State & Regional News

The Walking Purchase, a 1737 land grab perpetrated by William Penn's sons, shaped the Lehigh Valley as residents know it today. But, the land wasn’t actually purchased, as the name might suggest — it was swindled from the Lenni-Lenape.

More than 130 people attended the panel, which focused on efforts across the state to tamp down on light pollution, not only to benefit star-gazers, but for fireflies and migrating birds, too.

Lehigh Valley Political Pulse host Tom Shortell wants to hear from you. Readers are encouraged to submit questions through the link in the article. They may be addressed on a future episode of the program.

As the system moves off the Carolina coast and begins to strengthen and lift northward, impacts farther inland — particularly in the Lehigh Valley — are not expected to be overly hazardous.

PennDOT has decided to convert a normally empty parking lot off William Penn Highway into 30 or more truck parking spots. While warehouses have boomed across the Lehigh Valley, truck parking has failed to keep up.

Political scientist Chris Borick joined Tom Shortell again this week to try to make sense of the government shutdown and what it all means.

Senate Democrats have refused to fund the federal government unless Republicans agree to extend tax subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. U.S. Ryan Mackenzie supports the tax subsidies but echoed Republican demands that no deal can be struck until the federal government is funded.

A reinforcing cold front has triggered a freeze watch in the Lehigh Valley from Thursday evening through Friday morning, bringing our coldest overnight temperatures since mid-April.

State environmental officials are calling on residents to nominate their favorite waterway to be 2026 River of the Year. The effort aims to elevate public awareness of specific rivers and recognize important conservation needs and achievements.

The filings, which occurred over the past few days in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New Jersey, are individual filings of LLCs, including the location that was based at the Lehigh Valley Mall Lifestyle Center.

Fracking has been a dividing line between the 4 Democrats in the race.

The plaintiffs argue disparities in school funding violate the state constitution.

The House State Government Committee moved a bill forward along party lines Monday that would limit how county election departments can be funded.

The governor said he will turn over masking decisions to local school officials on Jan. 17.

Measures claiming to promote “energy choice” in Pennsylvania appear to be gaining momentum in the legislature.

Kids aged 5-11 can now receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Shots are already being administered across the Lehigh Valley.

Some families are still waiting on funds they were supposed to get months ago to make up for meals students missed during last school year.

The bill has bipartisan co-sponsors but a House Republican spokesperson says it is not a priority this fall.

Gov. Tom Wolf and some Senate Dems are crying foul over two bills that would ease rules for Pa. gun owners.

More than 81,000 documented oil and gas wells across the U.S. have been left unplugged by former owners — far exceeding the previous estimate of 56,000, according to a new report by the Environmental Defense Fund.

The five-member Legislative Reapportionment Commission has been waiting for a final, cleaned-up package of census data since the summer.

The Biden administration wants to develop 30,000 megawatts of offshore wind power by 2030 -- enough energy for 10 million homes.