Lehigh County News

PPL Electric Utilities' President Christine Martin says Pennsylvania needs to allow changes in the energy sector or risk widening the gap between between supply and demand for consumers.

Applications are open for the DCNR's Community Conservation Partnerships Program. Funding supports projects to develop new parks, rehabilitate existing spaces and protect vital natural habitats.

A farm in Lehigh County has tested positive for HPIA, according to a news release Monday from the state Department of Agriculture. A response team is in place and the farm has been quarantined, officials said.

Joshua and Tracy Dechant were charged Sunday with two felony counts each, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan said in a release.

Mayor Matt Tuerk delivered his 2025 State of the City address Monday to hundreds of business and nonprofit leaders at the Da Vinci Science Center.

State officials announced the theme for this year’s annual tick-themed art contest, “Protect. Check. Remove.” Last year, there were no winners in the Lehigh Valley.

Emmaus is one step closer to remediating two of its PFAS-contaminated wells. PFAS are also called "forever chemicals" because they are slow to breakdown in the environment and are linked to a variety of health issues.

A new report recommended Allentown create a housing trust fund and explore legislation that would cap rent hikes. Housing in the city is unaffordable to the average city resident, it found.

“We’ve had about 13 customer calls for no water since Monday, with six of them coming in this morning,” Susan Sampson, LCA communications manager, said Thursday.

According to a release, John C. Miles, of Palmerton, Carbon County, has been charged in the incident that took place Monday, Nov. 11, 2024.

Mark Pinsley has launched his third bid for state Senate and will abandon his efforts to become the Lehigh Valley's next congressman.

In December alone, there were 676 eviction filings and defaults in Lehigh County — the highest monthly total since August 2023.

The display lines one wall of the Government Center's ground-floor lobby, welcoming all who enter for the rest of February for Black History Month.

Lehigh County Democrats confirmed that Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley is circulating petitions for both Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District and Pennsylvania's 16th state Senate District.

The seven Democrats running for the Lehigh Valley's congressional district agreed on virtually every issue during a candidate's forum in Allentown on Monday evening. Instead of policy, candidates tried to differentiate themselves through their records and credentials.

Voters are increasingly breaking with the Republican and Democratic parties. One national poll found a record 45% of Americans consider themselves politically independent.

Democratic voters in Pennsylvania's 16th and 18th Senate districts may have contested races this spring. Meanwhile, Republican Zach Mako is seeking re-election in Pennsylvania's 183rd House District.

In his first public performance since the "American Idol" episode with him on it aired, Allentown singer Seth Witcher on Thursday was cagey about his status on the show.

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.

The special election will be held Tuesday, Feb. 24, in the 22nd House District, which covers parts of East Allentown, Center City and a part of Salisbury Township. The debate was broadcast live on PBS39 and streamed here at LehighValleyNews.com.

Joining host Tom Shortell on this week's Political Pulse, Ryan Crosswell said his campaign is focused on two priorities: lowering costs for families and defending democratic institutions.

The early LIHEAP crisis numbers already represent a notable share of last winter’s total in the Lehigh Valley, according to data provided by the Department of Human Services.