Northampton County News

As 2023 draws to a close, lehighvalleynews.com offers a retrospective of a variety of stories about people, places and things that make the Lehigh Valley special.

Northampton Area Board of Education said it would have been on the hook for about $9.5 million if construction contracts were cancelled for a new elementary school.

Chances are, you'll still be able to find a tree, it just might take a little extra work — and you might want to get it soon. Roger from Unangst Tree Farms explains the ins and outs of why this problem, a decade in the making, is now causing tree farms and stands to sell-out when it's barely December.

The Upper Nazareth Township Board of Supervisors Wednesday voted against rezoning land for a new industrial park next to Nazareth Area Intermediate School. Representatives for the developer said they may try again in the future.

Three Republican school board members are now part of the panel governing Nazareth schools, including two endorsed by the Moms for Liberty Northampton County chapter.

A state mandate requiring schools to identify sexual content in books could cost Lehigh Valley school districts significant time, money and resources.

Jeff Dailey was a 2004 graduate of Notre Dame High School and held its all-time scoring record for almost 20 years. He died in a fire in 2007 while attending East Stroudsburg University. On Friday night, hundreds turned out to pay homage to his legacy and family.

On display are Baez's guitars, artwork, personal letters and other items on loan from the singer.

Most unofficial election results remain the same in Northampton County, but one school board race has shifted after nearly all emergency ballots were counted Thursday.

While moderate Republicans and Democrats prevailed in most races, two Moms for Liberty candidates won seats on the Nazareth Area school board in Northampton County.

Committees overseeing community development in Bethlehem Township have been busy this week, sending one plan to commissioners and looking for more on another.

Lower Saucon Township residents may end up with the chance to vote on leadership during the fall 2023 election, allowing two terms of four years per representative, effective in 2025.

Lehigh Carbon Community College and Northampton Community College received money from the Pennsylvania Department of Education to help adults learn English.

The council voted 3-2, approving the preparation of a new landfill ordinance, all while the original proposal is under court review.

Prosecutors say they are seeking the death penalty against a man accused of stabbing four University of Idaho students to death late last year.

The Good Work Farm in Upper Nazareth Township is the most recent preservation project by the Northampton County government — 250 and counting. Pennsylvania leads the country in preserved farmland.

LANTA is taking steps to improve the frequency of routes on its main lines. Some riders say it's still not good enough. The transit authority, however, says even after just one week it's noticing improvements.

The Bethlehem Township Planning Commission will review a sketch plan regarding the William Penn Highway property on Monday. The plan calls for 256 apartments, 13 buildings and a pool.

Part 1 of 3: The Lehigh Valley LGBT Community Archive tells the story of the LGBTQ community in the Lehigh Valley. The archive's earliest records go back to the spring of 1969, when the local homophile organization Le-Hi-Ho was formed.

Catasauqua, East Allen Township, Hanover Township, North Catasauqua and Northampton Borough have spent years crafting a joint development plan on how to best steer development within their borders. Allen Township, though, isn't participating.

The industrial waste discharge permit between the city of Bethlehem and Bethlehem Landfill is set to expire June 30. Experts demand more thorough water testing as well as accountability from the landfill.

Lightning is the confirmed cause of a fire that destroyed an Allen Township apartment building on June 16, according to a top fire official.