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.
-
Some 51 acres of the Unangst Tree Farms in East Allen Township raised the total of preserved farmland in Northampton County to 21,000. -
Because of increased volume of traffic, Route 22 in the Lehigh Valley now qualifies for a designation change to an interstate.
-
Organizers give residents food staples and dignity at a resource rally at the Salvation Army in Allentown on Wednesday.
-
Zoning amendment regarding potential warehouses near residences in Hanover Township raises questionsA zoning amendment that would allow for the possibility of warehouses near a residential neighborhood in Hanover Township, Northampton County was reviewed by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission's Comprehensive Planning Committee on Tuesday.
-
Policy revisions to freedom of speech, educator misconduct and tobacco/vaping use were approved by the Whitehall-Coplay School Board on Monday night.
-
Lehigh University and Good Shepherd Rehabilitation are collaborating to create a more successful connection between rehabilitation applications and improvement for individuals with a range of injuries and conditions.
-
Whitehall Township Zoning Hearing Board heard from experts representing a developer that hopes to build a warehouse on South Church Street. The hearing ended after three hours and will resume next month.
-
More than 100 people attended a burial ceremony at Cedar Heights Cemetery in Wescosville for eight individuals who went unclaimed by family members.
-
Okatshe, a Japanese-themed restaurant/bar, expected to open next month.
-
The day honors American prisoners of war and service members who remain missing in action, along with their families, by emphasizing the ongoing commitment to find them and bring them home.
-
Lehigh Little League 9-10-year-olds open state tournament play at 4 p.m. Monday against Section 1 champion DuBois in Drums, Luzerne County.
-
Sammy Sasso, a former Nazareth Area High School state wrestling champion, is charged with possessing unlicensed guns and a controlled substance after police said they stopped the car he was driving because of an expired registration.
-
A former Easton Area High School resource officer who pleaded guilty to sending a sexually explicit image of himself to a 16-year-old female student in 2024 was sentenced to 9-to-24 months in Northampton County Prison, it was announced on Wednesday.
-
A zoning extension request by the developer of a proposed 689,000-square-foot warehouse at the former Coplay quarry was unanimously granted by the Whitehall Township Zoning Hearing Board on Tuesday night.
-
A developer's request to split an expansion project at a retirement home complex was approved by Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners on Monday night.
-
The Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit scheduled for the Lehigh Valley next week has been postponed due to mechanical issues until later this summer. The military themed, rolling interactive museum is designed to educate the public about service and sacrifice of veterans.
-
Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency has issued an alert regarding an intermittent 911 outage throughout the Commonwealth.
-
Mayor Matt Tuerk called on the county's president judge to “issue a public and unambiguous policy” banning ICE agents from county courthouses, a move he said would “be a major step in restoring trust in government and faith in its fairness.”
-
Lehigh County Board of Commissioners have Ok'd a four-year, $34.6 million contract with PrimeCare Medical to serve inmates in their corrections facilities.
-
State Senators were urged to vote to fully fund public transportation in the state budget during a rally on Thursday in Bethlehem.
-
Lehigh County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday heard from angry and concerned residents regarding the procedures they believe ICE agents are using at the county courthouse.
-
Video surveillance cameras will be installed at Whitehall Township parks and recreation areas in an attempt to deter vandalism.
