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.

Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaat of Pennsylvania (SIJPA) is in the process of building a new mosque at the Al-Ahad Islamic Center.

Allentown City Council elected previous president Daryl Hendricks as the council president while outgoing president Cynthia Mota was elected to the vice president position

South Whitehall officials are hosting an open house meeting to solicit resident feedback for the township's draft comprehensive plan. It will serve as a guideline for how the township will grow in the next 10-15 years.

Some Lehigh Valley school districts are reviewing their safety protocols for responding to injuries at area football games after Damar Hamlin's recent collapse brought renewed attention to the dangers of the sport.

Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin will not be seeking reelection after nearly 25 years in the office

Parkland School Board Vice President Marisa Ziegler announced her reelection campaign Tuesday.

The board had two vacancies due to the resignations of now-State Sen. Nick Miller and former Director Charlie Thiel.

After leading the team that saved a man buried at a construction site, Allentown Technical Rescue Team Commander Jonathan Hammel reflects on the trench rescue.

Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro plans to nominate former Lehigh County Sen. Pat Browne, who left office last month, as the commonwealth's Secretary of Revenue.

OSHA documentation shows a prior inspection history for the company that resulted in 3 serious violations involving trench excavation hazards

Lehigh County expects to apply for up to $2.7 million from a new state program that offers to help low- and middle-income homeowners improve their properties and remove any health hazards.

Sunny Ghai will be the new chair starting in February. He campaigned for the board as a smart growth candidate.