Olympus Corporation, Center Valley, Lehigh County, today announced that Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, the second largest commercial health plan in the country, has updated their coverage policy to include the Spiration Valve System for patients suffering from severe emphysema, a form of COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).

Phoebe Ministries, based in Allentown, announced Monday that it will require employees across the senior living organization to receive COVID-19 vaccination by October 15, 2021 as a condition of employment.

St. Luke’s Physician Group (SLPG) has acquired Lehigh Valley Nephrology Associates making its providers part of St. Luke’s Nephrology Associates (SLNA).

Robust buyer demand, fueled by low mortgage rates, continues to outpace supply.

Home sales in Northampton and Lehigh counties rose 12.4% in November from a year earlier, as fourth-quarter activity remained strong. That’s according to a report by the Greater Lehigh Valley Realtors, a nonprofit trade association, which showed settlements climbing to 818 last month.

As elsewhere in the state and nation, July home sales in Lehigh and Northampton counties picked up significantly from the previous few months, totaling 872, which is 3.1% more than in July 2019, according to the Realtors’ association.

In charge of the agency that transports more than 8,000 people to work each day, and another 8,000 to schools, shops and doctor appointments, Owen O’Neil, executive director of the Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority is keeping his eye on the road ahead.

While Pennsylvania has moved 37 counties to the yellow phase starting May 15, some counties not on the list are saying they plan to take matters into their own hands.

The ordinance is drawing criticism from non-union contractor who say it excludes them from bidding on these projects because they don’t have workers going through apprenticeship programs, or who completed outside the time frame. Non-union companies pay for their employees to go through an apprenticeship program, while union employers pay for them with union dues.

Gov. Tom Wolf has expanded stay-at-home orders to include Lehigh and Northampton Counties. The announcement comes as the number of positive cases of COVID-19 has grown to 1,127 in 44 counties with 11 deaths in the state, including three deaths in Northampton County.