Mostly cloudy with a few scattered showers lingering overnight Senator Bernie Sanders spoke to a large crowd inside Stabler Arena in Bethlehem on Saturday raising concerns about the Trump administration's agenda and calling for change across the country - Senator Bernie Sanders spoke to a large crowd inside Stabler Arena in Bethlehem on Saturday "Thank you Lehigh Valley," said Senator Sanders as he took the stage as part of his Fighting Oligarchy Tour He spoke about the Trump administration's handling of the economy and federal employee cuts "We have got to think in unprecedented ways We cannot do today what we did yesterday and that means we need a political revolution," said Senator Sanders Annemarie Bednar and Mark Roth were in the audience I knew I had to be here and I got to shake his hand and say thank you for being here," said Bednar "Just deeply concerned and troubled for the state of our nation," said Roth Senator Sanders raised concerns over a bill he said would make massive cuts to Medicaid "So my message to Congressman Mackenzie is don't vote for that terrible piece of legislation," said Sanders a spokesperson for the Mackenzie for Congress Campaign said in part: "Congressman Mackenzie is fighting for an agenda of common sense The Greater Lehigh Valley doesn't want to return to the days of open borders This marks Senator Sanders' second stop in Pennsylvania this week Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device — A packed Stabler Arena roared to life Saturday as U.S Bernie Sanders railed against President Donald Trump and the moneyed interests that he said have poisoned American politics In a space where sports fans cheer on for Lehigh University’s athletes a crowd of about 6,000 screamed their support and stomped their feet for the 83-year-old Vermont independent Saturday was the progressive icon’s third stop in Pennsylvania since Thursday on his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour I think Trump can hear you all the way down in Mar-a-Lago,” he said Sanders noted the crowd was only a short drive from Gettysburg where President Abraham Lincoln famously described American democracy as “a government of the people But the modern political system has allowed powerful elites to concentrate power among themselves the world’s three richest men — Tesla CEO Elon Musk Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Meta chairman Mark Zuckerberg -- stood behind Trump at his inauguration in January the Trump administration is rushing to cut government services that benefit the common man so the nation’s wealthiest can get a tax cut “Right now we have a government of the billionaire class and we are not going to accept that,” Sanders said Sanders denounced Trump’s efforts to slash Medicaid gut the Department of Veterans Affairs and weaken Social Security But he didn’t hold off on blasting Democratic leadership The party cleared the way for Trump’s arrival by gradually failing to stand up for average Americans over the last 50 years Millions of working class voters abandoned the party after finding themselves working longer hours paying higher rents and unable to afford college educations for their children “The Democratic Party is going to finally have to say We are prepared to take on the greed of corporate America,’” Sanders said to cheers Organizers worked to create an anti-establishment vibe befitting Sanders' message tore people away from their cell phones with their song "America (You're Freaking Me Out)." They were followed by more traditional voices for a political rally a 40-year-old who represents a swing district in Pittsburgh’s suburbs said people his age and younger are the first Americans in generations who believe their lives will be worse off than their parents “I don’t say the American Dream just slipped away The out-of-control corporate power and the corrupt politicians like Trump and Musk that’s who’s been taking the American Dream away,” he said Both Sanders and Deluzio took passing swipes at U.S the freshman Republican who defeated Wild in November’s race for Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District Tens of millions of dollars from outside the district flooded into the campaign making it the 10th most expensive House race in the nation Sanders repeatedly took aim at Citizens United the Supreme Court decision that paved the way for so much money to influence local elections He warned Mackenzie that voters would hold him accountable if he votes with Republican leadership to pass sweeping cuts to government programs Some Republicans want to cut as much as $880 billion from Medicaid which provides health care to America’s most vulnerable “My message to Congressman Mackenzie is don’t vote for that terrible legislation I have a strong suspicion that you will be a one-term member of Congress,” Sanders said Mackenzie spokesman Arnaud Armstrong focused on a profanity from Enid Santiago While the Allentown resident focused most of her remarks on her family’s reliance on Medicaid to provide life-saving drugs to her nieces “(Expletive) ICE,” before leaving the stage Wild and Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure to apologize for the remark McClure did not speak at or even attend the event but another speaker mentioned him in passing launched a congressional campaign challenging Mackenzie in February “While Bernie Sanders and Susan Wild rally for their failed far-left agenda and stand by while law enforcement officers are insulted Congressman Mackenzie is fighting for an agenda of common sense and woke priorities; they support Congressman Mackenzie’s policies of border security and putting America first,” Armstrong said saying he's consistently stood up for working class Americans for decades But while she was glad to hear him in person she didn't spend hours inside a gymnasium on a beautiful spring day just to catch another political speech The event provided a feeling a solidarity of like-minded people united by a common vision It's about being with everyone else in the room," Kohut said Women of Influence Awards Stacy Wescoe//May 5 Bethlehem’s small businesses loving ‘Best Main Street’ honor is one of the shops along Main Street in Bethlehem Jefferson Health is helping to bring a major sporting event to the Lehigh Valley that is expected to bring a m[...] Bethlehem just keeps raking in the accolades and now has the title of Best Main Street from USA Today There’s a new travel option available to people visiting Carbon County Bethlehem just keeps raking in the honors and now it’s a finalist for another distinction a $27 million downtown boutique-style hotel Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate rose slightly in November to 3.5% Sign up for your daily digest of the Greater Lehigh Valley LLP Marketing and Communications Manage[...] Fisher joins Gross [...] Fleischaker joi[...] Strauss joins Gros[...] Listen to this article Brian Fanning Miller-Keystone Blood Center Vice President of Operations Brian[...] Listen to this article George Marinelli KeyBank Senior Relationship Manager George Marinelli joins K[...] Listen to this article John (JR) Raebiger CTFA™ KeyBank Senior Relationship Manager JR Rae[...] location” is an adage typically used when buying a home but the same princ[...] Invoice fraud involves submitting fake or illegitimate invoices often with convincing documentation[...] Prescription drugs continue to be the fastest-rising cost to many employer-sponsored health plans discussion of tariffs (and the economy in general) seems to center around talk of “uncerta[...] Parents aren’t just part of most companies’ staff – they’re a huge part Gene and cellular therapies are exceedingly rare – sometimes one-in-a-million rare Lehigh Valley Business provides 24/7 business news coverage and events honoring top business professionals Get our free e-alerts & breaking news notifications Subscribe for access to the latest digital and special editions Click here for information about plaques permissions and reprints of previous editions the former mayor of Bethlehem and who is part of the group that built the apartments - New information is shining light on what may have caused a four-alarm fire that tore through the roof of a Bethlehem apartment building 135 people are now displaced after the fire broke out this afternoon at the Five 10 Flats in Southside Bethlehem "We went back and looked at security footage and based on where the first alarm went off the fire sensor we can identify the area where the fire started," said John Callahan with Peron Development the former mayor of Bethlehem and who is part of the development group that built the apartments "He was unfortunately smoking on the rooftop deck and put his cigarette out in a planter and it smoldered and smoldered and ultimately led to the fire," Callahan said A fire restoration company is starting to go through the building to assess the damage but there is no timeline of when everyone will be able to go back I was really proud how Bethlehem stepped up today," he added People were outside waiting to be allowed in to gather some of their belongings but it's nice they're letting us get those essential documents," explained Chesca Vasilio Even though people are displaced and items are damaged residents say the important thing is that no one was hurt and that the community came together to help Country Club Brewing had free food for those who live there We knew they needed a place to eat," added Derek Wallen with Country Club Brewing Fire officials continue their investigation to determine the official cause of the fire A building official told 69 News they have a video of a man extinguishing a cigarette into a planter on the rooftop deck — A rooftop cigarette butt may have caused the massive blaze Friday that heavily damaged the Five10 Flats apartment and retail complex on Bethlehem's South Side director of business development for Peron Development told LehighValleyNews.com Friday evening that officials believe they have identified the source of the blaze "We've got a rooftop deck on the building and we have not identified the resident yet," Callahan said in a phone interview "It appears a resident was smoking on the rooftop deck and put a cigarette butt in one of the plants and.. "The first fire sensor went off in the elevator shaft that services the rooftop." Callahan said firefighters had cleared the building "We're making arrangements now for hotels for the residents," he said sharing thanks to Staybridge Suites Allentown West and WoodSpring Suites Easton Nazareth for "stepping up" to house residents While "it appears that only one of the sprinkler heads went off," Callahan said he expects extensive water damage throughout the building That includes Starbucks and the El Jefe Mexican Restaurant and Grill Callahan said he couldn't say how long those businesses might be closed "I want to praise the Bethlehem Fire Department and all the other fire departments that stepped up to assist," he said "It was a multiple-alarm fire and we're very fortunate that Bethlehem has a paid fire department that was available "There was a lot of volunteer fire departments that stepped up We were very fortunate — super fortunate — to have the police first responders we have in our community." Northampton County Dispatch said the initial call came in at 1:17 p.m and it was upgraded to a fourth alarm fire nearly half an hour later Firefighters were on the roof of the building by about 1:30 p.m. Massive plumes of black smoke shrouded the area as police and additional first responders raced to the scene Bethlehem Fire Department crews used a ladder hose to battle the flames as reinforcements arrived One woman driving through East First Street near the SteelStacks about 1:30 p.m Easton Fire Department and Nancy Run Fire Company were some of the first to arrive to offer mutual aid Northampton County Dispatch said at least five fire departments assisted in battling the fire Firefighters were going “door to door inside the building” about 1:40 p.m. a Bethlehem police officer told a woman who lives on the fifth floor The American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania was assisting residents at the scene Regional Communications Manager for the Red Cross said the organization got the initial call about 1:30 p.m the American Red Cross Pennsylvania Rivers Chapter is supporting displaced residents with comfort and care at a temporary evacuation point at the Northampton Community College Fowler Family Center," Maisel said in an email to LehighValleyNews.com early Friday evening Firefighters were opening up the roof of the building around 2 p.m They still were fighting the blaze more than an hour after it started with charred pieces of the building falling to the ground some drifting across the street into the parking lot of Northampton Community College's Fowler Center while other firefighters worked to retrieve residents' pets medication and other necessities from inside speaking to LehighValleyNews.com across the street from the fire paid tribute to the many emergency workers involved Friday our police are second to none," Reynolds said that's the difference between saving lives and saving property [and not]." The four-alarm fire drew help from across the region "We cannot say thank you enough to the first responders" who showed up Friday The five-story building on East Third Street opened in 2018 with 95 one- and two-bedroom apartments on the upper floors said on social media it would be closed Friday due to the fire next door Country Club Brewing announced on Facebook that it opened and is offering food and beverages from other local businesses for "everyone that has been affected Bethlehem Central School District The Bethlehem Central School District plans to partner with two local organizations to provide a universal pre-kindergarten (UPK) program that will accommodate up to 92 four-year-olds during the 2025-26 school year UPK is a free program open to district families with children who will be four years old by Dec 2025 (children who have birth dates between Dec the district will partner with TSL Adventures (339 Delaware Ave. Delmar) and Childtime Learning Center (180 Delaware Ave. The total number of available spots will be determined through the application There is expected to be up to 92 UPK spots available between the two locations in 2025-26 All UPK openings will be filled through a lottery process The online application window opens Thursday Families will use the district’s Aspen Parent Portal to complete the application materials (see Aspen information below) All eligible students who have applications that have been fully completed and submitted by the May 23 application deadline will be part of the lottery All applicants will be notified of their lottery position by email and regular mail the week of June 2 Children who are not placed in the program initially will be placed on a waiting list and families will be contacted if space becomes available throughout the year Applications for the UPK lottery will be accepted online through the Aspen online portal. Families who do not already have an Aspen account must create one to complete the application.  Families unable to register online through Aspen should contact District Registrar Marina Bender at registration@bethlehemschools.org or call 518-439-2442 UPK – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) (This information will be updated periodically.) Parents/guardians of current BC students already have an Aspen account and those parents/guardians must use their existing Aspen accounts Those who don’t have an Aspen account must create one in Aspen you must log in on a desktop or laptop computer This is only required when creating an account Once an account has been created you can log in from a mobile device or computer The application will take about 20 minutes via computer to complete Families who are unable to register online via Aspen should contact District Registrar Marina Bender at registration@bethlehemschools.org or call 518-439-2442 All updates to UPK information will be posted to this page as they become available A destination for hand-crafted cocktails and food has ended operations in Northampton County - A destination for hand-crafted cocktails and food has ended operations in Northampton County an upscale lounge offering a “vibrant haven of mixology gourmet foods and an intimate ambiance,” has closed after about a year of operation at 203 E Owner Orwa Makhould said he's considering opening a new business concept in the space but he couldn't elaborate on what that would entail The new concept may be another lounge or food and dining concept and I liked it," Makhoul said in regard to Alibi "But it didn't perform as good as I wanted it to Maybe the economy had something to do with it Alibi held its grand opening in March 2024 Makhoul previously operated the space’s former tenant for nearly 15 years – from 2009 to February 2023 with 2022 being one of its best years in terms of sales but Makhoul had a “vision to take the space to the next level.” he was inspired by high-end lounges and restaurants that he’s visited in major cities in the United States as well other countries such as Mexico and Turkey that was a business that I started when I was 24 years old my experiences and tastes got more refined," Makhoul told 69 News prior to Alibi's opening from New York to Miami to across the United States and overseas as well where I experienced fine dining venues and high-end lounges with really unique craft cocktails and cuisine." Makhoul and his team spent over a year readying the bi-level space for Alibi’s debut They gutted the space to include new flooring They also exposed the lower level's brick walls and installed a custom bar with a quartz top Alibi featured a food menu focusing on small plates and shareables Guests could enjoy includes cold dishes such as East Coast oysters (with mignonette and house-made cocktail sauce) house-made hummus (with grilled za’atar pita) and a charcuterie board; and hot dishes such as beef tallow truffle frites coconut-crusted tiger prawns (with mango chili sauce) and Moroccan-spiced swordfish kabobs (with lemon caper tahini sauce) also offered pizzas such as white truffle and “spicy and sweet"; and desserts such as Alibi flaming baked Alaska and pineapple pot au crème each with a marker detailing its sweetness level The cocktails were also divided into three categories: spirit forward with the latter indicating drinks with sweet flavors such as vanilla cream Guests could enjoy applied pastry cocktails such as the matcha cheesecake (matcha latte vodka and Tahitian vanilla bean mascarpone foam) fruit driven cocktails such as the Hawaiian whiskey sour (bacon fat wash and sundried tomato infusion of Canadian whisky with acid adjusted pineapple cordial and egg white) and spirit forward cocktails such as the tapenade martini (Castlevetrano tapenade infusion of organic vodka with truffle and bleu cheese-stuffed olive) Cocktails featured premium and unique spirits from around the world along with liqueurs and syrups infused on-site Most signature cocktails were priced between $15 and $18 which featured seating for around 100 customers on two levels also offered outdoor dining on a covered patio Headlines and Weather delivered directly to your inbox Your source for important local government and business events delivered Tue to Sat Your daily headlines and complete forecast from 69 News meteorologists delivered every morning around 6am The latest headlines plus find out what's coming up tonight on 69News Cloudy with more rounds of showers and possibly some downpours or a t-storm Crews were working to put out a fire in the basement of a Bethlehem home Wednesday night – Crews were working to put out a fire in the basement of a Bethlehem home Wednesday night Emergency communication officials said the fire in the 1900 block of Hart Street was reported just before 11 p.m - Crews rushed to the scene of a fire at a South Bethlehem apartment building this afternoon Firefighters were dispatched to the Five 10 Flats in the 500 block of E Initial emergency dispatches called for heavy fire coming from the roof billowing black smoke and ferocious flames greeted firefighters when they pulled up on the scene "We had a fire on the roof when we arrived We had to call in multiple resources to help us," said Assistant Chief Anthony Prelitz The plume of smoke could be seen miles away as fire crews worked to battle the flames Residents of the 95-unit building stood on the sidewalk watching in disbelief get out' and I look and there is flames on top of the building and it just spread," she recalled they immediately shuttled us over across the street and we've kind of been here ever since," Peyton said with many watching as firefighters worked to contain the fire hoping their pets left inside the building were ok The fire also impacted all of the shops on the ground floor Nearby businesses turned out to check on their neighbors and give firefighters water "Our intention was to make sure that everyone was good which is another reason why we came down to serve these men and women who are just putting their lives on the line for us," said Michael Williams who now works with the development company that constructed the Five 10 Flats apartment complex told 69 News they have a video of a man extinguishing a cigarette into a planter on the rooftop deck He says they sent the video to the Bethlehem Fire Department and they will use it as they conduct their investigation Callahan says they plan to make repairs and get the apartment building back to its original state as soon as possible The Red Cross confirmed they are assisting displaced residents Your access to this service has been limited If you think you have been blocked in error contact the owner of this site for assistance If you are a WordPress user with administrative privileges on this site please enter your email address in the box below and click "Send" You will then receive an email that helps you regain access Wordfence is a security plugin installed on over 5 million WordPress sites The owner of this site is using Wordfence to manage access to their site You can also read the documentation to learn about Wordfence's blocking tools or visit wordfence.com to learn more about Wordfence Click here to learn more: Documentation 6 May 2025 7:17:11 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString()); - Crews responded to a partial train derailment in Bethlehem at the Hill to Hill Bridge Wednesday A car on the cargo train was slightly tilted The partial derailment was not tying up traffic on the bridge Four Norfolk Southern rail cars derailed at the bridge in July 2024 and no injuries reported in that derailment The nearly 30-year-old arts center closed its doors on Jan - The Banana Factory is disappearing before our eyes an excavator could be seen moving wood and metal the product of six buildings that were linked together which have fallen into disrepair in recent years Taking over the site will be a five-story structure called the "Creative Factory powered by PPL." The new building will be 78,500 square feet and cost $26 million with a one-story 5,500-square-foot glass studio The Creative Factory will be temperature-controlled and equipped to take the arts in Bethlehem into the future Bethlehem's Director of Community and Economic Development Laura Collins sent us the following statement: One of the many exciting developments underway is ArtsQuest's reimagining of the Banana Factory Demolition of the existing but outdated structures began this week and in a few months we should expect to see the start of construction on the new ArtsQuest Creative Factory powered by PPL ArtsQuest has been a wonderful community partner for many decades and we look forward to this new facility continuing that legacy with even greater impact for our community." The Creative Factory is expected to be completed in late 2026 You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed — A massive fire Friday that heavily damaged the Five10 Flats apartment and retail complex on Bethlehem's South Side started on the building's roof All 135 residents of the building have been relocated to temporary housing at hotels arranged by the 510 Flats apartment management team The structure was turned over to Paul Davis damage restoration company It will remain closed while repairs are made Fire personnel remained at the building Saturday morning "The fire originated on the roof of the building and the cause of the fire is under investigation by the Fire Marshal’s office," the city fire department said in a release "The Fire Marshal’s office will release an update next week when the cause of the fire is confirmed." told LehighValleyNews.com Friday that a rooftop cigarette butt may have caused the fire Callahan said a resident "was smoking on the rooftop deck and put a cigarette butt in one of the plants and.. The fire department's release did not confirm that Residents on scene were escorted into the building to get theiressential items and all were cleared from the building and a temporary shelter was closed at 8:43 p.m. "The City of Bethlehem Police Department assisted in successfully evacuating all residents without any reportedinjuries," the city said in the release "There were also no injuries of emergency personnel reported and City of Bethlehem EMS personnel provided rehab services for all emergency service personnel." "multiple telephone calls and fire alarm signals were received by Northampton County 911 Center reporting a structure fire." Bethlehem Fire Department was at the scene at 510 E The building is five stories and contained 95 apartments on floors 2-5 and seven businesses on the 1st floor "Thick smoke was pouring from the rooftop filling the street below upon arrival," the release said "The fire was upgraded to a 3rd and eventually 4th alarm "Strong winds at the time fanned flames across the rooftop." All city fire units were on scene fighting the fire and multiple City of Bethlehem firefighters were called in from home to assist Allentown Fire Department assisted at the fire scene and covered other emergency calls in the city until Bethlehem reserve engines were staffed A temporary shelter was established across the street from the fire building at the Northampton Community College Fowler Center The City of Bethlehem Health Bureau assisted staffing the shelter organizing evacuees and transportation needs Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority providedtransportation for residents to the hotels as needed The Red Cross was also on scene assisting residents The Lehigh Valley County Animal Response Team responded and setup in the Fowler Center parking lot to assist numerous resident pets The fire was brought under control at 6:50 p.m. Assisting at the scene were the City of Bethlehem EMS and Northampton Community College Public Safety Several area fire departments provided coverage of neighboring communities while their departments were assisting at the fire Firefighters battled a four-alarm blaze in n Bethlehem on Friday afternoon "We had a fire on the roof when we arrived. Because of the wind, it spread quickly across the entire roof. Went up to a fourth alarm fire. We had to call in multiple resources to help us," Bethlehem Assistant Chief Anthony Prelitz told WFMZ.  The fire left businesses on the first floor damaged while more than 100 residents were displaced A witness said he saw a man discarding a cigarette in a planter on the rooftop deck just before the fire was discovered Susan Nicol is the news editor for Firehouse.com She is a life member and active with the Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue Company Susie has been an EMT in Maryland since 1976 Susie is vice-president of the Frederick County Fire/Rescue Museum She is on the executive committee of Frederick County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association She also is part of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) Region II EMS Council Susie is a board member of the American Trauma Society she was a staff writer for The Frederick News-Post — There’s a library within the library in the city’s South Side there’s a crate full of packaged gardening tools alongside a cardboard sleeve “We had put out 75 [seed packets] earlier last month and they were almost completely gone by two or three weeks ago,” said Lauri Miller manager of Bethlehem Area Public Library’s South Side branch the tool-and-seed library at the South Side branch Patrons are able to check out tools for a week with their library card “It's a relatively simple program that doesn't require a lot of overhead or time,” Miller said “The most time-consuming part is just organizing the seed packets.” The seed library recently got a donation of 40 packets from Food to Flourish a youth-led nonprofit co-founded by Moravian Academy sophomore Maddy Yang “The seed library project is really dedicated to helping increase nutrition access to a degree and also increasing gardening education and teaching people how to garden in the first place,” Yang said Through the group’s “Plant It Forward” initiative Yang and her colleagues have donated about 1,600 seed packets to 10 libraries across Maryland the group hopes to improve access to fresh food and combat food insecurity while fostering connection in communities through local libraries when I feel like people are less connected with one another,” Yang said nutritious food is especially important for the city A large part of it south of the Lehigh River is designated a "low income and low access” area, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Access Research Atlas Food access has improved somewhat since the designation was made back in 2020 In April 2023, grocery store chain Ideal Food Basket opened at 410 Montclair Ave That summer, the city got $2.9 million from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department's Community Project Funding to help establish the Bethlehem Co-op Market at 250 E. Broad St. It’s expected to open at some point this year. who started at the library branch in October said the seed and tool library is a way to meet the community’s needs beyond the expected “I think every library has to be more responsive to the community where it resides,” Miller said “Libraries have really become more of a community center than just a place for books or movies but they really expect more when they come to the library.” she hopes to coordinate educational programs to help residents interested in growing their own gardens While the number of patrons checking out tools has been low She said she hopes the program will become more popular There's no data available for the number of seeds given out Miller worked previously at Emmaus Public Library, which also holds a seed library Asked who visits the South Side seed library “I've seen a good number of people from 30s into retirement age,” she said “There's some families who come in and have kids pick seed packets as their first experiment with gardening and growing things.” — Two city residents were charged in a human trafficking investigation following a multi-agency law enforcement operation at Wind Creek Casino also known as “Kitty,” were taken into custody Thursday The arrests came nearly four months after authorities conducted a sex trafficking and prostitution sting according to Northampton County District Attorney Stephen Baratta The operation was in coordination with the City of Bethlehem Police Department state police and several other law enforcement agencies The release says an undercover officer used websites commonly linked to prostitution and sex trafficking to arrange a meeting with a woman advertised in the Lehigh Valley At the meeting point at Wind Creek Casino Hotel officers observed a female being dropped off in the parking lot and a male found drug paraphernalia in Birch's vehicle Further investigation revealed multiple victims of human trafficking who identified Jarnagin as the organizer behind the operation Authorities say she acted as a “madame,” managing online advertisements and transporting the women for medical treatment identified as the “pimp,” allegedly controlled the women and profited from their sex acts Birch and Jarnagin are both charged with corrupt organizations dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities Birch also faces an additional charge of possession of drug paraphernalia while Jarnagin is charged with prostitution and theft by deception-false impression was unable to post $200,000 cash bail and was committed to Northampton County Prison was unable to post $50,000 bail and also was committed to Northampton County Prison Adeola Adeosun is the Newsweek Weekend Night Editor based in Atlanta Adeola joined Newsweek in 2024 and has previously worked for CNN You can get in touch with Adeola by emailing a.adeosun@newsweek.com either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content A roaring crowd of thousands filled Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on Saturday to hear progressive Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders blast President Donald Trump and what he called the billionaire class gripping the nation's politics Organizers estimate the crowd numbered between 5,000 and 6,000 Newsweek reached out to Sanders' spokesperson via email on Saturday for comment Pennsylvania, with its 19 electoral votes, was critical to Trump's 2024 presidential victory and has reemerged as a decisive swing state heading into the 2026 midterms Trump's surge in support in smaller cities like Allentown and Scranton helped secure the state over Kamala Harris in November, flipping several counties that leaned more Democratic in prior elections More than 5,000 people came out in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to stand up for the needs of working families against the billionaire class, against powerful special interests, against enormous corporate greed, and against Trump’s authoritarianism.That’s what this movement is about. pic.twitter.com/5pkGFzavwz Lehigh University's sports arena hosted the 83-year-old independent senator as he made his third Pennsylvania stop in just three days on his "Fighting Oligarchy" tour Sanders invoked Abraham Lincoln's vision of government "of the people for the people," contrasting it with what he called a modern system run by billionaires saying all three tech tycoons stood behind Trump at his 2025 inauguration and represent the consolidation of wealth and power undermining democracy we have a government of the billionaire class and we are not going to accept that," Sanders said drawing thunderous applause from the crowd As head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk has led the charge on cuts to federal spending, and as the owner of X, formerly Twitter has made himself a top advocate for the administration's policies through his prolific social media activity Sanders criticized both Trump and Democratic leadership, saying the latter's failure over the past half-century to stand up for working Americans helped pave the way for Trump's rise. He condemned cuts to Medicaid, threats to Social Security and growing corporate influence in Washington Senator Bernie Sanders wrote in an email response to Newsweek: "From one end of our country to the other -- in red states and the poor are desperately looking for a new and bold vision for America's future The status quo is not working and cannot continue to be defended." He added: "The American people desperately want this country to move forward in a new direction: economically And we are enormously proud that we're helping to shape that path we have the power to create a government and an economy that works for all of us told Newsweek in an email on Friday: "The arrogance and exploitation of the current oligarchic regime – as personified by Elon Musk but also by many other billionaires like Zuckerberg etc – have generated a period of populist revolt that unites working people across the political spectrum." Billionaire Trump ally Elon Musk on Sanders' recent Denver Colorado rally in a March 23 X post: "The Dems just move around the same group of paid 'protesters.'" In a separate post on April 11 Musk wrote: "Bernie is just fully communist." Sanders told rallygoers at Saturday's "Fighting Oligarchy" event in Bethlehem: "The Democratic Party is going to finally have to say We are prepared to take on the greed of corporate America.'" YUGE crowd of 5,000 out to see @BernieSanders in Bethlehem, PA this afternoon.“Let me be very clear: the movement we are building is making Republicans nervous—and for good reason.” pic.twitter.com/QmoEf6c468 Sanders' "Fighting Oligarchy" tour is expected to continue drawing national attention as Democrats assess how to rebuild a fractured coalition in time for the 2026 midterms “I think Trump can hear you in Mar a Lago!”Booming loud crowd of 5k in Bethlehem, PA#FightOligarchy pic.twitter.com/kyvuqDXlDM ET: This article was updated to include a comment from Senator Bernie Sanders Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsweek is committed to journalism that is factual and fair We value your input and encourage you to rate this article Newsletters in your inbox See all — The candidates for Bethlehem mayor met head-to-head Monday night in a debate organized by Lehigh Valley Public Media Two Democratic candidates on the ballot participated — incumbent J William Reynolds and city Councilwoman Grace Crampsie Smith LehighValleyNews.com reporters Tom Shortell and Will Oliver moderated the event The hourlong debate streamed live on LehighValleyNews.com, on LehighValleyNews.com’s Facebook account, and on the PBS39 YouTube channel The debate will be broadcast on PBS39 at 6 p.m Lehigh Valley Public Media will host two more debates before the May 20 primary election The Northampton County executive debate will be at 7 p.m Participating will be the two Democrats on the ballot — county Controller Tara Zrinski and Amy Cozze To register, visit here The Lehigh County executive debate will be held at 7 p.m Participating will be the two Republicans on the ballot — Mike Welsh and Roger MacLean The registration link for free tickets to that debate is here The Bethlehem Central School District Green Team will host the third annual Giveaway Weekend in the Town of Bethlehem from Friday Recycling and reducing waste are essential It’s even part of a UNESCO World Heritage site Lydia Mansel is a writer with more than eight years of experience editing and writing for both brands and online publications—with a particular focus on travel She’s also the founder of the travel site justpacked.com The 83-year-old Vermont senator is bringing his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour to the Stabler Athletic & Convocation Center at Lehigh University He’ll speak Saturday, May 3, with doors opening at 10:30 a.m. and the program starting at 1 p.m., according to his website Joining Sanders and also speaking during the program will be U.S Deluzio represents Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District in western Pennsylvania The Associated Press has described Sanders and his “Fighting Oligarchy” crusade like this: Sanders is not running for president again But the stooped and silver-haired democratic socialist has emerged as a leader of the resistance to Donald Trump’s second presidency In tearing into Trump’s seizure of power and warning about the consequences of firing tens of thousands of government workers Sanders is bucking the wishes of those who want Democrats to focus on the price of eggs or “roll over and play dead.” Sanders stands alone as the only elected progressive willing to mount a national campaign to harness the fear and anger of the sprawling anti-Trump movement.” Sanders’ website indicates parking is free for the Stabler event and registration is required A steady stream of people turned out in Bethlehem to support a cause that impacts one in five U.S Many carried signs; others carried memories “I started with mental health issues around 13,” said Stephanie Brown with the Clubhouse of Lehigh County I've been struggling on and off for years.” This was her second year attending the Lehigh Valley Mental Health Awareness Walk & Resource Expo “More and more people are understanding that it’s okay not to be okay,” said committee member Connie Hammann “And that we’re all out here trying to support each other.” Support was on full display: through cheers Organizers say the goal is to raise awareness connect people with resources and reduce the stigma that can surround mental health struggles “Being imperfect is perfect,” said keynote speaker and veteran Tom Carson we kind of had this thing where we don’t speak up about it,” Carson said “I had a lot of fear of getting a non-deployable tag I didn’t want to let my brothers and sisters down Organizers hope everyone who attended walks away remembering one thing: “It’s okay to not be okay and stay around for one more day.” 2025A man in Bethlehem has become one of the first people in Pennsylvania to be charged under a statute banning artificially generated child pornography.BETHLEHEM (WPVI) -- A man in Bethlehem has become one of the first people in Pennsylvania to be charged under a statute banning artificially generated child pornography Authorities announced the arrest of 34-year-old Adam Erdman on Wednesday Police say Erdman's estranged wife reached out to them back in March after she said saw three AI-generated images of young girls Investigators say the suspect used AI to alter pictures of two children to make them appear naked Erdman is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on May 28.