State & Regional News

The speaker series, which runs on select Thursdays through March, focuses on engaging residents about the local environment, as well as conservation efforts.

As the federal government shutdown drags on into its second month, hundreds of flights Friday are being canceled at 40 airports across the country. Regional airports, such as LVIA, could be affected, too.

The hourlong program by PBS39 comes in the wake of the closure of a homeless encampment along Jordan Creek in Allentown and the scheduled shutdown of a separate one along the Lehigh River in Bethlehem.

Current conditions, along with the continued drying of fine fuels, "could support the rapid spread of any fires that ignite, which could quickly become difficult to control," the National Weather Service said.

With an unusually politicized Supreme Court retention question on the ballot Tuesday, Lehigh Valley voters overwhelmingly backed Democratic candidates.

Mackenzie, along with officials from Wildlands Conservancy, the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, on Wednesday morning hiked a portion of the property, lauding the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund that helped preserve it.

Following a wind advisory Wednesday night, forecasters say the Lehigh Valley will see a fairly active pattern continuing through the weekend and into early next week as temperatures tumble.

Democrat Sarah Fevig may have spent a record amount for a single county commissioner candidate in her campaign. Meanwhile, Zach Cole-Borghi handily defeated his opponent despite the specter of criminal charges.

All three of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices who sought reelection Tuesday will get another term. The result shapes the makeup of the seven-member court through the next presidential election in 2028.

People came to the polls mindful of the state Supreme Court retention vote — and with a wide variety of issues on their minds, from the federal government shutdown to abortion policy and access to health care.

Over the last three decades, more than 400 farms have been preserved in Lehigh County. The program aims to ward off development and protect open spaces.

Grant applications for the Municipal Opportunities for Retrofits and Energy Efficiency, or MORE, Program are open. Loans are also available through a Lehigh Valley lender.

With temperatures expected to stay in the 90s this week, electric companies are sharing ways for customers to keep their bills low while keeping cool.

PennDOT announced its list of upcoming seasonal driver license, photo and other service centers, as well as road trip tips and travel construction delays.

The Pennsylvania House passed a bill last week that would overhaul the state’s education funding system, sending millions to Lehigh Valley schools over the next seven years. But it faces an uncertain future in the Senate.

No matter what we call it, hazardous heat is expected across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, according to the Weather Prediction Center.

Three farms in Lehigh and Northampton counties were the latest to be included in the state’s Farmland Preservation Program. The program aims to ward off development and protect open spaces.

Senate Republicans blocked a vote on a bill that would guarantee access to assisted reproductive technology. The effort came a day after Democrats blocked a Republican effort to penalize states that attempt to ban invitro fertilization treatments.

A bill aimed at saving local pharmacies with pharmacy benefit manager, or PBMs, reform was touted in Allentown this week. Pennsylvania State Representative Josh Siegel, who represents Lehigh County, joined State Representative Jessica Benham, who represents Allegheny County, at Allentown Pharmacy.

The grant program would allow schools to recruit students, paraprofessionals and other community members to pursue a career in education. It passed the House with bipartisan support last year but has been stuck in committee in the Senate since then.

Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan says machine gun conversion devices, also known as Glock switches, are becoming increasingly common in the region. The illegal modifications turn semi-automatic firearms into automatic weapons.

A new report release by the American Heart Association shows the U.S. on trend to have a cardiovascular disease crisis within 30 years. A public poll shows people feel eating healthy is the way to avoid the crisis, but price points and access limit that ability.