Lehigh County News

The Lehigh County Board of Elections will hold a hearing Friday morning to determine the status of 519 mail-in ballot applications of former residents now living abroad. Under federal law, they are entitled to vote in federal elections under their last address, but state Sen. Jarrett Coleman said the county neglected to register them in a voter database.

The Gap Fire, which erupted Saturday near Route 248 in Lehigh Township, has drawn hundreds of firefighters over four days. Crews have gotten the upper hand and are now searching for and extinguishing hotspots, officials said.

Vietnam veteran and former Steelers running back Rocky Bleier was the keynote speaker at the Lehigh Carbon Community College veterans fundraising event at Glasbern Inn in Fogelsville on Monday night.

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate for president, is holding a rally at Muhlenberg College in Allentown on the final day of the presidential campaign. Election Day is Tuesday.

Around 10 p.m. Sunday, the evening operation was passed off to DCNR State Wildland Crews, the Lehigh Township Volunteer Fire Co. said on social media. A planned backburn was underway to stop the spread of a fire burning since Saturday.

Vice President Kamala Harris spent the final day of her campaign in Pennsylvania, including an afternoon rally at Muhlenberg College in Allentown.

Students who know him described former performing arts director Frank Anonia as a manipulative figure, but they said they were still shocked at his arrest on charges of secretly recording a student in a dressing room.

Pennsylvania's political landscape has shifted dramatically since the last election. Many counties have switched party majorities, which could influence the outcome of the upcoming election.

LCCC offers Class A Tractor Trailer training in as little as four weeks in day, evening or weekend classes.

The fire began early Saturday afternoon near Route 248 in Lehigh Township in Northampton County and burned through the night. Numerous aircraft and heavy equipment joined Sunday to help fight the fire, which was not yet been significantly contained. No injuries were reported.

Covered Bridge Park visitors have been grilling along the banks of and inside of Jordan Creek, taking township picnic tables into the creek and placing tables and chairs in it — all actions that have contributed to an increase in police presence.

The $208 million will also produce 295 new union jobs, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey’s announcement said, though it’s unclear what cut of the funding the Macungie facility is getting or the number of new jobs expected locally.

State Sen. Jarrett Coleman, R-Lehigh/Bucks, is looking to force his predecessor, now Secretary of Revenue Pat Browne, to release tax returns about Allentown's Neighborhood Improvement Zone. Browne, who crafted the NIZ, has worked to keep the information confidential for five years.

A $6.4 million mansion called Ravenwood Manor caught fire just a day after being sold. Three years later, the owners have donated it to the local government, reportedly as a sign of gratitude for local emergency responders.

Allentown and Easton have been paired with an engineering company to reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. It's Allentown's first time, but Easton's second, in the program.

North Whitehall Township now is projected to have a $1.6 million surplus by the end of the year, which would bring its total cash reserves to about $16 million.

Major renovations at Cedarbrook Senior Care and Rehab, agricultural conservation and bridge maintenance are the major expenditures in Lehigh County’s five-year Capital Plan.

State education officials on on Monday visited Bethlehem Area Public Library’s South Side branch, 400 Webster St., to raise awareness about the Summer Food Service Program. Free, nutritious meals are available to those aged 18 and younger — no questions asked.

Dorney Park soon will host “Summer Nights,” an immersive Caribbean and Latin American celebration offering authentic food and entertainment.

Environmentalists say the Lehigh River is the cleanest its been in 175 years. A river snorkeling program at Lehigh Gap Nature Centers encourages residents to explore their local waterways and track river health.

Dozens of residents came out to support a private, publicly used recreation facility that was constructed without a permit and against zoning laws in Lower Macungie Township.

President Joe Biden nominated Montgomery County Judge Gail Weilheimer to a judicial vacancy in the U.S. District Court's Eastern District of Pennsylvania. U.S. Rep. Susan Wild said more attorneys from the Lehigh Valley ought to be considered for the postings.