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 former Nazareth Area and Ohio State University wrestling star enrolled in an ARD program. Charges of unlicensed gun possession and drug possession are likely to be dismissed upon completion of the program. -
Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners discussed several aspects of the temporary Water Street closure during a workshop session on Monday night.
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At one point, Bethlehem Steel's namesake mill employed 31,000. Its last steel beam was cast 30 years, but the work lives on in the generations of steelworkers who translated a tough job and difficult conditions into a better life.
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The club’s youth, known as the Space Cadets, participated in NASA’s VIRTEX program—Virtual Field Trips to Extreme Environments—which connects students nationwide with NASA scientists through hands-on STEM learning.
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Former Phillies Steve Carlton and Ricky Bottalico were at a meet-and-greet event at Coca-Cola Park on Thursday. The event was sponsored by St. Luke's University Health Network, of which Carlton is a community ambassador.
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The 2026 Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic, a PGA TOUR Champions event, will be held Sept. 28-Oct. 4 at Lehigh Country Club. The 54-hole tournament will feature a field of 78 PGA TOUR Champions players.
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The Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute named its immunotherapy center in honor of philanthropists Peter and Odete Kelly, who gifted the institute $12 million on Tuesday.
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Some 51 acres of the Unangst Tree Farms in East Allen Township raised the total of preserved farmland in Northampton County to 21,000.
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Because of increased volume of traffic, Route 22 in the Lehigh Valley now qualifies for a designation change to an interstate.
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Organizers give residents food staples and dignity at a resource rally at the Salvation Army in Allentown on Wednesday.
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Northampton County held a swearing-in ceremony for recently elected council members, others on Tuesday.
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As 2023 draws to a close, lehighvalleynews.com offers a retrospective of a variety of stories about people, places and things that make the Lehigh Valley special.
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Canine experts emphasize how dangerous and, in some cases, deadly, human foods can be to dogs.
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All but one township zoning amendment application were reviewed without issue by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission Comprehensive Planning Committee on Tuesday afternoon.
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Driven by $8.1 billion in manufacturing, the Lehigh Valley's Gross Domestic Product grew to a record $50.2 billion in 2022. The region's economy now ranks above Vermont and Wyoming.
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AAA anticipates an increase in road and air travel this holiday season.
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Three Kings Day is returning to the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks on Sunday, Jan. 7 at 2 p.m.Also known as Dia de los Reyes, the observance is a Christian feast day that commemorates the Biblical story of the three kings who followed the star of Bethlehem to bring gifts to the Christ child.
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The City of Bethlehem and the Celtic Cultural Alliance will hold a joint news conference on Monday, Dec. 18 to impart details of their new partnership for the Parade of Shamrocks in March.
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Hoagie-making contests, T-shirt giveaways and free coffee highlighted the grand opening of the Wawa on Hellertown Road in South Bethlehem on Thursday.
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Two live reindeer visited residents at the Fellowship Community continuing care retirement community in Whitehall Township on Tuesday.
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Sara Frassinelli of Allentown finds strength during her breast cancer battle from a number of areas, especially from her 7-year-old son.
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A 54-year-old time capsule was removed from a cornerstone at Mosser Elementary School in Allentown on Thursday. A few alumni from the 1969 sixth grade class were in attendance.
