On its home page, PPL Electric Utilities says that it had technical difficulties with its power outage reporting systems beginning Sunday, which may have prevented some customers from reporting their loss of electricity. If you do have an outage that has not been reported, PPL asks that you report outages online or by calling 1-800-DIAL-PPL (1-800-342-5775). “Calls from customers help us determine the scope of outages and better direct crews to where the problems exist,” the Web site says. The utility company asks those who have already reported the electricity loss not call again for an …

Upper Macungie Township Fire Commissioner Grant Grim called the township "very fortunate," to escape major damage from Hurricane Irene, but lingering effects still remain. "I can't say it was terrible. It turned out better than we expected. It could have been a lot worse with the winds," he said. "Most of the roads closed in the township are closed due to flooding more than anything else." Grim said he's now worried about winds that are forecast to pick up during the back edge of the storm, even though the rains have subsided. "We'll see how the winds pick up with the saturated ground," Grim …

Upper Macungie Township Fire Commissioner Grant Grim said Saturday morning that the township will staff phones at the municipal building from 7 p.m. tonight through the duration of the storm. That phone number is 610-395-4892. "It's for anyone who might need anything from us," Grim said. Grim said shelters will be made available for anyone who might need them at any of the township three fire stations -- Station 56, Goodwill Fire Co. #1 of Trexlertown and Fogelsville Fire Co. Grim said the township's elementary schools could be opened if needed for shelters. Grim also said the township's road…

Herd animals like bison and elk have an instinct for knowing when to hunker down, which is one reason the Lehigh Valley Zoo isn’t shipping the animals elsewhere to ride out the coming storm. Richard Rosevear, the zoo’s general curator, said he expects the bison and elk around the facility’s perimeter to bed down and stay low to the ground if high winds and heavy rains hit this weekend as expected. “They know it’s coming long before we do,” he said. “They can detect changes in barometric pressure.” The bigger concern is that a hurricane could knock down trees that would put a hole in the chain…

With Hurricane Irene almost certain to batter the Lehigh Valley this weekend, the need for up-to-the minute info is even more important. At Patch, we will be working around-the-clock to cover the storm, but as with of our reporting, the more interaction we get from users the more comprehensive our coverage will be. Upper Macungie Patch is as much your site as it is ours. So as Irene approaches, here’s how you can use Patch to help paint the local picture of the event.1. Get the news. When we know about storm-related news, so will you. From important town and village announcements, damages, …