Lehigh County News

National issues are seeping into local races, turning elections into proxy partisan fights over race and gender.

Local elections rarely get the same level of participation as presidential races, but the outcomes often have greater impacts on voters' quality of life.

Like all the other major cities in the Lehigh Valley, Allentown is a patchwork of neighborhoods, some with good tree cover and some without any. Officials plan to use a mapping tool as a starting point to make planting trees city-wide more equitable.

Former journalist Ann Wlazelek pays tribute to her mother in a new book.

Debates in the South Whitehall commissioners race have taken place on the candidate's Facebook pages. The posts have primarily debated candidate Ben Long's positions and campaign style.

Concerts on the Grange is a two-day music festival that continues at 5:30 p.m. today, May 13, with tribute acts portraying The Doors and The Grateful Dead. Tickets, at $22 and $34, remain available on the SteelStacks website.

Take a look at stories throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

The U.S. Department of Commerce has opened applications for the first round of the Regional Technology and Innovation Hub program. Rep. Susan Wild, author of the program, said the Lehigh Valley is the perfect candidate for the funding.

The mayors of Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton will participate in group bike rides for Lehigh Valley Bike to Work Week.

In its third year, Spring on the Farm is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. The free event includes a seedling sale, as well as other local vendors.

Parkland School Board last week appointed Kelly Bracetty as the new Girls and Boys Cross Country Coach for the 2024-25 school year.

Pennsylvania has been holding elections using no-excuse mail voting since 2019, and the state has steadily moved from persistent delays in reporting results to relatively quick turnarounds. This has been accomplished mostly thanks to workers’ increasing familiarity with the mail process, and state grants allowing counties to upgrade their equipment.

Speakers at the Sportsmen for Dave rally in North Whitehall Township on Monday painted a bleak picture of America. Righting the country would require Republicans like Donald Trump and David McCormick to win their races this November, they said.

The unknown cause of a massive fire that destroyed Doctor Diesel trucking company in North Whitehall Township early Monday morning is under investigation.

“Public Participation, Public Power: A Community Guide to Local Land Use Decision-Making in Pennsylvania" was released Monday. The almost-100-page guide includes explanations of state and local land use laws and more.

Registered Democrats and Republicans will pick their candidates for president, Congress and the Pennsylvania House on Tuesday. There are few contested races, but that will change in November's general election.

Discussion on the proposed construction of a Wawa at MacArthur Road and Mickley Road was among several projects tabled by the Whitehall Township Planning Commission last week.

A Lehigh County judge ruled in favor of Core5 Industrial Partners’ request to have its final plan for a warehouse given "deemed approval" status, despite Lowhill Township supervisors’ denial.

A new outdoor air quality monitoring project is coming to Allentown this summer. The data collected through the initiative, officials said, will help inform decision-making to improve residents’ health in the city, known for its poor air quality.

The Boys & Girls Club of Allentown will host its 39th Annual Benefit Golf Tournament on Monday, May 6 at Woodstone Country Club in Danielsville. Proceeds benefit BCGA youth programs.

Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays is hosting U.S. Senate candidate David McCormick with a special appearance from U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, on Monday. The visit comes a day before the Pennsylvania primary.

A memorial sign dedication for the late Allentown Fire Department Assistant Chief Christopher Kiskeravage was held outside the Mack Southside Fire Department on Friday morning. A stretch of Lehigh Street outside the fire station is named in his honor.