State & Regional News

This week on Watching the Skies, WLVR's Brad Klein and Bethlehem's Backyard Astronomy Guy, Marty McGuire talk about the planet Venus and its role as the "morning star."

Ryan Mackenzie, the Lehigh Valley's freshman congressman, cast an essential vote to move President Donald Trump's signature bill through the U.S. House last week. His would-be Democratic opponents say he's sold out poor families to give billionaires a tax break.

State Treasurer Stacy Garrity said her department has returned 500 military medals and pieces of memorabilia to veterans and their families since 2021.

The state Department of Environmental Protection announced $1 million in grants to promote environmental education and stewardship across the state. Four Lehigh Valley programs received funding.

The LVPC on Thursday hosted a workshop, “Planning + Pizza: Deploying Electric Vehicle Infrastructure,” aiming to collect feedback about where best to deploy EV infrastructure throughout the region.

Overall, 31 of the region’s 35 major climate sites were wetter than normal, with 22 of them experiencing one of their 20 wettest May 1-15 periods. Allentown took the top spot, experiencing its wettest May 1-15 ever.

The Lehigh Valley's public transit system says it will have to cut service by 20 percent and boost fares by 25 percent without additional state funding — something that Gov. Josh Shapiro has called for but that lawmakers will have to approve.

Tuesday, May 20, is Primary Election Day in Pennsylvania. Several high-profile local races are on the ballot in Lehigh and Northampton counties. Check out our procrastinator's guide and Q&A.

Drivers who have been ticketed for school bus camera violations say the process to contest them needs to change. PennDOT said thousands of citations across seven Lehigh Valley school districts are still awaiting hearings.

Republicans Roger MacLean and Mike Welsh have spent less than $8,000 combined on their race. Meanwhile, their Democratic opponent Josh Siegel has amassed more than $180,000 in his war chest. The primary election is Tuesday, May 20.

The program is back for the start of 2022 after being canceled last year due to the pandemic.

Leigh Chapman will be the Department of State's fifth leader in seven years.

The third-largest school district in Pa. is launching its first esports team.

Commonwealth Court is expected to rule soon on a case that could lead to an election probe.

The American Civil Liberties Union was among the chief opponents of approval.

After all but vanishing by the 1960s, the species is now self-sustaining in Pennsylvania.

The money is part of the state's share of $9 billion in American Rescue Plan funds

Delaware County school district asserts its under-funding violates the state constitution.

Game Commission biologist Art McMorris has spent 18 years working on behalf of the winged predators.

The new variant is responsible for three quarters of all new cases in the U.S.

Environmental justice areas include neighborhoods that shoulder more than a typical share of climate and environmental risks.

Some say the way the state distributes money to small school districts is not equitable.