Easton News

Broadway's "Rock of Ages" Band features the musician case of the Broadway show playing what it calls playing "the greatest rock hits from the glam metal bands of the '80s."

The United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, in coordination with Greater Easton Development Partnership, has established the fund to help victims of Friday's devastating fire at the Hotel Hampton building, 462 Northampton St. Also, a Red Cross emergency shelter operation has been relocated.

One firefighter suffered serious injuries when he fell off a ladder escaping the fire. Several others received minor injuries. Authorities said the coroner was on scene Saturday "out of an abundance of caution" because they did not have an accurate count of people living in the Hotel Hampton building.

In December alone, there were 676 eviction filings and defaults in Lehigh County — the highest monthly total since August 2023.

In counties such as Lehigh, eviction filings have reached their highest point in years, even as rental vacancy rates have fluctuated. That apparent contradiction — rising vacancy estimates alongside persistent eviction volume — is part of a broader housing dynamic playing out across the region.

Xiaomin Fei, 34, on Thursday entered the plea in the June 3 shooting deaths of Robert and Gretchen Ackerman, Northampton County District Attorney Stephen G. Baratta announced.

Officials signed off on plans that call for 73 condominiums — 15 one-bedroom units, 36 two-bedroom units and 22 three-bedroom units — and about 2,500 square feet of commercial space.

Jack Bennett grew up in the family hardware business and went on to lead it for nearly 25 years. He was one of Easton's most prominent business leaders in the 1970s and '80s. He died Jan. 29 at age 98. Friends say he left an impression on the Downtown business community that still can be felt today.

Affected customers are being asked to enroll in interest-free payment plans so the city can recover more than $35,000 in unpaid bills, its finance director said Wednesday.

Lawmakers voted 46-1 on Senate Bill 1014, bipartisan legislation that would require public schools to adopt "bell-to-bell" policies restricting student use of smartphones and other internet-connected devices throughout the entire school day.

Work on the Glendon Bridge that carries South 25th Street traffic over the Lehigh River is scheduled to begin Monday and last for several weeks, according to PennDOT.

A group of officials have secured $1.5M in state funds to help build more parking spaces at Lehigh Valley International Airport.

Members of Adult Skills Quest, tutors, students, politicians and more came together at the Pomfret Club in Easton Thursday to celebrate the educational achievements of adults seeking continued education.

Easton late last month became the third major city in the Lehigh Valley to seek certification through Bird Town Pennsylvania, an annual designation focused on community-based conservation.

Easton's The Marquis celebrated their grand opening Wednesday with a ribbon cutting ceremony, offering visitors tours of the 264 unit structure filled to the brim with modern amenities in the city's downtown district.

A cappella group Straight No Chaser, best known for its viral internet video of “Twelve Days of Christmas” mashed with Toto’s “Africa,” will perform at the theater Dec. 7. And Wizards of Winter, the popular rock-music-holiday show, will return at 3 p.m. Dec. 21.

A New Jersey man was struck and killed late Monday night while pushing his disabled SUV on Interstate 78 in Northampton County after running out of gas, state police said.

The Easton Area Chamber of Commerce showcased five commercial properties for lease in the city's Downtown, inviting interested developers, investors and community members.

Emrick Boulevard in Bethlehem Township hosted the first of four rallies organized in the Lehigh Valley to coincide with a military parade in Washington, D.C., on Trump's 79th birthday. At least one physical confrontation occurred.

The Lehigh Valley has endured nearly non-stop weekend rain since April, marking one of the region’s wettest springs. Despite high rainfall totals, flooding hasn't been a concern.

Easton's Heritage Day will feature the beloved fireworks display, officials confirmed Thursday, with other new festivities planned.

Easton City Council has officially adopted a change that will see possession and use of small amounts of marijuana reduced to a citation and fine as opposed to a misdemeanor crime.