Lehigh County News

Xylazine, an animal-grade tranquilizer that's not approved for human use, has taken Pennsylvania's illicit drug supply by storm. Known on the streets as "tranq," it accounted for almost 1 in 4 overdose deaths in Pennsylvania by 2023. Last year in Lehigh County, it was a contributing cause of death in 20 of the 112 deadly overdoses, or 17.9 percent of cases.

The funding comes from the commonwealth’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program, a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Known as "tranq" on the streets, an animal tranquilizer named xylazine infiltrated drug supplies throughout Pennsylvania since 2019. Its presence in the Lehigh Valley has grown, with deadly consequences.

WLVR's Brad Klein talks with Bethlehem's Backyard Astronomy Guy, Marty McGuire about planetary viewing in this week's Watching the Skies. Leading into the first week of July, viewers can snag a better view of the planet Mercury just after sunset.

The Clean Trucks PA Coalition report identified more than 600 schools, childcare centers, playgrounds and parks near major roadways and trucking corridors across the state.

In the past four years, Lehigh and Northampton counties each saw a roughly 3% population increase, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data released Thursday.

Check out a roundup of activities, places, and times to see the fireworks as the Lehigh Valley celebrates Independence Day.

The district will consider the addition of a new assistant superintendent role focused on special education programming.

In the spirit of Shakespeare, Saturday's celebration will feature entertainment for all ages, including musical performances by the Allentown Symphony Orchestra, alpaca and ponies, and a student-led Latin band.

A regionwide wastewater plan and a hazard mitigation plan both advanced with staff review approvals by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission on Thursday night.

David Isaiah Rivera, 26, was arraigned on charges alleging he fired at a group of people around 4 a.m. outside BKK Lounge, 1500 Union Boulevard, after a fight between two groups inside the club spilled into the parking lot.

A 32-year-old man died and three other people were wounded in a shooting in the parking lot of BKK Lounge, 1500 Union Blvd., early Sunday, according to Allentown police. It was the city's first homicide of 2025.

Many interchanges on Route 22 and Route 309 are badly outdated, leaving drivers to navigate increasingly unsafe roads. PennDOT has plans to address several of them, including trouble spots in Fullerton and Center Valley.

About 150 people are expected to gather at Covered Bridge Park in South Whitehall Township early Sunday morning for the Lehigh Valley groundhog lodge's annual celebration.

For the first time ever, Pennsylvania will return unclaimed property automatically, without requiring forms or other red tape. 8,000 Pennsylvanians will receive letters this week, with checks following in 45 days.

The Trump administration directive, rescinded Wednesday, could have put tens of millions of dollars at risk across the Lehigh Valley, speakers said Friday outside the Lehigh County Government Center.

Democrat Geoff Brace, who represents the county’s 4th District, announced his plans to seek another term.

Led by Executive Producer Brittany Sweeney, the one-hour special focuses on homelessness in the Lehigh Valley, the work around it and the search for solutions.

The victim in Tuesday's crash on Route 100 was identified Thursday as Krishan Kumar of Upper Macungie. He was a passenger in a car that collided with a tractor trailer in the area of Route 100 and Schaefer Run Road.

The results of the 2023 citywide greenhouse gas inventory are in. The project was part of Penn State’s Local Climate Action Program.

Lehigh Valley lawmakers have continued to raise concerns about traffic safety in the area. On Tuesday, Sen. Jarrett Coleman announced that PennDOT would designate Route 22 a safety corridor, which should be a step toward traffic safety, a PennDOT representative said.

Brenda Rodriguez, 51, of Palmerton is charged with criminal solicitation/criminal homicide and conspiracy-aggravated assault in the shooting death of her husband, Hector Manuel Garcia Gomez, 46, of Palmerton on Dec. 7.