Elizabeth DeOrnellas

Elizabeth DeOrnellas is a reporter who specializes in local government accountability, environmental news and investigative journalism. She grew up in the D.C. suburbs and is a proud Daily Tar Heel alum. She worked as a teacher and journalism adviser in Oklahoma, North Carolina, California and Pennsylvania before completing a Master of Journalism degree at Temple and returning to field reporting.

Kelly Flynn, librarian at Orefield Middle School, poses with a copy of “Restart” by Gordon Korman on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, at the school in South Whitehall Township. Korman’s book is one of Flynn’s book recommendations for middle-school readers. (Jane Therese/Special to The Morning Call)

Want to read more in the New Year? Lehigh Valley school librarians recommend picks

January 2, 2026 at 6:00 a.m.

Lehigh Valley school librarians recommend books for elementary, middle and high school audiences.

A poll worker holds voting stickers for community members Nov. 7, 2023, at Central Elementary School in Allentown. (Matt Smith/For Spotlight PA)

Candidate in Pa. House special election in Lehigh Valley drops out in frustration

January 2, 2026 at 9:01 p.m.

One candidate says he is withdrawing from the Pa. House 22nd District special election to replace Josh Siegel over concerns about the Lehigh County Democratic Party's selection process.

Pedestrian dies in fatal accident on Pa. Turnpike I-476 in Carbon County

January 1, 2026 at 12:57 p.m.

A male pedestrian died early Thursday morning after being hit by a vehicle on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension in Carbon County.

Tom Luczejko of Upper Macungie Township cross-country skis in the freezing cold Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, at Cedar Beach in Allentown. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)

Lehigh Valley weather: Snow squalls, freezing cold and high winds ring in new year

January 1, 2026 at 12:59 p.m.

A cold front that brought snow squalls to the Lehigh Valley is also bringing even colder weather and high winds to start off the new year.

Ja’coby Asher Roberson was born to parents Kobie Smith and Brian Roberson at 1:11 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2026, making him the first baby born in St. Luke’s University Health Network for the new year. (Photo courtesy of St. Luke’s University Health Network)

Meet the Lehigh Valley’s first babies of 2026: 1 born 11 minutes past midnight, another at 1:11 a.m. on 1/1

January 1, 2026 at 7:45 p.m.

Lehigh Valley Health Network welcomed its first baby of 2026 only 11 minutes after midnight, with the first St. Luke's 2026 arrival coming an hour later.

LCTI senior Kylie Ackerman takes off painters tape in preparation to paint Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, at Lehigh Career & Technical Institute. Teacher Keith Lyons and LCTI seniors Kylie Ackerman, Aubrie Briody, Solimar Chung and Joney Jones are creating the box to store the 4-foot, 9-inch, 400-pound Peeps chick that gets dropped during ArtsQuest’s annual New Year’s Peepsfest celebration. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)

PeepsFest chick to arrive in a fireworks-emblazoned crate created by Lehigh Valley students

December 29, 2025 at 7:01 a.m.

LCTI students designed a new, fireworks-emblazoned crate for the chick that stars in Bethlehem's New Year's Eve PeepsFest.

Allentown City Hall is seen on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018. (Amy Herzog/The Morning Call/)

Allentown City Council to meet Tuesday for last effort to override mayor’s budget veto, stop tax increase

December 26, 2025 at 3:24 p.m.

The Allentown City Council will meet Tuesday as an end-of-year deadline approaches to determine whether the mayor or the council will prevail in budget negotiations centered on a conflict over...

Moravian Academy seniors Aveer Chadha, Nikhil Skandan and Qayn Jaffer show pictures of an artificial intelligence-powered system called Solvis Pure that uses photos of construction sites to monitor pollutants in runoff Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at Yourway Transport in Upper Macungie Township. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)

Can AI protect the water supply? These Lehigh Valley high school students have founded a company around it

December 30, 2025 at 7:46 p.m.

Three 17-year-old Moravian Academy students founded a company that uses AI-powered cameras to alert construction companies to hazardous materials in runoff.

Two Liberty High School graduates have earned a patent for their design that would make baseball helmets, like the one seen here on Liberty's Franklin Pichardo, safer. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

These Liberty High grads don’t play baseball, but their patented helmet design could make the game safer

December 23, 2025 at 2:46 p.m.

“They're a true example of kids that had an idea and used science and our science program here to pursue a passion,” said Liberty athletic direct Fred Harris, “and I...

This rendering from KCBA Architects shows the exterior design for a $53 million renovation planned for Allentown’s Bridgeview Academy and presented to the school board on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (Courtesy of KCBA Architects)

‘A billboard for innovation’: Architects unveil $53 million renovation plans for Allentown’s Bridgeview Academy

December 19, 2025 at 3:34 p.m.

Allentown's Bridgeview Academy's $53 million renovation will make it a 'billboard for innovation.'

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