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.
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The Lehigh Valley’s Gross Domestic Product grew to a record $55.7 billion in 2023, according to government data released this month. -
The site would accommodate 30 tractor-trailer loading docks, 148 employee parking lot spaces and 44 tractor-trailer parking spaces.
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Residents expressed anger toward the township board of commissioners for an 86% increase in annual garbage collection fees in Whitehall Township.
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Let's Go Coffee Co. in Emmaus held its grand opening Friday. The business offers a wide selection of coffees and gluten-free baked goods.
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Co-sponsored by the Whitehall-Coplay School District and the Zephyr Pride Foundation, the “Shop with a Cop” program teamed 23 children from less fortunate backgrounds with 26 members of law enforcement as they shopped for clothing or toys for family members.
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In celebration of its 90th anniversary, the Allentown Art Museum this week installed on its windows on 5th Street vinyl representations of popular works from its collections.
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Emmaus residents could see an increase in their property taxes in 2025. Emmaus Borough Council is set to discuss the proposal at its next meeting on Monday, Dec. 16.
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A large part of the $2.6 million increase in Whitehall Township's proposed $33.7 million budget is because of the escalating cost of garbage collection.
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One family's show of caring for another down on their luck from many years ago embodies the true meaning of Thanksgiving.
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The eighth annual Bob Price Memorial Turkey Drive was held at Coca-Cola Park on Friday. More than 2,000 turkeys were donated by area businesses and residents to help feed those in need in the Lehigh Valley.
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The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation encourages Whitehall Township residents to review virtual plans for the replacement of the Fifth Street Bridge over Route 22.
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The PennDOT Workers' Memorial honors the 90 employees who died while on the job since 1970. The memorial is displayed along North Cedar Crest Boulevard in Allentown Thursday through Friday.
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Two Allentown School District teachers and a Salisbury Township School District teacher were chosen at random to participate in a shopping spree at Crayola Experience to help their students during Teacher Appreciation Week. The catch? They had just over a minute.
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The grand opening of Sheetz on Fourth Street in Bethlehem on Thursday was well attended. One woman drove more than an hour for her first taste of Sheetz coffee.
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The 36 individuals who lost their homes after a three-alarm fire on in Allentown on Tuesday are being offered shelter and assistance at the Allentown YMCA by the American Red Cross.
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After more than five hours, a hearing before Bethlehem City Council regarding a New Jersey developer's request for a zoning variance to build 317 apartments on Hanover Avenue was suspended Tuesday night. A date and time for the resumption of the hearing was not immediately established.
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The VFW Post 7293 (Egypt VFW), Whitehall, is conducting a fundraiser for a planned memorial to honor submarine veterans from World War II.
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Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan announced on Friday that six persons have been charged in a large-scale burglary ring throughout the Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas.
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The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission on Thursday approved a staff review of a Parkland School District proposal for a second floor being added to its new operations center currently under construction.
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The Lehigh Valley Comprehensive Planning Committee on Tuesday agreed to add new definitions for ordinances in Plainfield Township addressing the keeping and raising of chickens at residential properties.
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Incumbent state Rep. Zach Mako defeated newcomer Zachari Halkias, a Slatington councilman, in the GOP primary in the 183rd District. He will be opposed by Democrat Joseph Lenzi in the November general election.
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The Lehigh Valley Comprehensive Planning Committee on Tuesday unanimously approved an application from the Parkland School District for a 12,832-square-foot addition to the second floor of the new operations center currently under construction at 2619 Stadium Road in Orefield.
