Lehigh County News

Tenants at Oak Hollow Apartments in Bethlehem say significant rent increases are forcing them to look elsewhere for housing. The increases reflect market rates, according to the complex's owner. A housing advocate says renters throughout the Lehigh Valley are experiencing similar situations as housing costs rise and inventory stays low.

The tract, spread across Penn Forest and Kidder townships, includes Mud Run, a key tributary of the Lehigh River. It was purchased through a $1 million grant from the Open Space Institute.

One of Easton's favorite cultural festivals, Lebanese Heritage Day returns to the city this weekend, featuring plenty of music, culture, and, of course, food.

Developer Nat Hyman is suing the city over a homeless encampment in Jordan Meadows that he alleges is hurting his neighboring properties.

On Thursday, Lehigh Valley Zoo broke ground on a $10 million multi-phase project, with initial work on a new barn area and accessible playground set to be finished in the fall.

Mark Pinsley is the fourth Democrat to challenge Republican incumbent Ryan Mackenzie in the Lehigh Valley's battleground district in the 2026 midterm.

Lehigh County Coroner Dan Buglio said toxicology testing showed a significant level of illicit controlled substances in Timothy Vanbilliard’s system, including methamphetamine, when he died May 11, 2025.

The Lehigh Valley has a history of flooding, and climate change could be increasing the risk. With federal funding cut or on the chopping block, officials warn the Valley could be left unprepared.

The unanimous vote to support the years-in-the-making plan came at the very beginning of a special meeting of the EAC dedicated to a mid-year goal review. The group also discussed progress on this year's goals.

After devastating flash flooding in Texas earlier this month claimed the lives of at least 135 people, scientists and experts are warning similar conditions could happen in the Lehigh Valley.

Officials on Wednesday reviewed several preliminary transportation policy strategies for the Valley's priority climate action plan. The plan’s focus is to reduce carbon emissions from transportation, a significant driver of greenhouse gas emissions across the region.

More than three dozen projects in the Valley were awarded grants, receiving about 7% of the total funding awarded. Statewide, $335 million in grants were announced Wednesday.

KidsPeace, which provides behavioral and mental health services to children, collected about 1,400 toys for its 12th annual Angel Tree holiday gift drive.

All but one township zoning amendment application were reviewed without issue by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission Comprehensive Planning Committee on Tuesday afternoon.

If ultimately completed, the combined health care system would operate 30 hospitals and more than 700 outpatient sites, with more than 62,000 employees, according to LVHN and Jefferson Health.

Driven by $8.1 billion in manufacturing, the Lehigh Valley's Gross Domestic Product grew to a record $50.2 billion in 2022. The region's economy now ranks above Vermont and Wyoming.

Verizon is bringing more choice for high-speed internet to the area as it expands Fios to previously unserved pockets of the Lehigh Valley.

State Sen. Lisa Boscola said it's a fallacy if the U.S. Postal Service thinks it can save up to $7 million by shipping outgoing mail from the Lehigh Valley to Harrisburg for processing without cutting jobs. On Monday, she called on USPS to do further analysis of its plans.

Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, which has been a central organization for LGBTQ community in the region since opening in 2016, in recent months has laid off five employees and temporarily reduced hourly employees' time.

The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission at 11 a.m. on Wednesday is holding a meeting at its Allentown office to brainstorm and prioritize ways to decarbonize transportation across the region. Decarbonization is the process of reducing or eliminating carbon dioxide emissions.

A new study from the Lehigh Valley Justice Institute of the area's local courts found a link between time spent in jail awaiting trial and harsher prison sentences.

AAA anticipates an increase in road and air travel this holiday season.