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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By a 3-1 vote, the Bethlehem Planning Commission approved on Thursday night a project for a 517-space, 64-feet-high, nearly 200,000-square-foot Walnut Street parking garage to replace the old one currently being demolished. The structure is expected to open sometime in 2025. -
The Lehigh Valley continues to be among the nation's leaders in economic development, it was revealed at the Lehigh Valley Real Estate Development Outlook event on Tuesday in Allentown.
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An extended view of the total solar eclipse that was promised in the Lehigh Valley on Monday afternoon never materialized due to thick cloud cover, disappointing many of the approximately 1,000 at The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley.
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The Pardon Project is designed to help low-income residents convicted of nonviolent crimes who have pleaded guilty and completed their sentence at least five years ago to eventually have their record expunged.
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Monday's solar eclipse will not turn the skies in the Lehigh Valley pitch black, Moravian University astronomy professor Gary A. Becker said. Just a bit wonky. The ideal time in the Lehigh Valley to view the eclipse is 3:24 p.m.
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Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry is alerting consumers of scammers selling sunglasses to view the eclipse on April 8 that do not protect one's eyes from potentially permanent damage.
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More than 350 young students throughout the Greater Lehigh Valley participated in a mural painting event at Lehigh Valley Children's Center in Allentown on Thursday.The completed mural will appear on an exterior wall of the new Da Vinci Science Center in Allentown. The center is slated for a May 22 opening.
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Mack Defense, a subsidiary of Mack Trucks, provides heavy duty vehicles to not only the U.S. military but allied militaries around the world. David C. Hartzell Sr., president and CEO of Mack Defense, discussed the company's commitment during a Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce event.
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A proposed warehouse project in Allen Township was reviewed and advanced by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission's Comprehensive Planning Committee on Tuesday afternoon.The committee found several issues with a proposed apartment complex in Bethlehem and a proposed mobile home park in Palmer Township.
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Dr. Debra D. Esernio-Jenssen, a Lehigh Valley Health Network physician facing multiple lawsuits over alleged child abuse misdiagnoses, has announced her retirement. Separately, Lehigh County announced it will create a new "community centered" Child Advocacy Center.
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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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A former Plainfield Township supervisor implored the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission to review a 1988 impact study before giving its approval to a zoning amendment request to expand the Grand Central landfill operated by Waste Management.
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Community Action Lehigh Valley celebrated its 60th anniversary of assisting low-income folks on Wednesday.
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A proposal to build a multi-story, 203,400-square-foot school in Allentown was advanced by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission's comprehensive planning committee on Tuesday.
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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.
