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.

A proposal to construct a more-than-270,00-square-foot warehouse in Williams Township will advance to a review by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission on Thursday night.

While, according to township officials, the rate hike of 0.15 of a mill to 0.45 of a mill will result in roughly a $30 increase in tax per household, the new-year budget holds the real estate millage rate steady at 7.59 mills.

Wilson Area Schools' board of directors voted unanimously Monday to approve Harrison Bailey III, principal of Liberty High School in Bethlehem, as the district's new superintendent.

The project, beginning today, includes rebuilding the stream bank. Officials said increased public interest and use, climate change and more frequent high-water events have significantly eroded it.

Easton has confirmed their agreement with Comcast, which will eventually lead to a third option for internet and cable access for residents of the city.

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory mid-Sunday afternoon, warning of potential slippery conditions as mixed precipitation moves through the Lehigh Valley into early Monday morning.

To keep from dipping into cash reserves for new firetrucks at Bethlehem Township's two volunteer fire companies, the township's 2025 budget is outlined to triple fire services revenue with an increase in the associated millage rate from 0.15 of a mill to 0.45 of a mill.

The Lehigh Valley (Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton metro) not only made a significant jump in November’s Realtor.com Market Hotness rankings, it also held steady in the company’s 2025 forecast.

During the 2023-24 hunting seasons, a record-breaking 261,672 pounds of venison from 6,905 deer and six elk statewide was donated through Hunters Sharing the Harvest. Find out how much was donated in the Lehigh Valley.

Part of the DCNR Community Conservation Partnerships Program, the grants support projects to develop new parks, rehabilitate existing spaces and protect vital natural habitats. A dozen Lehigh Valley projects were funded.

The Blue Mountain fire, also called the Gap Fire, on Nov. 2 erupted in Lehigh Township. The fire, which grew from 150 acres to almost 600, took seven days of fighting before it was marked 100% contained.

Federal grants totaling $187,766 will go toward emergency shelter services, primary health care and more for the unhoused populations of Bethlehem and Easton.