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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Sixty-two acres of donated land along Santee Mill Road in Bethlehem will become the future home of the Industrial Archives & Library. -
The debut of the $48.5 million Lifestyle Community Center in Upper Macungie Township took another step closer on Thursday afternoon at a walking news conference. The first of 18 heavy timber trusses, imported from Austria, was installed this month on 188,000-square-foot, multi-functional indoor facility.
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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.
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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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Boys & Girls Club of Allentown received a donated 2024 Honda Odyssey passenger van on Monday. The club purchased the vehicle with a $60,000 grant from Bridgestone Tire Co.
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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.
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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.
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Emmaus is among many Lehigh Valley communities to host Small Business Saturday events, to encourage residents to support locally-owned businesses.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Lehigh University hosted a DEI and global education expert, Amer F. Ahmed, Ph.D., at an International Education Week event on Monday.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
