Morning Call - Lehigh Valley & Allentown PA News, Sports, Weather, Business & Things to Do

Here’s how much Lehigh Valley school districts gained from the latest Pa. budget

Public school districts were among the winners in the state's latest budget, with Lehigh Valley school districts seeing state funding increases that ranged from just over 1% in Southern Lehigh to almost 14% in Whitehall-Coplay.

Gov. Josh Shapiro signs the state 2026-27 budget package at the Capitol in Harrisburg on July 12, 2026. With him, in blue, is Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton, whose district includes part of Delaware County. (Megan Lavey-Heaton -pennlive.com)

The East Side Youth Center in Allentown is a polling station for a special election Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, to fill the vacant 22nd Pennsylvania House District seat. Voters are choosing between Democrat Ana Tiburcio and Republican Robert E. Smith Jr. to replace Josh Siegel, who resigned after winning election as Lehigh County executive. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)

Bob Brooks outraises Ryan Mackenzie in latest quarter, but Mackenzie still holds cash advantage. Here’s a closer look at their fundraising

The severe weather outlook for eastern Pennsylvania for Tuesday, July 21, 2026. (NWS)

Severe storms, flash flooding possible in Lehigh Valley once again. Here’s the latest forecast

A loook at the Lehigh Valley real estate market.

Want to buy a house in the Lehigh Valley? Median price is at a record high

People celebrate during the annual Lehigh Valley Puerto Rican Day Parade on Sunday, July 19, 2026, in Allentown. The day’s festivities, sponsored by Puertorrican Cultural Preservation, also included raising the Puerto Rican flag and a festival. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)

Lehigh Valley Puerto Rican Parade and Festival in Allentown | PHOTOS

Latest Headlines

Alcohol-free ‘SoberPlatz’ returns to Musikfest this year

18 minutes ago
Lehigh Valley food safety report: mouse droppings on food shelves, dead roaches, moldy ice machine, holes in the wall

6 hours ago
Saquon Barkley and family OK after burglary at home, DA says

1 day ago
JD and Usha Vance welcome a baby boy, the first child born to a sitting VP in more than 150 years

1 second ago
Democrats are outraising Republican incumbents in competitive Pa. House districts — except for one

6 hours ago
LANTA riders could face more cuts as state budget leaves out additional transit funding

3 days ago
Retail Watch: French bakery plans bigger menu for its bigger, new home in Allentown

2 days ago
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Lehigh Valley Puerto Rican Parade and Festival in Allentown | PHOTOS
Lehigh Valley Puerto Rican Parade and Festival in Allentown | PHOTOS
Saquon Barkley and family OK after burglary at home, DA says
Saquon Barkley and family OK after burglary at home, DA says
NO TUNNEL VISION LEGENDARY PASSAGEWAY AT PEN ARGYL AREA HIGH SCHOOL TO BE CLOSED AFTER NEW WING IS BUILT. NANCY AVERETT THE MORNING CALL
NO TUNNEL VISION LEGENDARY PASSAGEWAY AT PEN ARGYL AREA HIGH SCHOOL TO BE CLOSED AFTER NEW WING IS BUILT. NANCY AVERETT THE MORNING CALL
Here’s how much Lehigh Valley school districts gained from the latest Pa. budget
Here’s how much Lehigh Valley school districts gained from the latest Pa. budget
Severe storms, flash flooding possible in Lehigh Valley once again. Here’s the latest forecast
Severe storms, flash flooding possible in Lehigh Valley once again. Here’s the latest forecast
A Lehigh Valley shopping center was just sold for more than $18 million
A Lehigh Valley shopping center was just sold for more than $18 million
JD and Usha Vance welcome a baby boy, the first child born to a sitting VP in more than 150 years
JD and Usha Vance welcome a baby boy, the first child born to a sitting VP in more than 150 years
After days of extreme weather in Lehigh Valley, what’s in store for this week?
After days of extreme weather in Lehigh Valley, what’s in store for this week?
Retail Watch: French bakery plans bigger menu for its bigger, new home in Allentown
Retail Watch: French bakery plans bigger menu for its bigger, new home in Allentown
Lehigh Valley food safety report: mouse droppings on food shelves, dead roaches, moldy ice machine, holes in the wall
Lehigh Valley food safety report: mouse droppings on food shelves, dead roaches, moldy ice machine, holes in the wall

Local News

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board reported that Wind Creek Bethlehem was still among the most profitable caisnos in the state. (Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call)

Pa. had a record year for gambling revenue. How did Wind Creek Bethlehem do?

The casino in the city’s south side reported retail slot machine revenue of $277 million for the 2025-26 fiscal year, a drop of 1.7% from the previous year.

Sports

Palmerton’s Hailey George (8) pitches the ball against Northwestern Lehigh on Thursday, April 30, 2026, in Palmerton. (Jonathan Broady/Special to The Morning Call)

2026 all-area softball: Palmerton’s Hailey George pitched her way to being rookie of the year

George won 17 games and recorded 178 strikeouts in 125.1 innings for the Blue Bombers

Things to Do

People enjoy the rides, food and entertainment Friday, May 8, 2026, during opening day at Dorney Park in South Whitehall Township. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)

Lehigh Valley insider’s guide: Enjoy the weather with these outdoor attractions

Here are some outdoor attractions to enjoy in and near the Lehigh Valley.

Lehigh Valley Puerto Rican Parade and Festival in Allentown | PHOTOS

The annual Lehigh Valley Puerto Rican Day Parade and Festival was held Sunday in Allentown. See photos.
Bethlehem Blueberry Festival on Saturday | PHOTOS
Blast Furnace Blues music festival brings tunes to the Steelstacks | PHOTOS
Wildfire smoke descends on Lehigh Valley | PHOTOS
Easton Heritage Day celebrates America 250 | PHOTOS
One Earth Reggae Festival at SteelStacks | PHOTOS
Preparing to read the Declaration of Independence at Easton Heritage Day | PHOTOS

Opinion

There’s plenty of frustration in our daily lives, but there’s also something to learn from those frustrations. (Shutterstock)

Faith & Values: What we can learn from frustration and change

Frustration can accompany all kinds of everyday experiences, from trying to open an impossibly tight...

Crime and Public Safety

Red and blue police lights.

AI chatbot tip leads to arrest of Florida man on child abuse, pornography charges

Broward detectives said a tip from Grok, the AI chatbot built into X, prompted an...

Best Reviews

<p>Adobe Stock</p>

Best flame light bulb

Flame light bulbs mimic the look of a natural flame and can create a romantic...

Business

Shown is a Freedom Fuel Network gas station in Dresher, Pa., Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The men behind Trump’s $3.47 gas: An NFL coach, a GOP fundraiser and two New Jersey brothers

Legal filings detail a series of judgments against the brothers.

Pennsylvania News

Library books arranged on a shelf. (The Office of Gov. Josh Shapiro / Flickr)

Many public libraries in Pa. are evolving into community centers. Why is their funding staying flat?

Libraries have expanded their services to offer game nights, health services, and more. But all...

National News

FILE- In this image released by NASA, Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., a lunar module pilot, stands on the lunar surface after the Apollo 11 moon landing on July 20, 1969. The Lunar Module is seen in the background. (NASA via AP, File)

Far above the Earth, NASA’s Apollo lunar lander put astronauts on the moon

Landing astronauts on the moon remains the pinnacle of achievement by anyone anywhere.

Allentown

Allentown resident Andrea Serba holds a sign as the data center spokesperson gives a presentation on Thursday, July 16, 2026, during an Allentown planning commission meeting at Allentown City Hall. The commission had a meeting before voting on plans for a data center at 2401 W. Emaus Ave. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)

Is a data center better than a warehouse in south Allentown neighborhood? Residents get first look at plans

The developer argued that a data center at the south Allentown site would be preferable...

Bethlehem Area

The entry sign for the Landings apartment complex sits alongside Catasauqua Road on Thursday, July 16, 2026, in Bethlehem. The apartment complex was recently sold for $97 million to Boyd Wilson LLC. (Jon Chiu/The Morning Call)

Large Lehigh Valley apartment complex is sold for nearly $100 million

The Landings, just off Catasauqua Road on Bethlehem's west side, recently sold for $97 million.