Lehigh County News

Tuesday served as a preview of the political campaigns to come as candidates filed paperwork to appear on the April primary ballot. Voters will decide races for president, Congress and the General Assembly among others this year.

Whitehall Township commissioners selected new member Rob Piligian after several votes during a meeting Monday night, just shy of the deadline to do so.

A change.org petition opposing the new mascot chosen by the Whitehall-Coplay School District has attracted more than 1,200 signatures. The mascot, named Big Z, is so named in honor of the school name Zephyr, which was also a train that once ran through Whitehall Township.

Candidates for president, Congress, the General Assembly and Pennsylvania's row offices must file their petitions with the state by Tuesday. Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley could be a critical swing region at both the national and state levels.

One area of potential concern at the Allentown State Hospital had been the presence of dioxins in the soil. Dioxins are a group of toxic chemical compounds that take a long time to break down in the environment, and can cause health problems in people.

With an inconclusive prediction, Sunday's Super Bowl is up in the air — according to the Lehigh Valley Zoo's otters. The zoo in Lehigh County hosted its Otter Bowl XIII, which drew hundreds of spectators Saturday.

It’s a special year for cicadas, insects known for their high-pitched mating songs. Two adjacent broods are expected to co-emerge for the first time in 221 years. Here's the next time they emerge in the Valley.

Allen Issa, a former congressional aide and Penn State Law student, endorsed Maria Montero for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District race.

South Whitehall planners Thursday reviewed a plan for a new medical office for Aesthetic Surgery Associates. The practice would relocate to the new building from its current location at 250 Cetronia Road.

Stanley cups have skyrocketed in popularity, following other trends in reusable drinkware. But, fads like these can encourage overconsumption, experts said.

The Emmaus Memorial Triangle is set for a major facelift after veterans group secured enough donations to see their vision come to life.

Whitehall Township's Zoning Hearing Board approved variances for a building's height and driveway width, part of an intended 190,400 square foot distribution facility.

Lehigh Valley Health Network and Capital Blue Cross rolled out a new mobile dental unit in Lehigh Valley. The van is equipped with two dental chairs to see children who need oral health care.

The Borough of Emmaus, after multiple meetings of discussion and refinements, has passed a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance, or LERTA, program for borough properties.

A developer’s plans to build a 150,400-square-foot warehouse along Route 100 moves on to Upper Macungie Planning Commission meeting on Wednesday night.

September is National Preparedness Month, an annual campaign by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to raise awareness about the importance of emergency preparedness for homes, businesses and neighborhoods.

There seems little chance that a lawsuit Allentown City Council brought against Mayor Matt Tuerk this month will be settled without a court battle. Each side told LehighValleyNews.com they'd settle out of court — if the other side caves.

A Lehigh University graduate last year recorded a new species of mushroom at Wildlands Conservancy's South Mountain Preserve.

The League of Women Voters of Lehigh County will hold a meet-and-greet from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, at the Active Life Center senior center at 1633 Elm St. in Allentown.

The program of mental health professionals and trained volunteers makes contact with families reeling after a loved one's suicide. The group has responded to 20 of 22 suicides in Lehigh County so far in 2024.

How to assist the homeless and food insecure in Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley was the central message the New Bethany Souper Day Fundraiser luncheon at ArtsQuest Center on Friday.

Upper Macungie Township held a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday for a $47 million Lifestyle Community Center to be built at Grange Park.