Lehigh County News

An influx of residents and warehouses have made highways in Lehigh and Northampton counties more crowded. An analysis by LehighValleyNews.com finds some stretches of road have experienced increases of 40% to 50% in traffic volume, with Route 33 overtaking Interstate 78 as the region's second-busiest highway.

A recent bald eagle rehabilitation and release is a bright spot amid a dangerous time for bald eagles in the Lehigh Valley and the rest of the commonwealth. Bird flu continues to threaten wild bird populations, causing more than a dozen bald eagles to be euthanized across Pennsylvania.

A five-part series this week will explore traffic and transportation issues in the Lehigh Valley. Increasing traffic volume, dangerous driving and insufficient infrastructure are among the topics examined.

Justin Simmons, the former Republican state representative, was among three people who filed nomination papers last week to seek the party's nomination in the May 20 primary election.

The first-of-its-kind report, “Wildlife Corridors: How reconnecting habitats is protecting Pennsylvania’s native species," highlights 10 innovative wildlife corridor projects around the state.

The Lehigh Valley's only Muffler Man, located in Coopersburg, only continues to gain attraction as the years go by. This time, Giant Chip has secured a spot among the state's top "quirkiest" roadside attractions, alongside only one other Muffler Man in the state to make the list.

Democratic VIPs including U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin, DNC Chair Ken Martin and former U.S. Rep. Susan Wild attended the town hall at Cathedral Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem on Thursday night. The evening came with a rebuke to attendees from the church pastor.

At a virtual town hall Thursday, U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, said he did not support cuts to Medicare or Social Security, called for peace in Ukraine, and gently pushed back on how the Trump administration handled cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Things are looking up for the southern end of Lehigh County, officials agreed Thursday at an annual municipal update event at Penn State Lehigh Valley.

A four-hour forum on the prospects of passenger rail service returning to the Lehigh Valley after more than 45 years was held at Lafayette College on Thursday morning.

Former U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent hoped the attack on former President Donald Trump would lead to Americans softening the rhetoric that has consumed American election campaigns. A wounded Trump was whisked offstage as one spectator was shot and killed and two others were critically injured. “It’s a sad state of affairs for where our political system is right now,” said one Lehigh Valley lawmaker.

The position, budgeted for one year after the annual process turned contentious, focuses on creating and facilitating sustainability initiatives while capturing grant funding to cover the cost of related projects.

The Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission on Thursday unanimously approved the sale of PPL Tower in Allentown to Wilkes-Barre-based D&D Realty Group. The sale comes more than four months after PPL Corp. announced that its subsidiary, PPL Electric Utilities, had reached a tentative $9 million agreement to sell the building to D&D Realty Group.

The start of Lehigh Gap Nature Center’s annual hawk watch is just over a month out, and preparations are well underway. A tradition in its 64th year, volunteers count birds of prey as they migrate along the raptor "superhighway" in the Lehigh Valley’s backyard.

The plans reward full work weeks and filling in at moments of urgent need at the 911 Center, Jail, and Cedarbrook Senior Home.

The beer was flowing, the staff was polished and prepared, and food and drinks came with just the right cushion between appetizers and entrees at a soft opening event at the brand new Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant in Whitehall.

The Lehigh Valley's newest entertainment complex will open its doors at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 15.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission issued 19 recommendations for PPL Electric to improve upon, including fixing its poor customer service and restoring power to customers faster following an outage.

The Lehigh County Redevelopment Authority approved a contract between Elias Property Group and Synergy Environmental Group for $67,000 for an environmental study at the former Lehigh Valley Dairy site.

Covered Bridge Park visitors have been grilling along the banks of and inside of Jordan Creek, taking township picnic tables into the creek and placing tables and chairs in it — all actions that have contributed to an increase in police presence.

The $208 million will also produce 295 new union jobs, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey’s announcement said, though it’s unclear what cut of the funding the Macungie facility is getting or the number of new jobs expected locally.

State Sen. Jarrett Coleman, R-Lehigh/Bucks, is looking to force his predecessor, now Secretary of Revenue Pat Browne, to release tax returns about Allentown's Neighborhood Improvement Zone. Browne, who crafted the NIZ, has worked to keep the information confidential for five years.