Lehigh County News

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently granted several local municipalities and counties for the upcoming fiscal year.

Birks was given a four-year contract as schools superintendent, serving until 2027. She has served in an interim capacity since last Oct. 31.

Richard M. Bodner testified on Friday to the safety measures implemented not only to the existing Bethlehem Landfill but its proposed expansion in Lower Saucon Township.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs showed off renovations and upgrades to Coca-Cola Park that were mandated by Major League Baseball. They're the first minor league team in the Phillies organization to complete the necessary updates, General Manager Kurt Landes said.

20-year-old Penn State student Jacob Roth is running for a full term on South Whitehall's Board of Commissioners.

Northampton County is approved to join other municipalities and residents who have a legal standing in opposing the proposed landfill in Lower Saucon Township.

The specialty flight company MedEscort says it has "repatriated" over 6,000 patients to more than 100 countries. Critics say they're profiting from "medical deportations." The company challenges the phrase, and denies pressuring the family.

The Lehigh Valley Transportation Study is revising its regional transportation plan for Lehigh and Northampton counties and is seeking public input.

Candidate for South Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners Ben Long wants to work with developers to make their plans into the best possible development for the township rather than trying to stop them.

The North Whitehall Planning Commission tabled one waiver for the Strawberry Acres 55-plus residential development plan and recommended denial for another.

Sarah A. Rice, 39, and Greg A. Johnson, 42, both of Bethlehem, died from wounds to the head, Coroner Daniel Buglio ruled after autopsies Monday.

The Dorothy Rider Pool Wildlife Sanctuary still is closed to the public after an April bridge collapse. Officials said a new, permanent bridge is slated to be installed in spring.

Bethlehem police said the couple had three children. The man and the woman were both found suffering from gunshot wounds in the basement of a home in the 200 block of 10th Avenue.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, hailed President Donald Trump's order to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power and extradite him to the United States to face drug trafficking charges.

Julian Guridy will face Bob Smith in the race to fill former state Rep. Josh Siegel's term.

Democrat Julian Guridy, an aide to state Sen. Nick Miller, is viewed as the favorite to land the party's nomination for the upcoming 22nd House District special election. Allentown Councilwoman Ce-Ce Gerlach, precinct committee person Erlinda Aguilar and Lewis Shupe are also seeking the nomination.

One of Bethlehem's previous ESG application process in 2024 came on behalf of 12 area organizations, such as New Bethany, Third Street Alliance, VETBEDS and Valley Youth House.

Lehigh Valley municipalities will get nearly $3.5 million in combined funding from the Green Light-Go and Multimodal Transportation Fund programs to upgrade traffic signals and improve transportation safety.

Locally, housing costs still remain lower than national averages, but data from real estate marketplaces compared with U.S. Census data in Lehigh and Northampton counties show housing affordability still is a struggle.

Garcia's work with the anti-violence nonprofit organization is fueled by her son's murder in 2012. Her goal is to keep his memory alive and reduce shootings in Allentown moving forward.

Of the thousands of stories covered and told in 2025, our staff picked some of their favorites. They included a bald eagle looking for love in the Hellertown area and an $11 million "sky dome" planned for Easton.

In 2025, LehighValleyNews.com readers gravitated toward stories that reflected mounting economic pressure, public safety concerns, environmental uncertainty and moments of sharp civic tension.