Lehigh County News

Local elections rarely get the same level of participation as presidential races, but the outcomes often have greater impacts on voters' quality of life.

Like all the other major cities in the Lehigh Valley, Allentown is a patchwork of neighborhoods, some with good tree cover and some without any. Officials plan to use a mapping tool as a starting point to make planting trees city-wide more equitable.

Former journalist Ann Wlazelek pays tribute to her mother in a new book.

Debates in the South Whitehall commissioners race have taken place on the candidate's Facebook pages. The posts have primarily debated candidate Ben Long's positions and campaign style.

Concerts on the Grange is a two-day music festival that continues at 5:30 p.m. today, May 13, with tribute acts portraying The Doors and The Grateful Dead. Tickets, at $22 and $34, remain available on the SteelStacks website.

Take a look at stories throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

The U.S. Department of Commerce has opened applications for the first round of the Regional Technology and Innovation Hub program. Rep. Susan Wild, author of the program, said the Lehigh Valley is the perfect candidate for the funding.

The mayors of Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton will participate in group bike rides for Lehigh Valley Bike to Work Week.

In its third year, Spring on the Farm is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. The free event includes a seedling sale, as well as other local vendors.

A program that started at Easton's Nurture Nature Center to protect area watersheds has already garnered state recognition. Now it's expanding.

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.

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.

More than 450 students from across Pennsylvania gathered for Aevidum Live, a conference focusing on speaking up about depression and suicide prevention, and encouraging others to help stop the stigma of mental health help.

Eric Mintel recently led an paranormal investigation at Miller Symphony Hall. It comes right before the second Bucks ParaCon, set for March 8.

The public sees construction crews break ground and manage traffic, but they often miss years of behind-the-scenes work such as acquiring rights of way, managing utilities and engineering. That's what's happening at Freemansburg Avenue and Farmersville Road.

At the Allentown Art Museum on Saturday, Dr. James Nangeroni was gifted a painting he entered into a Crayola children's arts contest when he was a third-grade student at Dodd Elementary in 1992.