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.
-
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. -
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
It's a rite of summer. Three styles of Musikfest mugs, illustrated by local artist Lauren Beck, are now on sale online and at three locations in Bethlehem.
-
A proposal to develop the old Dixie Cup factory in Wilson Borough into 405 apartments advanced after review by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission's Comprehensive Planning Committee.
-
Barbara Clymer, communications coordinator for the Bethlehem Area School District, is a finalist for the inaugural National School Communicator of the Year Award.
-
Fifty-five years after his signature victory at the 1969 Indianapolis 500, Nazareth's Mario Andretti, now 84, reflects on his triumphs, his life and the people who have made an impact on his illustrious career. The 108th Indianapolis 500 will be held Sunday.
-
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation encourages Whitehall Township residents to review virtual plans for the replacement of the Fifth Street Bridge over Route 22.
-
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.
-
Improvements at aging Steckel Elementary School and Whitehall-Coplay Middle School will begin with window replacements.
-
Lehigh Valley's Darian Cruz lost his Olympic bronze medal bout to India's Aman Sehrawat, 13-5, on Friday evening at the Paris Olympics. Cruz, the Bethlehem Catholic and Lehigh University champion, was representing Puerto Rico in honor of his grandparents who are native to the US territory.
-
Bethlehem's Darian Cruz will wrestle for an Olympic bronze medal on Friday in Paris.
-
Bethlehem's Austin Shaffer downed five ears of corn in just over four and half minutes to win the Aw Shucks Corn Eating Contest at Musikfest on Wednesday night.
-
Allentown native and Bethlehem resident Darian Cruz begins his quest for an Olympic wrestling medal on Thursday at 5:21 a.m. The Bethlehem Catholic and Lehigh University graduate is in the 57 kilogram (125 pound) weight class.
-
Local state lawmakers joined members of the Legislative Latino Caucus in Allentown on Monday to celebrate how the new state budget. Specifically, they note the more than $1.1 billion in new funding for school districts, including about $526 million to correct inequities in public education.
-
While mid-afternoon rain on Friday forced postponement of Musikfest opening ceremonies, it did not deter folks from attending the festival — just as many food vendors expected.
-
The 41st Musikfest kicked off at SteelStacks with a preview night on Thursday. The 11-day, citywide festival features live music and a wide range of foods and drinks.
-
The 65-mile, day-long train ride will depart from Nesquehoning, Carbon County, to the Vosburg Tunnel, a 3,900-foot former Lehigh Valley Railroad tunnel north of Tunkhannock, Wyoming County.
-
The Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission on Thursday unanimously approved the sale of PPL Tower in Allentown to Wilkes-Barre-based D&D Realty Group. The sale comes more than four months after PPL Corp. announced that its subsidiary, PPL Electric Utilities, had reached a tentative $9 million agreement to sell the building to D&D Realty Group.
-
North Bethlehem Little League is hosting the Pennsylvania State Little League Intermediate 50/70 Tournament through Monday. The local team dropped its opening-round game on Thursday night, but remains alive in the tourney.
-
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.
