Lehigh County News

Democrat Sarah Fevig and Republican Patrick Leonard are running to represent Lehigh County's District 5 on its board of commissioners.

Southern Lehigh school directors will vote on the final version of a proposed generative artificial intelligence policy at their Oct. 27 meeting.

The voter registration deadline to vote in the Nov. 4 election is Monday, Oct. 20, while the last day to request a mail-in ballot is Tuesday, Oct. 28.

Former Allentown police officer Jason Krasley was charged with stealing more than $5,000 in May 2019 as he and other Vice and Intelligence Unit officers searched a barbershop. Separately, Krasley still faces several other charges, including rape, sexual assault and prostitution.

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie led the field in political fundraising for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District over the past three months. Democratic candidates Ryan Crosswell and Bob Brooks were not far behind, each raising more than $300,000 over the same time period.

Gov. Josh Shapiro's office says without the federal payments for SNAP — the food stamp program — more than $366 million in monthly benefits could be put on hold starting Nov. 1. The federal government shutdown is in its third week.

Sketch plans for an athletic complex for Allentown Central Catholic High School were reviewed by the Whitehall Township Planning Commission on Wednesday night.

Applications are open for the second Good Farmer Award U.S. Officials are looking for farmers with less than 10 years of experience who exemplify sustainable farming practices while contributing to community and environmental health.

Lehigh County executive candidates Josh Siegel and Roger MacLean met in a debate Wednesday night hosted by Lehigh Valley Public Media in Bethlehem. Siegel argued the next executive needs to have big plans for the office, where MacLean positioned himself as offering more stability.

Plans for a 190,400-square-foot distribution facility along Main Street received unanimous conditional final approval from the Whitehall Township Planning Commission on Wednesday night.

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.