Lehigh County News

Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners will consider a request by Fellowship Community retirement community to complete its proposed expansion in three phases instead of one, as was originally proposed. The change is because of lack of funding.

A resident told police he saw a man fire a gun around 10 a.m. Monday in the 200 block of Spruce Street, where Harrison-Morton Middle School serves hundreds of students.

Pennsylvania voters must be registered and affiliated with a major party by close-of-business Monday to participate in the May 20 municipal primaries.

The Lehigh County Coroner’s Office responded at 3:01 p.m. Sunday to the area of Route 309 and Gun Club Road.

The annual Envirothon is essentially a scholastic scrimmage for environmental science. Two Lehigh Valley teams have advanced to the state competition.

Lehigh Valley 250, a partnership among regional arts, culture, education and history organizations, was formed to create a series of exhibitions, walking tours, digital offerings and performances beginning this year and carrying through July 2026.

With uncertainties surrounding state and federal funding for higher education, Lehigh Carbon Community College has begun cutting at least some staff positions.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to stop federal funding for public broadcasters PBS and NPR through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Lehigh Valley Public Media receives more than $1 million per year in CPB funding, according to the interim CEO.

Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk urged protesters to “make sure everyone hears you in Allentown” before they started walking toward the office U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie shares with Sen. David McCormick on Hamilton Street.

The Dorothy Rider Pool Wildlife Sanctuary is closed to the public following a Tuesday bridge collapse. Wildlands Conservancy has launched a website where updates will be posted.

The $208 million will also produce 295 new union jobs, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey’s announcement said, though it’s unclear what cut of the funding the Macungie facility is getting or the number of new jobs expected locally.

State Sen. Jarrett Coleman, R-Lehigh/Bucks, is looking to force his predecessor, now Secretary of Revenue Pat Browne, to release tax returns about Allentown's Neighborhood Improvement Zone. Browne, who crafted the NIZ, has worked to keep the information confidential for five years.

A $6.4 million mansion called Ravenwood Manor caught fire just a day after being sold. Three years later, the owners have donated it to the local government, reportedly as a sign of gratitude for local emergency responders.

Allentown and Easton have been paired with an engineering company to reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. It's Allentown's first time, but Easton's second, in the program.

North Whitehall Township now is projected to have a $1.6 million surplus by the end of the year, which would bring its total cash reserves to about $16 million.

Major renovations at Cedarbrook Senior Care and Rehab, agricultural conservation and bridge maintenance are the major expenditures in Lehigh County’s five-year Capital Plan.

State education officials on on Monday visited Bethlehem Area Public Library’s South Side branch, 400 Webster St., to raise awareness about the Summer Food Service Program. Free, nutritious meals are available to those aged 18 and younger — no questions asked.

Dorney Park soon will host “Summer Nights,” an immersive Caribbean and Latin American celebration offering authentic food and entertainment.

Environmentalists say the Lehigh River is the cleanest its been in 175 years. A river snorkeling program at Lehigh Gap Nature Centers encourages residents to explore their local waterways and track river health.

Dozens of residents came out to support a private, publicly used recreation facility that was constructed without a permit and against zoning laws in Lower Macungie Township.

President Joe Biden nominated Montgomery County Judge Gail Weilheimer to a judicial vacancy in the U.S. District Court's Eastern District of Pennsylvania. U.S. Rep. Susan Wild said more attorneys from the Lehigh Valley ought to be considered for the postings.

Four or five cars on a 125-car train derailed while crossing a bridge over the Lehigh River under the Hill-to-Hill Bridge in Bethlehem Friday afternoon. Officials say no one was injured and the derailed cars were not carrying hazardous materials.