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.

Incumbent Terry Houck and challenger Stephen Baratta each made their case to voters in a contentious town hall. Houck is in the final year of his first term. Baratta retired after 25 years as a county judge to run for the top prosecutor job.

Bethlehem Township Planning Commission reviewed on Monday night a preliminary plan for a proposed 34-room hotel, restaurant, spa, and banquet complex at William Penn Highway and Bethman Road.

PennDOT is tackling 37 major projects worth more than $700 million in Berks, Carborn, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton and Schuylkill counties this year.

Lehigh Township police were called June 29 to a Lehigh Township home, where they found a 67-year-old man dead from multiple gunshot wounds, according to officials.

As part of a yearlong investigation, The Associated Press obtained the data points underpinning several algorithms deployed by child welfare agencies to understand how they predict which children could be at risk of harm.

The students of Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts in Bethlehem are planning a mental health awareness social media campaign.

Goblies Throwable Paintballs and Play Paint are now on shelves in Target and online. The Bethlehem-based products were created by Lehigh University grad Briana Gardell.

The alleged scheme netted over $70,000.

The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission on Thursday voted to accept recommendations of its Comprehensive Planning Committee for a Bethlehem apartment complex and three area warehouses.

One advocate at Wednesday night's Easton City Council meeting compared the practice to a "partial amputation," similar to a human's fingers being cut off at the knuckles.

Respective legal teams met for some additional discussion. The next scheduled hearing will take place Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tracy Piazza has worked in the district for more than 30 years.