Lehigh County News

Nearly 800 students at Southern Lehigh's Joseph P. Liberati Intermediate School spent a week learning to write, address, and mail handwritten letters through the Dearist literacy program — sending holiday messages to local seniors, veterans and nonprofit groups.

"Too many families are discovering that their gift was emptied by a scammer before it was ever used. We should not allow criminals to take advantage of this season of generosity," State Sen. Lisa Boscola said.

The Whitehall-Coplay School District held its third annual Zephyr Holiday event at the Burlington store in Whitehall. Twenty-four elementary and middle school students from challenged families were given $200 gift cards to shop for holiday gifts for family members. Members of area law enforcement accompanied the children during the event.

The Lehigh Valley is projected to have significant increases in employment and population up to 2050.

The zoo held a ribbon-cutting at the Fred & Anne Jaindl Family Barnyard and St. Luke's Children's Hospital Playground Wednesday, marking the completion of phase one of its Children's Activity Area project. The two spaces now are officially open to the public.

Alfeni Romero-Tavares, 23, and Joel Garcia-Paulino, who turns 23 on Thursday, Dec. 4, both of Allentown, had preliminary hearings on felony counts of homicide and conspiracy to commit homicide and a misdemeanor charge of tampering with evidence.

The winners, a married couple from Berks County, have served as Berks County 4-H leaders for more than 30 years as well as helping with the Lehigh County 4-H Livestock Club.

In addition to board officer elections, four new school directors were sworn in Tuesday after having won their seats last month.

Celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz, who now leads the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, is scheduled to speak Friday during the Lehigh Valley Healthcare Summit. Local transgender advocacy groups are urging officials to cancel it.

Whitehall Township's proposed budget includes the first real estate tax increase since 2019. Township commissioners are expected to vote on the spending plan next week.

Upper Macungie planners recommended preliminary approval to a plan for 132 residential apartment units and a daycare facility. It would be located at 8739 Hamilton Blvd.

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) reached an affiliation agreement. The two have worked together before, but the healthcare providers say this will ensure patients get the care they need closest to home.

South Whitehall Police Chief Glen Dorney requested the purchase of four new Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles. But commissioners had questions about the long term benefits of the new model.

Lehigh Valley Breathes, a Valley-wide effort, aims to measure air quality. From the collected data, officials said they will make recommendations for improvements.

Lower Macungie Township is getting $250,240 for traffic signal improvements by PennDOT's Green Light-Go program — part of a series of upgrades on major roads in the Wescosville area.

A new Wawa may come to 1810 PA Route 309 in South Whitehall. The plan first came before the township in 2021, but the developer needed to revise its design.

Up to $1 million in PennDOT funds are headed to the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission for a study of Route 22. The highway is among the most traveled in the region, hosting nearly 110,000 vehicles per day according to the LVPC

Rosalyn Glass, 39, and Rianna Glass, 16, died of "sharp force injuries" Sept. 14 inside Rosalyn's home in North Catasauqua, according to authorities. Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek ruled the cases homicides, but investigators say the public is not in danger.

Released Tuesday, results from Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion’s National Surveys on Energy and the Environment show Americans want to prevent future global warming, and also believe adaptation to climate change will require major lifestyle changes.

Pennsylvania State Police continue to investigate last week's double homicide in North Catasauqua. A search warrant filed in district court revealed new details in the investigation.

Members of United Auto Workers Local 667 have voted nearly unanimously to authorize a strike against Mack Truck Lehigh Valley if a new contract is not reached by Oct. 1.

Lehigh Valley's Long-Range Transportation Plan got its first scutiny at a meeting at the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission on Monday. The project is a $5.36 billion investment in more than 500 road, bridge, trail and transit projects throughout the Lehigh Valley over the next 25 years.