Seven months after he was arrested as part of a Lehigh County grand jury drug investigation, Lehigh County Commissioner Zachary Cole Borghi was re-arrested Wednesday morning on 104 more drug-related offenses. DA Gavin Holihan says Cole Borghi used his cellphone to arrange a drug deal while on the job. "The investigation also revealed that Cole Borghi facilitated at least one drug transaction during the metting of the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners, of which he is a member," Holihan says. He also allegedly facilitated drug deals from his Bethlehem home; a relative's Bethlehem home; at Bethlehem City Hall, where he worked at the time; Upper Saucon Township and while attending a "Peace and Justice Symposium" at Northampton Community College. The DA says all the new charges stem from an analysis of Cole Borghi's cellphone records, which allegedly show he was dealing drugs from November 2023 through last August.
Lehigh County commissioners are reacting after new drug charges were filed against commissioner Zachary Cole Borghi. Commission Chair Geoff Brace calls the charges very serious and says the situation has been referred to the county's Department of Law. Brace also says there's no mechanism in place to boot an elected commissioner based on criminal allegations. Commissioner Antonio Pineda says for the good of the county Cole Borghi should resign immediately. Ron Beitler says Cole-Borghi should "do the right thing". Sheila Alvarado said the "justice system will work in this matter", while Jon Irons calls Cole-Borghi's absence "a loss for the people of Lehigh County."
A Wednesday police standoff ends with a man dead in Lower Saucon Township. "An engagement occurred where a SERT member shot a 37-year-old male, who was taken to a local hospital and has been pronounced deceased," says State Police spokesman Nathan Branosky. He says it all happened in the 2400 block of Applebutter Road. Just after 10:30 Wednesdya morning, local police were first notified of an armed man on the phone with his psychiatrist threatening to harm himself. State Police were called in to help with the situation. Branosky says the unidentified 37-year-old man inside the home began shooting. Police returned fire, killing the man.
A loaded gun was discovered inside a student’s bag at Emmaus High School on Wednesday morning. The East Penn School District says the gun was found just before 10:30 during what it calls "an administrative search of a student's belongings." The student was taken into custody and will face felony charges in juvenile court, according to Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan, who also says the gun was found during a search as part of an unrelated incident.
First responders were called to a house fire in Northampton County Wednesday evening. A two-alarm blaze was reported at a home in Freemansburg shortly before 6 p.m. Authorities said one person was taken to the hospital, where their condition is unknown. The cause of the fire is being investigated.
Could a primary challenger for John Fetterman be coming from the Lehigh Valley? Ex-Lehigh Valley Congresswoman Susan Wild is reportedly considering running for U.S. Senate in 2028. She tells WFMZ she has been approached by a number of people encouraging her to run. While saying she's very content right now, Wild says nothing is off the table and it is time for Pennsylvania to finally elect a woman to the US Senate.
The home of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs has been voted the Best Minor League Ballpark as part of USA TODAY 10BEST and their 2026 Readers’ Choice Award. Coca-Cola Park opens up for the season tomorrow night when the IronPigs host Toledo. FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading ended up seventh in voting.
Former First Lady Jill Biden was in Harrisburg yesterday to celebrate Women's History Month. Biden took part in a discussion at the Whitaker Center on the contributions women have made in Pennsylvania. She was joined by current Pennsylvania First Lady Lori Shapiro and former Pennsylvania First Ladies Michele Ridge and Frances Wolf.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is tracking black bears through a lengthy statewide study. Researchers are trying to fit 160 bears with GPS collars every year now through the winter 2028 and 2029. The effort is meant to get a handle on population numbers and learn information on survival rates and how bears utilize their habitats. The highest black bear numbers in Pennsylvania are in the north-central and northeast regions, but they are still common in Southwestern PA.
Rollercoaster riders are already being told to look forward to a new ride next year at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey, and an announcement scheduled for Thursday could add another later this year. The park teased fans by posting pictures on social media of blue tracks arriving at the park, with the caption reading, "number 14 is here and it's pier-fect." Great Adventure already announced "The Purple Project" is underway, with crews starting last week on constructing what park officials are only referring to as a new, record-breaking ride opening in 2027.