Easton News

Bob Stem is the winningest football coach for two high schools — Bethlehem Catholic and Phillipsburg, his alma mater. Stem, a teacher and coach for most of his life, died Friday at age 84.

Northampton County Judge Anthony Beltrami joined the bench in 2006. He moonlights as an amateur harness driver at horse-racing tracks in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. Earlier this year he was named Amateur Driver of the Year by the U.S. Harness Writers Association.

Several Christian churches will come together with prominent figures in the local LGBTQ+ community to discuss the complex relationship between the two this weekend at the Colors of Hope Conference in Easton.

The Lehigh Valley and Forks Township planning commissions are weighing the school’s plans for a $10 million lacrosse center at Metzgar Fields Athletic Complex.

Easton's garbage and recycling transportation contract is nearly double the cost of the previous one. City officials are exploring options to prevent that increase from passing on to residents.

A local initiative to develop a sustainable farm food infrastructure was instrumental in Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding choosing to appear in Easton to announce the theme for the 2024 state Farm Show in Harrisburg.

The Eerie Easton Walking Tour is underway, and while there are no creepy clowns, there are plenty of real-life horror tales of murder and mania.

Graze Craze is a charcuterie store offering curated grazing boards and boxes at 4612 Broadway Road in the Tilghman Square shopping center in South Whitehall. More locations in the Bethlehem and Easton areas are planned.

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.

The grand opening of a new Jersey Mike's in the Easton area is set for Wednesday, Sept. 27. The store is celebrating the event with a fundraiser for a local nonprofit.

Gas prices are up about 10 cents a gallon in Pennsylvania from this time last year, and up 11 cents in the Lehigh Valley region, according to AAA.

Easton Area School District approved a preliminary budget of over $210 million on Tuesday night, despite concerns over several details.

State revenue generated by Wind Creek Bethlehem and Mount Airy Casino will help Bangor renovate a fire hall, Lower Nazareth Township purchase a new police vehicle and improve seating at a Freemansburg amphitheater.

A proposal to develop the old Dixie Cup factory in Wilson Borough into 405 apartments advanced after review by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission's Comprehensive Planning Committee.

Chrin V-7 Associates plans to make a cornfield at the southwest corner of Hope Road and William Penn Highway in Bethlehem Township home to 264 garden apartments, 12 buildings and a 5,700-square-foot amenity structure.

Dwayne Tillman has been Easton's acting planning and codes director for months. On Monday, the nine-year city employee was confirmed to take on the role permanently.

The Diocese of Allentown announced several moves among priests in its 78 parishes — part of an annual process led by an advisory board of priests and approved by Bishop Alfred Schlert.

Thrift store and cat lounge Project Paw has become a standout in Easton, offering up cool vintage finds alongside a special area to congregate with kitties.

Mi Casa Restaurante in Easton serves traditional dishes from Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico.

Problems with theft in the mail collection bins outside the post office go back at least four years. Last year police warned folks to stop using the bins and deposit mail inside the post office. The bins remained open — and the stolen checks and mail have persisted.

Palmer Township police Officer John Smoke, the school resource officer at Easton Area High School, waived his preliminary hearing in Palmer Township on Friday.

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have arranged for their own debates with CNN, ABC and CBS, cutting out the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates. The commission had selected Lafayette College to host its vice presidential debate in September.