Lehigh County News

PennEnvironment's State of Renewable Energy 2025 ranks every state for the production of wind energy, solar power, energy storage and other metrics over the last decade, tracking growth.

Lehigh County Executive Phil Armstrong joins Tom Shortell on this week's episode of Political Pulse to explain how county government fills vital social service roles and what duties come with the county executive role.

Gemma, a fisher, has died, zoo officials announced Monday. She was an animal ambassador at the zoo for more than a decade.

Registered voters have until 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, to request a mail-in ballot for the May 20 primary election. In Lehigh and Northampton counties, the primary will be limited exclusively to registered Democrats and Republicans.

With passengers at Lehigh Valley International Airport and at other local airports, the compliance rate for REAL ID "has been extremely high," officials said. But for those without it, the phased enforcement "won't last forever."

State Sen. Lisa Boscola and and state Sen. Nick Miller, both Democrats, voted in favor of legislation that would prevent transgender athletes from competing in girls' sports. State Sen. Jarrett Coleman, R-Lehigh/Bucks, also supported it.

Elijah Patterson, 19, of Allentown, was found guilty of first-degree murder and other charges after a three-day Lehigh County Jury trial in March.

Said Township Police Chief Frank Lombardo, “The decisions that I make, while for the organization, will always be guided by my time on the street, which brought every type of experience a police officer could have.”

Mike Welsh and Roger MacLean are seeking the Republican nomination for Lehigh County executive in the May 20 primary election. They debated Wednesday at the Univest Public Media Center in Bethlehem.

Lehigh County Pension Board voted 4-2 to instruct its investment manager to immediately cease all new investments in Tesla. One county commissioner said Controller Mark Pinsley politicized the issue in an effort to grab headlines.

Republicans have long demonized mail-in voting in Pennsylvania, and experts say it's cost the party elections. Win Again PAC, formed by rivals Dean Browning and Lisa Scheller, is attempting to get irregular GOP voters to embrace the method and swing close races.

There's two new candidates in the Allentown School Board race and one in the Southern Lehigh School board race.

It could take two weeks to fix operational issues at Kline’s Island Wastewater Treatment Plant on Union Street. Officials described the sewer odor as an ‘"earthy" or "rotten egg" smell, but said it is not harmful to human health.

The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission is seeking public comment for its 25-year, $4.39 billion Long-Range Transportation Plan until October 6

Rep. Mike Schlossberg, D-Lehigh, has proposed a law that would require developers to conduct detailed impact studies on major projects. Supporters acknowledged it needs work while opponents argued it would hamper economic development.

Emmaus Borough Hall is returning to 28 S. 4th Street after over $5 million in extensive renovations that began in December 2021, with the first meeting set to take place Tuesday night.

Silk Lehigh Valley held an open house at its new location in Allentown. It is a drop-in program for LGBTQ youth ages 14 to 29 that is part of Bethlehem-based nonprofit Valley Youth House.

Total attendance figures won't be released until later in the week, but they likely were helped by a week of splendid weather. The six-day fair started last Wednesday and wrapped up, as usual, with the demolition derby at the grandstand on Labor Day.

The Great Allentown Fair's final day is Monday. Sunday hosted the Barnyard Olympics, a homemade chocolate cake competition and a Keith Urban concert.

Former Allentown City Councilman Josh Siegel, now a state representative, accepted two tickets from the Lehigh Valley IronPigs to see the Philadelphia Phillies take on the Houston Astros at last fall's World Series. The gift may have violated the city's Code of Ethics.

The Great Allentown Fair crowned its queen on opening night Wednesday, Aug. 30. Kamryn Fink, of Germansville, succeeded 2022 fair queen Allison Emanuel, of Laurys Station.

Under Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong's proposed budget, local property owners would pay an average of $768.10 in county taxes. It's Armstrong's fifth proposed budget without a tax hike in six years.