Lehigh County News

The tax and spending plan drew praise from Republicans for lowering taxes and funding border security, but Democrats condemned it for slashing Medicaid coverage and raising the deficit.

In a move that Santander Bank said aligns with the financial institution's digital shift nationwide, seven Lehigh Valley branches will be sold to Community Bank. Branches will remain open and employees will be offered continued employment during the transition, which is expected to complete by the end of the year,

South Whitehall Township's board of commissioners voted Wednesday to purchase upgraded radios for first responders in the township through a five-year payment plan provided by Lehigh County.

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.

Allentown's Redevelopment Authority is applying for up to $2.5 million that could be used to rehab 10 single-family homes for low-income residents.

Despite not being approved for human consumption, veterinary tranquilizers are infiltrating the illicit drug supply in Pennsylvania. Harm reduction specialists and health care professionals say these overdoses can't be approached solely with naloxone, the opioid overdose reversal drug.

Newhard Farms Corn Shed opened Tuesday for sweet corn sales. While it opened a few days later than in recent years, there's expected to be a good supply this season.

The bill would limit the manufacture, sale, distribution and use of firefighting foam containing PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, beginning in 2026.

Xylazine, an animal-grade tranquilizer that's not approved for human use, has taken Pennsylvania's illicit drug supply by storm. Known on the streets as "tranq," it accounted for almost 1 in 4 overdose deaths in Pennsylvania by 2023. Last year in Lehigh County, it was a contributing cause of death in 20 of the 112 deadly overdoses, or 17.9 percent of cases.

The funding comes from the commonwealth’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program, a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Three suspects from two cases have been charged with scamming older Pennsylvanians; one of the victims is from Lehigh County. The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office is offering tips on recognizing and fighting scams.

This weekend is the 43rd annual Roasting Ears of Corn Festival, hosted by the Museum of Indian Culture. The two-day event will feature performances, cultural heritage demonstrations, artifact displays and more.

"PBS NewsHour" filmed a segment of “America at a Crossroads" at the PBS39 studios in Bethlehem. Former longtime PBS anchor Judy Woodruff fronts the series.

The severe storms and flash flooding of July 16 overwhelmed parts of the Slate Belt, Forks and Palmer townships and led seven Northampton County municipalities to declare disasters of their own.

Bethlehem City Council unanimously approved BPD to join other Lehigh County agencies to combat crime through the use of shared investigative data.

A judge ruled in favor of warehouse developer CRG Services Management Monday in a case against Lowhill Township, granting 'deemed approval' to a warehouse plan.

The new makerspace at Slatington Elementary School will help students learn STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) skills. It will primarily be used by an after school program called Schools & Homes In Education, or SHINE.

A Verizon cellular tower was approved at 6341 Chestnut St. in Upper Milford Township on the property of the Western District Fire Company after a heavily attended public meeting.

The combination of higher home prices and higher interest rates are making homes unaffordable for many — and putting a damper on the market.

$798,869 is set for a Turkey Hill Mini Market in Allentown off of I-78, Exit 57 and $727,420 is designated for a charging station at the Wawa off I-78 Exit 49 A-B

Dorney Park's upcoming new roller coaster Iron Menace is a multi-million dollar project that officials hope will bring attendance back to pre-pandemic levels.

North Whitehall supervisors chose a layout for the upcoming township building renovations Monday. The project’s estimated cost is just over $5 million.