Parkland News

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A 29-year-old former Parkland student, who lived in a home owned by district performing arts director Frank Anonia, was sentenced to county prison last month on a charge of possessing child pornography.

PennDOT intends to begin a $91.6 million reconstruction project on the Route 309-Tilghman Street interchange later this year. The interchange saw more than 200 crashes between 2018 and 2022, according to PennDOT crash data.

The administrator who heads Parkland schools’ arts programs has not been in school, and parents say they are seeking answers to why.

Willow Haven Farm is looking to raise $50,000 to help open an organic grocery store at 8150 Hamilton Blvd. in Trexlertown.

Ryan Mackenzie pulled off a comfortable win in the Republican primary for the PA-7 congressional race. He credited an army of campaign volunteers, but his 12 years in the state House and at least $419,000 of support from a super PAC helped, too.

Parkland School District administration officials presented a proposed budget Friday with a property tax rate increase that would take the millage rate from 16.30 mills to 17.07 mills, a 4.75% increase.

PennDOT construction next month is expected to disrupt an average daily traffic volume of 6,488 vehicles. Crews will work to rehabilitate the Kernsville Road Bridge in North Whitehall Twp., from May through August.

The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission on Thursday approved a staff review of a Parkland School District proposal for a second floor being added to its new operations center currently under construction.

Incumbent state Rep. Zach Mako defeated newcomer Zachari Halkias, a Slatington councilman, in the GOP primary in the 183rd District. He will be opposed by Democrat Joseph Lenzi in the November general election.

Parkland School Board Vice President Marisa Ziegler announced her reelection campaign Tuesday.

Sunny Ghai will be the new chair starting in February. He campaigned for the board as a smart growth candidate.

The appeal involves potential open meetings violations.

At the latest hearing for the proposed facility, both witnesses spoke about the need for recovery houses. "There's as much effort being made to get the drugs out there as to keep them also on the down-low, very silenced, so no one really can tell. And they're attacking our young population.” Julissa Pena, a witness for the applicant said.

The board may have violated transparency laws because key discussions about filling a vacancy did not happen in public, according to Melissa Melewsky, in-house counsel for the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association.

The Parkland School Board voted 7-1 to appoint a longtime former board member to fill the vacant seat.

The new lawmakers from the Lehigh Valley joined more than 50 other new faces who were ceremonially sworn in to the General Assembly in Harrisburg.

Jarrett Coleman initially planned to stay on as a Parkland School Board member while simultaneously serving in the state Senate. He changed course last month. Good government advocates say such an arrangement creates the potential for conflicts of interest.

Andre Williams owns AW Selvedge and DKShin, denim companies. He is based in the Lehigh Valley. He’s using the skills he honed on the field to dress people. And he said making a sale gives him the feeling of a win.

Three South Whitehall Township Zoning Hearing Board members cannot attend meetings in the coming months, so the board appointed a hearing officer. It will allow the board to legally meet a required quorum.

South Whitehall Twp. commissioners are seeking applicants for vacant alternate seats on the Zoning Hearing Board.

Longtime former board member Robert Bold served as board president five times and vice president three times. He would fill the vacancy created by state Sen. Jarrett Coleman's resignation.