Lehigh County News

Jefferson Health has 32 hospitals and 65,000 employees — numbers that were bolstered last year by the acquisition of Lehigh Valley Health Network.

Center officials on Thursday opened the doors of its visitor and education center to highlight the building’s sustainable features. The Osprey House is an example of the opportunities nonprofit organizations can realize when it comes to energy efficiency, officials said.

Southern Lehigh Superintendent Michael Mahon remains on administrative leave following public criticism of his performance from the school board president last week.

The large blast that echoed through parts of the region Wednesday night was connected to the disposal of improvised explosive devices, a member of Allentown's bomb squad confirmed.

A rehabilitation project on the Route 873 Lehigh Gap Bridge, which connects Washington Township, Lehigh County, and Lehigh Township, Northampton County, begins Thursday.

Alan Doyle's music is heavily influenced by his Irish heritage and the Celtic sea shanties, filled with the sounds of accordions, whistles, fiddles and barons. He will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 6, at Musikfest Café at ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks in Bethlehem.

The contract extension makes Barkley, the former Whitehall High School star, the highest-paid running back in NFL history.

Concerns over an inadequate number of parking spaces have stalled approval of a townhomes and single-unit homes development project at Rural Road in Whitehall Township.

The inaugural meeting of the PA Road Salt Action Working Group was held Tuesday afternoon. The group aims to reduce salt pollution as well as promote responsible road salt application practices statewide.

The South Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners on Wednesday are expected to appoint former South Brunswick (N.J.) Township Police Capt. Frank J.C. Lombardo as chief of police. Lombardo would fill the vacancy created when Chief Glen Dorney resigned in March.

The Lehigh Valley's public transit system says it will have to cut service by 20 percent and boost fares by 25 percent without additional state funding — something that Gov. Josh Shapiro has called for but that lawmakers will have to approve.

In this week's episode of Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick talk about the Lehigh Valley's "packed primary" and the highly contested races to keep an eye on.

Drivers who have been ticketed for school bus camera violations say the process to contest them needs to change. PennDOT said thousands of citations across seven Lehigh Valley school districts are still awaiting hearings.

Lehigh County Authority officials in mid-April sent the Kline’s Island Sewer System, or KISS, regional wastewater plan for municipal review. It's the next step in a years-long process to make much-needed upgrades to wastewater infrastructure.

More than 48,000 people have requested a mail-in ballot in Lehigh and Northampton counties ahead of Tuesday's primary election. Even if thousands of those never get turned in, it should mark an increase from the 2021 local primary.

Republicans Roger MacLean and Mike Welsh have spent less than $8,000 combined on their race. Meanwhile, their Democratic opponent Josh Siegel has amassed more than $180,000 in his war chest. The primary election is Tuesday, May 20.

About 9,000 fans watched Cosmic Baseball at Coca-Cola Park on Friday night. The game pitted Tri-City Chili Peppers and GloMojis wearing glow-in-the-dark uniforms and caps illuminated by UV light.

Twelve billboards have been posted in and around the city, several at high-traffic areas like Route 22, Interstate 78 and the turnpike. They’re part of a campaign from More Perfect Union.

The funding — totaling $3.4 million across 23 counties — is part of the Fresh Food Financing Initiative. It follows the cancellation of $13 million in contracted funding through the USDA’s Local Food Purchasing Assistance program.

Cuts to Medicaid reimbursements could harm Lehigh County residents and create a budget gap, a new report from the county controller's office found.

Two area community colleges are expanding their dual enrollment programming, which enables high school students to better prepare for college and careers. The Pennsylvania Department of Education awarded $14 million in Dual Credit Innovation Grants to 15 public institutions of higher education to increase their programming.

Lehigh County's board of commissioners voted narrowly Wednesday to grant a LERTA tax break for a property in Emmaus set to become 144 apartments.