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.
-
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 171st Allentown Fair held opening ceremonies on Wednesday. The fair, which will run through Monday, Sept. 4, is expected to attract some 200,000 visitors over all six days.
-
The Giant Company has made a $50,000 donation to the River Crossing YMCA to buy nearly 13,000 gallons of milk for its preschool students.
-
Two land developers' requests to build residential units in phases were reviewed by the Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners on Monday night.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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?
-
South Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners may approve placing a referendum on the November ballot regarding funding to preserve open space.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
