Lehigh County News

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, downplayed President Donald Trump's proposal to slash $32.9 billion from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development following a tour of the Allentown Rescue Mission.

The Allentown Environmental Advisory Council on Monday discussed but did not vote on the draft letter, addressed to members of City Council.

Fellowship Community's revised sewage facilities plan for its expansion project can be submitted to the state for approval, Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners voted Monday.

Officials with the Lehigh Valley's transit authority said its new ValleyRide system can track a customer's ride history and apply the best fare deal based on their usage.

A recent ruling from Pennsylvania's Supreme Court seemingly marks a major shift in how DUI cases can be prosecuted, with the court ruling that if a driver hasn’t been previously convicted, the state can’t punish them as if they were.

Changes in fare collection are coming this month for LANTA bus riders in the Lehigh Valley.

Cupid Foundations Inc. opened its design studio, CupidIntimates, on West Lehigh Street in Bethlehem in 1987. It's still designing original shapewear that it manufactures and sells in department stores and other national retailers.

Dry Goods, a Davenport, Iowa, subsidiary of the family-owned Von Maur Department Stores, sells apparel, shoes, jewelry and accessories.

Farmers markets add to the local economy, driving tourism, officials said. Supporting them is also important for farmland preservation and strengthening community, advocates say.

“Cutting Edge: Inventive Nineteenth-Century Quilts” opens Saturday, Aug. 9. The new exhibit explores over 30 unique quilts from Arlan and Pat Christ’s collection and will run through Oct. 26. Admission is free.

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.

Take a look at stories throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

The U.S. Department of Commerce has opened applications for the first round of the Regional Technology and Innovation Hub program. Rep. Susan Wild, author of the program, said the Lehigh Valley is the perfect candidate for the funding.

The mayors of Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton will participate in group bike rides for Lehigh Valley Bike to Work Week.