Allentown collected more than $1 million for housing in six months. Council is still arguing over who should get it.
Also in today’s newsletter…
🗳️ Meet the Lehigh Valley’s newest political bosses
🚎 Easton’s free trolley finds its riders
🎤 Bring a question for Bethlehem’s new superintendent
Allentown has a million dollars for housing. Now what?
The city started collecting an extra half percent on every property sale this year. Six months in, that is more than $1 million sitting in a new Housing Trust Fund, and a plan to buy three blighted homes, fix them and sell them to first-time buyers.
Then council asked who should qualify. That question is harder than it sounds, and the answer decides who this money actually helps.
Newly elected party chairs Baron Vanderburg (left) and George Rivera (right).Meet the Lehigh Valley’s newest political bosses
Both major party committees changed hands this summer. Baron Vanderburg took over the Northampton County Democrats after ousting a longtime chair. George Rivera took over the Lehigh County Republicans and says his party is done ignoring Allentown.
They pick who runs for your school board next year. Tom Shortell asked both what they are trying to fix, and got the same answer.
Easton’s free trolley is catching on
Erica Fisher runs a consignment shop on North Third Street and could not figure out why her neighbors never came downtown. Then she remembered the city had a trolley.
Four Saturdays into a free pilot, the seats are filling up. The question now is who pays to keep it rolling.
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Bethlehem’s new superintendent, live and taking questions
Dr. Renato Lajara is a few months into running the Bethlehem Area School District. On Thursday, Sept. 24, he sits down with us live at Freedom High School to talk about what he has learned so far, where he wants the district to go, and how he plans to keep families in the loop. Student achievement, school safety, career programs, staff support, all of it on the table.
Doors at 5:30, and the cameras roll at 6 sharp. Can’t make it in person? Submit your question ahead of time and watch from home.
More from LVPM
🥘 Dinner from the pantry: Chef Drew Lopez and Sandra Skvasik of Blue Zones Project Allentown turn everyday staples into a healthy meal on Living in the Lehigh Valley, with tips for eating well without spending more.
🏛️ Why Shapiro moved on data centers: Tom Shortell and Chris Borick dig into the politics behind the executive order on Political Pulse.
🌿 Free tick testing: Pennsylvania is near the top of the country for Lyme disease. A local infectious disease specialist joins Living in the Lehigh Valley to explain what to watch for and how to mail a tick to East Stroudsburg for free testing.
From Around the ValleyA World Trade Center sign that survived 9/11, missing long enough to become an urban legend, has turned up in Berks County. Now the search is on for somewhere to put it. (WFMZ)A Cash 5 ticket worth $625,000 was sold Sunday at the Giant on MacArthur Road in Whitehall. Check your numbers. (The Morning Call)Ryan Mackenzie and Bob Brooks are both willing to debate. They just cannot agree on when. Brooks has said yes to Oct. 21 on “Business Matters”; Mackenzie wants September, before mail ballots go out. (Armchair Lehigh Valley)Lehigh’s art gallery opened “This Land,” a look at what it means to be American, built with Woody Guthrie’s anthem at its center and guitars on loan from Martin. It runs through Dec. 4. (The Brown and White)
Brought to you by St. Luke’s University Health Network
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What’s happening today?
Trace 250 years of American beer at the National Museum of Industrial History in Bethlehem, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. ($15)
Catch a lunchtime murder mystery, “Whodunit, The Musical,” at Pines Dinner Theatre in Allentown, noon ($42)
Watch anime and talk manga at Parkland Community Library’s teen club, 6 p.m. (grades 6-12, drop-in)
Bring a teddy bear and hear the story behind it at Lower Macungie Library, 6 p.m. (grades K-5, registration required)
Meet this year’s InnaStar Trailblazer Award finalists at a pre-awards mixer at Arrow in Allentown, 6 p.m. ($25)
Looking for local events? Check out our calendar for a comprehensive list of in-person and virtual events.
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