Lehigh County News

Democrats in Lehigh and Northampton counties requested three times more mail-in ballots than their Republican neighbors for next week's primary election.

The budget includes a 2.5% increase to the millage rate, the biggest increase in seven years. The district would still have the lowest millage rate in Lehigh County.

The city's parking authority earned the 2023 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence for its Park Green program, a sustainability initiative.

PennDOT is replacing the 90-year-old Cementon Bridge thanks in part to $22.5 million in funding from the federal government. U.S. Sen. Bob Casey highlighted the improvements during a visit to Whitehall Township on Tuesday.

PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center on Tuesday released its “Dirty Dozen” report, a ranking of the commonwealth’s top climate polluters.

Three of the four incumbents are not seeking re-election to the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners this year. That leaves the Democratic primary — and future control of the board — wide open.

Partnership with the Lehigh County Conservation District, Pennsylvania Master Naturalist, and its certification course, aims to support local conservation efforts by providing education and hands-on experience for volunteers.

Mattel has marketed a Barbie doll that represents those with Down syndrome.

The IronPigs will host Memphis on Tuesday with the ABS system in use for the first time at home. It will call all pitches and transmit the results through an earpiece to the home plate umpire.

Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio is working to determine the identity of skeletal remains discovered by hikers in Canal Park in Allentown in April 1991. Forensic analysis has shown the remains to be an African-American male, aged 25-35 at time of death, who grew up in the South.

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.

A $6.4 million mansion called Ravenwood Manor caught fire just a day after being sold. Three years later, the owners have donated it to the local government, reportedly as a sign of gratitude for local emergency responders.