Lehigh County News

With SNAP benefits delayed in November and the holidays approaching, Lehigh Valley residents can help or get help. Here's where to find food pantries, volunteer opportunities, and donation info.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, has organized a food drive while pinning the ongoing government shutdown on Senate Democrats. SNAP benefits that help feed millions of low-income Americans are hours away from expiring.

The United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley and the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation have launched a $500,000 fundraising campaign to strengthen food access and deliver rapid relief to families in need.

In the Lehigh Valley, 105,000 people rely on SNAP benefits for food assistance. One in four of them is a child. When federal safety nets falter, the charitable food network becomes the community’s last line of defense. It requires collaboration, leadership and shared purpose.

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press has filed an emergency motion in Lehigh County Court requesting that a judge unseal documents in at least 22 criminal cases tied to an interstate drug ring. Among the defendants is Lehigh County Commissioner Zach Cole-Borghi.

Ahead of Election Day, Political Pulse host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick break down what to expect, including the races to keep an eye on.

A proper complement of 31 personnel each shift and at least one new fire station are needed given current on-the-job conditions and an increase in service demand, according to new staffing-study data from International Association of Fire Fighters Local 735.

Renter mobility — or those moving place to place — dropped by 23.2% between 2018 and 2023, putting the Lehigh Valley at No. 104 out of 105 of America’s Move-Easy Hotspots.

On average, each commuter in the Allentown–Bethlehem–Easton area lost 36 hours to gridlock in 2024 and burned 12 gallons of fuel idling on congested roads, according to the 2025 Urban Mobility Report.

At a workshop meeting Monday, Lower Macungie officials reviewed plans for a commercial development along Route 100, including the region's first Sprouts Farmers Market.

Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk, along with local legislators and officials, on Thursday morning held a news conference focused on energy efficient programs frozen due to cuts enacted by President Donald Trump and the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency.

Obadiah Whack, 31, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and possession of a prohibited firearm, in the Sept. 29, 2023, death of Giselle Trabal, 35, at 628 N. Law St.

Commissioners voted to award a contract to Construction Masters Services LLC, of Berks County, whose $534,859 bid was the lowest of three firms that submitted proposals.

South Whitehall Township Commissioners advanced a transportation plan Wednesday identifying six priority areas. They represent specific locations where commissioners said crash history and roadway conditions warrant immediate action.

It's Earth Month, and there are many opportunities to get involved. Here are the events scheduled in the Lehigh Valley.

Allentown's climate action plan survey is live. When completed, the city will be the third of the Lehigh Valley’s major cities to create a climate action plan.

The Whitehall-Coplay School Board is considering a request to start a varsity girls wrestling program.

In addition to the coroner’s office, the Coopersburg Police Department, the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office and the Lehigh County Crash Team also are investigating.

During National Library Week, local libraries celebrated their community role amid uncertainty. A federal order to shut down the Institute of Museum and Library Services threatens essential funding for many library programs.

A pedestrian died early Sunday after he was hit by a tractor-trailer in Coopersburg, according to authorities.

The temporary closure of Water Street in Whitehall Township to address traffic calming measures is close but undetermined, Mayor Joseph J. Marx Jr. said.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, who joined Congress in January, has been a vocal advocate for President Donald Trump while quietly testing the limits of his support in the battleground district of PA-7.