Lehigh County News

National politics often makes headlines, but former Bethlehem mayor Bob Donchez says municipal government impacts its residents more. This week on Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell dives into what goes on inside local government with Donchez.

Lehigh Gap Nature Center from Feb. 14-16 held its annual Lehigh Gap Area Feeder Watch. The long-term research project focuses on monitoring winter bird populations.

Increased stress due to everyday life, like politics or the economy, coupled with habitual, risky behaviors distracting the driver from the road, can create a slippery slope, ripe for crashes, experts said. Plus, those risky behaviors are far more common than the average driver would think.

Organizations such as colleges, local governments and non-profits are encouraged to apply for funding under Congress's Community Project Funding program. The Lehigh Valley has secured tens of millions in funding through federal discretionary spending in recent years.

The Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital on Monday received a check in the amount of $114,676 from Spirit Halloween, a national costume retailer, for its Child Life Program. The amount increased the retailer's donation to the program over $1 million since 2012.

Aleah Nothstein, of Boot Scootin' with Aleah, teaches line dancing in New Tripoli and Bethlehem with her beau, DJ Mullet.

An influx of residents and warehouses have made highways in Lehigh and Northampton counties more crowded. An analysis by LehighValleyNews.com finds some stretches of road have experienced increases of 40% to 50% in traffic volume, with Route 33 overtaking Interstate 78 as the region's second-busiest highway.

A recent bald eagle rehabilitation and release is a bright spot amid a dangerous time for bald eagles in the Lehigh Valley and the rest of the commonwealth. Bird flu continues to threaten wild bird populations, causing more than a dozen bald eagles to be euthanized across Pennsylvania.

A five-part series this week will explore traffic and transportation issues in the Lehigh Valley. Increasing traffic volume, dangerous driving and insufficient infrastructure are among the topics examined.

Justin Simmons, the former Republican state representative, was among three people who filed nomination papers last week to seek the party's nomination in the May 20 primary election.

The Slatington-based nonprofit promotes conservation through education, research and outdoor recreation for all. Through that work, the landscape has radically changed for the better, making the Lehigh Valley a greener place.

The alligator was embedded in a clump of material that would have been shredded were it not for one of the employees noticing a tail sticking out, according to a rescuer.

The event featured 35 local vendors selling vegetarian and vegan products as well as free workout classes and a live recipe demo.

Executive Education Academy Charter School wants 90 more Allentown students.

This year's Energy and Environment Summit, led by the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, was held Friday morning at The Club at Twin Lakes.

Thursday, a federal judge ordered parties in the Satanic Temple's ongoing suit of the Saucon Valley School District to address how a Vietnam-War-era Supreme Court decision affects their case. Their responses could be decisive.

Six ambulances were dispatched at 9:30 a.m. this morning to the school, which remained closed for the day

All candidates said they opposed the warehouses, but questions arose surrounding the cost of the ongoing litigation with the developers and potential conflicts of interest.

Bethlehem Parking Authority officials on Thursday announced they were awarded the 2023 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence for the authority's Park Green Program.

Three candidates will appear on the ballot for the Upper Macungie Township Supervisor Race in the May primary. One seat will be vacant this fall.

The incentive is worth up to $150. Lehigh County commissioners applauded the move, but warned that it won't single-handedly create more volunteer firefighters.

The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission's Environmental Committee on Wednesday heard a presentation about two climate action plans that must be completed over the next two years to meet the funding's requirements.