Lehigh County News

The 21st Century program is to help students with academic support and art and music enrichment.

In a map released Thursday, nearly the entire state of Pennsylvania was designated as “abnormally dry” by the U.S. Drought Monitor. The status is a precursor to drought and is likely to worsen over the next couple of weeks.

Upper Macungie Township is asking for community feedback during its review of the township's zoning ordinance and SALDO.

The mobile stroke unit at Lehigh Valley Health Network is expanding its reach with a new partnership. The specialized ambulance will now assist first responders in part of Berks County with neurological emergencies.

The Emmaus Arts Commission's Paint-A-Hydrant program has now given a new artistic life to nearly 80 hydrants throughout the Borough of Emmaus

The program started with 60 students in 2019, but the numbers have fallen off in the wake of the pandemic.

Nearly three dozen residents attended the May 25 meeting to hear about current grant-funded plans to redo sidewalks in sinking and poor conditions on Lockridge Lane, East Second Street and Roberts Street. The grant-funded project will make the sidewalks ADA compliant.

The school board will develop and vote on a new dress and grooming policy next for the 2023-24 school year.

Gavin Holihan, the Democratic and Republican nominee for Lehigh County district attorney, said he hopes to find resources to assist underserved families so at-risk kids today don't become victims or defendants a decade from now.

South Whitehall Commissioner Brad Osborne is launching a new radio show called Good Morning Lehigh Valley on May 30.

The results of the 2023 citywide greenhouse gas inventory are in. The project was part of Penn State’s Local Climate Action Program.

Lehigh Valley lawmakers have continued to raise concerns about traffic safety in the area. On Tuesday, Sen. Jarrett Coleman announced that PennDOT would designate Route 22 a safety corridor, which should be a step toward traffic safety, a PennDOT representative said.

Brenda Rodriguez, 51, of Palmerton is charged with criminal solicitation/criminal homicide and conspiracy-aggravated assault in the shooting death of her husband, Hector Manuel Garcia Gomez, 46, of Palmerton on Dec. 7.

Continued economic growth for the Lehigh Valley was predicted during at “Sizing Up 2025: Lehigh Valley Economic Outlook” at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks on Tuesday. The event, presented by Truist and the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, featured speakers who shared a positive economic picture of the Lehigh Valley and the nation.

Nassim Younes suffered a traumatic brain injury in the accident Jan. 4, 2002, according to the coroner, who ruled his death an accident.

Authorities applied for the warrant after the employee declined to provide a voluntary DNA sample Jan. 14 during an interview with an FBI agent, according to court documents.

PPL Electric Utilities' President Christine Martin says Pennsylvania needs to allow changes in the energy sector or risk widening the gap between between supply and demand for consumers.

Applications are open for the DCNR's Community Conservation Partnerships Program. Funding supports projects to develop new parks, rehabilitate existing spaces and protect vital natural habitats.

A farm in Lehigh County has tested positive for HPIA, according to a news release Monday from the state Department of Agriculture. A response team is in place and the farm has been quarantined, officials said.

Joshua and Tracy Dechant were charged Sunday with two felony counts each, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan said in a release.

State officials announced the theme for this year’s annual tick-themed art contest, “Protect. Check. Remove.” Last year, there were no winners in the Lehigh Valley.

Emmaus is one step closer to remediating two of its PFAS-contaminated wells. PFAS are also called "forever chemicals" because they are slow to breakdown in the environment and are linked to a variety of health issues.