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 Lehigh County District Attorney's Office is investigating the fatal shooting that occurred in the 100 block of North 38th Street in South Whitehall on Wednesday afternoon. -
Technology is a major component in PPL Electric Utilities' ability to provide reliable service to its 1,700 customers in Eastern and Central Pennsylvania.
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A two-building, 20-unit apartment complex along Quarry Road received unanimous preliminary final approval from the North Whitehall Township Planning Commission on Tuesday night.
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Will a proposed, mixed-use, land development project in Allentown that was advanced by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission on Thursday night include affordable apartments?
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South Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners may approve placing a referendum on the November ballot regarding funding to preserve open space.
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Wilson Area School Board unanimously approved its $49 million budget for the 2025-26 school year on Monday night. Included is a 3.5% tax increase.
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About 9,000 fans watched Cosmic Baseball at Coca-Cola Park on Friday night. The game pitted Tri-City Chili Peppers and GloMojis wearing glow-in-the-dark uniforms and caps illuminated by UV light.
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Nazareth High junior Brody Muthard will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a playground he created for autistic children at the Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 in Bethlehem. Muthard received intervention and therapies for autism at the I.U. as a child.
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A mural reflecting the dreams of young Allentown teenagers was unveiled at the Boys and Girls Club of Allentown on Wednesday.
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Pediatricians say teen twin boys who were severely malnourished in their parents' care likely would have died in weeks or months if not for medical attention. District Judge Michael J. Faulkner determined that there was enough evidence to send the case to Lehigh County Court.
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Star Wars Day at the Da Vinci Science Center in Allentown will take place from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15.
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The Lehigh Valley IronPigs 17th annual Pig Day celebration will be from 9 a.m. till noon March 1 at Coca-Cola Park. Fans will be treated to free food, refreshments, entertainment and activities for children.
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An Allentown man was sentenced on Tuesday to 18-to-60 months in state prison in the accidental death of his 3-year-old son, who shot himself with an unattended gun.
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Water Street in Whitehall Township where a man was struck and killed on Dec. 25 may be temporarily closed to address safety concerns, Mayor Joseph J. Marx Jr. said.
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A ballot referendum that would ask voters to cede electoral authority to Whitehall Township officials who would then appoint the treasurer was rejected by the board of commissioners on Monday night.
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Palmer Township's Aiden Hess, 20, pictured with his mother Melissa, continues searching for a living donor kidney after transplant surgery was cancelled late last month.
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Win or lose in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is viewed as a champion in his hometown of Whitehall and throughout the Lehigh Valley.
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The first of a three-session forum to address the housing availability and affordability crisis in the Lehigh Valley was held at DeSales University on Wednesday.
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Whitehall Township Commissioners detailed an ordinance to initiate a referendum on the upcoming ballot to amend the township charter to eliminate the treasurer position.
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Lehigh Valley Health Network Childcare Center at River Crossing YMCA observed its 100th day of operation. Services are available for LVHN employees and other community families.
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Brenda Rodriguez, 51, of Palmerton is charged with criminal solicitation/criminal homicide and conspiracy-aggravated assault in the shooting death of her husband, Hector Manuel Garcia Gomez, 46, of Palmerton on Dec. 7.
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Continued economic growth for the Lehigh Valley was predicted during at “Sizing Up 2025: Lehigh Valley Economic Outlook” at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks on Tuesday. The event, presented by Truist and the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, featured speakers who shared a positive economic picture of the Lehigh Valley and the nation.
