Northampton County News

As 2023 draws to a close, lehighvalleynews.com offers a retrospective of a variety of stories about people, places and things that make the Lehigh Valley special.

Northampton Area Board of Education said it would have been on the hook for about $9.5 million if construction contracts were cancelled for a new elementary school.

Chances are, you'll still be able to find a tree, it just might take a little extra work — and you might want to get it soon. Roger from Unangst Tree Farms explains the ins and outs of why this problem, a decade in the making, is now causing tree farms and stands to sell-out when it's barely December.

The Upper Nazareth Township Board of Supervisors Wednesday voted against rezoning land for a new industrial park next to Nazareth Area Intermediate School. Representatives for the developer said they may try again in the future.

Three Republican school board members are now part of the panel governing Nazareth schools, including two endorsed by the Moms for Liberty Northampton County chapter.

A state mandate requiring schools to identify sexual content in books could cost Lehigh Valley school districts significant time, money and resources.

Jeff Dailey was a 2004 graduate of Notre Dame High School and held its all-time scoring record for almost 20 years. He died in a fire in 2007 while attending East Stroudsburg University. On Friday night, hundreds turned out to pay homage to his legacy and family.

On display are Baez's guitars, artwork, personal letters and other items on loan from the singer.

Most unofficial election results remain the same in Northampton County, but one school board race has shifted after nearly all emergency ballots were counted Thursday.

While moderate Republicans and Democrats prevailed in most races, two Moms for Liberty candidates won seats on the Nazareth Area school board in Northampton County.

A measure declaring Northampton County a "sanctuary county" for abortion access failed Thursday in a 3-3-3 vote of county council. "It feels like such a 'gotcha' move," one councilwoman said of the proposal.

The complaint alleges Sunshine Act violations from the township supervisors and legal filings from the township solicitor with no official approval beforehand.

A group of Northampton County judges selected a new school director to join the Northampton Area School Board, filling a vacancy that had been open since mid-March.

Ball players and families who are part of the South Side Baseball Program now will have a mobile food trailer at their disposal after repeated flooding of the nearby creek has taken a toll on the concession stand at Saucon Baseball Park.

The 2024 Pennsylvania LGBTQ Health Needs Assessment is open now until August. It is a biannual survey that evaluates health needs and disparities among LGBTQ people in the state.

The 75-year-old Pen Argyl man was filmed tangling with riot police outside the U.S. Capitol Building as Congress tallied votes for the 2020 presidential election, according to federal prosecutors.

Environmental and county officials this week began dismantling a dam over Bushkill Creek in an effort to restore the creek. The removal will improve water quality, stormwater function and connectivity for fish and other organisms.

Lehigh Valley Planning Commission is finalizing its update to the regional Transportation Improvement Program, which details project spending until 2028.

While monitoring continues, Lehigh Valley Breathes officials used the most recent project update to explain results from the research this spring at Lehigh University.

Hellertown Borough Council on Monday voted in favor of preliminary plans for a Sheetz convenience store proposed for Kichline Avenue and Main Street.

PennDOT officials have gone back and forth with the National Park Service as it seeks a special permit to begin repairs to Route 611 along the Monroe County-Northampton County border. A rockslide shut a 3-mile stretch in December 2022.

June is Pride Month, an annual celebration of the LGBTQ community. There are many Pride events in and around the Lehigh Valley this year.