Lehigh County News

The pickup truck lost control near 12th and Vultee streets in Allentown and hit a fire hydrant, utility pole and the Lehigh Valley Logistics building at 1801 S. 12th St., according to state police.

Nearly 800 students at Southern Lehigh's Joseph P. Liberati Intermediate School spent a week learning to write, address, and mail handwritten letters through the Dearist literacy program — sending holiday messages to local seniors, veterans and nonprofit groups.

"Too many families are discovering that their gift was emptied by a scammer before it was ever used. We should not allow criminals to take advantage of this season of generosity," State Sen. Lisa Boscola said.

The Whitehall-Coplay School District held its third annual Zephyr Holiday event at the Burlington store in Whitehall. Twenty-four elementary and middle school students from challenged families were given $200 gift cards to shop for holiday gifts for family members. Members of area law enforcement accompanied the children during the event.

The Lehigh Valley is projected to have significant increases in employment and population up to 2050.

The zoo held a ribbon-cutting at the Fred & Anne Jaindl Family Barnyard and St. Luke's Children's Hospital Playground Wednesday, marking the completion of phase one of its Children's Activity Area project. The two spaces now are officially open to the public.

Alfeni Romero-Tavares, 23, and Joel Garcia-Paulino, who turns 23 on Thursday, Dec. 4, both of Allentown, had preliminary hearings on felony counts of homicide and conspiracy to commit homicide and a misdemeanor charge of tampering with evidence.

The winners, a married couple from Berks County, have served as Berks County 4-H leaders for more than 30 years as well as helping with the Lehigh County 4-H Livestock Club.

In addition to board officer elections, four new school directors were sworn in Tuesday after having won their seats last month.

Celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz, who now leads the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, is scheduled to speak Friday during the Lehigh Valley Healthcare Summit. Local transgender advocacy groups are urging officials to cancel it.

Lehigh County Clerk of Elections Tim Benyo said his office contacted law enforcement after determining an organization turned in hundreds of faulty voter registration applications.

Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign is making a final push to rally supporters and win votes in Allentown after former President Donald Trump rolled through the city this week.

Lehigh and Northampton counties are in a drought watch due to persistently dry weather. The Lehigh County Authority is asking residents to start conserving.

The "political convoy" is scheduled to occur Sunday afternoon starting at Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays in North Whitehall Township and head south toward the Allentown area before heading back to the target-shooting facility.

A red flag warning is issued when the risk of fire danger is highest. The warning is in effect until 7 p.m. Friday.

The U.S. Drought Monitor on Thursday showed all of the Lehigh Valley in either “moderate” or “severe” drought.

More than 2.1 million Pennsylvania voters have been approved for a mail-in ballot this election, down from the 3 million ballots requested in 2020. Democrats saw the steepest drop, allowing Republicans to increase their share of mail-in ballots.

Over-the-counter voting continued in Lehigh County on Wednesday after a judge granted a motion by the Lehigh County Board of Elections to extend in-person voting at the elections office until 5 p.m.

Donald Trump held a campaign rally before a packed house at the PPL Center in Allentown — a city with a large Puerto Rican population. He said he had done more for Puerto Ricans than any president in American history.

Former President Donald Trump holds a campaign rally at the PPL Cener in downtown Allentown

A Lehigh County judge granted a motion by the Lehigh County Board of Elections to extend in-person voting at the elections office at the Lehigh County Government Center in Allentown until 5 p.m. Wednesday.

The Lehigh County Authority approved its 2025 budget on Monday, highlighting numerous projects for next year, along with rate increases for water and sewer services.