State & Regional News

The chief economist for Wells Fargo’s Corporate and Investment Bank told a Bethlehem crowd the Federal Reserve Board is unlikely to stick a soft landing as it battles inflation.

Backlogs and bottlenecks have dragged out wait times for a $350 million Pennsylvania mortgage relief program, leaving homeowners stuck in a high-stakes game of telephone.

A storm system is forecast to approach the Lehigh Valley on Wednesday and bring with it a variety of wintry hazards, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a winter weather advisory.

A complex storm system is taking aim at the Lehigh Valley on Wednesday, and the midweek event could bring an extended period of snow to the area. But forecasters caution the "warm nose" of the storm could spoil the event for some.

Rep. Robert Freeman, Pennsylvania's longest serving House member, has quietly changed Pennsylvania's planning laws.

The high cost of living is the biggest problem for rural voters, according to a new national survey commissioned by the Save the Children Action Network.

Disputes over partisanship led local organizations to schedule competing workshops for potential political candidates.

The commonwealth's unemployment rate has dipped below four percent for the first time since recording of the rate started.

For the 15th year in a row, the region, including the Lehigh Valley, is being recognized for the most organ donations in the country. Gift of Life Donor Program aided in reaching that goal.

The city's first major running festival since Runner's World's in 2019 will include a 5K, 10K and half-marathon.

The Pennsylvania Department of State is starting a new office to help train county election workers, Pa. Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt said. It also plans to update its guidance for logic and accuracy testing that could have caught issues with the Northampton County voting machines.

Lafayette College will host the 2024 vice presidential debate this coming September, drawing the world's eyes to its Easton campus. Nicole Hurd, the college's president, hopes it will be an opportunity to highlight the liberal arts school and the greater Easton community.

Lawmakers in Harrisburg passed nearly three dozen laws last week in a final burst of action as they held their last voting session of the year.

Nippon Steel is set to pay more than $14 billion to acquire Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel in a deal that Rep. Susan Wild said is “really kind of heartbreaking."

Pennsylvania's gas tax– the highest in the nation in 2023 – will drop from $0.611/gallon to $0.576/gallon and will remain in place through 2024.

It might seem counterintuitive, but harvesting holiday trees year after year is better for the environment than using an artificial one, experts said, especially amid the proliferation of plastic piling up in landfills.

Bethlehem Police Chief Michelle Kott said these types of incentives will help to attract “the best and brightest” candidates to serve the city.

More than three dozen projects in the Valley were awarded grants, receiving about 7% of the total funding awarded. Statewide, $335 million in grants were announced Wednesday.

Driven by $8.1 billion in manufacturing, the Lehigh Valley's Gross Domestic Product grew to a record $50.2 billion in 2022. The region's economy now ranks above Vermont and Wyoming.

State Sen. Lisa Boscola said it's a fallacy if the U.S. Postal Service thinks it can save up to $7 million by shipping outgoing mail from the Lehigh Valley to Harrisburg for processing without cutting jobs. On Monday, she called on USPS to do further analysis of its plans.

The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission at 11 a.m. on Wednesday is holding a meeting at its Allentown office to brainstorm and prioritize ways to decarbonize transportation across the region. Decarbonization is the process of reducing or eliminating carbon dioxide emissions.

Amid the joy and festivities, environmental advocates are urging residents to keep sustainability in mind during what can be a time of year when trash and waste spikes.