Northampton County News

The financially flush campaigns are a stark contrast from traditional school board races, where candidates rarely spent more than $250 while campaigning for the unpaid offices.

Parental rights are on the agenda in school races as moms versus moms battle for control to set policies on book restrictions, bathrooms, transgender students and teaching history.

Nazareth school board members said they want to review the current regulations for reviewing books, concerned it's a slippery slope. Reviewing all books submitted to the district could cost more than $100,000.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

The Northampton County Department of Parks and Recreation on Friday held a free program for residents about the world’s only flying mammal, bats, at Louise Moore Park, 146 Country Club Road in Lower Nazareth Township.

The school board is expected to vote next week on a request by Moms for Liberty to ban a book. Three other written requests have also been filed.

Memorial Library of Nazareth and Vicinity hosted a children's storytime hour sponsored by the Northampton chapter of conservative group Moms for Liberty.

Former candidate Anna Thomas is taking another run at the 137th House District seat, announcing her run on Oct. 13, 2023.

Limiting the influx of warehouses into Lower Nazareth Township is the key issue for all three candidates for Lower Nazareth Township Board of Supervisors.

The Kellyn foundation aims to bring healthier, more accessible food options to people in the area. Their mobile farmers market goes all year round and now they are working with local farms to help grow their operations.

Flood, a Republican, won a third term Tuesday night representing northern Northampton County in the state House of Representatives.

Several of the Lehigh Valley's state lawmakers are ucontested in the 2024 general election. That means they're shoe-ins for victory.

Northampton County officials said extra voting machines were delivered to help alleviate the crush at the Banana Factory in South Bethlehem. It was an extreme example of a scene playing out on Election Day across the Lehigh Valley as voters waited hours in line to cast their ballots.

The Gap Fire, which erupted Saturday near Route 248 in Lehigh Township, has drawn hundreds of firefighters over four days. Crews have gotten the upper hand and are now searching for and extinguishing hotspots, officials said.

Nazareth Borough Council chose to table a potential ban on backyard chickens, ducks, and other fowl so their legal committee could review the matter, after dozens of chicken supporters spoke out during their Nov. 4, 2024 meeting.

Around 10 p.m. Sunday, the evening operation was passed off to DCNR State Wildland Crews, the Lehigh Township Volunteer Fire Co. said on social media. A planned backburn was underway to stop the spread of a fire burning since Saturday.

Pennsylvania's political landscape has shifted dramatically since the last election. Many counties have switched party majorities, which could influence the outcome of the upcoming election.

The fire began early Saturday afternoon near Route 248 in Lehigh Township in Northampton County and burned through the night. Numerous aircraft and heavy equipment joined Sunday to help fight the fire, which was not yet been significantly contained. No injuries were reported.

Firefighters battling a blaze on Blue Mountain expressed gratitude to the community for an abundance of donations — so many that they have advised people to hold onto their contributions as they have reached capacity for storage.

Travel is expected to be tricky Monday afternoon as Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are expected to be in the area on the final day of the presidential campaign before Election Day.

A three-mile stretch of Route 611 between Northampton and Monroe counties will reopen Tuesday morning. Portland Borough business owners say the protracted shutdown has crippled business.

The race to represent northern Northampton County in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives pits a newcomer to politics against an incumbent Republican seeking her third term in Harrisburg.