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.

Lower Saucon Township was just awarded almost $510,000 in grant funding, to redevelop the ball fields off Easton Road.

Easton city officials provided an update on the status of the Ferry Street fire Wednesday, advising victims to be cautious of grifters and the public to stay away from the dilapidated properties for safety's sake.

The deadline to submit work is Sunday, June 25.

Easton Police Chief Carl Scalzo and South Side Civic Association President Melody Davis-Rogers alerted the community to several car break-ins on South Side at a city council meeting Wednesday.

The late William Jacob Heller founded The American Flag Manufacturing Co. in Easton in 1887, helping popularize the U.S. flag nationally. Heller is credited as being instrumental in having flags hung at schoolhouses throughout the nation.

The employee under investigation at Easton Arts Academy Elementary Charter School was recently acting CEO until it hired its third CEO last month.

The Easton Housing Authority has partnered with the Lehigh Conference of Churches to offer city residents assistance with various issues, including homelessness and food access.

A report by the United Way of the Pennsylvania found basic amenities are too expensive for 39% of the state's households, including ones where people are employed full time.

This Sunday, Trinity Episcopal Church in Easton will host a Pride flag raising to show solidarity and support for the LGBTQ community in a time of need.

The City of Easton will host a Multi-Agency Resource Center at Paxinosa Elementary School for victims of the Ferry Street fire that tore through 15 homes and displaced more than 40 people on Memorial Day.

The event featured drag performances, kids' face painting and a doggie drag.

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.