Lehigh County News

Lower Macungie's Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Monday to buy 44 acres of farmland on Lower Macungie Rd. Township officials previously approved a 30-building, 180-unit apartment complex on the site.

The Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners heard results of a recreation center feasibility study from engineering and architectural firms. The proposed $13 million project would be at Jefferson Street Park.

Multiple sources tell LehighValleyNews.com that Carol Obando-Derstine is expected to launch a campaign for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District. The battleground seat is held by freshman U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, will be one of four House members from battleground districts to take questions from a bipartisan audience and CNN anchors.

A five-person panel examined Lehigh Valley programs for people who are incarcerated to access education. They also discussed workforce development opportunities for people after they are released.

The African penguin colony, off exhibit since early January because of bird flu, is back at the Lehigh Valley Zoo.

PennDOT officials say complaints about roadside trash peak in early spring when snow melts, revealing months of litter build-up. State officials estimate there are 500 million pieces of rubbish on Pennsylvania roads — about a third of which are cigarette butts.

Lehigh Valley Public Media comprises LehighValleyNews.com, PBS39 and 91.3 WLVR. Debates to be held in advance of the May 20 primary election include Allentown mayor, Bethlehem mayor, Northampton County executive and Lehigh County executive.

The U.S. Center for SafeSport knew a former police officer was the subject of an internal investigation at his former job but hired him anyway, according to details released this week by Sen. Chuck Grassley, who is looking into the matter.

The Downtown Allentown Market "did not meet our long-term expectations," a City Center executive said.

Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom is bringing another Philadelphia Eagle to the area for a charitable event.

Alicia Knauff will start as the new acting head principal of Allen on Monday. She was hired as the principal of the school's Ninth Grade Academy before being tapped shortly after for the acting head role.

Lehigh County's board of commissioners moved toward adopting a capital spending plan for 2026-30, laying out nearly $122 million of spending on more than 100 projects.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, said Congress should intervene if the Trump administration fails to release details of the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The sex offender and financier's death in custody in 2019 has sparked years of speculation and conspiracy theories.

Alicia Knauff is poised to take over as the acting head principal of the high school just months after she was hired as the first principal of Allen’s Ninth Grade Academy.

A 79-year-old Allentown man has died from injuries sustained in a crash this month, the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office said Wednesday.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, the Lehigh Valley's first-term Republican lawmaker, will hold his second telephone town hall Wednesday evening. It comes after Congress passed the controversial One Big Beautiful Bill and amid turmoil over the Jeffrey Epstein fallout.

While The Dorothy Rider Pool Wildlife Sanctuary is closed to the public after an April bridge collapse, officials had to get inventive — and adventurous — for camp to happen this summer.

The Da Vinci Science Center and Friends of the Allentown Parks are partnering to make science more accessible to Allentown kids and open their eyes to what's around them.

Allentown police allege Adam Makowka, 27, used a fire escape to enter Jerkera Battle's apartment and shot her to death with an AR-15. Makowka also is charged with trying to kill another man in the apartment.

More Lehigh Valley residents will have another option for an internet provider. Astound announced a multi-million-dollar deal to deepen its roots further into the area and Northeast Pennsylvania.

Jorge Suarez-Santiago, 33, was sentenced to 5-to-15 years in prison in the drug-induced death of his 22-month-old son.