Former Owner of the Brass Rail in Talks to Open at Farmers Market

Owner Mark Sorrentino has finally completed the sale of the iconic Brass Rail property at 3015 Lehigh St., bringing an end to the restaurant's 91-year legacy in Allentown. The restaurant, beloved by generations for its cheesesteaks, pot roast sandwiches, and hearty fare, closed its doors in the summer of 2022. The decision to sell was influenced by challenges like the pandemic, labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, and inflation.

Despite the closure, there's a glimmer of hope for Brass Rail enthusiasts. Sorrentino, who can't seem to completely part ways with the restaurant's legacy, is in talks to establish a limited-menu Brass Rail stand at the Allentown Farmers Market. The proposed menu would feature the famous cheesesteaks, hot dogs, and some fried food items. However, there's no specific timeline for this new venture, and negotiations with the Farmers Market are ongoing. For patrons who cherished memories of dining and romance at the Brass Rail, this development offers a ray of hope amid the restaurant's closure.

Man Sentenced to a Maximum of 47 Years for Murder of Estranged Wife Outside an Upper Macungie Township Warehouse

A man who believed he was targeting his estranged wife's boyfriend received a 23 ½ to 47-year prison sentence for fatally shooting his wife. Jose Vidal Angeles-Bencosme, 57, admitted guilt in November to third-degree murder and carrying a firearm without a license in the July 15, 2022, incident.

The victim, 44-year-old Maria I. Guzman-Rodriguez, was killed outside her workplace, Lineage Logistics on Ruppsville Road, where she had sought refuge due to threats from Angeles-Bencosme. Guzman-Rodriguez had obtained a protection from abuse order against him just a day before her tragic death. Despite Angeles-Bencosme's mistaken belief that he was targeting his wife's boyfriend, he ended up taking her life instead. Lehigh County Judge Douglas Reichley handed down the sentence on Thursday,

Angeles-Bencosme had rented a car and lay in wait at the warehouse, firing multiple shots into Guzman-Rodriguez's vehicle when she arrived for her 4 a.m. shift. Despite the tinted windows preventing him from seeing inside, his actions resulted in her death from multiple gunshot wounds, as confirmed by Lehigh County Coroner Dan Buglio. The investigation was conducted by Upper Macungie police Detective Justin M. Wheeler and former Lehigh County district attorney Detective James Bruchak. The case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorneys Jared J. Hanna and Debra G. Naish.

Patricia Rorrer Set to Return to Court to Challenge Her Conviction in the Slayings of Joann and Alex Katrinak

Patricia Rorrer is due back in Lehigh County Court next week to challenge evidence used to convict her in the 1994 slayings of Joann Katrinak and her infant son, Alex. Rorrer is contesting her conviction based on handwritten notes from an analyst indicating hairs recovered from Katrinak’s car and linked to Rorrer were naturally blond and not chemically treated. Rorrer’s hair had been dyed blonde. Rorrer contends the notes are exculpatory and were not made available to her defense before trial.

Rorrer, the ex-girlfriend of Katrinak’s husband, Andrew, was convicted in 1998 on the strength of DNA and circumstantial evidence, including her ownership of the same type of gun used to shoot Joann. According to the prosecution, Rorrer still called Andrew Katrinak on occasion, which aggravated Joann. Shortly before the murders, Rorrer phoned and Joann, using profanity, told her never to call again. That infuriated Rorrer, prompting her to drive 500 miles from her North Carolina home to Catasauqua.

She waited in or near the Katrinak home, forced the mother and baby into Katrinak’s car, and took them to rural Heidelberg Township, where she beat and shot Joann and either suffocated Alex or abandoned him to the elements, prosecutors alleged. Their bodies were found the following spring.

Investigators began concentrating on Rorrer after learning she used to keep horses at stables two miles from where the bodies were found. Detectives interviewed Rorrer’s friends and family, created timelines of her movements, and submitted hairs found in Katrinak’s car for laboratory examination.

Analysts used a relatively new technology to extract mitochondrial DNA — genetic material inherited only from the maternal side — and determined the hairs could have come from Rorrer. A jury convicted Rorrer in March 1998. She has returned to court on unsuccessful appeals several times since.

Grassroots efforts to free Rorrer have sprung up over the years, and a number of books, articles, and televised documentaries have raised questions about her prosecution. Most recently, a Seattle-based nonprofit called “Judges for Justice,” which has helped four men in three states regain their freedom, has taken on the case.

Jalen Hurts Honored as AFC Offensive Player of the Week

Following a remarkable performance in a stunning comeback victory, Jalen Hurts has been honored as the NFC Offensive Player of the Week. Hurts showcased his talent by completing 29 of 38 passes, amassing 319 yards and throwing four touchdowns. His passer rating soared to a season-high of 135.7, and he matched his career-high with four passing touchdowns, propelling the Eagles to a 7-1 record.

This isn't the first time Hurts has displayed such prowess; his 319 passing yards equaled his season-best, achieved during another comeback win against Washington in Week 4. Hurts demonstrated remarkable accuracy with a 76.3 percent completion rate and an average of 8.4 yards per pass attempt.

Philadelphia's quarterback connected for two touchdown passes with A.J. Brown, the reigning NFC Offensive Player of the Week, and also found the end zone with DeVonta Smith and Julio Jones. Notably, two of these touchdowns came in the fourth quarter, one while trailing and the other tying the game.

Hurts has now climbed to the third spot in the NFL for total yards (2,420) and boasts the second-highest number of total touchdowns (19) in the league. Impressively, he has achieved 300-plus total yards and 2-plus total touchdowns in each of his last six games, marking the longest active streak in the NFL. This recognition marks Hurts' first Player of the Week honor this season; he previously received the award in Weeks 12 and 13 last year.

Really?

25 Is A Magic Number

• 25 is the 26th number in the Arabic numeral system.
  (The first number is 0.)

• 25 is a square number—the product of a number multiplied by itself, in this case 5 x 5.

• 25 is the sum of the first five odd numbers: 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + 9 = 25.

Smile a Bit

A cop is driving around in his police cruiser one afternoon when he sees a car up ahead that's going significantly slower than the rest of the traffic. Other drivers are swerving around them, honking their horns, and swearing.

Realizing that this was a terrible hazard for everyone involved, he gets behind the slow driver and flips on his lights. The driver immediately pulls over, and the cop walks up to the window, and discovers that the driver is a little white-haired old woman! He looks further into the car and sees three more small elderly female passengers.

He asks the usual, “Do you know why I pulled you over?”
“No, sir. I don't.”
“Mam, you were only going 25 miles an hour.” “But I thought that was the speed limit!”, she points to a large black and white road sign not far away.

The officer just chuckles a bit, shakes his head, and says, “Mam…that's not a speed limit sign, you are on ROUTE 25.” They both have a good laugh. He takes one last look around the car before he leaves, and notices the other old ladies are all wide-eyed and terrified. “Mam, are they okay?”

“Oh, they'll be fine. We just got off of route 125!”

November 03