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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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.
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The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation encourages Whitehall Township residents to review virtual plans for the replacement of the Fifth Street Bridge over Route 22.
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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.
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Two Allentown School District teachers and a Salisbury Township School District teacher were chosen at random to participate in a shopping spree at Crayola Experience to help their students during Teacher Appreciation Week. The catch? They had just over a minute.
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The grand opening of Sheetz on Fourth Street in Bethlehem on Thursday was well attended. One woman drove more than an hour for her first taste of Sheetz coffee.
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The 36 individuals who lost their homes after a three-alarm fire on in Allentown on Tuesday are being offered shelter and assistance at the Allentown YMCA by the American Red Cross.
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After more than five hours, a hearing before Bethlehem City Council regarding a New Jersey developer's request for a zoning variance to build 317 apartments on Hanover Avenue was suspended Tuesday night. A date and time for the resumption of the hearing was not immediately established.
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The VFW Post 7293 (Egypt VFW), Whitehall, is conducting a fundraiser for a planned memorial to honor submarine veterans from World War II.
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Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan announced on Friday that six persons have been charged in a large-scale burglary ring throughout the Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas.
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The Bethlehem data of St. Luke’s recently completed triennial Community Health Needs Assessment was released at Nitschmann Middle School on Monday.
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The Nazareth branch of the River Crossing YMCA announced a $9 million renovation project that will begin in April 2026. The project is $1.5 million short of its goal.
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Sketch plans for an athletic complex for Allentown Central Catholic High School were reviewed by the Whitehall Township Planning Commission on Wednesday night.
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Plans for a 190,400-square-foot distribution facility along Main Street received unanimous conditional final approval from the Whitehall Township Planning Commission on Wednesday night.
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Billionaire and civilian astronaut Jared Isaacman discussed the importance of space exploration during an event at Lehigh University on Tuesday night.
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Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners advanced plans Monday to address the chronic vehicle speeding issue on Water Street in the township's Darktown neighborhood.
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The findings from St. Luke’s University Health Network’s recently completed triennial Community Health Needs Assessment revealed a host of medical-related conditions and concerns of Allentown residents.
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Low-income residents from in and around the Lehigh Valley met with UGI representatives Wednesday for assistance in managing their monthly heating bills.
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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.
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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.
