East Penn News

East Penn School Board on Monday gave initial approval to a 2024-25 budget that would raise property tax 5% — but did so begrudgingly.

The development comes to Upper Milford as the East Penn area continues to grow in population

EPA officials last week announced the first-ever national drinking water standard regulating per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which are widespread, long-lasting in the environment and have been linked to long-term health issues.

The announcement this week by Volvo Group, parent company of Mack Trucks, to build a heavy duty truck manufacturing plant in Mexico has been met with disappointment and concern by UAW Local 677 and Lehigh Valley lawmakers.

East Penn School District took another look at the 2024-2025 budget will a focus on priority project spending on April 8, highlighting around $2 million in special education and administrative expenses.

Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom has turned to a regional craft brewery to celebrate the opening of the park’s new Iron Menace roller coaster.

East Penn administrators pushed for a slate of new hires to the district, making permanent temporary positions that were created from COVID relief funding.

Police are still investigating what they have labeled a suspicious package found at a distribution center in Lower Macungie Township on Monday afternoon. Local authorities have enlisted the FBI's help.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

Nowhere Coffee Co. co-owner Lauren Vargas says her landlord, borough council President Chad Balliet, has a conflict of interest in recent health inspections of the property. The borough manager denied that and defended the process after an Emmaus Borough Council meeting Monday night.

At a Lower Macungie Planning Commission meeting Tuesday, officials praised a data center zoning ordinance under consideration in neighboring Upper Macungie.

Three African Servals escaped from Cricket Wildlife Center after a powerful storm last Wednesday damaged their enclosure. After dozens of reported sightings, two of the wild cats are back, leaving one left to capture.

Three Democrats will join the Lower Macungie Township Board of Commissioners in January. The trio appear to have become the first Democrats to be elected to the township governing body in more than a half century.

The show runs at 7 p.m. today, Nov. 7, and at the same time Saturday in Emmaus High School’s auditorium. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door.

Filmmaker-turned-showrunner Jiah Peck debuts the entire first season of an original comedy series at the Emmaus Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.

A Wednesday night storm brought damaging winds to the area, with gusts reaching up to 47 mph. The National Weather Service warned of damage to trees and utilities, and a wildlife center in Berks County suffered just that: A tree fell on an enclosure housing three African servals that have since escaped.

Mackenzie, along with officials from Wildlands Conservancy, the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, on Wednesday morning hiked a portion of the property, lauding the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund that helped preserve it.

During a taping of "Business Matters" at WFMZ on Wednesday, Adam and Luke Jaindl, of Jaindl Land Co., gave an update on their project at Lehigh Valley Town Center in Lower Macungie Township.

At a workshop meeting Monday, Lower Macungie officials reviewed plans for a commercial development along Route 100, including the region's first Sprouts Farmers Market.

In a rare tie vote broken by the borough mayor, Macungie Borough Council members Monday moved ahead a measure raising salaries for the municipality's elected officials.

Democrat Sarah Fevig and Republican Patrick Leonard are running to represent Lehigh County's District 5 on its board of commissioners.

Starting next week, a bridge carrying Lower Macungie Road over the Pa. Turnpike will close. East Penn School District officials warned families to allow extra time to get to and from school.