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.

Grass left uncut. 911 calls that just ring. Reduced hours at libraries and pools.

After the March 2020 pandemic shutdown of non-life-sustaining businesses, more than 42,000 businesses applied to the Wolf Administration to stay open.

Election season is fast approaching and Northampton County will once again be setting up ballot boxes throughout the county.

The five-member panel in charge of state legislative redistricting says several thousand state prisoners should be counted in the districts where they're imprisoned.

When the glaciers retreated 13,000 years ago from northwestern Pennsylvania, eight natural lakes were left in their wake. The ones that have become popular, like Conneaut and Edinboro lakes, have vacation homes, resorts, and farms nearby. But one lake stands out as a jewel of the region: Lake Pleasant.

Gov. Tom Wolf is creating an advisory panel to help review new Congressional district maps for the state.

State election officials say many counties are having a difficult time attracting poll workers for upcoming elections.

State stores across Pennsylvania are limiting some liquor purchases to two bottles per day.

A new study from Penn State shows Pennsylvania could avoid billions of dollars in health damages by joining a regional cap and trade program targeting power plant emissions.

While state Senate leaders will soon be battling in court over Republican election investigation subpoenas, the House has other plans for next week’s session.

State officials are encouraging non-English speaking residents, even those who are not U.S. citizens, to apply for emergency rental assistance funding.

Republicans in the House Health Committee are challenging the Pennsylvania health department’s order that requires children to wear face coverings at schools to decrease the spread of COVID-19.