Consumer Affairs

No one matched all five Powerball numbers, plus the red Powerball, on Monday night's drawing, but one Lehigh Valley resident matched four out of five white balls to win $200,000. It was among three winning tickets sold in Pennsylvania for the Dec. 15 drawing.

A new AP-NORC poll finds this holiday season isn’t quite so merry for American shoppers as large shares of them are dipping into savings, scouring for bargains and feeling like the overall economy is stuck in a rut. The vast majority of U.S. adults say they’ve noticed higher than usual prices for groceries, electricity and holiday gifts.

A proposed property tax rebate for senior citizens, drawn from hybrid police patrol vehicle fuel savings, will have to wait to be voted on until Jan. 2026.

Easton officials announced the launch of nonprofit HOME Easton and the start of a new Landlord-Tenant Engagement Program on Wednesday, with the goal to address affordable housing and improve the rental scene in the city.

Lehigh Valley residents attended a state Public Utility Commission hearing on Tuesday to oppose a proposed rate increase by PPL Electric Utilities. It would be the first rate increase in almost a decade.

The Northeast PA Regional Counter-Terrorism Task Force said customers in Lehigh and Northampton counties have been affected by a recent data breach.

A Lehigh Valley man was hunting when the lithium ion battery in heated insoles in his boots caught fire. A surgeon from Lehigh Valley Health Network said these incidents are causing devastating burn injuries.

"Too many families are discovering that their gift was emptied by a scammer before it was ever used. We should not allow criminals to take advantage of this season of generosity," State Sen. Lisa Boscola said.

General real estate taxes will stay flat in South Whitehall Township next year, its fire tax will rise 0.28 of a mill and residents will see a new 0.1% income tax to fund open space preservation.

After persistently dry, windy weather last year triggered concerns over the longevity of holiday trees, this year’s crop is shaping up well, Lehigh Valley growers said, with many different varieties available.

Easton Area School District approved a $214 million budget for the upcoming school year. With a 3.5% tax increase to keep the district running, $3.3 million will go toward the new high school project.

A group of officials have secured $1.5M in state funds to help build more parking spaces at Lehigh Valley International Airport.

Easton's The Marquis celebrated their grand opening Wednesday with a ribbon cutting ceremony, offering visitors tours of the 264 unit structure filled to the brim with modern amenities in the city's downtown district.

Lower Macungie Township’s planning commission voted Tuesday to recommend approving a mixed-use project at 617 N. Krocks Rd. set to include a 318-unit apartment complex, a 160-room hotel and nearly 20,000 square feet of retail space.

Nazareth Area School District on Tuesday approved a $117 million budget with a 2.95% tax increase for 2025-26, though not without some opposition.

The survey aims to capture opinions from local restaurants and eateries about single-use plastics.

The sale will take place rain or shine from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Broughal Middle School football field, 114 W. Morton St., in South Bethlehem.

The $13 million contract was with the Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program. A pandemic-era program, commonwealth farmers were paid to supply local food banks with fresh produce.

Governor Josh Shapiro, joined by local and state politicians, spoke out in support of mass transit investments for the betterment of the Commonwealth, at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hecktown Oaks Thursday.

Excitement at Target, Best Buy, and GameStop for the release of Switch 2, Nintendo's newest game console. While fans in New York City and Philadelphia reported longer lines, some local gamers were lucky enough to buy one before it sold out on Thursday.

Planned for completion in Fall 2026, Lehigh Valley Health Network, now part of Jefferson Health, says the new facility will just about double the size of the existing emergency room at its 2545 Schoenersville Road hospital campus.

Easton City Council heard requests for CDBG funds at their Wednesday meeting, but officials are concerned about the Trump administration's goal to cut the program and potentially cripple funding initiatives for those in need.