Easton News

A new citizen-led nonprofit has officially launched in Easton, bringing together residents and community advocates concerned about rapid downtown development, preservation standards and public access to planning decisions.

A rainy Memorial Day weekend forecast is forcing some schedule changes across the Lehigh Valley, but several of the region’s biggest annual events say they’re moving forward — rain or shine.

Straight No Chaser will perform at the theater at 3 and 7 p.m. Dec. 5. And the stage play "Waitress" at 7 p.m. Dec. 15 and 16.

Planning and Codes Director Dwayne Tillman said records dating to a 1977 certificate of occupancy consistently identified the Hotel Hampton property as a hotel and not a rooming or boarding house.

A Northampton County Councilwoman last week accused former county Executive Lamont McClure of trying to pressure her to vote for a 20-year special taxing district that could have sent $26 million in public funding to a project to turn the former Dixie Cup factory into housing.

The developer behind the Dixie Cup project was seeking a 20-year agreement that could have generated about $26 million.

Former residents and several people close to the fire department described years of deteriorating conditions and limited enforcement inside the Hotel Hampton, including blocked or missing exits, rodent infestations, malfunctioning or ignored smoke alarms and more.

The iconic Dixie Cup structure is set to be restored as part of Skyline Investment Group’s plans to turn the long-vacant industrial site into more than 400 apartments.

Bob Brooks, a Democratic candidate running for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District, has asked a judge to throw out a lawsuit filed against him by Carol Wiley, his former mother-in-law. She alleges he owes her more than $162,000 from a lawsuit she filed in 2018.

The Hotel Hampton boarding house had not undergone fire inspections since at least 2017, despite a history of code violations, fire alarm problems and prior safety concerns, according to a newly completed federal investigation.

Easton's garbage and recycling transportation contract is nearly double the cost of the previous one. City officials are exploring options to prevent that increase from passing on to residents.

A local initiative to develop a sustainable farm food infrastructure was instrumental in Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding choosing to appear in Easton to announce the theme for the 2024 state Farm Show in Harrisburg.

The Eerie Easton Walking Tour is underway, and while there are no creepy clowns, there are plenty of real-life horror tales of murder and mania.

Graze Craze is a charcuterie store offering curated grazing boards and boxes at 4612 Broadway Road in the Tilghman Square shopping center in South Whitehall. More locations in the Bethlehem and Easton areas are planned.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

The grand opening of a new Jersey Mike's in the Easton area is set for Wednesday, Sept. 27. The store is celebrating the event with a fundraiser for a local nonprofit.

This weekend marks the 119th anniversary of Greater Shiloh Church of Easton, featuring a music-infused night of worship, a day of community service, and a ceremonial mortgage burning.

The Coop Sports Bar & Kitchen opened Thursday at 2722 Freemansburg Ave. with plans for a neighborhood sports bar and new menu. It's in the building that had been Fat Jacks' since 1991.

The Sigal Museum's "Forged by Fire" exhibition opens at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 21, featuring relics from Northampton County's long history of firefighting.

The average price for a gallon of gas in the Lehigh Valley was $3.87 this week. That's below the Pennsylvania average of $3.92 per gallon but up slightly more than 11 cents from last week, according to AAA.

Family Connection and Easton Area School District hosted "Reading Under the Lights" on Tuesday, with student athletes reading to children from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.

The Easton-Phillipsburg free bridge will be restricted to one lane from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 19 and 20 to complete a lighting project.