Lehigh County News

There's two new candidates in the Allentown School Board race and one in the Southern Lehigh School board race.

It could take two weeks to fix operational issues at Kline’s Island Wastewater Treatment Plant on Union Street. Officials described the sewer odor as an ‘"earthy" or "rotten egg" smell, but said it is not harmful to human health.

The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission is seeking public comment for its 25-year, $4.39 billion Long-Range Transportation Plan until October 6

Rep. Mike Schlossberg, D-Lehigh, has proposed a law that would require developers to conduct detailed impact studies on major projects. Supporters acknowledged it needs work while opponents argued it would hamper economic development.

Emmaus Borough Hall is returning to 28 S. 4th Street after over $5 million in extensive renovations that began in December 2021, with the first meeting set to take place Tuesday night.

Silk Lehigh Valley held an open house at its new location in Allentown. It is a drop-in program for LGBTQ youth ages 14 to 29 that is part of Bethlehem-based nonprofit Valley Youth House.

Total attendance figures won't be released until later in the week, but they likely were helped by a week of splendid weather. The six-day fair started last Wednesday and wrapped up, as usual, with the demolition derby at the grandstand on Labor Day.

The Great Allentown Fair's final day is Monday. Sunday hosted the Barnyard Olympics, a homemade chocolate cake competition and a Keith Urban concert.

Former Allentown City Councilman Josh Siegel, now a state representative, accepted two tickets from the Lehigh Valley IronPigs to see the Philadelphia Phillies take on the Houston Astros at last fall's World Series. The gift may have violated the city's Code of Ethics.

Under Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong's proposed budget, local property owners would pay an average of $768.10 in county taxes. It's Armstrong's fifth proposed budget without a tax hike in six years.

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.

"I would love to have a weekend free of crash-related deaths, and I am certain families would appreciate their loved ones returning home safely," Lehigh County Coroner Dan Buglio said Friday.

More than a month past the budget deadline, Lehigh Valley state Sens. Jarrett Coleman and Nick Miller offered little optimism a deal was around the corner.

The proposal will be the subject of a committee-of-the-whole meeting at 6 p.m. Aug. 13 in City Hall.

In June, North Whitehall supervisors rejected plans for a 500,000-square-foot warehouse called Nexus 78. The proposal could return from the dead, after developers filed a land use appeal in Lehigh County Court.

Between delayed state funding and federal cuts, Second Harvest Food Bank does not have enough food to meet demand, its leaders say.

Allentown's 111th annual Romper Day celebration was held at J. Birney Crum Stadium on Monday night. About 400 students who participated in the summer playground program exhibited skills including dance and calisthenics.

Lehigh Country Controller Mark Pinsley criticized President Donald Trump and U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie for gutting the social safety net and Democratic leaders for failing to offer effective resistance.

The first weekend of August was a deadly one for motorcyclists in the Lehigh Valley, with three fatal crashes reported in Northampton and Lehigh counties.

Tenants at Oak Hollow Apartments in Bethlehem say significant rent increases are forcing them to look elsewhere for housing. The increases reflect market rates, according to the complex's owner. A housing advocate says renters throughout the Lehigh Valley are experiencing similar situations as housing costs rise and inventory stays low.