Business News

City planners meet at 5 p.m. Thursday at Bethlehem Town Hall, 10 E. Church St. The proposal for the former Wells Fargo is listed fourth on an agenda of five items.

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.

Testimony began Monday in hearings that could decide what sort of businesses are allowed at homes throughout North Whitehall Township — and whether one resident’s long-running car repair business can keep operating.

The developer behind a proposed 37-story skyscraper in Allentown asked planning officials for another delay.

Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners approved a $36.7 million budget for 2026 Monday. Several residents attended the meeting to oppose the real estate tax increase, the first in the township since 2019.

The Allentown Parking Authority, state Sen. Nick Miller, D-Lehigh/Northampton, and the City of Allentown have opened a request for proposals for the redevelopment of the 100 block of North Seventh Street.

Northampton County Council passed its $503 million budget for 2026 Thursday night, keeping taxes stable for the eighth year in a row.

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.

The Lehigh Valley is projected to have significant increases in employment and population up to 2050.

After more than a year of meetings, plan review and expert testimony, Easton Planning Commission on Wednesday denied an application for a million-square-foot warehouse at 1525 Wood Ave.

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.

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.

Groundbreaking ceremonies were held Thursday for a 145-room Courtyard by Marriott at the Lehigh Valley International Airport. The hotel is expected to open late next year or early 2027.

Birdsong, the managing director of the Allentown-based Adept Group and a former vice president of advertising at The Express-Times, will lead the Bethlehem nonprofit and its media outlets PBS39, 91.3 FM WLVR and LehighValleyNews.com.

The Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce's 2025 awards ceremony, held Tuesday, honored individuals and organizations that have changed the city for the better.

The Giant Company has made a $50,000 donation to the River Crossing YMCA to buy nearly 13,000 gallons of milk for its preschool students.

Two land developers' requests to build residential units in phases were reviewed by the Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners on Monday night.

City Center executives on Monday night presented scaled-back plans to revitalize the former Merchants National Bank at the southwest corner of Seventh and Hamilton streets.

Stop Wood Ave. Warehouse Coalition has purchased digital billboard time to fight the development the million-square-foot Easton Commerce Park project.

Trump said he reached the decision after a “thorough review” of Jared Isaacman’s “prior associations" but did not elaborate. Said Isaacman: "I’ll always be grateful for this opportunity and cheering on our President and NASA as they lead us on the greatest adventure in human history.”

A $25,000 donation from the Garrigan Foundation will allow Lehigh Valley Public Media to contribute to a summer enrichment program and similar events at local libraries. It restores a federal grant the Trump administration froze earlier this month in a strike against PBS and NPR.

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.