Health & Wellness News

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.”

A developer's request to split an expansion project at a retirement home complex was approved by Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners on Monday night.

Experts say there’s confusion about how quickly heat and moisture can compromise everyday medicines like insulin, inhalers, blood thinners and common antibiotics.

There are free summer meal sites for kids throughout the Lehigh Valley funded through the Summer Food Service Program.

Lehigh County Board of Commissioners have Ok'd a four-year, $34.6 million contract with PrimeCare Medical to serve inmates in their corrections facilities.

Haven House in Allentown is hosting The Art of Coping, an art exhibition showcasing the healing power of creativity. It features work from Lehigh Valley artists living with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and visual impairments.

The bunch, joined by a dozen more people with signs at nearby intersections, lay along the sidewalk for a “die-in” at Third and Wyandotte Park along Route 378 North.

Members of Easton's Blueprint Communities organization announced their first project, a mural at Chubby's honoring South Side's past, present, and future, on Monday afternoon.

Northampton County and Northampton Community College will offer a free workplace safety training later this month aimed at employees of municipal governments, nonprofits and similar organizations.

The funding, through the Livable Landscape program, was unanimously approved at the county council’s June 18 meeting.

Legislators worked to establish penalties for xylazine use and trafficking in an attempt to lessen its presence in Pennsylvania's illicit drug supply. Some say doing so made way for a new, unclassified veterinary tranquilizer to take its place — medetomidine.

Nearly a year after the Biden administration designated xylazine as an "emerging threat" to the United States, Gov. Josh Shapiro classified it as a schedule III drug, making unauthorized possession a crime in Pennsylvania. Experts say the move has partly served to clear the way for new illicit substances to enter the drug market.

The local American Red Cross chapter is looking for people to nominate local heroes for helping others. Nominations are open now through November for the Celebration of Heroes event in which they recognize community members, first responders and veterans.

Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds said Bethlehem's strong fiscal position should allow it to continue grants funded by the American Rescue Plan, even after the federal money runs out.

The Bethlehem Running Festival half marathon and half marathon relay were Sunday. It was the second day of the festival, bringing thousands to the SteelStacks campus.

The inaugural Bethlehem Running Festival's first day brought a 5k and 10k race back to the Steelstacks campus and the City of Bethlehem. Runners embarked on a running tour of the city through fall foliage and braving the hills on the route. Organizers say they are happy with the event and excited for Sunday's half marathon.

WLVR's Megan Frank talks with reporters Ryan Gaylor and Jason Addy.

Lehigh Valley Health Network held their annual Halloween party at the Children's Hospital. More than 100 children were expected to attend.

There are wide disparities on how much individual counties received.

The discussion comes after Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley in August released a report that raises concerns about how child abuse accusations are handled in the county.

Allentown officials and City Center representatives have said the new zoning regulations will lay the "framework" for the developer's ambitious plans.

The Allentown School District held Unity Day events at its 15 elementary schools on Wednesday. The message at each focused on bullying prevention, as October is National Bullying Prevention Month.

Several cases of the disease have been identified since school began in August.

The festival, scheduled Oct. 21-22, will feature 5K and 10K races on Saturday and half marathon and half marathon relay races on Sunday. A half marathon relay also allows for a three-person team to run two five-mile legs and one 5K leg.