Lehigh County News

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.

Known as "tranq" on the streets, an animal tranquilizer named xylazine infiltrated drug supplies throughout Pennsylvania since 2019. Its presence in the Lehigh Valley has grown, with deadly consequences.

WLVR's Brad Klein talks with Bethlehem's Backyard Astronomy Guy, Marty McGuire about planetary viewing in this week's Watching the Skies. Leading into the first week of July, viewers can snag a better view of the planet Mercury just after sunset.

The airport will get $940,000 from the state to update facilities in the Multimodal Transportation Center and airport terminal.

Allentown has a new training center for firefighters and its first-ever emergency operations center. The building was dedicated to Christopher Kiskeravage, the department’s retired assistant chief for training and South Whitehall’s fire commissioner.

Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin said Dominick Hogans ran from police and then shot at them July 24, 2023. Officers were within their rights when they returned fire, fatally shooting him nine times, Martin said.

Conservative voters walked away impressed with Vivek Ramaswamy's performance in Wednesday's Republican presidential debate, but most still pined for former President Donald Trump.

A Lehigh County report found "systemic overdiagnosis" of medical child abuse, formerly known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy. People came to the Lehigh County Commissioners meeting and said LVHN has falsely accused many of the disorder.

Valley Youth House's Camp Fowler may soon operate year-round with a new recreation center. North Whitehall planners reviewed a sketch plan for the building Tuesday.

Lehigh Valley Planning Commission's comprehensive planning committee approved a review of a planned welcome center on DeSales University's campus Tuesday afternoon.

Officials from the Borough of Macungie reviewed a presentation from the Lower Macungie Fire Department about what fire coverage would look like under the nearby company in response to concerns about their current coverage.

Alburtis residents have faced excess truck traffic and property damage after nearby warehouses were built. A new road extension may alleviate some of the issues.

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.