Parkland News

Upper Macungie Township will host a workshop on Tuesday, March 26 to get community input on a new noise ordinance, the law that dictates how much noise businesses and residents can make.

Nowhere Coffee Co. co-owners Juan and Lauren Vargas spoke at the Upper Macungie Township supervisors meeting Thursday about their frustration over what they said was a system not set up for small business owners.

North Whitehall Township will host its first Breakfast with Badges event on Saturday, Feb. 3. The event will have firetrucks and ambulances for kids to touch, educational crafts about fire safety and free cold breakfast items.

Nowhere Coffee Co. co-owner Lauren Vargas said Upper Macungie Township denied a permit for their planned roastery at 1115 Trexlertown Road, citing a zoning violation.

Glasbern, a Lehigh County property known for its historic cottages, antique farmhouse, restored stables and barns and ponds, is now part of the Jaindl Companies, owned by David Jaindl.

Upper Macungie Township will host its first annual Winter Festival at Grange Park 4-7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10.

Nonprofit for vulnerable youth Valley Youth House hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for a new recreation center at their Orefield-based Camp Fowler.

About 70 new apartments are coming soon to North Whitehall near the intersection of Main Street and Levans Road.

North Whitehall Twp. kitten rescue Foxy's Cradle is changing their operations in an effort to comply with township zoning rules they were found to have violated. They're also preparing for a possible court fight to determine the rescue's future.

Parkland School Board on Tuesday held a hearing regarding a potential addition to the new Operations Center across from Orefield Middle School, which is currently under construction.

KidsPeace, which provides behavioral and mental health services to children, collected about 1,400 toys for its 12th annual Angel Tree holiday gift drive.

The Upper Macungie Zoning Hearing Board on Wednesday approved plans for a 60-foot tall, 326,859 square-foot building expansion to Americold Logistics’ cold storage warehouse at 7150 Ambassador Drive.

A new hospital in the St. Luke’s University Health Network is now open. The ribbon was cut on the orthopedic hospital Wednesday and patients will start being seen at the South Whitehall Township location next week.

Upper Macungie supervisor and former township staffer Kathy Rader had her final meeting with the board Thursday. Rader first joined the board in 2006, and she worked for the township from 1985 to 2016.

Upper Macungie's Board of Supervisors adopted the 2024 budget on Thursday. The property tax millage rate will stay at 0.64, but the refuse and recycling fee will increase by $30.

South Whitehall Township residents will not have to pay more in township taxes next year, but the waste collection fee will soon increase.

The North Whitehall Township Board of Supervisors approved the implementation of a four-day work week for municipal staff after a ten-month trial period.

Vice President of the board David Kennedy announced his resignation at Wednesday’s meeting. He said he is moving out of the township to be closer to his grandson.

The Parkland School Board has officially entered its post-election era, but the directors still have one more two-year seat left to fill.

The township Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Monday to approve the final 2024 budget, which keeps the property tax rate at 0.6 mils. The budget accounts for three new staff positions, large building projects and increased funds to the township’s volunteer fire companies.

The North Whitehall Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Monday to table, or delay the vote on, the preliminary plan for 55-plus residential community Strawberry Acres.

South Whitehall Township will host its first Municipal Open House on Wednesday, Dec. 13 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event will have light refreshments, including coffee, hot chocolate and cookies. There will also be giveaways of informational packets and flyers.