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.
-
Members of United Auto Workers Local 667 have voted nearly unanimously to authorize a strike against Mack Truck Lehigh Valley if a new contract is not reached by Oct. 1. -
Lehigh Valley's Long-Range Transportation Plan got its first scutiny at a meeting at the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission on Monday. The project is a $5.36 billion investment in more than 500 road, bridge, trail and transit projects throughout the Lehigh Valley over the next 25 years.
-
Two Bethlehem Area School District art teachers created a colorful stairs mural designed to inspire those faced with life's obstacles.
-
The City of Bethlehem on Wednesday was recognized by Santa on behalf of Hallmark Channel for its participation with Hallmark's Christmas Cam last holiday season.
-
The Whitehall Township commissioners gave conditional-use approval for the age-restricted residential community as well as a land development/major subdivision plan for a retail center on MacArthur Road.
-
K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel, an upscale dog-care facility with franchises throughout America, held its grand opening on Saturday in Bethlehem Township.
-
The eighth Martin's Guitar Wood Summit was held Thursday at Martin & Co. in Nazareth. The main topic centered on sustainability of forests that provide wood used for guitar construction.
-
The Bethlehem Running Festival has added a half-marathon relay to its inaugural event on Oct. 21-22.
-
Workers battled oppressive heat while breaking down venues at the recently concluded 171st Allentown Fair on Tuesday, Final attendance figure for the six-day festival is expected to be released by next week.
-
Robinson's Racing Pigs are entertaining visitors to the Allentown Fair for a 15th year. The pigs race around a sawdust track and also dive into a pool, to the delight of the capacity crowd on Thursday.
-
The Northampton County Republican Committee's legal team is in discussions with the Pennsylvania Republican Committee's legal team on how to proceed toward decertifying the county's election machines.
-
In an effort to ensure drivers in the Lehigh Valley abide by speed limits and remain mindful of not being distracted, Pennsylvania State Police plan to step up enforcement from Wednesday through Sunday in this Thanksgiving holiday period.
-
Emmaus is among many Lehigh Valley communities to host Small Business Saturday events, to encourage residents to support locally-owned businesses.
-
A 95,750-square-foot, 144-bed behavioral hospital planned for Hanover Township in Northampton County expected to create more than 300 jobs was among two development projects reviewed by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission on Thursday night.
-
U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, D-Lehigh Valley, hosted a webinar on Wednesday to celebrate the two-year anniversary of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The federal funding will help repair crumbling infrastructure in the Greater Lehigh Valley.
-
The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission's comprehensive planning committee on Tuesday reviewed plans for several area projects, including development of the former Allentown State Hospital site.
-
Lehigh University hosted a DEI and global education expert, Amer F. Ahmed, Ph.D., at an International Education Week event on Monday.
-
A Veterans Day panel discussion was held at ArtsQuest Center on Friday night. Among the four panelists was Artimus Pyle, former drummer for the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd who served with the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War.
-
The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce annual meeting attracted about 1,000 at Wind Creek Event Center Thursday afternoon.The event brought together members of the business community — colleagues, customers and competitors — to celebrate their collective mission of making the region a better place to work and live.
-
Brian C. McGoldrick, 42, of Glenside, on Tuesday received a sentence of 5-to-19 years in state prison in the death of Catherine Ann Neelon in a September 2022 head-on collision.
-
Hundreds visited Holy Infancy Church in South Bethlehem on Tuesday to pay homage to the relic of St. Jude, which is making a North American tour. The Apostle’s arm was removed from a tomb at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome years ago and bone fragments were placed in a wood reliquary carved in the shape of an arm imparting a blessing.
-
U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, D-Lehigh Valley, hosted a roundtable discussion on the child care crisis at Bethlehem YMCA on Tuesday.
