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.

Forecasters now expect widespread snow totals of 12 to 18 inches across much of the region, with locally higher amounts possible. The warning replaces the earlier watch, signaling that severe winter weather is now considered imminent.

Lehigh County Coroner Dan Buglio announced that a 93-year-old Lower Macungie Township woman died outside her home of hypothermia. She is Lehigh County's first weather-related fatality of 2026.

Allentown declared a snow emergency ahead of Sunday's major winter storm. Enforcement efforts in the city will begin Saturday morning.

Residents of South Whitehall Township voiced their opposition to a proposed 5-million-square-foot data center near Parkland High School.

In a briefing package released early Thursday, the National Weather Service put the low end amount expected in the Lehigh Valley around 8 inches. But a “reasonable worst case” would see the area receive as much as 21 inches of snow.

EPAWA meteorologist Bobby Martrich is sounding the alarm on cuts at the federal level he says are quietly eroding the reliability of weather forecasts across the country, from national outlooks to the local forecasts residents rely on every day.

A community meeting on the city's Urban Forestry Master Plan is slated for Feb. 2 in chambers of City Council. Residents are invited to shared feedback there, as well as through a survey.

The funding, through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Bureau of Recreation and Conservation’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program, is aimed at protecting national resources and expanding outdoor access.

The developer behind the Easton Commerce Park project and Wilson Borough have filed a lawsuit against Easton's planning commission after it rejected its plans for a 1-million-square-foot warehouse on Wood Avenue.

Two 4-H state project ambassadors for expressive arts presented “Trash to Treasure — Recycling and the Art of Upcycling,” Tuesday at the PA Farm Show.

Easton was able to secure $1.25 million of grant funding in December 2025, supporting various projects including infrastructure, public safety and Easton's parks and festivals.

This week on Watching the Skies, Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights this year with Bethlehem's "Backyard Astronomy Guy."