Jim Deegan
Executive editorI’ve lived more than 25 years in the Easton area and worked as a reporter, producer and editor for longer than that. Since 1996, I’ve led news teams and covered virtually every major news story in the Lehigh Valley – and lots of little ones, too. It’s a privilege to work in a newsroom with people who care about our corner of Pennsylvania and share stories that hopefully make an impact. It’s an even greater privilege to have your attention – and earn your trust – as we cover your communities. Contact me at JimD@lehighvalleynews.com or 610-984-8224.
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A bridge replacement project will require a shutdown of the Northeast Extension between the Lehigh Valley and Quakertown exits this weekend and again on Monday. -
Three farms in Northampton County and three in Lehigh County are among 35 in the state that are the latest to fall under Pennsylvania's farmland preservation program.
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The property on West Packer Avenue will be rehabbed by the city and operated by the Lehigh Conference of Churches using state funding allocated to help prevent and address homelessness for individuals and families.
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United Natural Foods Inc. operates a distribution center in the North Valley Trade Center in the Schnecksville section of North Whitehall Township. The company says 716 jobs will be affected.
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The toll booths are no longer needed as the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission adopts open road tolling, with fares collected electronically via overhead structures between highway interchanges.
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The victim was a Bethlehem Township resident and junior at Freedom High School, according to township Police Chief Gregory Gottschall. Authorities say a criminal investigation is underway.
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Paul Miller’s Law was signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro last year. Miller was a Scranton resident and East Stroudsburg University senior who died on Route 33 in Monroe County in 2010 as he headed home from Bethlehem.
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Pennsylvania State Police said a 27-year-old passenger in a speeding Mercedes-Benz died after the vehicle struck another and veered off Route 22 into a tree.
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Palmer Township police officer John Smoke faces up to five years in prison. Authorities accused him of sending the photo to a 16-year-old while he was assigned to Easton Area High School as a resource officer.
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Incumbent Easton City Council members Taiba Sultana and Roger Ruggles lost in the Democratic primary, according to unofficial election returns. Susan Hartranft-Bittinger defeated Sultana and Frank Graziano outpaced Ruggles.
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A tornado warning was issued in the Martins Creek area of Northampton County on Monday afternoon as severe storms moved through. On Tuesday, the National Weather Service confirmed a twister had reached the ground.
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The Hellertown Area Library was closed Tuesday and programming was suspended because of flooding that occurred Monday night as severe storms rumbled through the Lehigh Valley.
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A disaster action team was called after the blaze that broke out around 3:15 a.m. Saturday. Displaced residents were being asked to seek care and other resources by the Red Cross at a temporary care center established at nearby Emmaus High School.
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Dean M. Donaher is a former teacher, principal and administrator in the Bethlehem Area School District. He'll take the helm effective July 17 at Bethlehem Catholic.
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UPDATE: Allentown motorist in police-involved shooting charged at trooper with car, state police sayPennsylvania State Police on Monday night said the driver, a 47-year-old man from Allentown, was not struck by gunfire, as state police initially reported. A trooper fired two rounds after a traffic stop Friday night at South Third and West Union streets. The driver was ordered to Lehigh County Jail.
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A trooper and a suspect both were shot and killed in a shootout in central Pennsylvania, just hours after a 2nd trooper was seriously injured after being shot by the gunman, according to Pennsylvania State Police.
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Chris Kiskeravage worked as a career firefighter in Easton and Allentown. He wanted to know more about the link between cancer and the firefighting profession. When he died June 9 at age 56, his body was donated to research, according to his family.
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A fire that broke out Friday afternoon damaged 16 apartments and displaced 38 people at The Residences at Willow Ridge in Allen Township.
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It happened about 5:40 p.m. Friday near South Third and West Union streets in Allentown as city police and state troopers were conducting "high visibility proactive traffic enforcement," state police said. The motorist was taken to a hospital along with another motorist injured when struck by the offending vehicle.
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The Greater Lehigh Valley Realtors reported home sales dropped 22% in May — normally a busy season. Increased interest rates and tight inventory in Lehigh and Northampton counties were driving the figures, according to GLVR.
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The 12th annual Andre Reed Celebrity Golf Tournament is being held Monday at Woodstone Country Club and Lodge in Northampton County. It will raise money for the Boys & Girls Club of Allentown, which the NFL Hall of Famer says was instrumental in his success.
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Chris Kiskeravage, the retired assistant chief for training in the Allentown Fire Department, died after a battle with cancer. Colleagues say his personality and wealth of knowledge made lasting impressions on those he instructed.
