Lehigh County News

Appearing on this week's Lehigh Valley Political Pulse with host Tom Shortell, Pinsley framed his campaign around what he described as “bread and butter issues,” arguing that rising costs remain the central concern for voters, and that corporate power is to blame.

Gov. Josh Shapiro's 2026-27 budget proposal falls back on familiar proposals to regulate skill games and legalize marijuana, two flashpoints that fueled a months-long budget impasse last year.

"The IronPigs will be concluding our naming rights partnership with Coca-Cola in September of 2027, as at that time our current agreement will come to its successful completion,” IronPigs President Kurt Landes said at a joint news conference Tuesday.

The rich got richer in Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District race at the close of 2025. Campaign finance reports show Ryan Mackenzie, Bob Brooks and Ryan Crosswell raised nearly $1.4 million while Lamont McClure, Carol Obando-Derstine and Mark Pinsley each saw their campaigns lose money.

A webinar Monday brought together regional planners, engineers and industry leaders to explain how data centers operate and what their growth could mean for local communities.

Lehigh County election staff are preparing new polling places and drop box spots for the Feb. 24 special election for the state's 22nd House District between Democrat Ana Tiburcio and Republican Robert Smith Jr.

The Lilly lab gives the school its second major corporate training partnership; LCCC is one of four centers in the U.S. that trains people to work in Amazon’s advanced manufacturing facilities.

Lehigh Valley Public Media is organizing the debate between Democrat Ana Tiburcio and Republican Robert E. Smith Jr. It will be held Thursday, Feb. 12, at Da Vinci Science Center in Allentown. The special election is Feb. 24.

Lehigh Valley native Sabrina Carpenter (shown performing at Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center in 2024), is nominated in six categories at Sunday's Grammy Awards. She has a chance to tie or break five Grammy records.

Yunior Peralta-Quintana, 23, of Allentown, was convicted Friday by a Lehigh County Court jury after a four-day trial before Judge Anna-Kristie M. Marks.

School directors unanimously approved the $78.9 million budget at their Monday meeting.

The federal tax and spending bill, dubbed by President Donald Trump as the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” includes eliminating electric vehicle tax credits after this year. Advocates called on senators to put them back.

In addition to the Kline’s Island Sewer System, or KISS, regional wastewater plan, committee members advanced the Lehigh Valley Hazard Mitigation Plan to the full commission.

If later approved by state lawmakers, the minimum wage in Bethlehem in particular would jump to $11 and would be increased incrementally each year thereafter as part of State House Bill 1150, officials said Tuesday.

Police said Amir Sims-Watson, 17, opened fire on a group of pedestrians in Allentown before robbing a woman at gunpoint at Trexler Middle School. Two other teens are charged in the shooting.

With the Lehigh Valley under an extreme heat warning through Wednesday, area doctors are urging residents to keep hydrated and stay cool.

School directors voted 5-4 to remove Emily Gehman as school board president. School director Stephen Maund was subsequently elected to serve out the rest of Gehman's leadership term, which ends in December.

The U.S. Senate could vote on the proposed One Big Beautiful Bill Act this week. If passed, millions of Americans would lose access to Medicaid and SNAP benefits in order to fund border security and tax cuts to wealthy Americans.

Allentown's Christopher Roldan-Solis, 14, died Friday morning from complications of drowning, according to the Lehigh County coroner.

The first day of summer can be told by the sun's position, as well as the calendar.

The Neighborhood Center and Andre Reed Foundation are partnering to kick off the season with an event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at 344 N. 7th St.

With the Lehigh Valley under an extreme heat warning next week, Allentown is offering free pool admission. Find out other ways to beat the heat.