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.

Residents expressed anger toward the township board of commissioners for an 86% increase in annual garbage collection fees in Whitehall Township.

The shooting occurred early Saturday night in a parking lot off the 1100 block of MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township, near Jordan Parkway, according to the Lehigh County Coroner's Office.

Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District race between Susan Wild and Ryan Mackenzie was the 10th most expensive in the nation. A staggering $334 million was spent on Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race, campaign filings show.

Let's Go Coffee Co. in Emmaus held its grand opening Friday. The business offers a wide selection of coffees and gluten-free baked goods.

Lehigh Valley area ski resorts open this week. Check times and websites for details.

Co-sponsored by the Whitehall-Coplay School District and the Zephyr Pride Foundation, the “Shop with a Cop” program teamed 23 children from less fortunate backgrounds with 26 members of law enforcement as they shopped for clothing or toys for family members.

The Unidos Foundation was one of 12 community organizations across Pennsylvania to receive the grant. Money is earmarked to ensure that historically marginalized and underserved communities have access to information and resources about environmental protection.

The city is being sued over claims it took no action to stop racial harassment by a sitting council member.

A 29-year-old Allentown man has entered a guilty plea for involuntary manslaughter, after allegedly leaving his loaded gun on a couch pillow.

More than 1,300 Pennsylvania officials, including lawmakers and Gov. Josh Shapiro, will get bigger salary increases in 2025 than the average Pennsylvanian under a state law that guarantees them automatic pay raises.

Today is Giving Tuesday, a day of increased charitable donations. Local nonprofit organizations such as Second Harvest Food Bank and the American Red Cross hope to benefit from the increased generosity the day brings.

A large part of the $2.6 million increase in Whitehall Township's proposed $33.7 million budget is because of the escalating cost of garbage collection.