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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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. -
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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The 2025 budget was essentially passed as Mayor Matt Tuerk presented it, with the property-tax rate to remain flat while trash-collection fees are set to climb significantly.
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Josh Siegel said he's "ready to fight like hell" to keep the office in Democratic hands for the next four years after announcing his campaign Tuesday night.
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Jeremy Binder said he wants to bring “a broader perspective” to Allentown City Council and help the body better serve residents.
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Allentown City Council members waded through a series of potential amendments to Mayor Matt Tuerk's proposed 2025 budget.
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A homelessness coordinator would work with city departments and nonprofits to boost efficiency, Allentown officials said Wednesday.
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Officials say enforcers will work under a limited scope and focus on “public safety” violations, including double-parking and blocking a street or fire hydrant.
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More than $1 billion in development in downtown Allentown has “created … an empty vessel” that needs an organization to help fill it with the right businesses, a consultant said Tuesday.
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City Center is planning to overhaul the former Allentown State Hospital property with hundreds of new homes, offices, a school and more.
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Officer Zane Struss, who was cleared of wrongdoing in a fatal shooting last February, drove through an intersection without his emergency lights or sirens on and hit another vehicle, according to a since-settled lawsuit.
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Two Allentown officers alleged they faced retaliation for reporting criminal activity by other members of the Vice and Intelligence Unit.
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A lawsuit filed last week in federal court alleges Councilwoman Candida Affa created a "racially hostile environment" for Deputy City Clerk Tawanna Whitehead.
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The first hearing related to council’s lawsuit against the mayor was scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Thursday.
