Environment & Science

While parts of the Lehigh Valley were able to get a glimpse of the Northern Lights over the weekend, weather conditions kept many from being able to enjoy the show. Now, the solar storm the pushed the aurora to the lower latitudes is waning.

WLVR’s Brad Klein reviews the week’s astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week it's all about the star Regulus, which is part of the Leo constellation.

Christopher Sipos remembers his late-grandmother's love of birds but was pleasantly surprised to find her collection of antique baking soda trading cards that feature the feathered beauties.

Theis/Cornfeld Recycling Center in Bethlehem accepts recyclables not only from city residents, but the general public, too. There, residents can see how the process works, first-hand.

A handful of organic farms across the Lehigh Valley are welcoming residents and visitors this weekend to help their own gardens get growing.

State Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-Lehigh/Northampton, sponsored the bill. Any money collected will go toward bald and golden eagle conservation efforts.

Easton City Council heard presentations for improvements intended for Vanderveer and Centennial Parks at their Wednesday meeting, and while the refreshed spaces were well received, the question of cost is still a concern.

Showers and storms entering the region early Wednesday could produce gusty winds and heavier rainfall, the National Weather Service said. But clouds will clear as temperatures soar by the afternoon.

More than a dozen wild birds in Pennsylvania have so far been confirmed to have the strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI. The threat to humans is low.

In the April update for Lehigh Valley Breathes, a regionwide effort to monitor air quality amid emissions from trucking and warehousing, officials explained new EPA soot standards and how they could impact the project.

Craig Pfeiffer, Bethlehem's assistant director of planning and zoning, gave a presentation Thursday on the city's new subdivision and land development ordinance, more commonly known as a SALDO.

The baby alpaca was born Oct. 23. The zoo is taking suggestions for a name.

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.

Current conditions, along with the continued drying of fine fuels, "could support the rapid spread of any fires that ignite, which could quickly become difficult to control," the National Weather Service said.

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.

Easton's Environmental Advisory Council is continuing to work on an ordinance aimed at decreasing light pollution throughout the city.

Following a wind advisory Wednesday night, forecasters say the Lehigh Valley will see a fairly active pattern continuing through the weekend and into early next week as temperatures tumble.

For this year’s event, set for Sunday, officials are cutting out single-use water bottles and trading plastic medal packaging for paper, among other sustainability initiatives.

More than three dozen law enforcement professionals from the Lehigh Valley and beyond took part in the first training at the newly opened Joni Berner Esq ‘75-Expert Witness Training Center & Crime Scene Laboratory.

This month is a peak time to view comets in the nighttime sky. "Watching the Skies" host Brad Klein and Bethlehem's "Backyard Astronomy Guy" Marty McGuire review what astrological visitors to keep an eye out for as they pass through Earth's backyard.

A group of demonstrators called on Congress Friday to permanently protect the Arctic from drilling, as well as drum up support from Lehigh Valley residents.

“Creating a Micro-Forest: A Step by Step Guide" is available free on the city's website. Officials said it's a tool to help municipalities, schools or other organizations interested in building a micro-forest.