Lehigh County News

The tax and spending plan drew praise from Republicans for lowering taxes and funding border security, but Democrats condemned it for slashing Medicaid coverage and raising the deficit.

In a move that Santander Bank said aligns with the financial institution's digital shift nationwide, seven Lehigh Valley branches will be sold to Community Bank. Branches will remain open and employees will be offered continued employment during the transition, which is expected to complete by the end of the year,

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.

Six candidates -- 3 Republicans and 3 Democrats -- are vying for the Lehigh Valley's new state Senate seat.

Yorman De La Rosa ihas been named Lehigh County's first Community Liaison officer.

The Lehigh Valley has nearly made a full recovery from the pandemic, Cunningham said.

The club also hosted the event in 1992 and in 2000.

It will be the company's first manufacturing facility in the United States.

The authority plans to expand but that can't happen just yet.

The Lehigh Valley lawmaker says Pennsylvania should withdraw any investments tied to Russian assets.

Trout season opens across Pennsylvania on Saturday, April 2.

The two-year global health crisis has had a huge impact on young people's mental health.

Community Action Lehigh Valley has another $25 million to distribute and plans to ask the state for $15 million more.

Fire companies are also looking for ways to get more people to volunteer.

Lehigh County has its own bridge maintenance department but PennDOT performs routine inspections of locally-owned bridges.