Environment & Science

The Dorothy Rider Pool Wildlife Sanctuary still is closed to the public after an April bridge collapse. Officials said a new, permanent bridge is slated to be installed in spring.

This week on Watching the Skies, Brad Klein and Marty McGuire talk about Jupiter: shining its brightest this week.

Co-hosted by a father-daughter duo, the show is focused on renovation, but the pair said they also wanted to create family-friendly entertainment while working to preserve existing farms from development.

Of the thousands of stories covered and told in 2025, our staff picked some of their favorites. They included a bald eagle looking for love in the Hellertown area and an $11 million "sky dome" planned for Easton.

In 2025, LehighValleyNews.com readers gravitated toward stories that reflected mounting economic pressure, public safety concerns, environmental uncertainty and moments of sharp civic tension.

Beginning at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, the office will transition away from the traditional, chronological structure of the area forecast discussion.

This week, a suggestion for how to enjoy the view from the International Space Station, without the expense and arduous training needed to become an astronaut.

For the first time, all three of the Lehigh Valley’s cities have a sustainability manager or coordinator, a role dedicated to sustainability initiatives and fighting the worsening impacts of climate change.

Keith Lampman-Perlman, who often goes by “KLP,” recently was appointed as the 176-year-old cemetery’s new executive director, a role focused on community engagement, preservation and fundraising.

A new app developed by Moravian Academy students aimed at detecting and warning developers about waste runoff has secured over $10,000 in funding from successful pitch presentations.

The air quality in Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton is so bad, it’s the equivalent of smoking more than 14 cigarettes.

Smoke from wildfires in Canada can be seen and smelled in much of the northeast, including the Lehigh Valley. Local pulmonologists are weighing in with what to do to avoid too much exposure.

The Lehigh Valley is under a code red air quality alert in effect until midnight.

The National Weather Service says thick smoke associated with wildfires in Canada is moving into parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Allentown Fire Department is warning against any outdoor fires due to dry conditions and elevated winds as a red flag warning continues for the region.

Any fires that develop may quickly get out of control and become difficult to contain, the National Weather Service said in a red flag warning in effect for the area until 8 p.m.

A brush fire closed Route 33 Southbound in Wind Gap early Monday afternoon, backing up traffic for miles, as crews battled a series of blazes in Northampton and Monroe counties, officials said.

The college resubmitted plans May 26, two weeks after Easton officials sent a letter notifying officials that the walkway project had deforested a portion of a slope without city approval.

Landfill officials have less than a week to appeal a judge's ruling that halted expansion efforts and conditional use hearings. If not appealed, the process could be started over.

The resolution, passed 129-72, empowers the House Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to complete a study on the status, management and benefits of wildlife corridors across the state.

Smoke and haze from wildfires in Canada will again spread across Lehigh Valley skies this week, the National Weather Service warned Monday.

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.