Lehigh County News

Xylazine, an animal-grade tranquilizer that's not approved for human use, has taken Pennsylvania's illicit drug supply by storm. Known on the streets as "tranq," it accounted for almost 1 in 4 overdose deaths in Pennsylvania by 2023. Last year in Lehigh County, it was a contributing cause of death in 20 of the 112 deadly overdoses, or 17.9 percent of cases.

The funding comes from the commonwealth’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program, a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Known as "tranq" on the streets, an animal tranquilizer named xylazine infiltrated drug supplies throughout Pennsylvania since 2019. Its presence in the Lehigh Valley has grown, with deadly consequences.

WLVR's Brad Klein talks with Bethlehem's Backyard Astronomy Guy, Marty McGuire about planetary viewing in this week's Watching the Skies. Leading into the first week of July, viewers can snag a better view of the planet Mercury just after sunset.

The Clean Trucks PA Coalition report identified more than 600 schools, childcare centers, playgrounds and parks near major roadways and trucking corridors across the state.

In the past four years, Lehigh and Northampton counties each saw a roughly 3% population increase, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data released Thursday.

Check out a roundup of activities, places, and times to see the fireworks as the Lehigh Valley celebrates Independence Day.

The district will consider the addition of a new assistant superintendent role focused on special education programming.

In the spirit of Shakespeare, Saturday's celebration will feature entertainment for all ages, including musical performances by the Allentown Symphony Orchestra, alpaca and ponies, and a student-led Latin band.

A regionwide wastewater plan and a hazard mitigation plan both advanced with staff review approvals by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission on Thursday night.

This weekend is the 27th annual Lehigh Gap Area Feeder Watch. Officials are calling for volunteers.

North Whitehall Township Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Monday to grant approval to the final plan for the township building renovations.

South Whitehall received a grant of about $555,000 from PennDOT to modernize the intersection of Hamilton Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue. The intersection is next to Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom and has seen major traffic delays.

A class action lawsuit is in the works alleging Lehigh Valley Health Network and others falsely accused people of child abuse, a legal filing says.

With its workspace drastically reduced at the proposed Bethlehem Cultural Arts Center at the current site of the Banana Factory, the Pennsylvania Youth Theatre's search for a new venue continues

Given expected shortages, Allentown high schools and others are connecting the county elections staff with students in hopes of beefing up the number of young and bilingual poll workers.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, state parks across Pennsylvania were inundated with visitors.

The Brookside Meadows apartments land development plans were rejected in a 2-1 vote citing stormwater and traffic concerns

Nowhere Coffee Co. co-owners Juan and Lauren Vargas spoke at the Upper Macungie Township supervisors meeting Thursday about their frustration over what they said was a system not set up for small business owners.

The Lehigh Valley Town Center's Topgolf got final land development approval during Lower Macungie Township meeting Thursday.

Campaign finance reports show Republican Kevin Dellicker outraised the rest of the GOP field combined in his bid for PA-7. But Democratic incumbent Susan Wild raised twice as much as all of the Republicans put together.

In addition to two Lehigh County fatalities, three people have died in Northampton County crashes since Saturday, according to the Northampton County Coroner's Office.