State & Regional News

Join Megan Frank at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. every Friday for Insights with LehighValleyNews.com on WLVR. This week, she's joined by Bethlehem reporter Will Oliver and Northampton County reporter Ryan Gaylor.

Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure says he'll run for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District seat in 2026, seeking to bring the seat back under Democratic control.

Stephen DeWeerth, professor and dean of the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, called the endowment “a testament to the commitment of our alumni community in advancing Lehigh's mission of inspiring future makers."

With Bethlehem City Council adopting the 2024 Lehigh Valley Hazard Mitigation Plan on Tuesday, the city is now in place for potential federal financial assistance if a disaster, natural or human-caused, was to happen.

Easton City Councilman Frank Pintabone introduced a new ordinance at the board's Wednesday meeting that would see marijuana possession and use reduced to summary offenses with fines.

Mark Pinsley also plans to publish a series of “plain-language reports” about how billionaire Elon Musk’s efforts to cut the federal government will affect local municipalities, services and programs.

Lehigh Valley Health Network and Northampton County Chiefs of Police Association are expanding a program which helps those with autism and other communication issues interact with police when stopped.

The LVPC Environment Committee on Tuesday approved a proposal by Lower Nazareth Township to modify its Agricultural Security Area program. The ASA program lets farmland owners enroll their properties in an ASA, which then is managed by a municipality.

If you’ve ever thought about running for local office, you’ve probably had one big question above all: How do I get my campaign up and running? Tom Shortell and Sam Chen have the answers in this week's Political Pulse.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has released further details of the arrest made at Northampton County Prison on Friday, again accusing Northampton County Prison of not cooperating. County Executive Lamont McClure challenges that.

Stanley cups have skyrocketed in popularity, following other trends in reusable drinkware. But, fads like these can encourage overconsumption, experts said.

The state agency that promotes hunting in Pennsylvania has hired a lobbying firm run by a former top lawmaker using tens of thousands of dollars in public funds.

Gov. Josh Shapiro wants to invest more money in Pennsylvania's transit authorities. The money could plug a funding gap at LANTA as COVID relief dollars run dry, said Executive Director Owen O'Neil.

Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed increasing basic education funding by $1.1 billion, laying the groundwork to slash tuition costs at state-owned schools and taking out a $500 million bond to spur economic development.

Gov. Shapiro will deliver his budget address on Tuesday, Feb. 6. The deadline to deliver a completed spending plan is June 30.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, state parks across Pennsylvania were inundated with visitors.

State officials late last month announced the theme for this year’s annual tick-themed art contest, “Protect. Check. Remove.” Last year, there were no winners in the Lehigh Valley.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

Republican congressional candidates Maria Montero and Ryan Mackenzie criticized U.S. Rep. Susan Wild after she said Carbon County "drank the Trump Kool-Aid" on a conference call with prominent Pennsylvania Democrats.

News Director Jen Rehill talks with journalists Tom Shortell and Brittany Sweeney.

More than $2 million was allocated to nine organizations across Pennsylvania to fund various research efforts, all linked to the state’s $132.5 billion agriculture industry.

Campaign finance reports show Republican Kevin Dellicker outraised the rest of the GOP field combined in his bid for PA-7. But Democratic incumbent Susan Wild raised twice as much as all of the Republicans put together.