Lehigh County News

Officials with the Lehigh Northampton Airport Authority said Tuesday that the airport's future growth will come from Allegiant Air, the ultra-low-cost carrier that accounted for 60% of their passengers in 2023.

Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk on Monday night slammed some council members' "efforts to smear me and this administration" with a long-awaited investigation at City Hall.

A Lehigh University student was found to have forged documents to get into the school. He will now be deported after authorities investigated his admission of the scheme on Reddit, they said.

An early concept for a new mural planned for the plaza at Seventh and Hamilton streets in Allentown has left some asking why it doesn't showcase native species.

The Lehigh Valley ranks as the eighth-highest industrial market in the U.S., it was disclosed at a Lehigh Valley Planning Commission roundtable meeting on Friday.

The planned closure affects a roughly 12-mile stretch of the Northeast Extension in Carbon County.

Joshua Ortiz, 28, of Allentown, had pleaded guilty April 22 to attempted murder — a first-degree felony — in the June 4, 2023, incident in the parking lot of AutoZone, 1871 S. Fifth St., Allentown.

South Whitehall Planner Gregg Adams is retiring on June 30 after 25 years with the township. Adams helped steer the township through two comprehensive plans and the Ridge Farms controversy.

North Whitehall Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a revised plan of the Rising Sun subdivision, which would have 110 single-family homes on about 100 acres at 1321 Rising Sun Road.

People in the Lehigh Valley are struggling more to pay for essentials such as rent, food and health care compared to the rest of Pennsylvania, according to a study by the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley.

The funding — totaling $3.4 million across 23 counties — is part of the Fresh Food Financing Initiative. It follows the cancellation of $13 million in contracted funding through the USDA’s Local Food Purchasing Assistance program.

Cuts to Medicaid reimbursements could harm Lehigh County residents and create a budget gap, a new report from the county controller's office found.

Two area community colleges are expanding their dual enrollment programming, which enables high school students to better prepare for college and careers. The Pennsylvania Department of Education awarded $14 million in Dual Credit Innovation Grants to 15 public institutions of higher education to increase their programming.

Lehigh County's board of commissioners voted narrowly Wednesday to grant a LERTA tax break for a property in Emmaus set to become 144 apartments.

Republicans Roger MacLean and Mike Welsh contend they're each the best person to end their party's 20-year losing streak in the Lehigh County executive race. The winner of the May primary will take on Democrat Josh Siegel in the November race.

PennEnvironment's State of Renewable Energy 2025 ranks every state for the production of wind energy, solar power, energy storage and other metrics over the last decade, tracking growth.

Lehigh County Executive Phil Armstrong joins Tom Shortell on this week's episode of Political Pulse to explain how county government fills vital social service roles and what duties come with the county executive role.

Gemma, a fisher, has died, zoo officials announced Monday. She was an animal ambassador at the zoo for more than a decade.

Registered voters have until 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, to request a mail-in ballot for the May 20 primary election. In Lehigh and Northampton counties, the primary will be limited exclusively to registered Democrats and Republicans.

With passengers at Lehigh Valley International Airport and at other local airports, the compliance rate for REAL ID "has been extremely high," officials said. But for those without it, the phased enforcement "won't last forever."

State Sen. Lisa Boscola and and state Sen. Nick Miller, both Democrats, voted in favor of legislation that would prevent transgender athletes from competing in girls' sports. State Sen. Jarrett Coleman, R-Lehigh/Bucks, also supported it.

Elijah Patterson, 19, of Allentown, was found guilty of first-degree murder and other charges after a three-day Lehigh County Jury trial in March.