Phil Gianficaro
General Assignment ReporterA native of northeastern Pennsylvania, I've been a journalist for more than four decades. I've reported on events like the pope's visit and the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, local appearances by Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, covered the Flyers in the Stanley Cup finals, and the Eagles in the playoffs. However, the stories that have touched me most involve ordinary folks in our community. A 12-year-old boy getting the better of cancer; Holocaust survivors sharing horror stories they know the world needs to hear again and again; a little girl from Bucks County who grew up to become Miss America. These are the stories I'm committed to finding and sharing with our readers. About me: Married with a son and a daughter in college. Golf when I can. Morning coffee's a must; Favorite quote from my late mother: "There are givers and takers in this world, which do you want to be?" Contact me at PhilG@lehighvalleynews.com or 267-222-0540.
-
Wilson Area School Board unanimously approved its $49 million budget for the 2025-26 school year on Monday night. Included is a 3.5% tax increase. -
About 9,000 fans watched Cosmic Baseball at Coca-Cola Park on Friday night. The game pitted Tri-City Chili Peppers and GloMojis wearing glow-in-the-dark uniforms and caps illuminated by UV light.
-
Nazareth High junior Brody Muthard will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a playground he created for autistic children at the Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 in Bethlehem. Muthard received intervention and therapies for autism at the I.U. as a child.
-
A mural reflecting the dreams of young Allentown teenagers was unveiled at the Boys and Girls Club of Allentown on Wednesday.
-
Pediatricians say teen twin boys who were severely malnourished in their parents' care likely would have died in weeks or months if not for medical attention. District Judge Michael J. Faulkner determined that there was enough evidence to send the case to Lehigh County Court.
-
The Catasauqua School Board voted to continue the football team's annual Thanksgiving Day game against Northampton. The rivalry on the gridiron is 101 years old.
-
Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners will consider a request by Fellowship Community retirement community to complete its proposed expansion in three phases instead of one, as was originally proposed. The change is because of lack of funding.
-
Sone Ntoh, an Emmaus High School graduate, will look to impress the Baltimore Ravens at its rookie camp the first weekend of May. The former Monmouth University star running back signed a free agent contract with the team.
-
Fellowship Community, an independent living community in Whitehall Township, announced expansion plans to construct three luxury apartment buildings on the 67-acre campus at Mauch Chunk Road and Schadt Avenue.
-
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to stop federal funding for public broadcasters PBS and NPR through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Lehigh Valley Public Media receives more than $1 million per year in CPB funding, according to the interim CEO.
-
Carol Obando-Derstine will enter the 2026 Democratic primary for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional primary. The battleground district is held by U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, a Republican serving his first term.
-
Allentown teen among was among honorees at the 2024 Pennsylvania Registered Apprenticeship & Registered Pre-Apprenticeship Awards held at Northampton Community College on Wednesday afternoon.
-
Whitehall-Coplay School Board approved a $103 million budget proposal on Monday night. Residents told the board they can't afford another property tax hike.
-
Local healthcare providers and legislators appeared a press conference at Valley Youth House in Bethlehem to shed light on children’s mental health issues and to advocate for continued state and federal funding.
-
Jefferson Health announced a five-year agreement to host a PGA TOUR Champions tournament — the pro golfers' senior circuit — at Lehigh Country Club starting in 2026.
-
An amendment to a bill that would approve tax abatements on blighted land where a 144-unit apartment complex is proposed in Emmaus Borough has temporarily stalled the project.
-
Two proposed school district land development projects were among projects advanced by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission’s Comprehensive Planning Committee on Tuesday afternoon.
-
A special Mass to celebrate the life of Pope Francis was held at Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena in Allentown on Monday. Francis died on Monday at 88 after 12 years leading the Catholic Church.
-
Nearly six years after it opened, the Downtown Allentown Market has closed due to lack of customers.
-
Commissioners voted to award a contract to Construction Masters Services LLC, of Berks County, whose $534,859 bid was the lowest of three firms that submitted proposals.
-
South Whitehall Township Commissioners advanced a transportation plan Wednesday identifying six priority areas. They represent specific locations where commissioners said crash history and roadway conditions warrant immediate action.
-
In 1989, Yusef Salaam and four other teenagers were imprisoned after being wrongly accused and convicted of raping a woman in Central Park in New York. At Northampton Community College on Tuesday night, he shared his story and the need to address inequities in the criminal justice system.
