Parkland News

The Parkland School Board has officially entered its post-election era, but the directors still have one more two-year seat left to fill.

The township Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Monday to approve the final 2024 budget, which keeps the property tax rate at 0.6 mils. The budget accounts for three new staff positions, large building projects and increased funds to the township’s volunteer fire companies.

The North Whitehall Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Monday to table, or delay the vote on, the preliminary plan for 55-plus residential community Strawberry Acres.

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.

South Whitehall Township will host its first Municipal Open House on Wednesday, Dec. 13 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event will have light refreshments, including coffee, hot chocolate and cookies. There will also be giveaways of informational packets and flyers.

A proposed business park in Schnecksville would have an AutoZone along with a Wawa and a medical office building, the developer confirmed Wednesday.

North Whitehall's Planning Commission on Tuesday reviewed a plan for the proposed Rising Sun Subdivision, which would have 116 single-family homes on about 100 Acres.

Upper Macungie Township has announced several new indoor programs for this winter, including Zumba, youth soccer, arts classes and a science camp. Several of these classes have been offered outdoors during other seasons, but have never been offered during the winter months.

The alleged double homicide of 16-year-old Rianna Glass and her mother Rosalyn Glass motivated Parkland School District resident Rachel Farrow to advocate for more education about teen dating violence and abuse.

The South Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners is looking to put an open space tax referendum on the November 2024 ballot. Lower Macungie Township recently passed a similar referendum.

Newly-elected Lehigh Valley State Sen. Jarett Coleman has dropped a lawsuit he filed last year against the Parkland School District that sought to invalidate teacher pay raises. The trial over Sunshine Act breaches was scheduled to take place this week.

The USDA report does not include information about which commercial turkey farms were affected, but Jaindl recently reported an outbreak of the disease.

ALDI opened its newest location at 3235 Hamilton Blvd. in South Whitehall Township Thursday.

RDM Group presented a sketch plan for a 49,320 square foot warehouse at the Upper Macungie Township planning commission meeting.

Seeing Eye puppies are bred to be guide dogs for their blind future handler, and in order to do their jobs, they need to be exposed to as many different environments as possible — including the inside of an ambulance.

Michael Wolk resigned from South Whitehall's Board of Commissioners because of his family's decision to relocate.

Republican Jarrett Coleman will replace longtime incumbent Pat Browne as Pennsylvania's 16th District state senator.

The biggest expenditure in the proposed budget is township building renovations, including renovations to the municipal building.

Shankweiler's, the country's oldest drive-in theatre located in Orefield, is under new ownership. It will resume its 2022 season this month, with a grand reopening planned for the spring.

Upper Macungie Township’s proposed 2023 budget does not change the real estate tax. It does includes a $15 increase to the refuse and recycling rate.

The proposed 2023 budget for South Whitehall Township would increase water and sewer bills for residents.

Economy, abortion and the future of democracy in focus as Jill Biden headlines event at Muhlenberg College with US Reps. Susan Wild and Madeleine Dean.