Parkland News

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.

The North Whitehall Township Zoning Hearing Board announced neonatal kitten rescue Foxy's Cradle violated zoning regulations during a meeting held Thursday, Dec. 20.

The Parkland School Board appointed David Ellowitch to fill the vacant two-year seat left by state Sen. Jarrett Coleman’s resignation.

KidsPeace, which provides behavioral and mental health services to children, collected about 1,400 toys for its 12th annual Angel Tree holiday gift drive.

The Upper Macungie Zoning Hearing Board on Wednesday approved plans for a 60-foot tall, 326,859 square-foot building expansion to Americold Logistics’ cold storage warehouse at 7150 Ambassador Drive.

A new hospital in the St. Luke’s University Health Network is now open. The ribbon was cut on the orthopedic hospital Wednesday and patients will start being seen at the South Whitehall Township location next week.

Upper Macungie supervisor and former township staffer Kathy Rader had her final meeting with the board Thursday. Rader first joined the board in 2006, and she worked for the township from 1985 to 2016.

Upper Macungie's Board of Supervisors adopted the 2024 budget on Thursday. The property tax millage rate will stay at 0.64, but the refuse and recycling fee will increase by $30.

South Whitehall Township residents will not have to pay more in township taxes next year, but the waste collection fee will soon increase.

The hearing featured more public comment and closing statements from the parties in the case.

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

Cetronia Elementary held a rally Friday to educate the kids on the impact and importance of the Super Bowl each year as the area readies to cheer on the Philadelphia Eagles.

Allentown native and three-time Grammy Award-nominated jazz singer, Denise Donatelli, recalls how the music of legendary composer Burt Bacharach she first heard as a teenager inspired her to record an album of his songs. Bacharach died Wednesday at age 94.

WLVR's Brad Klein spoke with Parkland area reporter Olivia Marble about the issues at play and the atmosphere at the meeting as residents spoke on a proposed recovery house near Cetronia Elementary.

Some spoke about the need for recovery houses, and others spoke about the potential harm it could bring to the children.

South Whitehall Township officials and North Whitehall residents were concerned about a section of the southern part of the township that is marked for industrial development in the plan’s potential future land map.

South Whitehall residents will likely be able to comment on the proposed recovery house next to Cetronia Elementary at Thursday's hearing. LehighValleyNews.com was invited into a recovery house ahead of the hearing.

North Whitehall staff will begin a trial period of a 9-hour 4-day week on Feb. 20. The municipal office will be closed on Fridays during the trial.

Concerts on the Grange, a two-day music festival featuring tribute acts portraying Elton John, Billy Joel, The Doors and The Grateful Dead, will be May 12-13.

Renovations to the North Whitehall Township municipal building could cost $4.9 million, according to initial plans for the project.

ArtsQuest, the organization that annually presents Musikfest in Bethlehem, has announced it will offer a music festival and other events in Upper Macungie Township this summer.