’ for Trump signs; lawmaker says voters ready to reverse Dem policies

Published

on

Key Pennsylvania region sees ‘waitlist’ for Trump signs; lawmaker says voters ready to reverse Dem policies

On a clear day, a hiker standing atop Bake Oven Knob, a high point along the Appalachian Trail in Lehigh Furnace, Pa., can see most of state Sen. Jarrett Coleman’s district.

Below the crest of Blue Mountain lies a patchwork of woods and farmsteads in the historically Pennsylvania Dutch communities. On the horizon lies the growing, diverse footprint of Allentown, Pennsylvania’s third-largest city.

Beyond Allentown lies mixed suburbs like Emmaus and Coopersburg, before again giving way to rural communities like Hosensack and Old Zionsville, the latter being the hometown of former three-term Republican Sen. Pat Toomey.

As Pennsylvania’s friendlier economic climate draws transplants from New York and New Jersey, its farmland has been gradually replaced by residential subdivisions and corporate warehousing.

INSIDE DEMOCRATS’ GROUND GAME IN PENNSYLVANIA’S ‘SWING’ LEHIGH VALLEY AREA

Advertisement

Bake Oven Knob, a high point on Blue Mountain in Germansville, Pa., overlooks Lehigh County. (Charles Creitz)

All of those factors combine to create what Allentown Democratic Mayor Matt Tuerk called the “swingiest” area of the perennial bellwether state.

Coleman, a Republican and an airline pilot who entered the political scene as an outspoken conservative member of the Parkland School Board during the height of national controversies, said Republicans are poised to do well in the Lehigh Valley this year.

“We are seeing some of the highest levels of excitement and motivation from folks in the Lehigh Valley. I am hopeful for turnout to exceed 2020 levels,” Coleman said. The GOP underperformed that year in both Lehigh and Northampton counties.

“Although Lehigh County contains a ‘blue’ urban core, life for everyone, regardless of political party, has gotten harder under the current administration. This is prompting even some who have traditionally voted Democrat to cast ballots for GOP candidates.

Advertisement

“The economy, border and community safety remain top concerns for those in the Lehigh Valley.”

Democrats are also aiming to retake the Pennsylvania state Senate, and state Sen. Sharif Street, D-Philadelphia, the state party chairman, said in a recent interview the landmark achievement is within reach.

But, in terms of Harrisburg and Washington, Coleman said, “kitchen table issues” are front of mind in his district, which also includes a slice of the Philadelphia “swing” suburb of Bucks County, and will help the GOP at both levels.

“It’s very clear that the majority of Pennsylvanians — and especially those in the Lehigh Valley — are far worse off than they were four years ago. The GOP has a platform with specific steps to take to improve the lives of those in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania and across the nation.”

Democratic “demonizing” of Trump has not helped his constituents’ pocketbook or public safety via the open border, he added.

Advertisement

Off the side of Bake Oven Knob, adjoining the county lake now named for him, lies the property of Revolution-era farmer Frederick Leaser.

POPULAR PA DEMOCRATIC MAYOR WARNS TRUMP IS ‘OUT-MESSAGING’ HARRIS: I GET MORE FROM STEPHEN COLBERT

As the British approached Philadelphia in 1777, Leaser loaded the Liberty Bell onto his wagon during one of his trips to take produce to market and hauled it home to Lehigh County, preventing the Redcoats from melting it down for ammunition.

Such patriotic, community sentiment remains in that part of the valley, with American flags flying in yards during holidays and local churches and fire halls hosting community dinners, from the Jacksonville oyster supper to the German Groundhog Day spread at the local Grundsau Lodsch.

A few blocks west of the church where Leaser ultimately hid the bell is the headquarters of the Lehigh County Republican Committee.

Advertisement

Chairman Joe Vichot said the party’s presence is ubiquitous at many local events, including the Schnecksville Fair and Allentown Puerto Rican Day Parade.

Schlicher’s Covered Bridge, built in 1882, carries Game Preserve Road across Jordan Creek in Schnecksville, Pa. Donald Trump rallied in the town in 2024. (Fox News Digital/Charles Creitz)

Trump rallied at Schnecksville’s fairgrounds earlier this year, claiming how crucial the area is this cycle.

“We have literature on candidates, and we listen and speak to residents about the issues,” Vichot said, adding his party’s float won third place in the aforementioned parade and that more than a dozen attendees were registered to vote in only a few hours. 

The party also registers voters and has made connections with civic leaders in the Jewish, Syrian and Muslim communities, he said.

Advertisement

“The top two issues we hear are the border and the economy,” Vichot said.

“[Voters] want a new direction. They don’t believe the open border policies of Biden/Harris is good for their wallet or safe for their family.”

In neighboring Northampton County, home to Bethlehem, Easton and smaller cities like Nazareth and Wind Gap, conservatives are similarly pounding the pavement to get their messages out.

“Our local party is very involved. We are able to communicate with our voters. We are able to text them, call them, and they are receptive to our requests to … help out in going door to door and making phone calls for us,” Northampton County Republican Committee board member Andrew Azan III said.

Recent construction on Eighth Street in Allentown exposed an old-style campaign sign for the city’s last Republican mayor, Bill Heydt, who served from 1994-2002. (Charles Creitz)

Advertisement

Azan told Fox News Digital there’s a “waitlist” for Trump-Vance signs in his county, which the Republican nominee flipped red in 2016 but lost in 2020.

“That’s a positive sign,” he quipped.

With Bethlehem and Easton’s population of retired steelworkers giving way to new Hispanic and African American residents, the party has adjusted its messaging, but not its principles, to meet the changing diversity of the Lehigh Valley where it stands, Azan added.

In that regard, according to Lehigh Valley Tea Party board member Tom Carroll, locals are more receptive to the conservative platform, and the right wing is “more unified than I’ve ever seen.”

“They are more concerned than ever about losing their country because of the Marxist and socialist policies that are coming out of both Biden and, of course, now Kamala Harris,” said Carroll, whose Tea Party group is the nation’s largest, with 7,000 recorded members.

Advertisement

“She’s going to open the borders, and she’s going to enact the tax policies that she’s talked about, things like [levying] unrealized capital gains. Our voters are educated, and they’re concerned because they know what that will do to the economy.”

The Moravian Star shines on South Mountain above the Philip J. Fahy Memorial Bridge in Bethlehem, Pa. (Fox News Digital/Charles Creitz)

Carroll, an attorney who also helps lead the Bethlehem City GOP, said he’s been involved in politics since the 2010 midterms and recognized Republicans typically lagged behind Democrats in that realm most cycles.

“But there has been such a reach-out to the voters … in Pennsylvania in that there’s a lot of grassroots knocking on doors and meeting people and having a lot of events and surrogates from the various campaigns coming in.

“We believe in President Trump. We want him to get elected. And we realize Pennsylvania is the most important state in the nation.”

Advertisement

Fox News Digital’s Matteo Cina contributed to this report.

Read the full article from Here

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Boston, MA

Investigation underway after daylight shooting in Dorchester leaves person hospitalized – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News

Published

on

Investigation underway after daylight shooting in Dorchester leaves person hospitalized – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News


BOSTON (WHDH) – Police are investigating a shooting in Dorchester on Saturday afternoon that left a person hospitalized, officials said.

Officers responding to a reported shooting in the area of 480 Quincy St. around 3 p.m. found a person suffering from a non-life-threatening gunshot wound, according to Boston police. The person was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for their injuries.

Ballistic evidence was recovered nearby in the area of Coleman Street.

No arrests have been made.

Advertisement

No additional information was immediately available.

This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

(Copyright (c) 2025 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Join our Newsletter for the latest news right to your inbox



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Pittsburg, PA

Pirates Prospects Deliver Victory Over Tigers

Published

on

Pirates Prospects Deliver Victory Over Tigers


PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates needed production from their best prospects and they got exactly that in their most recent Spring Training game.

The Pirates outlasted the Detroit Tigers in a 5-3 win at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla., thanks to some important hits from their best young talent.

Pittsburgh finally ends their surprising three-game losing streak, as they lost both games in the split squad day on March 6, 9-2 to the Toronto Blue Jays at TD Ballpark in Dunedin and then 14-10 to the Philadelphia Philies at LECOM Park in Bradenton, plus a 3-2 defeat to the St. Louis Cardinals at home on March 5.

Advertisement

The Pirates improve to 10-5 in the Grapefruit League and the Tigers fall to 3-7, tied for the least wins.

How the Pirates Got the Victory

The Pirates got going in the top of the second inning, as left fielder Jhostynxon Garcia singled and then center fielder Dominic Fletcher got hit by a pitch, before right fielder Esmerlyn Valdez singled to score both runners and made it to second base on the error.

Designated hitter Termarr Johnson made it his second straight day with an RBI-single, scoring Valdez and putting the Pirates up 3-0.

Advertisement

Pirates left-handed pitcher Hunter Barco made his second Grapefruit League start and threw two scoreless innings before struggling in the third inning.

Advertisement

Mar 1, 2026; Jupiter, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Hunter Barco (45) warms up before the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Barco loaded the bases and then gave up a ground-rule double and a ground out, scoring all three runners to tie the game up at 3-3.

Advertisement

Both teams struggled to score runs before the Pirates got things going in the top of the sixth inning, with catcher Henry Davis walking and then first baseman Enmanuel Valdez singling, putting runners on the corners.

Advertisement

Garcia grounded into a double play, but scored Davis and put Pittsburgh up 4-3 over Detroit.

The Pirates loaded the bases after this, but third baseman Duce Gorson popped out and they held onto their one-run game.

Mitch Jebb led off the top of the eighth inning with a triple and Yordanny De Los Santos would single soon after to bring him home and double the Pirates lead at 5-3.

De Los Santos, a minor leaguer, has had a great showing in the Grapefruit League for the Pirates, slashing .556/.600/1.667 and an OPS of 2.267 in six games, with a league-high eight RBI and also three home runs.

Advertisement

Pirates Get Good Pitching to Take Down the Tigers

Right-handed relief pitcher Michael Walsh, a ninth round pick out of Yale in 2022, threw a scoreless fourth inning and then fellow right-handed relief pitcher Justin Lawrence continued his solid spring with a scoreless fifth inning

The Pirates then went with right-handed pitcher Thomas Harrington in the sixth inning and he would put on his best showing of the Grapefruit League, throwing four scoreless innings to get the save.

Advertisement

Apr 1, 2025; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Thomas Harrington (78) throws a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays in the second inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Harrington hardly faced any trouble in his outing, with just two hits and a walk allowed, with two strikeouts, getting a number of groundballs and mixing up his vast arsenal of pitches.

This isn’t the first time Harrington got a four-inning save, doing so last year in his PNC Park debut in an 8-4 victory. Harrington became the first Pirates pitcher that earned a four-inning save since Jason Christiansen did so in a 5-1 win over the Montreal Expos on July 17, 1998.

Make sure to visit Pirates OnSI for the latest news, updates, interviews and insight on the Pittsburgh Pirates!

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Connecticut

A Pair Of Connecticut Coaches Reach Win Milestones In First Round Of CIAC Division II State Tournament

Published

on

A Pair Of Connecticut Coaches Reach Win Milestones In First Round Of CIAC Division II State Tournament


The first round of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) boys basketball Division II and IV state tournaments is complete. 

Both divisions began their respective playoffs on Friday with the second round of each division continuing Monday. 

Many stories emerged from Friday night’s slate of games, but two Division II coaches’ career win milestones highlighted the madness. 

Advertisement

Scot Wenzel And Bryan Moretti Now Have 500 Wins Between Them

Two teams from the Central Connecticut Conference, Newington and Hall had special moments for each of their head coaches. 

Over in Newington, the No. 6 Nor’Easters hosted and defeated Conard, 65-43. The win was also head coach Scot Wenzel’s 300th career win. He has oached the Nor’Easters from 2003–2017 and 2022-present. 

“It means that I’ve coached a lot of really good players,” said Wenzel following the accomplishment. “I’m fortunate to make connections with them on the court and also off the court, and glad I still have connections with a lot of those guys now. They all hold a special place in my heart.”

Advertisement

Another milestone looms for Newington in its Monday second-round matchup against Hillhouse, as senior Josiah Sims is eight rebounds away from his 1,000th career rebound. The talented senior already reached 1,000 career points earlier this season. 

Advertisement

In the area and just one town over, Hall head coach Bryan Moretti notched the 200th win of his career in a close 49-46 victory over the visiting Cheney Tech Chargers. Moretti is in his 23rd season as the Titans’ head coach, coaching them since the 2003 season. 

Hall will host No. 9 Fairfield Ludlowe in the second round of the tournament on Monday. 

Advertisement

Over In Division IV, St. Paul’s Sean McMahon Had A Career Game 

In the Division IV State Tournament, St. Paul senior Sean McMahon scored a career-high 46 points in his team’s 75-50 first-round win over No. 22 Suffield. 

Advertisement

McMahon scored 10+ points in three out of four quarters and had 23 points in each half. 

The senior who had the hot hand let his shots come naturally and felt confident about them.  

“When the first couple fall, you want to get a couple more up and see if those fall, but I’m not going to go out there and force it,” McMahon told the Bristol Press. “I just let the game come to me.”

St. Paul will face No. 6 Windham Tech on the road Monday in the second round on March 9. 

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending