Easton News

Palmer Township police officer John Smoke faces up to five years in prison. Authorities accused him of sending the photo to a 16-year-old while he was assigned to Easton Area High School as a resource officer.

Incumbent Easton City Council members Taiba Sultana and Roger Ruggles lost in the Democratic primary, according to unofficial election returns. Susan Hartranft-Bittinger defeated Sultana and Frank Graziano outpaced Ruggles.

Wilson Area School Board unanimously approved its $49 million budget for the 2025-26 school year on Monday night. Included is a 3.5% tax increase.

Police have charged an Easton man in connection with a recent chop shop investigation. Angel Vidal faces several felony and misdemeanor charges as he awaits a preliminary hearing in Northampton County Prison.

Tuesday, May 20, is Primary Election Day in Pennsylvania. Several high-profile local races are on the ballot in Lehigh and Northampton counties. Check out our procrastinator's guide and Q&A.

One week after damage to underground cables caused widespread power outages on Easton's South Side, parts of the city were in the dark once again Monday.

Drivers who have been ticketed for school bus camera violations say the process to contest them needs to change. PennDOT said thousands of citations across seven Lehigh Valley school districts are still awaiting hearings.

In Tuesday's Democratic primary election, two challengers are on the ballot to face off against incumbent council members Roger Ruggles and Taiba Sultana.

Developers behind the new Easton Area School District high school presented some refinements and updates on the project plans to the school board at their Tuesday meeting.

The stage show "Sesame Street Live: Elmo and Friends Say Hello" will be performed at 6 p.m. Nov. 21 at Easton's State Theatre.

Easton City Council approved a resolution that would allow the city to take the historic Hooper House by eminent domain, but officials would prefer not to fall back on that option, hoping discussions with owner Rock Church may be successful.

The “Easton Commerce Park" proposal for a 1,006,880-square-foot warehouse at the old Pfizer Pigments property off Wood Avenue drew concerns from members of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission.

In the midst of scorching temperatures, Tandoor Grill owner Raj Muddu is giving out free water bottles to help cool off Easton community members.

Easton Area School District approved a final 2024-25 budget in the amount of $208 million, though some board members are concerned about the potential for shortfalls.

Lafayette College was selected by the Commission on Presidential Debates to host the nation's only vice presidential debate this year. The commission has called off that debate and three presidential ones that it had expected to organize.

James Bartolacci, an Easton-area artist and grant-winner, is working on new pieces intended for an art exhibition in Germany.

A feature film, "The Next Play," is set to be shot in the Lehigh Valley in July 2025. The field hockey-themed drama also touches on pressure and suicide concerns that student-athletes face.

The Lehigh Valley ranks as the eighth-highest industrial market in the U.S., it was disclosed at a Lehigh Valley Planning Commission roundtable meeting on Friday.

The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights found Lafayette College did not consistently address instances of alleged harassment online and off campus last fall in the weeks following the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

Wilson Area School District passed a $46.48 million budget for 2024-25, marking a 1% increase over last year's tax rate, according to the district's business manager.

The Delaware River Sojourn, an eight-day guided paddling and camping trip, is underway. About 100 paddlers are participating.

Northampton County Council must hold new hearings on a financing program for a project turning the former Wilson Borough Dixie Cup factory into apartments.