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 49th annual Boutique for Hope at St. Luke's SportsPlex is a clothing and household items shopping event, with proceeds benefiting three cancer-centric departments at St. Luke's Hospital. -
A group from the Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living traveled to Harrisburg on Wednesday to speak with local legislators about the importance of continued state funding for organizations that help the disabled.
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After rain damaged the contents of a time capsule buried at Dieruff High School in 2000, students on Tuesday resorted to a second capsule saved inside the building 25 years ago.
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Whitehall OKs 116-home Emerson Village plan despite concerns; Fellowship Apartment expansion delayedWhitehall Township Board of Commissioners unanimously approval a developer's request to construct 57 townhomes and 59 single-unit homes along Rural Road in two phases, not one, as was originally proposed.
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Arts Academy Charter Middle School in Salisbury Township dedicated the school building in honor of outgoing executive director William Fitzpatrick.
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Groundbreaking ceremonies were held Thursday for a 145-room Courtyard by Marriott at the Lehigh Valley International Airport. The hotel is expected to open late next year or early 2027.
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Jillian Mercado, a model and advocate who has spastic muscular dystrophy, urged those with challenges to continue fighting for equality at an event at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation on Wednesday night.
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The Giant Company has made a $50,000 donation to the River Crossing YMCA to buy nearly 13,000 gallons of milk for its preschool students.
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Two land developers' requests to build residential units in phases were reviewed by the Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners on Monday night.
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Sixty-two acres of donated land along Santee Mill Road in Bethlehem will become the future home of the Industrial Archives & Library.
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The Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association held the ApprenticeshipPA Collaborative and Expo at Wind Creek Event Center. The program is designed to give people paid on-the-job training and employment in lieu of needing a college degree.
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The Lehigh Valley Palestine Coalition hosted the teach-in program in an effort to educate and engage the community in thoughtful conversation about the Israel-Hamas war and strategies organizing support for a ceasefire.
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The 28th annual Lights in the Parkway, an Allentown holiday tradition, will be held on the Lehigh Parkway from Friday, Nov. 29 through Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. Visitors can drive through more than a mile of enchanting holiday displays featuring between 175,000-200,000 LED lights.
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Worries over anticipated tractor trailer traffic around a proposed distribution facility along Main Street have slowed the plan in Whitehall Township.
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The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual meeting and awards luncheon at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem on Thursday.
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The City of Bethlehem erected a 45-feet-high Christmas tree at Payrow Plaza on Wednesday. The annual tree-lighting ceremony will be Friday, Nov. 29.
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Area Democrats held an election watch party at the Da Vinci Science Center in Allentown.
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Republican state Rep. Zachary Mako was well on the way to defeating Democrat Joseph Lenzi to win a fifth term representing the 183rd House District.
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Vietnam veteran and former Steelers running back Rocky Bleier was the keynote speaker at the Lehigh Carbon Community College veterans fundraising event at Glasbern Inn in Fogelsville on Monday night.
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The wife and sons of the late and former Allentown Fire Dept. Fire Marshal Jeffrey Tomczak had the remainder of their home mortgage paid off last week by a national organization that advocates for first responders and military veterans. Tomczak died in July from service-related cancer at age 44.
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A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at The Hamilton at Grand Plaza in Allentown on Wednesday. The eight-floor building has been transformed into condominiums for purchase and apartments for rent on Hamilton Street in the downtown area.
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The Athena Awards were presented during a luncheon at ArtsQuest Center on Tuesday. The awards honor women who provide valuable service to improve the quality of life for others in the Lehigh Valley and who actively assist other women in realizing their full leadership potential.
