Lehigh County News

The North Whitehall Township Planning Commission voted Tuesday to recommend waiving the land development approval process for a proposed new barn at the Lehigh Valley Zoo.

Impaired driving is among the most persistent threats to road safety in the Lehigh Valley, according to two of the region's chief prosecutors. Lehigh County recorded about 1,750 impaired-driving cases in 2024, up almost 42% over the past five years.

Courts weigh the benefits of punishing drivers for their actions and helping them recover from underlying issues that may have led them to drive impaired, according to the region's chief prosecutors.

Lehigh County Judge Melissa Pavlack on Monday ruled that Whitehall Township Commissioner Thomas Slonaker did not file a statement of financial interest with the township prior to the March 11 filing deadline, rendering his ballot for treasurer/tax collector invalid.

The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission’s Environment Committee on Tuesday reviewed plans to update sewage infrastructure in two municipalities.

National politics often makes headlines, but former Bethlehem mayor Bob Donchez says municipal government impacts its residents more. This week on Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell dives into what goes on inside local government with Donchez.

Lehigh Gap Nature Center from Feb. 14-16 held its annual Lehigh Gap Area Feeder Watch. The long-term research project focuses on monitoring winter bird populations.

Increased stress due to everyday life, like politics or the economy, coupled with habitual, risky behaviors distracting the driver from the road, can create a slippery slope, ripe for crashes, experts said. Plus, those risky behaviors are far more common than the average driver would think.

Organizations such as colleges, local governments and non-profits are encouraged to apply for funding under Congress's Community Project Funding program. The Lehigh Valley has secured tens of millions in funding through federal discretionary spending in recent years.

The Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital on Monday received a check in the amount of $114,676 from Spirit Halloween, a national costume retailer, for its Child Life Program. The amount increased the retailer's donation to the program over $1 million since 2012.

The Lehigh County jail has held two voluntary mass clinics with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine since May, putting shots into 322 arms. Corrections Director Janine Donate said now they’ve switched strategies: they are waiting until they get enough inmates interested - about four or five - to use up a vial of vaccine.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - A recent proposal from Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley would provide free legal counsel to renters who are behind on payments. It…

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey is rallying votes in Washington for the Better Care Better Jobs Act.

Tropical Storm Ida passed through our region Wednesday, dumping up to 8 inches of rain in some places.

The Supreme Court ended the federal moratorium on evictions last week.

Joe Martellucci, the administrator of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Services for Lehigh County, said the opioid epidemic is far from over, despite the end of the state’s opioid emergency declaration.

The Allentown Police Department is hoping to expand a program that could reduce some interactions with law enforcement and help connect people with social services.

Pennsylvania saw another spike in COVID-19 numbers Monday with more than 9,000 new cases reported over the weekend.

On Aug. 26, Lehigh County revealed its $505 million budget proposal for 2022. Executive Phil Armstrong’s budget proposal calls for no property tax increase for residents next year.

More than half of all renters in the region are considered “cost-burdened” according to data from the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission.

At Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC), fewer students are signing up for classes this semester, even when compared to fall 2020.

The rapid fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban surprised a lot of Americans.