Lehigh County News

Lehigh County Courthouse is expected to reopen a week after fire sprinklers damaged the building's electrical system Tuesday night.

The South Whitehall Board of Commissioners is seeking applications to fill a vacant seat. The current commissioners will conduct public interviews with applicants at a special meeting on Dec. 28, then vote to appoint one of them.

The Upper Macungie Planning Commission reviewed a sketch plan for renovations and expansions to Trexler Travel Center on 5829 Tilghman St.

It might seem counterintuitive, but harvesting holiday trees year after year is better for the environment than using an artificial one, experts said, especially amid the proliferation of plastic piling up in landfills.

The new position will appear on the ballot in 2025. The Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas had one of the higher caseloads for counties of its size.

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.

Held June 7 in Bethlehem, the Lehigh Valley Environmental Advisory Council Network’s “Funding Municipal Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Programs,” focused on federal and state funding opportunities available to organizations across the region.

A 35-year-old woman was shot and killed at a playground in the township on Tuesday, authorities said. Rami Abouloh, 41, has been charged in the incident, according to court documents.

Local experts say the Lehigh Valley is well prepared to knock down wildfires, but state data show those blazes are becoming much more common across Pennsylvania.

The Greater Lehigh Valley Realtors reported home sales dropped 22% in May — normally a busy season. Increased interest rates and tight inventory in Lehigh and Northampton counties were driving the figures, according to GLVR.

The projects focus on advancing land conservation and restoration, outdoor recreation, community revitalization through green infrastructure and environmental education.

The 2023 Alburtis Community Days, a sprawling event of activities and live music, is set to take place at the Alburtis Area Community Center on Saturday, driven by the community center's new board

The Lehigh County District Attorney's office brought a successful lawsuit against Lowhill Township, arguing they unlawfully appointed supervisor Curtis Dietrich.

Students struggle to return to brick-and-mortar schools after the pandemic, leading rise in home-schooling.

Members of the Allentown Juneteenth Committee raised a Juneteenth flag over City Hall on Sunday, the first of many events marking the holiday over the next week.

The Macungie Diner will be opening Monday, according to a message from its Facebook page

Chris Kiskeravage, the retired assistant chief for training in the Allentown Fire Department, died after a battle with cancer. Colleagues say his personality and wealth of knowledge made lasting impressions on those he instructed.

The company on Tuesday filed a notice of appeal to the Commonwealth Court, according to court documents.