Lehigh County News

Lehigh County Commissioners voted Thursday to approve a new memorandum of understanding with United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1776. The union's members will get a 3% raise next year.

During Phase II of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission's process, planners will look to determine a preferred route and whether to connect the railway system to Philadelphia, New York or Reading.

Lehigh County Democratic Chair Lori McFarland said party officials will not conduct their interviews or selection process for the upcoming 22nd House District in public view.

In its review, the LVPC said the data center proposal lacks specificity needed to fully review the project in Upper Macungie Township.

Anderson Jorge Cruz, 27, no known address, was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter-unreasonable belief, a first-degree felony, for killing Juan Alfredo Sanchez, 24.

Host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick spend this week’s episode of Political Pulse examining the string of VIPs visiting the region, breaking into their messaging and why so much attention is focused here.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, provided the last needed signature to force a vote on a three-year extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits. Unless a last-minute agreement is reached, millions of Americans would see their health care premiums double in the new year.

Teamsters Local Union No. 773 represents the workers, whose last contract expired June 30.

No one matched all five Powerball numbers, plus the red Powerball, on Monday night's drawing, but one Lehigh Valley resident matched four out of five white balls to win $200,000. It was among three winning tickets sold in Pennsylvania for the Dec. 15 drawing.

The Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority will reduce services starting Jan. 26, and is proposing its first base cash fare increase in 17 years. A public meeting on the new fare structure is set for next month in Bethlehem.

Various Berks and Lehigh County police departments will join together to conduct coordinated aggressive-driving enforcement activities along the Route 222 corridor, a release said.

An estimated $450,000 is needed for the next step in the process of studying passenger rail. While Lehigh County officials say they will pay half, Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure said he thinks other local agencies should foot the bill.

Officials are working to develop a comprehensive strategy to address a housing crisis, one that could deepen with Lehigh Valley the fastest-growing region in Pennsylvania.

PennDOT plans to build a bridge that would bring Route 309 over Center Valley Parkway and West Saucon Valley Road. The department is currently seeking public comment.

The city was awarded the grant through the WalkWorks program. Officials now have $35,000 and a year to create an Active Transportation Plan aimed at bolstering connectivity across the city.

North Whitehall Planning Commission considered a plan to build a three-story, 40-unit apartment building at 3948 Portland St., the site of a former Lehigh Portland Cement Company building.

Whitehall-Coplay School District's board of education seemed pleased with a report of 2023-24 goals on Monday, with the superintendent pleased to report the results play into a series of even longer-term missions.

Upper Macungie supervisors recently waived a requirement to build a sidewalk along Hamilton Boulevard — even though the township's Vision Zero plan indicated there should be a sidewalk built in that area.

The Upper Macungie Planning Commission last week unanimously recommended final approval for a plan to expand XPO Logistics, a freight transportation company.

South Whitehall Township plans to put a referendum to create an open space tax on the May 20 primary in 2025.

Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk, Lehigh County Democratic Chair Lori McFarland and political organizer Aidan Levinson said they could rally behind Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the Democratic ticket. They are among the Lehigh Valley's contingent of delegates heading to the Democratic National Convention in August.

Development has divided wildlife habitats across Pennsylvania, leading to more vehicle-animal collisions. A new report from the state Legislature argues reconnecting the pieces through wildlife corridors would help.