Consumer Affairs

The area's first Insomnia Cookies store will plant its roots in Bethlehem, becoming an anchor store to the Six10 Flats apartment building on East Third Street. A spokesperson confirmed in an email to LehighValleyNews.com that the store is expected to open this summer.

The fifth location in Pennsylvania, on West Broad Street, is owned by a longtime business owner and mom of four. The eatery’s menu includes coffee, cakes, tarts, donuts, and sandwiches.

The Giant grocery store isn't the only new chain storefront coming to the South Mall. Construction appears to have begun inside the new Burlington storefront that once housed Stein Mart.

Gov. Josh Shapiro announced that his administration launched a new consumer hotline to help residents better report scams, issues and access help.

In an effort to free up parking for residents, Easton City Council has introduced an ordinance which would provide permits to park for residents in the area of Bushkill Drive.

This week on Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick dive into the results of President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" about two weeks ago. What do tariffs mean to — and for — the average American? The two dissect that in this week's episode.

Public-service workers were at Allentown City Hall on Tuesday to voice their concern about potential budget cuts at the federal level.

Bethlehem’s Pembroke Choice project is giving residents “the opportunity to plan what the next generation of their neighborhood looks like,” Mayor J. William Reynolds said Saturday.

The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in Pennsylvania rose about 14 cents this week, from $3.261 to $3.405.

Mega Millions is making changes to its lottery game starting as soon as its April 8 drawing. Changes include an increase in the ticket price and retiring add-on features, and replacing them with new features that Mega Millions says will benefit players.

Holiday lights will illuminate the Lehigh Valley Zoo and Coca-Cola Park while Christmas City decks the hall with Moravian traditions this holiday season.

Community Bank announced in June it would assume seven Santander Bank branches in the Lehigh Valley by the end of 2025. In November, the company announced that acquisition is now complete.

The draft plan is the product of a series of well-attended public-input meetings over the past year.

Easton City Councilman Frank Pintabone has confirmed he will host his annual free turkey giveaway for residents in need, set for Nov. 22.

Gov. Josh Shapiro says Pennsylvania's utility companies have stepped up to shelter low-income households this winter. The customers are usually covered by LIHEAP, but the federal assistance program has experienced delays due to the federal government shutdown.

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.