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.

A blaze that broke out on Memorial Day in the 900 block of Ferry Street in Easton burned more than 4 hours and went to six alarms before it was declared under control.

The Lehigh Valley schools announced the change last week — a switch made to accommodate the bicentennial celebration of Lafayette College in 2025-26.

Easton held its inaugural LGBTQ+ Pride Month flag-raising in Centre Square on Wednesday evening, celebrating the community and advocating for acceptance and love among more than 100 people.

The middle schoolers took the photos at a three-week class at the Easton Area Community Center.

It will take time to find the origin point and cause of the fire that took out the 900 block of Ferry Street, Easton Fire Department Fire Chief Henry Hennings confirmed Wednesday.

Representatives from various organizations met with community members who lost their homes to the Ferry Street fire which happened on Monday evening, providing connections for assistance and lodging.

Authorities are investigating the origin of a fire which devastated the 900 block of Ferry Street in Easton on Monday, while volunteers are attempting to help victims acclimated after the disaster.

The blaze broke out Monday afternoon in the 900 block of Ferry Street in Easton. Multiple homes were affected and dozens of firefighters from Easton and surrounding communities responded.

Take a look at stories 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 Pennsylvania Humane Society honored a number of animal rights advocates Friday, including state Rep. Jeanne McNeill for her efforts to fight puppy mills in Pennsylvania.

Citing the financial concerns of taxpayers, Lehigh Valley Planning Commission member Richard D. Molchany suggests slowing down the Lehigh Valley Passenger Rail project.

Easton City Council approved two resolutions to apply for a DCED Flood Mitigation Grant and a Grow NORCO Grant to help alleviate sediment issues in the Lehigh River and improve the Centennial Park.