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.

The state's dairy industry has officially reached "HPAI-free" status after rigorous testing in Pennsylvania dairy cattle for highly pathogenic avian influenza. Other states have detected bird flu in their cattle though, so the state will continue to monitor and test cattle.

Because of the timing, the National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory from 4 p.m. until midnight for total snow and sleet accumulations of a coating to one inch and ice accumulations around a light glaze.

On this week's episode of Political Pulse, Tom Shortell and Chris Borick talk about local traffic development and how residents feel about traffic issues.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, wants to know how a former Allentown vice officer was hired by the U.S. Center for SafeSport despite sex-crime allegations in his past.

Back-to-back storms will roll through the Lehigh Valley this week, but forecasters say if you're a snow purist, don't expect much in the way of significant accumulation.

Local officials in places like Lowhill Township want more tools to help them control industrial development and traffic in their borders.

From Coplay to Caesar's Superdome: Saquon Barkley made a name for himself at Whitehall High and Penn State. He's been a top performer in the NFL this season. Here are Barkley's best plays of the 2024 season ahead of Super Bowl LIX.

A dozen Pennsylvania puppies will compete for the "Lombarky" trophy and Most Valuable Puppy starting at 2 p.m. Sunday.

The winter weather advisory will run 3 p.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday, with mixed precipitation expected in the Lehigh Valley and across the region.

St. Luke's University Health Network on Friday launched an email helpline for residents with questions about avian flu. No human cases have so far been recorded in Pennsylvania.

These local businesses are gearing up for Super Bowl Sunday by offering some Eagles-themed eats.

Win or lose in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is viewed as a champion in his hometown of Whitehall and throughout the Lehigh Valley.