Olivia Marble
Parkland area reporterI am the Parkland area reporter for LehighValleyNews.com, covering a broad range of stories. I was born and raised in Massachusetts, so the Lehigh Valley is new to me — I am always looking for restaurant recommendations! I graduated in 2022 from Mount Holyoke College with a degree in journalism. I interned at two NPR member stations during college: GBH in Boston and New England Public Media in Springfield, Mass., and decided I wanted to dedicate my career to public media. In my free time, I love to read, bake and listen to way too many podcasts. Contact me at OliviaM@lehighvalleynews.com or 610-984-8184.
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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.
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South Whitehall Township residents will not have to pay more in township taxes next year, but the waste collection fee will soon increase.
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The North Whitehall Township Board of Supervisors approved the implementation of a four-day work week for municipal staff after a ten-month trial period.
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Vice President of the board David Kennedy announced his resignation at Wednesday’s meeting. He said he is moving out of the township to be closer to his grandson.
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The Parkland School Board has officially entered its post-election era, but the directors still have one more two-year seat left to fill.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Fighting AIDS Continuously Together, or FACT, is hosting its 35th annual Snow Ball on Sunday to raise money to help people in the Greater Lehigh Valley with HIV and AIDS.
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Upper Macungie’s Planning Commission will vote on whether to recommend approval for the final land development plan at their meeting in May.
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The applicant Eric Moyer said he is considering appealing the decision or proposing a different development at the 3599 Broadway site.
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Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center will host a Community Day in Bethlehem on April 8 at The Ice House. The event is free and will feature a community conversation for residents to share how the center can better serve Bethlehem's LGBTQ residents.
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Former educator Mike Millo is running for the Parkland School Board again after withdrawing from the race in 2020. He said his legislative priorities are listening to resident concerns, fiscal responsibility and transparency.
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North Whitehall planners discussed proposed housing development Greenleaf Fields at Parkland at their meeting Tuesday.
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Warmkessel's legislative priorities include transparency in the board, not raising taxes and "lowering standards" for academics in the district. She says school staff are now "more concerned with kids' pronouns and their feelings" than curriculum.
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OAA Orthopaedic Specialists will soon open its second physical therapy location.
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Parkland School District may add five full-time and 12 part-time positions next year. A final decision will be made as a part of budget discussions, which will happen in the coming months.
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Superintendent Mark Madson said ‘reaching capacity’ does not mean students will not be able to enroll, but said that the district needs to act to address these projections.
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Public Safety Commission member Chris Peischl is running for a seat on the Board of Commissioners. He has worked in Emergency Management Services for the past 30 years and has served in several positions in the Greenawalds Fire Company, including firefighter and assistant chief.
