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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Major renovations at Cedarbrook Senior Care and Rehab, agricultural conservation and bridge maintenance are the major expenditures in Lehigh County’s five-year Capital Plan. -
Darian Cruz, who starred at Bethlehem Catholic and Lehigh University, will honor his grandparents by representing their native Puerto Rico when he wrestles at the Paris Olympics next month.
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Hot temperatures and Jamaican-centric food teamed with cool music at the third annual OneEarth ReggaeFest at SteelStacks in Bethlehem on Saturday.
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Township commissioners on Monday approved a resolution requesting a grant of $154,402.17 from the Commonwealth Financing Authority’s Greenways, Trails and Recreation Program for the Ironton Rail Trail Paving and Gates Project.
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A Whitehall Township commissioner hopes to persuade Coplay Borough Council on Tuesday night to dedicate a street in honor of hometown football star Saquon Barkley.
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The former Whitehall Township Police Department station has been vacant for three years and costing the township money as it seeks a buyer.
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On July 1, the YMCA of Bucks and Hunterdon counties will merge with the Greater Valley YMCA in Pen Argyl to form the River Crossing YMCA.
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Downed trees and power outages were the result of a powerful storm that pounded the Lehigh Valley on Wednesday night.
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B Social, a state-of-the-art, multi-entertainment center and event venue, will hold its grand opening on July 15 at Saucon Square shopping center on Route 378 in Lower Saucon Township.
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The Lehigh Valley ranks as the eighth-highest industrial market in the U.S., it was disclosed at a Lehigh Valley Planning Commission roundtable meeting on Friday.
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The eighth Martin's Guitar Wood Summit was held Thursday at Martin & Co. in Nazareth. The main topic centered on sustainability of forests that provide wood used for guitar construction.
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The Bethlehem Running Festival has added a half-marathon relay to its inaugural event on Oct. 21-22.
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Workers battled oppressive heat while breaking down venues at the recently concluded 171st Allentown Fair on Tuesday, Final attendance figure for the six-day festival is expected to be released by next week.
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Robinson's Racing Pigs are entertaining visitors to the Allentown Fair for a 15th year. The pigs race around a sawdust track and also dive into a pool, to the delight of the capacity crowd on Thursday.
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The 171st Allentown Fair held opening ceremonies on Wednesday. The fair, which will run through Monday, Sept. 4, is expected to attract some 200,000 visitors over all six days.
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The Allentown Fair kicks off its 171st year on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the Allentown Fairgrounds. The fair, which will include entertainment, rides, food, refreshments, exhibits and more, runs through Monday, Sept. 4 at 9 p.m.
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A meeting to hear Lehigh Valley residents' concerns about broadband internet access will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Fowler Center at Northampton County Community College in Bethlehem.The meeting is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority which is developing plans to minimize the digital divide, supplying broadband service to unserved and underserved areas,
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The 30th anniversary of Lehigh Valley Pride will be highlighted at a festival on Sunday at Bethlehem's SteelStacks campus. The event will include food, vendors and drag performances, as well as many other activities.
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The 29 arrests Bethlehem Police made during Musikfest were a slight increase from last year's event, the department reported on Tuesday.
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TheMINT Gastropub, an American-style eatery in West Bethlehem, has closed after 12 years. Replacing it will be Retro Burger. Also proposed for the site are the construction of six apartments atop the existing structure and a rooftop dining area.
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The 40th Musikfest drew to a successful close on Sunday night in Bethlehem. The nation's largest open-gate free music festival delivered more than 500 free performances, plus paid-ticket headliners. Organizers believe a record of roughly 1.25 million attended the 11-day event. An official count is expected to be announced Tuesday.
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Who ya gonna call?: Residents hit by Monday's tornado learn the do's and don't's of road to recoveryFor those who lost power in their homes due to the tornado that raced through Allentown on Monday, the first thought would be to call PPL. Think again.
