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 spring migration count at Hawk Mountain has begun. So far this season, 137 birds of prey have been recorded.

Allentown’s Cedar Creek Park was covered Thursday in lesser celandine, a low-growing, mat-forming flower that’s been flagged by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

It’s not unprecedented, but it is a little bit too early for the kind of warmth the Lehigh Valley will see next week, said meteorologist Bobby Martrich.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday released the results of the agency's "7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment." Pennsylvania ranked only behind Florida, Illinois and Ohio for the most lead service lines.

Firefighters battled a massive fire at a warehouse in West Easton early Tuesday, with multiple explosions heard from the property. The fire was declared under control after more than five hours.

A new North Whitehall Township plan that considers building a skate park, amphitheater, disc golf, splash pads and more as outdoors activities increase got township supervisors' approval Monday.

The Monocacy Creek Watershed Association and Bethlehem's Environmental Advisory Council are hosting a spring clean-up April 8 at Monocacy Creek. Last year, volunteers collected more than 2,000 lbs. of garbage.

A line of storms that spared the Lehigh Valley on Saturday raked the Philadelphia region and surrounding areas, with eight tornadoes confirmed by the National Weather Service.

Two of the Lehigh Valley's major cities are considering bans on single-use plastic bags. Here's where the proposals stand.

Panera Bread recently announced a new technology partnership with Amazon, which will allow loyalty members to use their palms to pay and ordering through select Alexa devices. It's unclear when they changes will comes to the Lehigh Valley.

The Lehigh Valley is under a severe weather threat Saturday that includes the possibility of tornadic activity in the region.

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.