Consumer Affairs

In the Lehigh Valley, 105,000 people rely on SNAP benefits for food assistance. One in four of them is a child. When federal safety nets falter, the charitable food network becomes the community’s last line of defense. It requires collaboration, leadership and shared purpose.

Among the free food, candy and raffles was quite a spread of information available, both in English and Spanish, for families related to a major neighborhood redesign in the works.

The Gateway on Fourth, a 120-unit affordable housing project, expected to cost $29 million, just received $16 million in highly competitive tax credits awarded by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency board. It's one of two affordable housing projects out of six total applicants in the Lehigh Valley to receive the credits.

The filings, which occurred over the past few days in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New Jersey, are individual filings of LLCs, including the location that was based at the Lehigh Valley Mall Lifestyle Center.

PPL Electric Utilities this week filed its first distribution base rate request in a decade, seeking approval from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission for an 8.6% increase in annual revenue — about $356 million.

It's budget time in Easton again, and for another year, Mayor Sal Panto Jr. has confirmed that property taxes will remain stable.

As a new round of scams make way through Pennsylvanians via phone call and text message, officials are warning residents to be cautious and instead report potential scams to the appropriate agencies.

Two weeks after Iron Hill Brewery announced the closure of its flagship restaurant, the company shared Thursday that all locations are now closed.

Council officials will have the final say on the expenditures outlook, which includes how the city plans to pay for everything from protected bike lanes along West Broad Street to new trees and lights at Rose Garden Park to an armored vehicle replacement for police.

Easton will soon issue a survey and a series of community discussions aimed at improving public transportation routes between the city's neighborhoods.

PPL Electric Utilities, which has been under fire for a recent billing error that impacted thousands, said more than 100,000 customers are paying more for their electricity than they need to.

The cafe's union is among the nation's first to negotiate with the chain, on account of upcoming renovations.

In a pinch for that special someone? Easton Public Market is open Tuesday with vendors offering traditional items like flowers and chocolate — even fresh food to cook your sweetie a romantic dinner.

While the majority of Super Bowl snacks, plastic and paper items have seen increases in price, there are some exceptions due to the slowly recovering supply chain issues.

The owner of the well known ice cream place wants everybody to know that they have moved across the street. There will be a grand opening celebration on Feb. 16.

The state Public Utilities Commission said Wednesday it has received hundreds of calls and electronic submissions from consumers about unusually high PPL bills, but there is no timetable for an investigation by its Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement.

“When a bill jumps $200 or $300, that’s the difference between groceries on the table. So we have to see what legislative remedies there are at our disposal, because ‘you’ve gotta pay your bill’ is not the answer I want to give anybody," said Rep. Josh Siegel.

A steep rise in egg prices plus butter shortages means some bakeries must adapt.

Mayor Sal Panto Jr. says it's unfortunately part of a larger trend that is changing how small businesses operate in neighborhoods. He said the city intends to create a task force to address it.

The company says the issue has been resolved, but it's still asking people to pay the full amount on their bills — even if they were charged in error.

The Rock'n Play Sleeper is not safe, they say.

Need continues to grow for emergency food services. With the end of pandemic-era benefits and inflation still not letting up, demand is higher than ever, according to food pantry managers.