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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DeSales University welcomed two members of the Pennsylvania Department of Education on Friday as it announced the state's awarding of two grants totaling nearly $200,000 to benefit projects in its education department. -
Allentown City Planning Commission on Tuesday approved the construction of a 49-unit apartment building and parking garage on West Hamilton Street. The complex would house primary occupants 55-and-older and adults with disabilities. Representatives of the neighboring music school voiced concerns about increased traffic and the safety of students, parents, and staff.
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The Allentown City Planning Commission on Tuesday approved plans for the construction of the Archer Music Hall on Hamilton Street.
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Andre Reed, the Allentown native, Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver, and four-time Super Bowl participant, offers advice to Eagles' young starting quarterback Jalen Hurts on how to deal with nerves during the game.
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Allentown native and three-time Grammy Award-nominated jazz singer, Denise Donatelli, recalls how the music of legendary composer Burt Bacharach she first heard as a teenager inspired her to record an album of his songs. Bacharach died Wednesday at age 94.
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A Northampton County Judge on Wednesday denied the request of Lower Saucon Township residents for a stay of a meeting on Feb. 27 relative to the proposed expansion of the Bethlehem Landfill.
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A 55,000-square-foot, five-story, 140-room hotel, with a bar and restaurant, and a 30,000-square-foot, two-story entertainment center are being proposed for Hamilton Street in Allentown.
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The 10th annual Lehigh Valley Winter Classic on Saturday was a fundraiser for Special Hockey of Lehigh Valley.
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Atty. Brian Panella pushed back on claims by Atty. Nancy Aaroe, his opponent in the race for Northampton County Court of Common Pleas, that he lacks trial experience.
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Attorney Nancy Aaroe repeatedly noted her many years of trial experience make her a better candidate than Brian Panella in the race for Northampton County Court of Common Pleas.
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Plans for a Taco Bell with a dual drive-thru in Whitehall Township were approved by the township's planning commission on Wednesday night.
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Construction of a new Taco Bell was approved by the Whitehall Township Zoning Hearing Board on Tuesday night. The board also approved a zoning variance request, a zoning exemption, and tabled a discussion until May.
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Incumbent Rep. Zachary Mako and Slatington Borough Councilman Zachari Halkias are each looking to win the Republican primary and face Democrat Joseph Lenzi in the November general election for a seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
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The Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike will be closed for about six hours in both directions between the Lehigh Valley and Quakertown exits.
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The announcement this week by Volvo Group, parent company of Mack Trucks, to build a heavy duty truck manufacturing plant in Mexico has been met with disappointment and concern by UAW Local 677 and Lehigh Valley lawmakers.
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By a 3-1 vote, the Bethlehem Planning Commission approved on Thursday night a project for a 517-space, 64-feet-high, nearly 200,000-square-foot Walnut Street parking garage to replace the old one currently being demolished. The structure is expected to open sometime in 2025.
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The Lehigh Valley continues to be among the nation's leaders in economic development, it was revealed at the Lehigh Valley Real Estate Development Outlook event on Tuesday in Allentown.
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An extended view of the total solar eclipse that was promised in the Lehigh Valley on Monday afternoon never materialized due to thick cloud cover, disappointing many of the approximately 1,000 at The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley.
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The Pardon Project is designed to help low-income residents convicted of nonviolent crimes who have pleaded guilty and completed their sentence at least five years ago to eventually have their record expunged.
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Monday's solar eclipse will not turn the skies in the Lehigh Valley pitch black, Moravian University astronomy professor Gary A. Becker said. Just a bit wonky. The ideal time in the Lehigh Valley to view the eclipse is 3:24 p.m.
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Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry is alerting consumers of scammers selling sunglasses to view the eclipse on April 8 that do not protect one's eyes from potentially permanent damage.
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More than 350 young students throughout the Greater Lehigh Valley participated in a mural painting event at Lehigh Valley Children's Center in Allentown on Thursday.The completed mural will appear on an exterior wall of the new Da Vinci Science Center in Allentown. The center is slated for a May 22 opening.
