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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With a $100,000 grant secured by state Sen. Nick Miller, R-14th District, the Boys & Girls Club of Allentown renovated the 53-year-old gymnasium at its Sixth Street Clubhouse. -
Star Wars Day at the Da Vinci Science Center in Allentown will take place from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15.
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The Lehigh Valley IronPigs 17th annual Pig Day celebration will be from 9 a.m. till noon March 1 at Coca-Cola Park. Fans will be treated to free food, refreshments, entertainment and activities for children.
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An Allentown man was sentenced on Tuesday to 18-to-60 months in state prison in the accidental death of his 3-year-old son, who shot himself with an unattended gun.
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Water Street in Whitehall Township where a man was struck and killed on Dec. 25 may be temporarily closed to address safety concerns, Mayor Joseph J. Marx Jr. said.
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A ballot referendum that would ask voters to cede electoral authority to Whitehall Township officials who would then appoint the treasurer was rejected by the board of commissioners on Monday night.
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Palmer Township's Aiden Hess, 20, pictured with his mother Melissa, continues searching for a living donor kidney after transplant surgery was cancelled late last month.
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Win or lose in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is viewed as a champion in his hometown of Whitehall and throughout the Lehigh Valley.
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The first of a three-session forum to address the housing availability and affordability crisis in the Lehigh Valley was held at DeSales University on Wednesday.
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Whitehall Township Commissioners detailed an ordinance to initiate a referendum on the upcoming ballot to amend the township charter to eliminate the treasurer position.
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South Whitehall Township Commissioners advanced a transportation plan Wednesday identifying six priority areas. They represent specific locations where commissioners said crash history and roadway conditions warrant immediate action.
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In 1989, Yusef Salaam and four other teenagers were imprisoned after being wrongly accused and convicted of raping a woman in Central Park in New York. At Northampton Community College on Tuesday night, he shared his story and the need to address inequities in the criminal justice system.
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The Whitehall-Coplay School Board is considering a request to start a varsity girls wrestling program.
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A property tax hike as high as 5.3% may be assessed to help close a nearly $7 million spending gap in the proposed 2025-26 Whitehall-Coplay School District budget.
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The temporary closure of Water Street in Whitehall Township to address traffic calming measures is close but undetermined, Mayor Joseph J. Marx Jr. said.
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Giant Markets Feeding School Kids Program made a donation of $8,623.86 to the Allentown School District's Child Nutrition Department on Friday.
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Easterseals Eastern Pennsylvania celebrated its 100th anniversary at a luncheon at Lehigh Country Club on Wednesday afternoon.
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The Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners heard results of a recreation center feasibility study from engineering and architectural firms. The proposed $13 million project would be at Jefferson Street Park.
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The high school students competing at the FIRST Mid-Atlantic District Robotics Championships at Lehigh University this weekend are not merely building robots. They're building character.
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Mack Trucks will display a 100-year-old Mack AB model tractor manufactured in Allentown at the 125th New York International Auto Show April 18-27.
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The newly opened YMCA River Crossing child care center in Whitehall is the ninth such center opened by the YMCA in the Lehigh Valley.
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Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health, introduced two weapon-detecting K-9s on Monday at its Cedar Crest campus. The 18-month-old male Labrador retriever and female Springer Spaniel will visit all LVHN properties in an effort to increase safety.
