Northampton County News

Monarch butterflies are starting to migrate through the Lehigh Valley. An annual tagging program, held at Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center, helps conservation efforts.

"67 Women, 67 Counties: Facing Breast Cancer in Pennsylvania' will be on display at the Bethlehem Township campus through Sunday, Sept. 22.

Testimony that will help a Northampton County judge decide if a lawsuit against the Bethlehem Landfill and Lower Saucon Twp. can move forward continued Friday, and will stretch into a third day.

Families who pay tuition for schooling are on the receiving end of more than $200,000. The Bridge Educational Foundation is giving scholarships to those who meet the income qualifications at two area schools.

The Tom JeBran Collection features a dozen rare electric Martin Guitars and amps. It will be on display until September 2025.

Debra Biro, Melanie Heilman, Steve Lynch and Richard Morea face charges of harassment following a raucous Northampton County Republican Committee meeting involving pornographic images.

Pennsylvania's 137th House District, based around Bethlehem Township and the Nazareth area, is one of the biggest toss-up legislative districts in the state. Democratic challenger Anna Thomas is embroiled in a rematch with Republican incumbent state Rep. Joe Emrick.

The Northampton County Elections Office said it has gotten several reports of county voters receiving text messages from "AllVote.com." It's at least the second text-based scam in the Lehigh Valley that county officials are aware of.

A 27-year-old driver from New York was charged with homicide by vehicle and related crimes in connection with the death of 67-year-old Susan Henderson, of Norristown, state police said. It happened on Hecktown Road in Lower Nazareth Township on Tuesday.

The Lehigh Valley's newest bagel shop is officially in full swing, holding its grand opening Wednesday Aug. 28. Customers have continuously raved about the bagel spot since its soft opening mid-July.

Proposals to increase the size and daily solid waste at the Grand Central Sanitary Landfill in Plainfield Township were reviewed by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission on Thursday night.

Proposals have been received by Lehigh Valley Planning Commission for work on Route 22 project.

With electricity costs jumping across the country, PPL has requested that the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission allow it to raise its rates. The PUC will hold public hearings and collect testimony as it considers it.

Two men face felony charges for stealing nearly $100,000 from Lowe's stores across the state. Investigators say the men used self-checkout kiosks to make purchases with their cell phones using information stolen from Lowe's customer accounts.

During Northampton County's first budget hearing of 2025, held Wednesday, county officials said they do not plan to provide the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission with all of the funding it requested.

Lehigh Valley Planning Commission's comprehensive planning commission approved plans to expand the Plainfield Township landfill site Tuesday.

State Sen. Lisa Boscola is proposing changes to the school bus camera arm bill to improve transparency, ensure timely hearings and make the enforcement process more reasonable for drivers while preserving the essential goal of protecting students.

The voter registration deadline to vote in the Nov. 4 election is Monday, Oct. 20, while the last day to request a mail-in ballot is Tuesday, Oct. 28.

A public hearing for Tax Increment Financing — a tax break for the Dixie Cup plant developers to pump money back into the project — drew substantial support at Northampton County Council even though one of the commissioners characterized it as "a payoff."

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie led the field in political fundraising for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District over the past three months. Democratic candidates Ryan Crosswell and Bob Brooks were not far behind, each raising more than $300,000 over the same time period.

Gov. Josh Shapiro's office says without the federal payments for SNAP — the food stamp program — more than $366 million in monthly benefits could be put on hold starting Nov. 1. The federal government shutdown is in its third week.

Northampton County human services workers will not be furloughed on Oct. 20, but may be furloughed at any time with a week's notice. County Executive Lamont McClure said Thursday he did not think a furlough would be necessary this year.