County News

A section of Institute Drive will be closed through most of April to protect breeding amphibians. Experts said the road-closing conservation effort is not only important for the animals, but also for the region’s overall landscape and ecosystem.

It’s expected to be a busy day for power crews in the Lehigh Valley with a wind advisory in place until 8 p.m., northwest winds of 20 to 30 mph and gusts up to 55 mph. Met-Ed and PPL Electric Utilities were reporting scattered outages.

The 120-acre park in Northampton County boasts more than 100 species of trees and shrubs from around the world. "What's unique is it's in a public park setting. It's run by county park staff, not a nonprofit or not a for-profit entity,” the superintendent said.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey got a mention during President Biden's State of the Union address but U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, D-Lehigh Valley, did not. Politics reporter Tom Shortell provides a post-mortem on the SOTU.

Ruben Payan, the NTSB investigator in charge of the investigation, released new details and updated local officials during a meeting of Lower Saucon Township Council. Three of the derailed cars were hazardous materials tankers.

Three secure ballot drop-off boxes will be installed in new areas of Northampton County prior to the April 23 primary election, bringing the total number of drop-off boxes in the county to seven.

Advocates and officials across Pennsylvania have signaled their support the new standards for fine particle pollution, also called soot or PM 2.5. However, federal officials don’t anticipate communities will meet the standard for almost a decade.

The National Transportation Safety Board says an eastbound train hit a stopped train on the tracks and derailed onto westbound tracks, where a westbound train collided with the wreckage. Photos from the scene in Lower Saucon Township showed multiple rail cars off the tracks.

LANTA and UGI Energy Services have signed a three-year deal that will provide the transportation authority with compressed natural gas collected from landfills in eastern Pennsylvania.

Candidates for president, Congress, the General Assembly and Pennsylvania's row offices must file their petitions with the state by Tuesday. Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley could be a critical swing region at both the national and state levels.

Culture war issues are hot topics in the races for four of the nine seats on the Nazareth Area School Board up for election this year. Three incumbents are not seeking re-election.

Northampton County officials are doubling the cap on loans to first-time homebuyers, in an effort to help residents afford rising down payments and closing costs.

Judge Abraham Kassis heard more on the case during an April court hearing. As of Tuesday, Kassis declared the ordinance was adopted in absence of compliance.

Tuesday, May 9, 2023 is the last day to apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot, in order to vote in the upcoming Pennsylvania primary.

Mattel has marketed a Barbie doll that represents those with Down syndrome.

Two shad ladders in the Lehigh Valley, at the Easton and Chain dams, haven't been working as intended. Efforts to restore this migrating fish system have stalled.

Incumbents Maury G. Robert and Ron R. Beitler are joined on the ballot by challenger Gregory S. Chaputa, all noting land preservation and managing development as a priority.

The township election is on May 16. The candidates are hoping to make a splash with voters come Election Day.

The $25,000 fund, offered by Lehigh and Northampton counties, will be used to support the schools' Aevidum program.

Democrat Terry Houck is attempting to secure the Republican nomination for Northampton County district attorney with a write-in campaign. The effort is opposed by Northampton County Republican Committee Chair Glenn Geissinger.

There are seven candidates on the primary ballot for one open supervisor's seat in Palmer Township. Here's why candidates said they're running.

Politics reporter Tom Shortell sat down with WLVR's Brad Klein to discuss the upcoming May 16th primary election, including a few standout races.