Lehigh County News

Lawmakers in Harrisburg passed nearly three dozen laws last week in a final burst of action as they held their last voting session of the year.

Silk Lehigh Valley has to move from its location in the Hamilton Business Center after Allentown inspectors deemed the building an "immediate risk to human life” earlier this month.

Monsignor John P. Murphy headed St. Thomas More Church in Allentown for more than 40 years. He died Friday at age 86, according to the Diocese of Allentown.

Lehigh County Courthouse is expected to reopen a week after fire sprinklers damaged the building's electrical system Tuesday night.

The South Whitehall Board of Commissioners is seeking applications to fill a vacant seat. The current commissioners will conduct public interviews with applicants at a special meeting on Dec. 28, then vote to appoint one of them.

The Upper Macungie Planning Commission reviewed a sketch plan for renovations and expansions to Trexler Travel Center on 5829 Tilghman St.

It might seem counterintuitive, but harvesting holiday trees year after year is better for the environment than using an artificial one, experts said, especially amid the proliferation of plastic piling up in landfills.

The new position will appear on the ballot in 2025. The Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas had one of the higher caseloads for counties of its size.

Officials on Wednesday reviewed several preliminary transportation policy strategies for the Valley's priority climate action plan. The plan’s focus is to reduce carbon emissions from transportation, a significant driver of greenhouse gas emissions across the region.

More than three dozen projects in the Valley were awarded grants, receiving about 7% of the total funding awarded. Statewide, $335 million in grants were announced Wednesday.

LVPC officials said the footprint of a 100,000-square-foot warehouse proposed for Lowhill Township should be reduced for its impact on infrastructure and natural resources.

The industrial and transportation sectors are responsible for the largest share of the Valley's greenhouse gas emissions. The findings will form the foundation the next project, a regional Comprehensive Climate Action Plan.

The Allentown School Board approved metal detectors last year for the district's three high schools and J. Birney Crum Stadium. A public meeting is set later this week for middle school safety plans and input.

A joint enforcement detail over the weekend specifically targeted an unsanctioned car meet, a state police public information officer confirmed.

The township is in the midst of adding playgrounds to two of its parks as it also updates signs and tennis courts

Republicans have seen their numbers swell in Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley, but they still lag behind the total number of registered Democrats in the state and region.

September is recognized as a time to pay homage to service dogs and the guidance they provide. Lehigh County commissioners approved a resolution in support of guide dogs and their handlers.

LehighValleyNews.com reporters got an exclusive look inside the Salisbury Township mansion at 3015 Barrington Lane that'll soon be up for auction. Here's what they saw inside.

The document highlights the current state of land and resource management in the township, and outlines action items of how they can be conserved while still moving the economy and life of its residents forward.

The Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley will hold its first Nonprofit Impact Conference on Oct. 23 at Wind Creek Bethlehem. The event will give nonprofit staff the chance to connect, network, and discover new resources.

Leaf-peeping season is right around the corner in the Valley, moving from north to south as temperatures drop into fall across the commonwealth. Here's why the region could see an earlier, shorter season.

Chris Kiskeravage served in the Allentown Fire Department from 1996 to 2019 before his death from occupational cancer last June. His service included 15 years as assistant chief of training.