Parkland News

As 2023 draws to a close, lehighvalleynews.com offers a retrospective of a variety of stories about people, places and things that make the Lehigh Valley special.

The South Whitehall Board of Commissioners held interviews for eight candidates for the vacancy on Thursday, but decided to delay the decision for another meeting.

The Winter Light Spectacular features 1.2 million lights in holiday displays, fire pits for s’mores, hot chocolate and live performances by princesses Anna, Elsa, Belle and Cinderella.

The 75,000-square-foot St. Luke’s Sportsplex features more than two dozen indoor courts and almost the same number outside.

The South Whitehall Board of Commissioners is seeking applications to fill a vacant seat. The current commissioners will conduct public interviews with applicants at a special meeting on Dec. 28, then vote to appoint one of them.

The Upper Macungie Planning Commission reviewed a sketch plan for renovations and expansions to Trexler Travel Center on 5829 Tilghman St.

The North Whitehall Township Zoning Hearing Board announced neonatal kitten rescue Foxy's Cradle violated zoning regulations during a meeting held Thursday, Dec. 20.

The Parkland School Board appointed David Ellowitch to fill the vacant two-year seat left by state Sen. Jarrett Coleman’s resignation.

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 proposed business park in Schnecksville would have an AutoZone along with a Wawa and a medical office building, the developer confirmed Wednesday.

North Whitehall's Planning Commission on Tuesday reviewed a plan for the proposed Rising Sun Subdivision, which would have 116 single-family homes on about 100 Acres.

Upper Macungie Township has announced several new indoor programs for this winter, including Zumba, youth soccer, arts classes and a science camp. Several of these classes have been offered outdoors during other seasons, but have never been offered during the winter months.

The alleged double homicide of 16-year-old Rianna Glass and her mother Rosalyn Glass motivated Parkland School District resident Rachel Farrow to advocate for more education about teen dating violence and abuse.

The South Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners is looking to put an open space tax referendum on the November 2024 ballot. Lower Macungie Township recently passed a similar referendum.

Over 1,500 veterans are buried at Resurrection Cemetery in Upper Macungie Township. But last year, only about 1,032 wreaths were placed, leaving hundreds without one.

North Whitehall Township's zoning hearing board opted to continue a meeting until December before making a decision on whether to allow Foxy's Cradle, a neonatal kitten nursey, to operate in the owner's residence.

A decade or so after buying his South Whitehall Township home in the late 1960s, Fred Buse started recording the average temperature, precipitation type and amount, as well as any animal sightings in his backyard to study and track the health of the local environment.

The Upper Macungie Board of Supervisors voted 2-1 to approve a list of conditions for a warehouse to be built at 110 PA Route 100.

South Whitehall commissioners voted unanimously to grant final approval for Phase 1B of Ridge Farms, which includes apartment buildings and twin homes.

South Whitehall commissioners will vote Wednesday on whether to grant final approval to Phase 1B of the controversial mixed-use development Ridge Farms.

Joshua Steven Gonzalez, 39, of South Whitehall Township, is accused of possessing child pornography after a detective allegedly traced videos to his computer.