Lehigh County News

Since it's not a presidential or midterm election, the 2023 municipal primary election may have snuck up on folks. If that surprises you, here are some other things you may not know about how our local elections are run.

Gavin Holihan, the uncontested candidate for Lehigh County district attorney, has been endorsed by incumbent Republican Jim Martin and Democratic County Executive Phil Armstrong, among others.

Three candidates for the local office said they focused on juggling campaign tasks around full-time jobs in the lead-up to the primary election. All were driven by a desire to educate voters and help people understand county government and its services.

They have been working without a contract since last summer and say they are overworked and short-staffed.

National issues are seeping into local races, turning elections into proxy partisan fights over race and gender.

Local elections rarely get the same level of participation as presidential races, but the outcomes often have greater impacts on voters' quality of life.

Like all the other major cities in the Lehigh Valley, Allentown is a patchwork of neighborhoods, some with good tree cover and some without any. Officials plan to use a mapping tool as a starting point to make planting trees city-wide more equitable.

Former journalist Ann Wlazelek pays tribute to her mother in a new book.

Debates in the South Whitehall commissioners race have taken place on the candidate's Facebook pages. The posts have primarily debated candidate Ben Long's positions and campaign style.

Concerts on the Grange is a two-day music festival that continues at 5:30 p.m. today, May 13, with tribute acts portraying The Doors and The Grateful Dead. Tickets, at $22 and $34, remain available on the SteelStacks website.

Last month, Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) had 73,128 passengers passing through the airport, a 3.6% increase from November of last year.

Grant Wahl, sports reporter, died from aortic aneurysm covering the world cup. A doctor from Lehigh Valley Health Network explains the signs and symptoms of the condition.

Representatives from the Lehigh Valley IronPigs and elected officials from across the region gathered on Friday to celebrate that the team will be able to complete mandated stadium improvements in time for the start of next season.

A three-car crash in Lower Macungie almost exactly a year ago has now resulted in several charges including homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence.

The borough council is set to approve the budget in the December 19th meeting.

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, perhaps the most powerful politician ever from the Lehigh Valley, made his farewell address on the Senate floor Thursday afternoon.

Lehigh County Commissioner Bob Elbich — a longtime volunteer firefighter — offered a somber memorial speech during the last commissioner meeting of the year.

A website, Fallen Firefighters of New Tripoli, details the men's lives, contains their obituaries and displays several photos. Funeral services are set for Saturday.

Existing charter schools and parents of charter students say for years they've asked the school board to expand the number of students who may attend them.

The Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce has committed to providing $100,000 to the needed stadium updates to Coca-Cola Park to ensure the IronPigs can play in the region next year.

English and social studies will eventually only have on-track and honors offerings going forward, despite students and teachers voicing opposition at recent school board meetings

Christopher Kammerdiener, 35, was a resident of the home in West Penn Township, Schuylkill County, where two firefighters died battling a blaze.