Jason Addy
Allentown Area reporterI cover Allentown and have worked for news outlets in Pennsylvania, Chicago and Minneapolis since graduating from Penn State. It’s great to be much closer to home — I was born and raised in Lehighton — and I’m excited to help share Allentown’s stories. If you've got an idea, I want to hear it. You can reach me any time at jasona@lehighvalleynews.com.
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Fire Marshal Jeff Tomczak died from cancer last week, more than a year after he was diagnosed with cancer. His funeral is scheduled for Saturday morning in Lansdale. -
Kumari Ghafoor-Davis has served as an adjunct professor of sociology and social work for more than two decades.
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Allentown's Zoning Hearing Board approved a scaled-back proposal for a group recovery home, though two members admitted they weren't in "love" with all aspects of the plan.
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Officials are working to develop a comprehensive strategy to address a housing crisis, one that could deepen with Lehigh Valley the fastest-growing region in Pennsylvania.
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Allentown City Council members unanimously backed a ballot question that — if approved by voters — would open the door for the deed-transfer tax to be raised for the first time in decades.
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Taxpayers will foot the bill for lawyers on both sides if issues between Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk and council end up in court.
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Mayor Matt Tuerk is set to attend an event hosted by the vice president this week. But it’s unclear whether Kamala Harris will be there after officially launching her presidential campaign Tuesday.
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Lehigh Valley planning officials on Tuesday suggested the city install physical barriers, including curbs and walls, between the road and plaza to ensure pedestrians' safety.
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A building at 1021 Turner St. in Allentown has not been used for more than 30 years, according to city records. Plans call for the structure to be turned into a six-unit apartment building.
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The resolution declares that homelessness is not a crime in Allentown, but it does not stop Allentown police from enforcing any regulations against people without housing.
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Allentown City Council is set to hold a public hearing Dec. 6 on the new zoning overlay district. Members are likely to approve it at their meeting that starts after the hearing.
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Nadeem Shahzad said Mayor Matt Tuerk forced him to step down in mid-August after he didn’t fire another employee. Tuerk fired that employee Nov. 20 "based on his belief that she was a troublemaker,” according to Shahzad.
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A developer is going back to the drawing board after the Allentown Zoning Hearing Board was reluctant Monday to approve its plans for a 445-unit self-storage facility.
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A mostly vacant warehouse in East Allentown could be converted into 36 apartments.
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City Council members this month unanimously approved a new quarter-century lease — at $1 a year — for the museum in the Little Lehigh Parkway.
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An expansion of the state’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate program “delivers the largest targeted tax cut for Pennsylvania seniors in nearly two decades,” according to the Department of Revenue.
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Jim Martin, who has served as Lehigh County district attorney for a quarter-century, played a major role in the launch of the Regional Intelligence and Investigation Center.
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The county’s legal department urged commissioners to wait until their next meeting to ensure any changes to the bill could be properly advertised, as required by Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Act.
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Mayor Matt Tuerk’s firing of a human-resources employee who filed complaints against the city was “an act of revenge,” Councilman Ed Zucal said. On Tuesday, Tuerk made his first public comments regarding the matter.
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Karen Ocasio, who worked in the human resources department, repeatedly called for an investigation after detailing what she said were her experiences of racism and discrimination while working for the city. One council member labeled her firing "an act of revenge" and "blatant retaliation and retribution” by Mayor Matt Tuerk.
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The Lehigh County Authority is raising its water fees in 2024, but Allentown residents will also have to pay more for sewer services.
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Mayor Matt Tuerk must convince at least one of four Allentown City Council members who voted Wednesday against his latest 2% tax-increase proposal to change their minds.
