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.

The Parkland School Board recognized student Tushar Mehta after he was chosen as the 2022 Congressional App Challenge Winner for the 7th District.

“It’s clear that our safety culture and our investments in safety were not enough to prevent this accident," CEO Alan Shaw said. "We’re going to learn from it. We’re going to improve. And we’re going to make Norfolk Southern a safer railroad.”

Kevin Dellicker, a Republican who ran for the Lehigh Valley congressional seat, said federal investigators should look into the improper release of his military records.

A cardiologist from Lehigh Valley Health Network is raising awareness about a type of heart attack that can impact women in their 40s and 50s. She says knowing the signs could save a life.

The proposed new roller coaster project at Dorney Park cleared another hurdle by receiving unanimous approval from the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission on Tuesday afternoon.

The new route will fly from LVIA to Denver International Airport, with flights beginning June 15 with one-way fares as low as $59.

While Trader Joe’s has previously said it does not have any specific formula or demographic requirement for where it open new locations, the Lehigh Valley seemingly has not fit within its plans. Could that be changing?

North Whitehall supervisors voted to fund them at their meeting last week, and South Whitehall has received a grant to help cover the cost.

CBD shops are open around the Lehigh Valley, but some may not know what the substance is used for.

DeSales University welcomed two members of the Pennsylvania Department of Education on Friday as it announced the state's awarding of two grants totaling nearly $200,000 to benefit projects in its education department.

In 1986, Louie Belletieri took over the business his parents founded in 1958 and ran Louie's Italian Restaurant until it closed four years ago.

After some ups and downs, the South Whitehall planners recommended preliminary/final approval to plans for the new ride.