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.
-
A rare piebald deer, which has a distinctive white coat with patchy brown spots due to a pigmentation anomaly, has been seen in the Easton Cemetery. Such deer make up about 1% of the total whitetail deer population. -
Rainy weekends have put a damper on attendance at fall festivals in the Lehigh Valley.
-
An incorrect set of instructions was included with mail-in and absentee ballots mailed to Lehigh County voters on Oct. 9. The error with the first ballot mailing has been corrected for subsequent mailings.
-
Limiting the influx of warehouses into Lower Nazareth Township is the key issue for all three candidates for Lower Nazareth Township Board of Supervisors.
-
Open space usage and preservation, zoning and the environment are the major concerns of all three candidates in the race for two open seats on the Upper Nazareth Township Board of Supervisors.
-
The 13th Oktoberfest opened Friday night at SteelStacks in Bethlehem. The German-inspired festival will be held Friday, Oct. 6 through Sunday, Oct. 8, and Friday, Oct. 13 through Sunday, Oct. 15. It features polka and other music, a variety of beer, food and entertainment.
-
Former space shuttle astronaut Terry Hart, of Lower Saucon Township, believes the psychological impact of spending more than a year in space on a mission to Mars is impossible to predict.
-
The Celtic Cultural Alliance, presenter of the Celtic Classic Highland Games & Festival, vows to do "everything possible" to continue the event. Rainy weather severely impacted attendance and revenues during last month's event, casting uncertainty over its future.
-
The Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners is expected on Monday night to accept the bid of a Harrisburg-based civil engineering firm to conduct an evaluation of two recreation projects.
-
DeSales University professor Elisabeth Felten is in her second year teaching non-traditional, special needs adults to give them a college experience.
-
The 241-year-old structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places will be completely renovated. It will become a hands-on interpretation and demonstration space for visitors to learn about colonial industrial trades and crafts.
-
Michael J. Marko, who was killed in a torpedo bombing of his ship 79 years ago today, is among World War II veterans whose stories are being kept alive by the nonprofit national storytellers.
-
Hasshan Batts, executive director of Promise Neighborhoods of Lehigh Valley, has been named a Fulbright Specialist. He will travel abroad to share his expertise with other countries in areas of violence prevention and health care.
-
After closing its doors in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, New Bethany South Side Drop-in reopened on Monday.
-
Lisa Dente, 41, a teacher at Five Points Elementary School in Upper Mount Bethel Township, will run the Boston Marathon for the first time since the bombing in 2013 to raise money for PTSD victims.
-
Lehigh County Board of Commissioners propose new legislation that would provide property tax relief for volunteer firefighters.
-
As the Jewish people celebrate the start of Passover on Wednesday night, the observance is a reminder that the oppression of Jews and others continues today.
-
The Lehigh Valley Brewers Guild met at Lost Tavern Brewery on Tuesday to begin preparations for Lehigh Valley Beer Week on April 29-May 6.
-
Walmart will layoff 597 workers at its South Bethlehem distribution center at 3215 Commerce Center Blvd. The cuts were anticipated for a few months. The official number of employees to lose their jobs was confirmed Monday from a Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry WARN notice.
-
Hawk Music co-owners Phil Hawk and his sister, Pat Hawk Paulus, recalled the relationships made with customers at the store their late father founded 50 years ago.
-
DeSales University recognized, honored, and thanked Vietnam War veterans and their families during a special ceremony on Wednesday morning. The event was in conjunction with the observance every March 29 of National Vietnam War Veterans Day.
-
Bethlehem Township Planning Commission reviewed on Monday night a preliminary plan for a proposed 34-room hotel, restaurant, spa, and banquet complex at William Penn Highway and Bethman Road.
