Easton News

A Multi-Agency Resource Center will be open from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Gallery at the State Theatre for victims of the Hampton Hotel fire in Easton.

Broadway's "Rock of Ages" Band features the musician case of the Broadway show playing what it calls playing "the greatest rock hits from the glam metal bands of the '80s."

The United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, in coordination with Greater Easton Development Partnership, has established the fund to help victims of Friday's devastating fire at the Hotel Hampton building, 462 Northampton St. Also, a Red Cross emergency shelter operation has been relocated.

One firefighter suffered serious injuries when he fell off a ladder escaping the fire. Several others received minor injuries. Authorities said the coroner was on scene Saturday "out of an abundance of caution" because they did not have an accurate count of people living in the Hotel Hampton building.

In December alone, there were 676 eviction filings and defaults in Lehigh County — the highest monthly total since August 2023.

In counties such as Lehigh, eviction filings have reached their highest point in years, even as rental vacancy rates have fluctuated. That apparent contradiction — rising vacancy estimates alongside persistent eviction volume — is part of a broader housing dynamic playing out across the region.

Xiaomin Fei, 34, on Thursday entered the plea in the June 3 shooting deaths of Robert and Gretchen Ackerman, Northampton County District Attorney Stephen G. Baratta announced.

Officials signed off on plans that call for 73 condominiums — 15 one-bedroom units, 36 two-bedroom units and 22 three-bedroom units — and about 2,500 square feet of commercial space.

Jack Bennett grew up in the family hardware business and went on to lead it for nearly 25 years. He was one of Easton's most prominent business leaders in the 1970s and '80s. He died Jan. 29 at age 98. Friends say he left an impression on the Downtown business community that still can be felt today.

Affected customers are being asked to enroll in interest-free payment plans so the city can recover more than $35,000 in unpaid bills, its finance director said Wednesday.

A free, hands-on program will help teach new drivers the basic elements of vehicle maintenance in Forks Twp. this Saturday.

Easton's Heritage Day, made famous for the reenactment of one of the earliest public readings of the Declaration of Independence, will feature plenty of historical reenactments, food, fun and music on Saturday. A fireworks display is set for Sunday night.

Politicians, nonprofits and other contributors came together in Easton's Vanderveer Park to celebrate a refreshed space with new playground equipment and more to promote community.

Easton City Councilman Frank Pintabone has created a workforce housing initiative which would encourage developers to allocate affordable units, or pay a fee which would go toward supporting city projects.

The Center for Animal Health & Welfare has announced it will partner with ProJeCt of Easton to shift its pet food operation to ProJeCt’s Easton-based food pantry, offering pet owners in need options to feed their furry friends.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs unveiled their Easton City Series jersey in Centre Square Tuesday, featuring a few hallmarks including the Square, the free bridge, and more.

Members of Easton's Blueprint Communities organization announced their first project, a mural at Chubby's honoring South Side's past, present, and future, on Monday afternoon.

ShopRite at Madison Farms in Bethlehem Township has deployed smart carts that let customers pay for and bag groceries all at once as they walk through the aisles.

A first-of-its-kind in the Lehigh Valley, the dome is expected to draw students and visitors both locally and from outside of Pennsylvania.

Members of the Stop the Wood Ave. Warehouse coalition returned to Easton City Hall to raise issues related to variances they felt were necessary for the project on Wednesday.

Easton officials announced Thursday that the city will begin leasing public parking from the county lot and the Social Security building lot to address access to public parking.

Easton Planning Commission recommended the approval of a land development plan with variances for a new multifamily apartment building on W. Nesquehoning Street on Wednesday, July 2.