Lehigh County News

After months of debates, amendments and rewrites, a wide-spanning non-discrimination law has been passed, covering all of Lehigh County.

South Whitehall Township recently launched Transportation PLAN, a comprehensive transportation planning initiative.

A Lehigh Valley resident was recognized as a “Volunteer of the Year” for 2023 by Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, a statewide nonprofit that focuses on litter cleanups and community improvements.

Tuesday served as a preview of the political campaigns to come as candidates filed paperwork to appear on the April primary ballot. Voters will decide races for president, Congress and the General Assembly among others this year.

Whitehall Township commissioners selected new member Rob Piligian after several votes during a meeting Monday night, just shy of the deadline to do so.

A change.org petition opposing the new mascot chosen by the Whitehall-Coplay School District has attracted more than 1,200 signatures. The mascot, named Big Z, is so named in honor of the school name Zephyr, which was also a train that once ran through Whitehall Township.

Candidates for president, Congress, the General Assembly and Pennsylvania's row offices must file their petitions with the state by Tuesday. Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley could be a critical swing region at both the national and state levels.

One area of potential concern at the Allentown State Hospital had been the presence of dioxins in the soil. Dioxins are a group of toxic chemical compounds that take a long time to break down in the environment, and can cause health problems in people.

With an inconclusive prediction, Sunday's Super Bowl is up in the air — according to the Lehigh Valley Zoo's otters. The zoo in Lehigh County hosted its Otter Bowl XIII, which drew hundreds of spectators Saturday.

It’s a special year for cicadas, insects known for their high-pitched mating songs. Two adjacent broods are expected to co-emerge for the first time in 221 years. Here's the next time they emerge in the Valley.

The regional wastewater plan is still underway in Lehigh County, as the sewer authority deals with aging infrastructure. Five open houses have been scheduled to collect residents' feedback.

As special operations team coordinator for Lehigh County, Kevin Krotzer served as the lead instructor Tuesday for “Water Rescue for the First Responder,” an awareness-level program developed and certified through the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Mayor Matt Tuerk said he is preparing the city's 2025 budget without any hike in property taxes. Tuerk is expected to present his 2025 budget Oct. 10.

State police said it happened early Tuesday on Mountain Road in Washington Township, Lehigh County. The victim was a 64-year-old man who was operating a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission hosted a community forum on discrimination and other issues at the Allentown Public Library on Monday night.

A doggy day care in Alburtis made a donation to the ambulance corps to ensure the area's furry friends are okay in the face of a fire.

The state Department of Environmental Protection will hold a public hearing from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 28 in Bethlehem to take public testimony about Keystone Cement Co.’s hazardous waste permit renewal application.

The American Association of University Professors is looking into allegations that Maura Finkelstein, a professor at Muhlenberg College, was terminated based on her views regarding Zionism and Palestine.

Earlier this month, the group announced its sixth Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Award, this one for construction-rehabilitation at the former Laros Silk Mill, now known as Laros Lofts, along the eastern end of Broad Street.

One of the Zoo's longest-tenured residents, the 20-year-old, 2,000-pound bison died Friday.

State Rep. Mike Schlossberg and mental health experts advocated for an increased investment in school-based health clinics at a news conference at Hays Elementary School in Allentown on Friday.

Join Megan Frank at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. every Friday for Insights with LehighValleyNews.com on WLVR. This week, she's joined by Digital News Content Producer's Stephanie Sigafoos and Makenzie Christman.