East Penn News

Joshua and Tracy Dechant were charged Sunday with two felony counts each, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan said in a release.

Emmaus is one step closer to remediating two of its PFAS-contaminated wells. PFAS are also called "forever chemicals" because they are slow to breakdown in the environment and are linked to a variety of health issues.

The new plan, presented to Lower Macungie Planning Commission on Tuesday, now consists of 13 homes in Cherry Ridge Estates, instead of the original 20.

Lehigh County Executive Phil Armstrong, with less than a year left in his term, emphasized the need for nonpartisan cooperation, funding and "not being a lame duck" toward the end of his service during a visit to Emmaus Borough Council. He also brought a funding announcement.

The borough heard from five passionate applicants, some brand new to politics — and rejected them all in favor of an eight-year council veteran. Still, they encouraged the other applicants to run for election and even offered to help with paperwork.

The money, administered by the National Park Service, along with $1,850,000 already committed by Lehigh County, will be used to replace the Cast House roof. Other work will focus on water infiltration of the furnace and rehabilitation of related buildings.

LehighValleyNews.com’s top stories of 2024 reflect a mix of community concerns, business developments, and breaking news. The stories were selected based on those that were most popular, drawing the most readers this year.

Tigirlily Gold will perform on Friday, Jan. 31, as part of Philadelphia country radio station WXTU-FM 92.5's Ski Day at Bear Creek. Also performing will be 2020 "American Idol" contestant Megan Knight.

Emmaus residents packed council chambers on Monday to complain about a 26% tax increase for 2025. Council voted 6-1 to approve the increase.

The church proposed a simple change to property lines that could have larger ramifications.

Governor Josh Shapiro came to a growing district in the Lehigh Valley — East Penn School District — to celebrate an increase in public school funding through the 2024-25 Pennsylvania state budget.

Four years into his massage therapy career, Jared Skinner set out to master a relatively "new" technique to the practice — rolfing. It's a 10-step practice on a weekly basis that aims to relieve the body naturally of pain for upwards of five to 10 years. Only 2,000 body workers professionally practice it worldwide.

Many municipalities were caught off guard by the explosion in warehouse development. Through experience and experimentation by local governments like Lower Macungie Township, a playbook of sorts has formed to help manage development. (Fourth of 5 parts)

Relief was denied to a couple seeking to overcome a violation for a recreation complex built without a permit in Lower Macungie.

East Penn School District approved a new four-year collective bargaining agreement with its teachers union after extensive negotiations stemming from the association rejecting a proposal in July.

A 26-year-old Alburtis man who died when he was hit by a train on Sunday in the borough has been identified.

Macungie is just one in a list of examples where the demand for homes in the Lehigh Valley has continued to surge. We put the 'hottest zip code' against other areas to see how they match up.

The bill introducing tax abatements for condemned properties met a roadblock in Emmaus, and will be re-introduced at a meeting in the near future.

As it has every year since 2017, Realtor.com unveiled its hottest ZIP codes in the United States on Tuesday to showcase the top markets attractive to homebuyers looking for a combination of value and desirability. One Lehigh Valley area made the top 10.

The Lehigh County Coroner’s Office said Julian Diaz, 18, was burned by a bonfire that was ignited by an accelerant. Diaz died Sunday from his injuries, and state police are investigating.

East Penn administrators heard a presentation on curriculum changes proposed to the district's Math and English programs, with the hopes they can remap to updated standards and meet learning acquisition and scoring challenges post-COVID.

The district is introducing new set of district policies governing the use and expectations regarding generative artificial intelligence, giving them a basis to train students and staff.