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 oppressive heat did not deter folks from making their way to the 172nd Great Allentown Fair at the Allentown Fairgrounds on Wednesday. Great food and drinks, amusement park rides and a variety of events will take place at the fair through Monday, Sept. 2. -
Lehigh Valley residents were seeking jobs and advertising jobs at the Pennsylvania CareerLink/Workforce Lehigh Valley jobs tent outside the Crayola Experience on Tuesday morning.
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A bike repair station donated by the Whitehall Area Rotary Club was dedicated at the Ironton Rail Trail pavilion on Monday.
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An eight-year-old girl dealing with a congenital heart condition cut the ribbon at Lehigh Valley Zoo to announce the American Heart Association of Greater Lehigh Valley and Berks County annual Heart Walk in September.
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A self-storage project was advanced, and two others projects were tabled by the Whitehall Township Planning Commission.
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A Pride flag was vandalized after being stolen from the front porch of a rabbi's Lehigh Valley home. The recovered flag, in tatters, is flying once again. "What they did to the flag has an added measure of hostility and danger associated with it," the rabbi said.
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A renewable natural gas plant adjacent to the Bethlehem Landfill opened on Tuesday morning.
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The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts conducted a brainstorming seminar in Allentown on Monday to advance a statewide arts and culture plan.
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Raising his young children to be good citizens and leaving the door to the 2028 Olympics open just a smidge are among the topics Lehigh Valley native Darian Cruz discussed as he returned from competing in wrestling at the Paris Olympics.
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Two elementary schools and one middle school in the Bethlehem Area School District distributed free backpacks to incoming students on Friday.
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The Lehigh County funded Mid-Atlantic Rehabilitation Services, or MARS, opened a new substance abuse-related treatment center in Allentown on Friday.The FORT program (Families Obtaining Recovery Together) will join the slate of treatment options offered, making this groundbreaking program available to more Lehigh County residents free of charge.
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On Sunday morning, the Zion’s Reformed United Church of Christ in Allentown will hold its reopening worship service for the first time since it closed in 2022.
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Barnes & Noble at Lehigh Valley Mall on Wednesday held a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking a return to its original location. National award-winning author James McBride was on hand to sign copies of his latest novel.
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Bethlehem native Julianna Rodrigues, who has a form of muscular dystrophy, was the keynote speaker at the inaugural Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Collaborative at Moravian University, on Tuesday morning.
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Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners on Monday night gave final conditional approval to a proposed Wawa at MacArthur and Mickley roads.
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After a raging fire on Saturday night destroyed his Center Valley barn, tractors, trucks and equipment, Leroy C. Stahler Jr. vows to rebuild and continue the Stahler family legacy of farming, said his daughter, Tracy Beers.
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A Wawa proposed for MacArthur Road and Mickley Road received conditional approval from the Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners on Monday night.
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Allentown businesses and high school students were honored at the Allentown Chamber of Commerce annual awards reception at the Renaissance Allentown Hotel on Thursday.
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Northampton County becomes the 30th county in Pennsylvania to adopt the Law Enforcement Treatment Initiative, or LETI, which enables those seeking treatment for substance use disorder to contact probation and parole services without fear of criminal charges being filed.
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The Boutique at the Rink cancer fundraising shopping event kicked off its 48th year on Tuesday afternoon. Proceeds from the new and gently used donated clothing, household goods, antiques, toys, sporting equipment and more benefit three organizations serving cancer patients and their families in the Lehigh Valley.
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Determining it does not conform with FutureLV, the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission on Thursday night voted against a 547,500-square-foot warehouse project in North Whitehall Township.
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A development project to create more than 400 apartments at the vacant Dixie Cup factory in Wilson Borough took another step toward fruition at the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission meeting on Thursday night.
