Lehigh County News

Whitehall Township commissioners selected new member Rob Piligian after several votes during a meeting Monday night, just shy of the deadline to do so.

A change.org petition opposing the new mascot chosen by the Whitehall-Coplay School District has attracted more than 1,200 signatures. The mascot, named Big Z, is so named in honor of the school name Zephyr, which was also a train that once ran through Whitehall Township.

Candidates for president, Congress, the General Assembly and Pennsylvania's row offices must file their petitions with the state by Tuesday. Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley could be a critical swing region at both the national and state levels.

One area of potential concern at the Allentown State Hospital had been the presence of dioxins in the soil. Dioxins are a group of toxic chemical compounds that take a long time to break down in the environment, and can cause health problems in people.

With an inconclusive prediction, Sunday's Super Bowl is up in the air — according to the Lehigh Valley Zoo's otters. The zoo in Lehigh County hosted its Otter Bowl XIII, which drew hundreds of spectators Saturday.

It’s a special year for cicadas, insects known for their high-pitched mating songs. Two adjacent broods are expected to co-emerge for the first time in 221 years. Here's the next time they emerge in the Valley.

Allen Issa, a former congressional aide and Penn State Law student, endorsed Maria Montero for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District race.

South Whitehall planners Thursday reviewed a plan for a new medical office for Aesthetic Surgery Associates. The practice would relocate to the new building from its current location at 250 Cetronia Road.

Stanley cups have skyrocketed in popularity, following other trends in reusable drinkware. But, fads like these can encourage overconsumption, experts said.

The South Whitehall Board of Commissioners on Wednesday waived the land development review requirement for a Tesla charging station at the Wawa at 408 S Cedar Crest Blvd., near Dorney Park.

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.

The Lehigh County Office of the Public Defender is set to host its fifth “Community Outreach Day” from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in the parking garage at Seventh and Walnut streets.

Lehigh Carbon Community College is now offering an accelerated program to get nursing students to a higher degree faster. The program is offered through a partnership with an online institution.

Allentown school board is considering whether Raub Middle School would benefit from a $1.2 million grant where several community groups would work with at-risk middle school students over two years, under a proposed plan.

The Borough of Emmaus Planning Commission received updates on projects, including the long-delayed Turkey Hill reconstruction on the corner on Chestnut and 6th Street as plans for a new car wash move forward.

Lowhill supervisors voted to deny the table plan for a warehouse at 2766 Route 100. The warehouse would be about 312,000 square feet on 43 acres.

The bill, spearheaded by state Rep. Mike Schlossberg, would dedicate American Rescue Plan money to training mental health care providers, creating more suicide prevention programs and supporting specialty courts.

South Whitehall has a new policy that outlines the process for implementing speed reduction measures in the township.

The students get to study a master and work to produce art inspired by his or her genius

State House Democrats approved adding $1.7 billion more education spending, including more money to the poorest districts. The final budget will be negotiated with Senate leaders and the governor's office.