Lehigh County News

Republicans balked at Gov. Josh Shapiro's $51.4 billion budget proposal Tuesday, saying the spending patterns did not align with Pennsylvania's financial realities. Lawmakers will debate the plan and determine its outcome.

Justin Simmons, who served a decade in the Pennsylvania House, is the first Republican to announce a bid for the county’s top job.

Ron W. Beitler is seeking reelection to the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners, he announced in a news release Tuesday.

At a North Whitehall Township Board of Supervisors meeting, residents showed up to voice concerns around the planned Nexus 78 project, and asked why they weren't being told more about it.

Whitehall Township Commissioners detailed an ordinance to initiate a referendum on the upcoming ballot to amend the township charter to eliminate the treasurer position.

Residents can comment on a draft of the 2025-2029 Pennsylvania Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, or SCORP, through March 3. There's a public input form, as well as scheduled webinars.

Three former Public Utility Commission chairmen say PPL is changing its tune on utility-owned generation. They say the Allentown-based utility company unnecessarily wants consumers to fund its power generation venture and profits.

David Isaiah Rivera, 26, was arraigned on charges alleging he fired at a group of people around 4 a.m. outside BKK Lounge, 1500 Union Boulevard, after a fight between two groups inside the club spilled into the parking lot.

A 32-year-old man died and three other people were wounded in a shooting in the parking lot of BKK Lounge, 1500 Union Blvd., early Sunday, according to Allentown police. It was the city's first homicide of 2025.

Many interchanges on Route 22 and Route 309 are badly outdated, leaving drivers to navigate increasingly unsafe roads. PennDOT has plans to address several of them, including trouble spots in Fullerton and Center Valley.

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.