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                Stephanie Kasulka/LehighValleyNews.comWith SNAP benefits delayed in November and the holidays approaching, Lehigh Valley residents can help or get help. Here's where to find food pantries, volunteer opportunities, and donation info.
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                Micaela Hood/LehighValleyNews.comU.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, has organized a food drive while pinning the ongoing government shutdown on Senate Democrats. SNAP benefits that help feed millions of low-income Americans are hours away from expiring.
 
Lehigh Valley Heart and Vascular Institute now offers treatment for atrial fibrillation (AFib) with a new system that uses pulsed electrical fields to target problematic heart muscle cells instead of extreme heat or cold.
        
        
    Health & Wellness News
    
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                        The machine is available 24/7 and is located outside the Lehigh Conference of Churches at 457 W. Allen St. in Allentown.
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                        Community Bike Works received more than $600,000 from the Lehigh Valley Transportation Study to fund its bicycle safety and repair program for students in the Lehigh Valley.
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                        In an email, Allentown School District said mold spores were found in several elementary school classrooms. Remedial action has been taken, the district said in a release, and the classrooms will be tested ahead of the first day of school.
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                        Allentown received $1.5 million in grants from the Lehigh Valley Transportation Study to address transportation safety and carbon emissions in the city.
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                        Two baby kangaroos from a Central Pennsylvania farm entertained residents at Fellowship Community retirement community in Whitehall Township on Friday.
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                        Administrators of the Northampton County-owned Gracedale nursing home shared a new strategic plan Thursday. One key priority: recruiting new nurses and nurse aides to fill hundreds of open positions.
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                        Six entrepreneurs pitched their projects to judges during StartUp Lehigh Valley event at Musikfest Cafe on Tuesday night.
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                        Community members gathered at Penn Pump Park in Palmer Township Tuesday morning to celebrate the recent ADA accessibility improvements funding via county grant programs.
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                        Between delayed state funding and federal cuts, Second Harvest Food Bank does not have enough food to meet demand, its leaders say.
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                        “A Community Conversation: Navigating Menopause” will be broadcast on PBS39 and streaming at PBS39.org. Topics of discussion include misunderstood myths, gaps in medical training, the toll on workplace performance, and the often-silent struggle women face.
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                        Juggling family, business and a new yoga career, Coopersburg's Roey Ebert gets creative with her usual grace
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                        Allentown police can hand out tickets to anyone caught swimming in natural waterways in the city, Mayor Matt Tuerk said, urging residents not to let a $100 fine “ruin your summer.”
 
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                        The Seidl family invited officials and media into their North Law Street home, where Fire Chief Efrain Agosto led a quick safety lesson before a fire drill.
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                        The FDA is warning people about the dangers of over-the-counter supplements that contain an the opioid tianeptine. A Lehigh Valley emergency room doctor explains why the drug can be dangerous.
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                        Lehigh Valley Health Network cut the ribbon on their new Gilbertsville neighborhood hospital. It's the network’s first location in Montgomery County.
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                        The Upper Macungie Community Center's proposed renderings are now public, as well as an estimated cost.
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                        This week, Megan Frank is joined by Allentown reporter Jason Addy and health reporter Brittany Sweeney.
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                        A seizure survivor breaks her self-harm silence to raise awareness, so that others with the condition feel heard.
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                        Drowning is the leading cause of death in children ages 1 to 4. With the summer season upon us, an Allentown lifeguard instructor is sharing some of the ways they train their team to spot a distressed swimmer as well as an active or passive victim.
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                        Palmer Township has nearly doubled its number of pickleball courts with the opening of six courts at Fairview Park. They're free, lighted and open to the public every day until 10 at night.
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                        The time between Memorial Day to Labor Day is known as the '100 deadliest days,' according to AAA. The traffic safety non-profit says teen driving fatalities increase during that time, especially at night.
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                        After two heart attacks, Wicked Sweet bakery owner Jessica Pelletier is speaking out to urge her fellow small business owners and others “to make sure that your days are actual days off. To be resting, to be refilling your cup, to be focusing on yourself."
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                        The Dup15q Alliance is observing 30 years and raising awareness about the rare condition. A mother and advocate shares her family story in her quest for a cure.
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                        A significant amount of infrastructure needs to be “looked at or rebuilt” to get all the city’s water fountains in working order, said Councilwoman Rachel Leon. Only “five or six” out of 19 are operational.