Health & Wellness News

Despite not being approved for human consumption, veterinary tranquilizers are infiltrating the illicit drug supply in Pennsylvania. Harm reduction specialists and health care professionals say these overdoses can't be approached solely with naloxone, the opioid overdose reversal drug.

A generous donation from a Lehigh Valley native and others funds free swim lessons for children and adults in the River Crossing YMCA's Safety Around Water, or SAW, swim education program.

The bill would limit the manufacture, sale, distribution and use of firefighting foam containing PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, beginning in 2026.

Xylazine, an animal-grade tranquilizer that's not approved for human use, has taken Pennsylvania's illicit drug supply by storm. Known on the streets as "tranq," it accounted for almost 1 in 4 overdose deaths in Pennsylvania by 2023. Last year in Lehigh County, it was a contributing cause of death in 20 of the 112 deadly overdoses, or 17.9 percent of cases.

The funding comes from the commonwealth’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program, a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Known as "tranq" on the streets, an animal tranquilizer named xylazine infiltrated drug supplies throughout Pennsylvania since 2019. Its presence in the Lehigh Valley has grown, with deadly consequences.

With the Lehigh Valley under an extreme heat warning through Wednesday, area doctors are urging residents to keep hydrated and stay cool.

The U.S. Senate could vote on the proposed One Big Beautiful Bill Act this week. If passed, millions of Americans would lose access to Medicaid and SNAP benefits in order to fund border security and tax cuts to wealthy Americans.

The anti-violence program is funded through a $1.28 million grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. The program will continue next school year.

The Neighborhood Center and Andre Reed Foundation are partnering to kick off the season with an event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at 344 N. 7th St.

With the Lehigh Valley under an extreme heat warning next week, Allentown is offering free pool admission. Find out other ways to beat the heat.

The Lehigh Valley Transportation Study approved nearly $2.6 million in projects designed to fund children’s education programs, improve safety, extend trails and expand bicycle and pedestrian options across the region.

U.S. regulators on Wednesday banned the dye called Red 3 from the nation’s food supply, nearly 35 years after it was barred from cosmetics because of potential cancer risk.

Ten Lehigh Valley children with disabilities were presented with adaptive bikes or strollers at Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21. Each individually customized adaptive bike costs $3,500 to $4,000 and is not covered by insurance.

Walkiewicz will report to ANCOR with relevant policy happenings out of Harrisburg and help to strengthen the nationwide I/DD-services network, for both at-home and community-based services.

Join Megan Frank at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. every Friday for Insights with LehighValleyNews.com on WLVR. This week, Brittany Sweeney takes her place with reporter Phil Gianficaro and social media specialist Grace Oddo.

Elevate Your Health and Wellness Expo will take place at 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday at the Delta by Marriott. The event is free and will benefit KidsPeace.

Unforeseen issues and obstacles have pushed the timeline for Lehigh Valley Breathes back. The regional air monitoring project aims to measure fine particle pollution.

St. Luke's University Health Network and Grand View Health have confirmed a partnership which was first introduced in the summer of 2024.

January is National Radon Action Month. Public health officials are urging residents to stay informed of the risks, test and support legislative efforts to increase testing.

Nadia and Ethan Brewer, of Kunkletown, are the parents of Owen Eugene Brewer, who was born at midnight at St. Luke's Anderson Campus.

Knowing your child and following your instincts are most important when it comes to seeking care for sick babies and kids, says one area pediatrician.

From memoirs to thrillers to historic novellas, find a title that inspires among the BAPL annual list.

The grant will pay for new speed humps and high-visibility crosswalks, repainted roads, and other “traffic-calming” methods, according to officials.