Parkland News

Thomas Johns was sworn in to the South Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners on Tuesday after being elected on Nov. 7. Johns previously served on the board for eight years, from 2010 to 2018.

The Upper Macungie Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to make newly-elected supervisor Jeff Fleischaker the chairman of the board at its meeting Tuesday.

South Whitehall Township Police Department no longer has any vacancies after six new officers joined the department Tuesday.

The North Whitehall Board of Supervisors on Tuesday granted approval for a new recreation center at Valley Youth House's Camp Fowler. It will be called the Carter Family Center.

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.

The South Whitehall Board of Commissioners held interviews for eight candidates for the vacancy on Thursday, but decided to delay the decision for another meeting.

The Winter Light Spectacular features 1.2 million lights in holiday displays, fire pits for s’mores, hot chocolate and live performances by princesses Anna, Elsa, Belle and Cinderella.

The 75,000-square-foot St. Luke’s Sportsplex features more than two dozen indoor courts and almost the same number outside.

The South Whitehall Board of Commissioners is seeking applications to fill a vacant seat. The current commissioners will conduct public interviews with applicants at a special meeting on Dec. 28, then vote to appoint one of them.

The Upper Macungie Planning Commission reviewed a sketch plan for renovations and expansions to Trexler Travel Center on 5829 Tilghman St.

Plans for a 105 single-family home land subdivision along Rising Sun Road received a recommendation for preliminary final approval from the North Whitehall Township Planning Commission.

North Whitehall Township Planning Commission voted Tuesday to reject Gene Weierbach's contention that a zoning ordinance pertaining to an auto repair shop operating in a residential zone is unconstitutional.

A Lehigh County judge has denied a request by Francis Anonia, the former Parkland School District performing arts administrator, to suppress videos allegedly recovered from his cell phone during an invasion of privacy investigation by county detectives.

On Thursday, one of the final pieces of timber was placed atop an outer wall of the $47 million, 188,000-square-foot, multi-functional indoor facility under construction at Grange Park.

A Lehigh County judge heard arguments Monday in a case that will decide whether a 501,000-square-foot warehouse will rise on 71 acres near Route 309 and Orefield Road.

The $68 million, five-building expansion to the existing high school at 2700 N. Cedar Creek Blvd. will be voted on for final approval by the township board of commissioners in January.

The submission proposing the construction of 2.6 million square-feet of data center facilities closely aligns with Air Products' existing plan for warehouses on the 194-acre property.

Specifics for the plan are still under wraps as Upper Macungie Township is processing the application. The proposal would develop the data center at the former Air Products headquarters on Hamilton Boulevard.

Parkland School District officials on Monday presented early estimates for their 2026-27 budget. It includes a $20 million deficit, and could lead to a tax increase next year.

State Sen. Jarrett Coleman, R-Lehigh/Bucks, introduced the bill in 2023 after a student brought a knife to Schnecksville Elementary School. Parents didn't learn of the incident until a week later.

Parkland Superintendent Mark Madson, Assistant Superintendent Michelle Minotti and Chief Financial Officer Leslie Frisbie were awarded five-year extensions on Tuesday, the district said in a news release.

Parkland's school board voted unanimously Tuesday to stop payments to charter schools until a state budget is in place.