Lehigh County News

A Whitehall Township commissioner hopes to persuade Coplay Borough Council on Tuesday night to dedicate a street in honor of hometown football star Saquon Barkley.

Zero tolerance on fireworks: “If we just kind of let people light things off, someone's going to get hurt or killed," Bethlehem Police Chief Michelle Kott said.

Two votes last week — by Allentown City Council and the U.S. Supreme Court — made it a difficult one for advocates for homeless people in Allentown.

The inaugural Firefighter Appreciation Picnic was held Sunday at Ontelaunee Park in New Tripoli. It was hosted by the Northwestern Lehigh Firefighter Foundation.

Lehigh Valley Humane Society opened up to the public Friday, allowing potential pet parents, budding volunteers, and other community members to explore everything they have to offer.

Food trucks, carnival rides by AEB Amusements and live music will be present each day as local organizers seek to expand on last year's "Community Day" event.

On July 1, the YMCA of Bucks and Hunterdon counties will merge with the Greater Valley YMCA in Pen Argyl to form the River Crossing YMCA.

Teamsters Local 773 approved a new contract that awarded employees raises, more sick days and better contributions toward their health care costs, said union President Dennis Hower.

The first annual KidsPeace Dodgeball Tournament was held Thursday. It raised money for the Orefield-based nonprofit, which provides behavioral and mental health services to children.

All but one member of the joint Technical and Coordinating Committee of the Lehigh Valley Transportation Study voted to approve.

The Lehigh County Board of Elections will hold a hearing Friday morning to determine the status of 519 mail-in ballot applications of former residents now living abroad. Under federal law, they are entitled to vote in federal elections under their last address, but state Sen. Jarrett Coleman said the county neglected to register them in a voter database.

The Gap Fire, which erupted Saturday near Route 248 in Lehigh Township, has drawn hundreds of firefighters over four days. Crews have gotten the upper hand and are now searching for and extinguishing hotspots, officials said.

Vietnam veteran and former Steelers running back Rocky Bleier was the keynote speaker at the Lehigh Carbon Community College veterans fundraising event at Glasbern Inn in Fogelsville on Monday night.

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate for president, is holding a rally at Muhlenberg College in Allentown on the final day of the presidential campaign. Election Day is Tuesday.

Around 10 p.m. Sunday, the evening operation was passed off to DCNR State Wildland Crews, the Lehigh Township Volunteer Fire Co. said on social media. A planned backburn was underway to stop the spread of a fire burning since Saturday.

Students who know him described former performing arts director Frank Anonia as a manipulative figure, but they said they were still shocked at his arrest on charges of secretly recording a student in a dressing room.

Pennsylvania's political landscape has shifted dramatically since the last election. Many counties have switched party majorities, which could influence the outcome of the upcoming election.

LCCC offers Class A Tractor Trailer training in as little as four weeks in day, evening or weekend classes.

The fire began early Saturday afternoon near Route 248 in Lehigh Township in Northampton County and burned through the night. Numerous aircraft and heavy equipment joined Sunday to help fight the fire, which was not yet been significantly contained. No injuries were reported.

Travel is expected to be tricky Monday afternoon as Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are expected to be in the area on the final day of the presidential campaign before Election Day.

The wife and sons of the late and former Allentown Fire Dept. Fire Marshal Jeffrey Tomczak had the remainder of their home mortgage paid off last week by a national organization that advocates for first responders and military veterans. Tomczak died in July from service-related cancer at age 44.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer came to Allentown in support of 7th Congressional District candidate Ryan Mackenzie Saturday during a last push for Republican support in Pennsylvania.