Lehigh County News

Voters are increasingly breaking with the Republican and Democratic parties. One national poll found a record 45% of Americans consider themselves politically independent.

Democratic voters in Pennsylvania's 16th and 18th Senate districts may have contested races this spring. Meanwhile, Republican Zach Mako is seeking re-election in Pennsylvania's 183rd House District.

In counties such as Lehigh, eviction filings have reached their highest point in years, even as rental vacancy rates have fluctuated. That apparent contradiction — rising vacancy estimates alongside persistent eviction volume — is part of a broader housing dynamic playing out across the region.

The special election will be held Tuesday, Feb. 24, in the 22nd House District, which covers parts of East Allentown, Center City and a part of Salisbury Township. The debate was broadcast live on PBS39 and streamed here at LehighValleyNews.com.

Joining host Tom Shortell on this week's Political Pulse, Ryan Crosswell said his campaign is focused on two priorities: lowering costs for families and defending democratic institutions.

The early LIHEAP crisis numbers already represent a notable share of last winter’s total in the Lehigh Valley, according to data provided by the Department of Human Services.

An extreme cold warning, combined with a wind advisory also in effect, could mean wind chills as low as 20 degrees below zero for the region this weekend.

Appearing on this week's Lehigh Valley Political Pulse with host Tom Shortell, Pinsley framed his campaign around what he described as “bread and butter issues,” arguing that rising costs remain the central concern for voters, and that corporate power is to blame.

Gov. Josh Shapiro's 2026-27 budget proposal falls back on familiar proposals to regulate skill games and legalize marijuana, two flashpoints that fueled a months-long budget impasse last year.

"The IronPigs will be concluding our naming rights partnership with Coca-Cola in September of 2027, as at that time our current agreement will come to its successful completion,” IronPigs President Kurt Landes said at a joint news conference Tuesday.

The popular bookstore Let's Play Books is reaching out to the community to hear what shape they think their store should take, following the success of their new location

North Whitehall Township will host its first Breakfast with Badges event on Saturday, Feb. 3. The event will have firetrucks and ambulances for kids to touch, educational crafts about fire safety and free cold breakfast items.

Three people were killed and many others injured in collisions and crashes on Lehigh Valley roadways so far this week, officials said.

An outdated police manual from 1981, gross approval of overtime and a general lack of leadership by Chief Douglas Kish necessitate change in the Catasauqua Borough Police Department, a study showed.

Twenty-seven air quality monitors have so far been placed for Lehigh Valley Breathes, a Valley-wide, year-long effort to monitor air quality amid emissions from trucking and warehousing.

People with full-time employment, or as old as 92 are just some of the hundreds without a place to call home.

After almost a decade with the same trash hauler, the city’s contract is expiring. Now, city trash is collected twice a week.

Applications open Monday for the 2024 Lehigh Valley Greenways Mini Grant Program and are accepted until 4 p.m. March 8. The grants are earmarked for conservation efforts in Lehigh and Northampton counties.

Coming back before the board, Lehigh County Commissioners now have two non-discrimination bills to review.

Nonprofit for vulnerable youth Valley Youth House hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for a new recreation center at their Orefield-based Camp Fowler.

About 70 new apartments are coming soon to North Whitehall near the intersection of Main Street and Levans Road.

The development on North Krocks Road prompted the LVPC to recommend intersection changes to accomodate increased pedestrian traffic and safety