An Australian cafe and general store are coming back to a larger location in Northampton County, together with a new wine shop, Bavarian beer hall, and outdoor beer garden, following a nearly three-year break.

According to co-owner Jason Hoy, Tucker, an Australian café and provisions store that has been dormant since late 2021, is anticipated to return at 125 Northampton St. in downtown Easton in mid-September. In order to prepare for the company's shift to the larger downtown location, Hoy and his wife Melanie Hansche temporarily closed Tucker in December 2021 after launching it at Easton's Simon Silk Mill in 2017.

The Kabinett Wine Bar, a full-service restaurant with roots in Australia and Germany and a sizable international wine list, will be right next to Tucker's new location when it opens in December 2022. It will also be located next to a brand-new outdoor beer garden, which Hoy said will open in the middle of September. The beer garden is a 4,000-square-foot patio with seating for around 150 people and lovely views of the Delaware River.

We are rushing to open, which should happen in four to six weeks, according to Hoy. "We are just waiting on the CO and organizing everything." After several months of renovation, Hoy and Hansche will open Tucker Garage + Grocery in a space that is around 12,000 square feet in size. New refrigerators have been placed, a 50-foot wooden banquette has been created, and the ceiling and floor have been painted. Newly built retail displays and string lights will also be included in the area.

A recent posting on Tucker's social media platforms states, "Every day we roll up our sleeves and draw closer to the extravaganza that will be an Aussie cafe, general store, wine shop, Bavarian beer hall, and beer garden." After several months of renovation, Hoy and Hansche will open Tucker Garage + Grocery in a space that is around 12,000 square feet in size. New refrigerators have been placed, a 50-foot wooden banquette has been created, and the ceiling and floor have been painted. Newly built retail displays and string lights will also be included in the area.

A recent posting on Tucker's social media platforms states, "Every day we roll up our sleeves and draw closer to the extravaganza that will be an Aussie cafe, general store, wine shop, Bavarian beer hall, and beer garden." Tucker shoppers can purchase fresh produce like fruits and vegetables as well as necessities like cleaning supplies and toilet paper, at the basic store.

Hoy and Hansche hope to carry on the community work they began at Tucker's original location by developing a business model that is focused on the community, including opportunities for guests to give back to the community and support charitable causes in the area. Tucker was once the city's second-largest supplier of fresh produce to food banks. In addition, the store will provide boutique supplies and extra-quality olive oil. Hoy stated, "You can choose to enjoy a nice supper with us or we will have everything you would need to prepare a great meal at home." The new Tucker will also have a retail wine shop where patrons can buy great wines from all over the world, including some that are featured at Kabinett. Beer to-go will also be available.

Hoy remarked, "Kabinett has earned honors for its great wine list, and we will be selling these wines in the store." Hoy, an Australian fine wine expert and Riesling specialist, and Hansche, a native of Bavaria and deputy editor of Food & Wine magazine, created Kabinett's distinctive dining area. It features "a glam hunting lodge feel, a splash of Aussie irreverence, and a touch of Art Deco elegance." The restaurant's mission is to democratize fine wines by removing the usual excessive markups. Wines from Australia, Europe, and other regions are available on the wine list. The word "kabibinett" in German describes the place where German winemakers used to store special bottles for themselves as opposed to selling them.

But at Kabinett, the crew refuses to be that self-centered, giving the unique bottles to everyone. Tucker's Bavarian beer hall and beer garden, which will serve well-known German foods like pretzels, schnitzel, spaetzle, and more, will showcase Hansche's Bavarian heritage, according to Hoy. Hoy remarked, "It will be more of a casual eating experience than our fine dining restaurant, Kabinett, next door. It will be Tucker's Bavarian spin." The outside beer garden will be part of a well-designed environment that flows throughout. We will be able to accommodate sizable gatherings like weddings.

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The Reading Zoning Hearing Board voted in favor of zoning relief for the developer Alan Shuman's proposed 156,000-square-foot retail facility. 

Previously located at 1853 N. Third St., the Glidden paint plant stood on 19.3 acres before closing its doors in 2007. Afterwards, the manufacturing buildings were demolished. The empty area is located between Center Avenue (Route 61) and the North Fifth Street Highway (Route 222), bordered by Bern Street, Richmond Street, and Rockland Street.

The property is being sold to Glidden Development LP, with Anoread LLC being the registered owner. Due to the site's location in the M-C Manufacturing Commercial zoning district, a special exemption is needed to allow the proposed use. Variations from the loading dock and off-street parking regulations are also part of the zoning flexibility given.

Shuman stated during the hearing last month that during the previous 15 years, he has previously built three other neighborhood shopping malls in the city with success. On the disputed 13 acres to the south, Shuman plans to build his fourth commercial center. Shuman's designs allow for 500 parking spaces, but the city zoning regulations would demand 800 due to the size of the development. According to Shuman's prior testimony, if the tenants have comparable purposes, the zoning officer has the power to waive the parking requirement by 50%. Shuman has already received the waiver at his other city shopping locations. The assignment of loading spots was the subject of the second zoning dispute.

Shuman noted that because the tenant design has not yet been determined, the loading spaces are located in the upper left corner of the plan. Shuman had requested zoning clearance on the understanding that many loading spaces would be necessary in that location with the completion of the land development plan.

The proposal must go through a thorough land development plan evaluation by the city planning commission, even if it has zoning permission. Additionally, the board made decisions regarding two requests for multiple variances made by the Reading Parking Authority for proposed residential parking lots on Mulberry Street and North Ninth Street.

The projects' higher than required percentage of impervious coverage, the need to do away with screening requirements, clear sight triangles, parking lot setbacks from existing homes, buffer strip landscaping requirements, and dimensional requirements for handicapped parking spaces are the reasons behind the requests for variances.

The appeal for the lots on North Ninth Street was accepted by the board, however the appeal for the lots on Mulberry Street was rejected. The board did not provide an explanation for why it granted one appeal while rejecting another.

The board considered proposals in fresh appeals from:

Harnoor Properties LLC, 1014 North 13th St., is requesting a special exception to allow for the addition of a crispy chicken franchise to the existing non-conforming gas station/convenience shop. The applicant claims that this will not negatively affect the existing company.

The applicant requested that a variance from the allowed uses in the R-3 Residential zoning area be taken into consideration as an alternative to the special exemption. September 11 will see a decision.

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The famous hotel in the area has been chosen as the country's Best Historic Hotel/Resort by USA Today for an unprecedented fourth year in a row.

During a ceremony at the hotel on Wednesday, Velez was given the distinction of opening the FedEx-delivered envelope containing the contest results. Bruce Haines, managing partner of Historic Hotel Bethlehem, beamingly received the news. Beside them, a big video screen displayed the new designation, which he accepted with his wife Jo Ann. Haines said to a sizable group of well-wishers and hotel staff, "The reason we won is the support of the community."

We continue to be a community hotel. Every night at the bar, half of the patrons are from out of the country or something else, and the other half are Lehigh Valley residents. The Lehigh Valley's assistance makes this possible. Employees at the Historic Hotel Bethlehem will still carry the No. 1 pin on their uniform, which they have worn for the previous three years.

Historic hotels and resorts in California, Hawaii, Florida, Virginia, Michigan, Washington State, Alabama, Tennessee, Wisconsin, New York, and New Jersey were all defeated by the 202-year-old Historic Hotel Bethlehem. D.C. Industry insiders and editors of USA Today select the nominations. Next, the public casts an online vote for their choice. The National Trust for Historic Preservation oversees Historic Hotels of America, which is connected to all of the winning hotels.

The Historic Hotel Bethlehem was ecstatic to win the competition. Interestingly, the hotel and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs formed a Grand Slam partnership before the competition. In July, during the campaign's opening game at Coca-Cola Park, IronPigs shortstop Scott Kingery appeared to be setting himself up for a fourth straight top ranking as he crushed a grand slam. "We were honored to collaborate with Historic Hotel Bethlehem," Kurt Landes, general manager of IronPigs, stated. "The hotel has made the entire Lehigh Valley community very proud."

We are in the tenth year of the USA Today contest. Not a single other hotel has taken home the trophy four times, much less four times in a row. Furthermore, no other Pennsylvanian hotel received a nomination this year. In 2020, Historic Hotel Bethlehem came in second, and third in 2019. Discover Lehigh Valley President Alex Michaels stated, "Hotel Bethlehem's hard work and dedication are evident in this distinction." Chief Executive Officer of Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. Don Cunningham remembered, with pride, strolling down the street as a young man and glancing at the hotel.

He remarked, "And I was mayor when this hotel was shuttered and in mothballs." "This is a microcosm of what is going on in the Lehigh Valley right now."

Haines also took time to commemorate the hotel's July UNESCO World Heritage Site designation as a component of the Moravian Church Settlements-Bethlehem. The U.S. government formally submitted a nomination for the designation on February 1, 2023. Moravian Church Settlements: Bethlehem was selected because of the remarkable universal worth of the settlements and the worldwide impact of the Moravian Church. Along with Yosemite National Park, Thomas Jefferson's Monticello residence, and Grand Canyon National Park, it is one of only 26 World Heritage Sites in the United States. The only other two similar locations in Pennsylvania are Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater House and Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

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Administrators from the East Penn School District attended a presentation regarding suggested curriculum modifications for the math and English programs in order to modernize standards and address post-COVID difficulties.

66% of district students in grades 3–8 who took the 2023 PSSA exam achieved proficiency in English language arts, and 49.6% in math. It is anticipated that the curriculum revisions will be formally adopted at a future meeting. For the last two years, the district has been subject to two state-directed targeted support and improvement notices for the economically disadvantaged students at Lower Macungie Middle School and the disabled students at Emmaus High School.

According to presenters, the district is noticing an increase in kids who require more time to learn how to read and write since the COVID-19 pandemic. You can view the East Penn School District's current course curricula here. Presenters claim that in Fall 2022, staff members teaching math in grades K–8 began doing a "root cause analysis" of the academic difficulties that pupils were facing at the time.

In an effort to realign the curriculum with state standards and examinations, the instructors who were presenting claimed they considered input from other educators in the district. Looking at research and studies that have examined the content in contexts different than our own is something that we particularly value when selecting curriculum materials, according to Murphy. Consequently, a pilot course is suggested for the upcoming school year for kids in the fifth and sixth grades. kids will be enrolled in the course based on performance statistics. Known as "Course 1-2," it distills material in order to get ready for a proposed seventh-grade Algebra 1 and eighth-grade 2-3 course.

If the non-accelerated course is required, students will have the chance to retake Course 2 in the seventh grade and enroll in Course 3 in the eighth grade. Teachers' primary source for curricular information will be the i-Ready Classroom Mathematics curriculum package. It admits that "more pupils than ever" are reading below grade level in the wake of COVID-19.

Refocusing and changing the curriculum are nothing new in the modern era. Members of the school board controversially began to phase away the "general preparatory" level of English curriculum instruction in late 2022.

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In Lehigh County, a new restaurant featuring shepherd's pie, potato pancakes, and other traditional dishes from Scotland and Ireland is almost ready to serve patrons.

In a few weeks, Bagpiper's Pub—which will serve real Irish and Scottish fare in addition to American staples like cheesesteaks and burgers—should open at 2101 Liberty St. in Allentown's West End, according to co-owner Bill Dech. After assuming control of the previous Stooges Bar & Grille, Dech, his wife Sue Dech, and another spouse, Bruce and Kim Campbell, renamed the establishment, Bagpiper's.

The partners have been remodeling the area for the past few months, adding new tile floors, pendant lighting, and ceiling tiles, among other improvements. In the middle of the area, they built a new main bar and took down two smaller ones. With enough for 29 patrons, the specially designed rectangular bar has a wood top with LED accent lighting in the center. According to Bill, the bar will serve 16 draft beers, signature and traditional cocktails, and a "quite great assortment of whiskeys and Scotches."

The partners also intend to display multiple flags outside, including the national flags of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the United States. Tartan-patterned window valances further enhance the Irish and Scottish ambience. "We are getting close!" said Bill. "Our crew is in place, and the renovations are finished. To open in time for the [Allentown Fair] is our aim.

Living in Bethlehem, the Dechs and Campbells are no strangers to the restaurant scene.

The couples launched The Nest Bar & Grille, a two-story sports bar and restaurant at 601 E. Fourth St. on Bethlehem's South Side, in August 2021. It features casual American pub fare, multiple televisions, and a sizable, partially covered outside patio. A few blocks away in south Bethlehem, the Dechs also own and run Southside 313—another bar.

Bagpiper's menu will feature items that patrons from both Bethlehem restaurants particularly enjoy, according to Bill. People can look forward to The Nest's reuben sandwich, tuna nachos, and cheesesteak (fresh steak or chicken meat with sauteed onions and house-made wiz), as well as Southside 313's Rachel sandwich, smoked salmon, and hog bones (smoky barbecue and coleslaw with baby back ribs that fall off the bone). Additionally, Bill mentioned that there will be chicken wings with a selection of about twelve new and well-known sauces, including Elvis (peanut butter banana bacon), death pepper, and spicy PBJ.

The bar will serve shepherd's pie, which it will refer to as "Bagpiper's pie," fish and chips, and bangers and mash, among other popular Irish and Scottish meals. Bill stated, "My wife is of Irish descent, and Bruce is of Scottish descent." That is basically how the concept originated. In fact, Bruce turned his home into a traditional Scottish pub. It is lovely.

With room for about 100 people, the new tavern in Allentown will have a digital jukebox and perhaps a dozen TVs. Later on, the partners hope to add more entertainment, such live music and quizzes, according to Bill. "We frequently visit the bars in Allentown's West End as a way to escape Bethlehem and experience a different atmosphere," Bill remarked.

"We felt it would be a terrific addition to the community when this chance came up. There is a tremendous theatrical crowd as well as a large number of Muhlenberg College students in the vicinity. We simply want to add something to the already fantastic scene, which currently has a lot of amazing bars. In addition, since Jack Callaghan's was the only Irish bar in the area until it closed a few years ago, we decided to reopen it.

March saw the closure of Stooges Bar & Grille, which had indoor and outdoor dining during the season. The owners announced the closure of Stooges in a Facebook post that said, "We have to announce the closure of Stooges with mixed emotions." "Thank you very much for your support over the past few years, but it is time for us to move on. Though the Stooges chapter is coming to an end, the West End of Allentown will benefit greatly from some intriguing new developments. Once more, I want to thank you for your support; this has been an amazing journey."

Owner of the Stooges, Joseph Clark Jr., hired builders to help him restore the facility after buying the Liberty Street property in the spring of 2019. He plans to open a second Stooges location with buddy Travis Decker in August 2020. An open-concept dining space was made possible by the demolition of walls, and a new garage door that opens to the front walkway in fine weather was built. New kitchen appliances, flooring, lighting, and external and interior paint were among the further upgrades.

From 2003 until its sudden demise in 2016, various ownership groups oversaw the first edition of the Stooges. Prior to the arrival of the Stooges, Kern's Restaurant occupied the building for about 75 years.

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The Center Square redesign received conditional permission from the municipal Planning Commission.

Officials in charge of planning are fully supporting a project aimed at improving pedestrian safety at one of Allentown's busiest crossroads. To increase the amount of area available for gatherings and events, the project intends to enlarge two plazas, located on the northeast and southeast corners of Seventh and Hamilton streets. That would mean that numerous car lanes would be eliminated. The proposals called for all traffic on Hamilton Street to be diverted to the left of the Sailors and Soldiers monument, rather than splitting around it as it currently does. There would also be a plaza covering the left-turn lane from Seventh Street to Hamilton Street, leaving two lanes for traffic.

On Seventh Street, a bike lane would run on the left side of two lanes for cars. According to Jennifer Gomez, director of Allentown Planning, there was much discussion among planners regarding the best side of the street to designate as a bike lane. According to John Wichner of Bowman Consulting, they chose the left side because there are less potential sources of contention there, such as valet parking and drop-off locations close to PPL Plaza on the right side.

"It is fantastic that the city now has bike lanes," Erich Hortung, a commission member, remarked. Among the top issues citizens mentioned during public sessions last year were increasing space for people, not automobiles, and making the city's major crossroads safer for bikers and pedestrians, Gomez said on Tuesday. Last month, planning officials in the Lehigh Valley also asked local delegates to give walkers and bicycles top priority in the project.

This year, Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk unveiled his Vision Zero plan, which aims to end fatalities and serious injuries on municipal roadways by 2030. The public meetings held last year revealed that a lot of people also hoped the project would open up possibilities for celebrations of Allentown's rich cultural diversity.

If all goes as planned, the redesign project would result in "a spectacular change" of downtown, according to Craig Beavers, who was recently appointed to the planning commission. "The city will really profit from this," he declared.

The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial will continue to be the center of attention in a new plaza, and the project will encompass the whole Seventh and Hamilton crossroads as well as public rights-of-way. According to renderings, the enlarged plaza outside the Starbucks on the ground floor of Two City Center would be centered on a statue. More green area is also required by the project. According to a Lehigh Valley planning authority, Center City Allentown's lack of green space is placed above the 90th percentile nationally.

Grants from the state Transportation Department and the Public Improvement Investment Program of the Allentown Neighborhood Improvement Zone will finance the redesign of Center Square in Allentown.

The renovation should be completed by the end of next year, according to city authorities.

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At City Hall, the Allentown Planning Commission gave its approval to the proposed tractor-trailer parking lot.

The plan, put out by Exchange 32, LLC and developer Abraham Atiyeh, would keep the east side of the land, which is currently home to an abandoned four-story office structure, and use the west side of the tract at 2268 S. 12th St. for truck and trailer parking. To put it briefly, the project will add 25 parking spots for trailers and truck transporters.

The proposal also includes for building new street corner curbing with an accessible ADA ramp at the intersection of South 12th Street and West Sesqui Street, as well as using the driveway at that location as an additional access point. The Allentown Vision 2030 study, according to a project evaluation by the city's bureau of planning and zoning, called for South Allentown "to conserve and strengthen its industrial past via the deliberate rehabilitation of empty and under-utilized sites." Nonetheless, stable residential districts are "also recognized in this proximity juxtaposed with dynamic commercial-industrial activities," according to the city's comprehensive plan.

"The site plan appears well studied in terms of shielding the parking lot from the street and surrounding properties," the agency continued. Zoning regulations for parking lots mandate the addition of more inner trees."

One ongoing local worry is truck traffic on South 12th Street and the flow of vehicles entering and leaving the property. Another problem is that although while truck parking is allowed in the zoning area by right, property owners are still responsible for monitoring and addressing any issues that arise. These consist of operating an unregistered business, disposing of waste and debris improperly, maintaining the site poorly overall, and running an unorganized parking system.

A few members of the planning commission questioned how trailers might fit into the parking lot with such maneuvers. Nonetheless, the planning committee was pleased that the applicant had resolved the majority of the concerns that had been brought up before. The permission on Tuesday afternoon came with a number of stipulations.

A planned affordable housing development located at 38–40 S. Eighth St. has had design amendments approved by planners.

The updated proposal from Walnut Square Apartments, LP calls for a more condensed version of an earlier approved project for a building with multiple units. The original plan called for a four-story structure with 52 reasonably priced units, and it was authorized on June 13, 2023. The updated plan calls for a 44,332-square-foot, three-story structure with 38 reasonably priced apartments. The cut was required in order to match the grant cash that was acquired. The project entails grading, clearing, and the demolition of an existing parish house's asphalt paving. The structure at 36 S. Eighth St. is a church; it will remain intact.

The main lobby entry on South Eighth Street and a secondary entrance on Walnut Street are the two proposed entrances. Items will be loaded and unloaded on South Eighth Street, and the first floor will have a shared washing room. Additionally, off-site, leased parking in a garage building across South Eighth St. is called for in the project. According to Christian Brown, "there is definitely a desire to see this in the city." "I believe it to be a good project."

The Center Square at Seventh and Hamilton streets received approval from the commission for the proposed upgrades.

According to the City of Allentown's proposed design, the intersection of Seventh and Hamilton streets will change. The most significant modification to Seventh Street's land configurations as part of the project is the creation of a bicycle lane between Linden Street and the monument and the restriction of traffic to two lanes between Walnut and Turner streets. A closer look at the proposal indicates that the city wants to remove the designated left turn from North Seventh Street to Hamilton Street at the monument and allow this left turn option to diverge from Seventh Street's traffic flow.

The proposal is to remove the eastbound south lane option from the 700 block of Hamilton past the monument and onto the 600 block of Hamilton on Hamilton Street at the monument. In addition, the plan calls for longer sidewalks from the northwest and southwest corners of the Square all the way to the monument, where the traffic lanes were removed. In addition to improving pedestrian safety, a bicycle lane will be designated on the east side of Seventh Street between Linden and Walnut streets in order to match the traffic modifications at the monument. New street lighting and landscaping are two more project enhancements.

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A recently opened restaurant in Northampton County is filling patrons' bellies in the afternoon, evening, and late hours.

Munchies, a restaurant located at 1130 Pembroke Road in Bethlehem, debuted in late July and serves made-to-order cheesesteaks, smashburgers, rice platters, and other items.

The restaurant, which is open six days a week until midnight, is housed in a refurbished structure that used to be Big Daddy's Famous Cheesesteaks.

Shaan Ehtram, the proprietor of Munchies, is thrilled to provide the community—which he describes as "wonderful and very supportive"—with fresh, high-quality food. We are glad to be a part of this community since there is a lot of love here, Ehtram remarked. Although we have not done any promotion yet and are still in the soft opening phase, the first few weeks have been extremely busy. Everyone is talking about us and giving us positive feedback.

Munchies cuisine is characterized by Ehtram as "casual American," with popular dishes include a chopped cheese sandwich, Buffalo, BBQ, honey BBQ, mango habanero, garlic parmesan, sweet teriyaki, and Jamaican jerk. Another popular meal is a Philly cheesesteak. The smashburger, a $5.99 "freshly crafted burger grilled to perfection" that comes with lettuce, tomato, cheese, pickles, and secret sauce, is the company's best-selling item. For $7.99, there is also a double smashburger with two patties and double the cheese.

Other standout items on the menu are the following: rice platters with chicken, lamb, combo, tenders, or falafel; gyros with chicken, lamb, combo, or tenders; fries platters with chicken, lamb, combo, or tenders; and sides including cheese fries, onion rings, and mozzarella sticks. Fries platters feature option of fries, sauce drizzle, salad, and protein. Similarly, rice platters include choice of rice, fries, and sauce. Munchies also sells Icees, Philadelphia Water Ice, and housemade desserts including chocolate fudge, dulce de leche, Oreo mousse, and New York cheesecake for those with a sweet tooth.

"We also have a lot of popularity with our platters," Ehtram added. "Every piece of beef is halal."

Open from midday to midnight on Saturdays, Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and from 3 p.m. to midnight on Fridays, Munchies features inside seating for approximately 12 patrons in addition to extra outdoor seating.

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Customers at Raising Cane's first regional location in Lower Macungie Township, a Southern-based chicken restaurant, appear to have no difficulty standing in drive-thrus for up to an hour.

Rainsing Cane recently opened their first Lehigh Valley location at Trexler Business Center, 6240 Hamilton Blvd. A chain spokesman told lehighvalleylive.com Tuesday morning that there were about 250 potential "Caniacs," as the customers are dubbed, waiting in line for the doors to open. A few people had reserved spaces by sleeping at the site overnight on August 5. The spokesman said that "a few ravenous campers... were able to stake their claim as one of the first in the Lehigh Valley to enjoy our new restaurant."

A ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Lehigh County Chamber of Commerce, a commemorative hat and a free "box combo card" for the first 100 customers who purchased a box combo (for a future visit), a number of competitions, a DJ spinning music, and appearances by the Lehigh Valley IronPigs mascot FeFe were all part of the grand opening celebration.

Since then, the queues of chicken enthusiasts have not shortened. The parking lot in front of Movie Tavern Trexlertown and the area surrounding the first drive-thru Wawa in the Lehigh Valley, which opened its doors in February, appear to still have double drive-thrus. There are increasingly large crowds inside, and both indoor and outdoor dining tables are full. Orders for carryout and order-ahead have been placed online using the Cane smartphone app by those who wish to avoid the crowds.

Raising Cane's, located in Louisiana, is well-known for its hand-battered chicken that is marinated for a full day before being prepared to order. For each order, "bird specialists" on the crew hand-dip and bread the chicken. According to the website, this indicates the restaurant does not utilize heat lamps.

"Caniacs" have a choice between chicken tenders and sandwiches. Coleslaw, Texas toast, and crinkle-cut fries are among the sides. The menu also features a "Cane's Sauce," a secret dipping sauce that is described as "tangy but with just enough heat to spice things up." The chain's famous iced tea, which is made fresh multiple times a day, is the perfect accompaniment to everything. Other fountain soft drinks are also available.

Raising Cane's has more than 730 locations throughout several states; the locations nearest to the Lehigh Valley are in the Philadelphia and lower Bucks County regions. At 1836 Catasauqua Road, Hanover Township, Lehigh County, the location of the former Friendly's restaurant is set to become a second regional dining establishment. The business is rapidly expanding into New Jersey as well.

Planners approved Jaindl Land Co.'s Trexler Business Center in Lower Macungie in 2016, and Raising Cane's was the last tenant needed. Situated on 17 acres, the shopping mall is located immediately east of the Walmart Supercenter at Mill Creek Road. Raising Cane's and Wawa joined the First Commonwealth Credit Union headquarters, a First Commonwealth Credit Union branch, Movie Tavern Trexlertown, and Bastian Carpet One. The retail center is now fully constructed.

In 1996, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, businessman Todd Graves launched Raising Cane's. Raising Cane I, Graves' yellow Labrador at the time the first restaurant was founded, is the inspiration behind the names of the restaurants. In an attempt to encourage budding business owners, Graves also notes on the chain's website that his idea to offer only chicken fingers got the lowest mark in a college course.

According to Graves, the professor simply did not think it would work. Later, Raising Cane's expanded from a single campus eatery at Louisiana State University's North Gates to become one of the country's largest and fastest-growing restaurant businesses.

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Four farms in the Lehigh Valley have been kept intact as part of a $9.9 million state-wide initiative to prevent development and save open spaces.

The secretary of the state Department of Agriculture, Russell Redding, declared in a news release on Monday that Pennsylvania is an excellent environment to conduct business. Developers are vying for farmers' land because of our proximity to ports, interstates, railroads, and 40% of the country's population. "The Shapiro Administration, in partnership with farm families, county and local governments, is making a critical investment to save fertile farmland for producing food, rather than losing it to warehouses and suburban sprawl to feed our families, our economy, and our future together."

Along with almost two dozen other farms throughout the state, the farms—two in each of the counties of Lehigh and Northampton—were the most recent to be added to the Commonwealth's Farmland Preservation Program.

In order to shield the property from any future residential or commercial development, farmers sell their development rights to the state's State Property Preservation Board under the scheme. Two farms in Lower Milford Township have been protected in Lehigh County: the 20-acre crop farm owned by Alan P. and Donna M. Behnke, and the 43-acre crop farm owned by Matthew J. Urffer and Jessica J. Bales.

According to the news release, the state, county, and township money made up the total investment of little over $403,000. Two farms in Northampton County were Charles B., Natalie J., and Zachary B. Rush's 48-acre crop farm in Moore Township, and 358 Menahan Street, a 56-acre crop farm in Lower Mount Bethel Township. The state and county funds made up the little under $435,000 overall investment.

In this most recent round, thirty farms totaling 2,654 acres in 14 counties were conserved around the state.

The commonwealth has invested more than $1.7 billion in state, county, and municipal funding to preserve 6,422 farms and 641,908 acres in 58 counties since voters adopted the state's Farmland Preservation Program in 1988.

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