State & Regional News

With Memorial Day behind them, lawmakers are heading toward summer recess amid questions about what, if anything, they will be able to accomplish before voters return their attention to the fall elections.

Pennsylvania lawmakers moved closer to establishing a statewide restriction on student cell phone use in public schools, as the state House passed legislation requiring "bell-to-bell" phone bans during the school day.

The study, released late last week by the Delaware River Basin Commission, detected per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in surface water, sediment, fish and blue crab tissue collected throughout the basin, including along the tidal Delaware River.

On this week's Lehigh Valley Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick break down the 2026 primary election results.

Electric customers across Pennsylvania will see higher supply rates beginning June 1, adding new pressure to household budgets just as air conditioning demand starts to climb.

Firefighter union boss Bob Brooks swept each municipality in Lehigh County and nearly each one in Northampton County en route to his nearly 20-point victory in Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District's Democratic primary Tuesday.

Jack Pletz, 24 and his father, Matthew Pletz, have been arrested. Seventeen explosive devices were found inside their pickup truck.

The district, now represented by Sen. Jarrett Coleman, a first-term Republican, covers much of Lehigh County's rural and suburban communities and the northern part of Bucks County.

Bob Brooks has declared victory in the Lehigh Valley's Democratic primary for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District.

Tuesday is Primary Election Day in Pennsylvania. Lehigh Valley Democratic voters will cast ballots in the 7th Congressional District, 16th District state Senate, the 22nd District state House of Representatives and 187th District state House. Republicans have no races for those seats; GOP candidates in them are unopposed.

Rep. Scott Perry called the House committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol 'illegitimate.'

The No Surprises Act stops health providers from automatically charging for out-of-network costs.

'It's a Christmas miracle," said one state legislator.

Both Allentown and Bethlehem would be split into different Senate districts under the plan.

Advocacy groups and Democrats want the state to block the request for voters' partial social security numbers and other sensitive information.

Advocates say a disparity in pay leaves families without the care they need.

Orthopedic massage can ease pain brought on by repetitive stress, heavy lifting and more.

The initiative with 11 other states would charge power plants for carbon dioxide they emit.

Democrats say the new draft has little chance of passing because it wasn't negotiated with the governor's office.

The American Red Cross has mobilized volunteers from around the country, including Pennsylvania, to help victims of the recent tornadoes.

The ACLU is concerned that voter information can be kept safe.

Beam took the job in January when Dr. Rachel Levine was named to a post in the Biden administration.