Lehigh County News

The Lehigh Valley ranks as the eighth-highest industrial market in the U.S., it was disclosed at a Lehigh Valley Planning Commission roundtable meeting on Friday.

The planned closure affects a roughly 12-mile stretch of the Northeast Extension in Carbon County.

Joshua Ortiz, 28, of Allentown, had pleaded guilty April 22 to attempted murder — a first-degree felony — in the June 4, 2023, incident in the parking lot of AutoZone, 1871 S. Fifth St., Allentown.

South Whitehall Planner Gregg Adams is retiring on June 30 after 25 years with the township. Adams helped steer the township through two comprehensive plans and the Ridge Farms controversy.

North Whitehall Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a revised plan of the Rising Sun subdivision, which would have 110 single-family homes on about 100 acres at 1321 Rising Sun Road.

People in the Lehigh Valley are struggling more to pay for essentials such as rent, food and health care compared to the rest of Pennsylvania, according to a study by the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley.

A new 26-page report, "Preserving Pennsylvania's Bridges," by The National Transportation Group says a significant number of the state's bridges have surpassed or are approaching 50 years old, and new funding is needed to prevent significant issues in deterioration.

South Whitehall Board of Commissioners unanimously approved an agreement between the township and Dorney Park to try to address traffic concerns on Hamilton Boulevard near the park.

With more than two dozen species of fireflies that call Pennsylvania home, it’s no wonder one was adopted as the state’s insect. But, these flashy insects are threatened due habitat loss and light pollution.

The City of Allentown held a Juneteenth Block Party celebration at Center Square on Tuesday, commemorating the last bastion of slavery in the U.S. in 1865.

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.

Known as "tranq" on the streets, an animal tranquilizer named xylazine infiltrated drug supplies throughout Pennsylvania since 2019. Its presence in the Lehigh Valley has grown, with deadly consequences.

WLVR's Brad Klein talks with Bethlehem's Backyard Astronomy Guy, Marty McGuire about planetary viewing in this week's Watching the Skies. Leading into the first week of July, viewers can snag a better view of the planet Mercury just after sunset.

The Clean Trucks PA Coalition report identified more than 600 schools, childcare centers, playgrounds and parks near major roadways and trucking corridors across the state.

In the past four years, Lehigh and Northampton counties each saw a roughly 3% population increase, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data released Thursday.

Check out a roundup of activities, places, and times to see the fireworks as the Lehigh Valley celebrates Independence Day.

The district will consider the addition of a new assistant superintendent role focused on special education programming.

In the spirit of Shakespeare, Saturday's celebration will feature entertainment for all ages, including musical performances by the Allentown Symphony Orchestra, alpaca and ponies, and a student-led Latin band.

A regionwide wastewater plan and a hazard mitigation plan both advanced with staff review approvals by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission on Thursday night.

The Lehigh Valley Greenways Mini Grant Program awarded grants to 12 organizations and municipalities this year.

A new study released by the nonprofit group TRIP found that about a third of the Lehigh Valley's local roads are in poor condition. About 26% of Pennsylvania's local roads earned the same rating.