State & Regional News

Voters are increasingly breaking with the Republican and Democratic parties. One national poll found a record 45% of Americans consider themselves politically independent.

The forum is set to start at 6 p.m. Monday at Resurrected Life Church in Center City Allentown.

Democratic voters in Pennsylvania's 16th and 18th Senate districts may have contested races this spring. Meanwhile, Republican Zach Mako is seeking re-election in Pennsylvania's 183rd House District.

Joining host Tom Shortell on this week's Political Pulse, Ryan Crosswell said his campaign is focused on two priorities: lowering costs for families and defending democratic institutions.

The early LIHEAP crisis numbers already represent a notable share of last winter’s total in the Lehigh Valley, according to data provided by the Department of Human Services.

An extreme cold warning, combined with a wind advisory also in effect, could mean wind chills as low as 20 degrees below zero for the region this weekend.

Lawmakers voted 46-1 on Senate Bill 1014, bipartisan legislation that would require public schools to adopt "bell-to-bell" policies restricting student use of smartphones and other internet-connected devices throughout the entire school day.

The rich got richer in Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District race at the close of 2025. Campaign finance reports show Ryan Mackenzie, Bob Brooks and Ryan Crosswell raised nearly $1.4 million while Lamont McClure, Carol Obando-Derstine and Mark Pinsley each saw their campaigns lose money.

Amazon driver Troy Johnson, 30, of Philadelphia, also was ordered to face court on a felony count of accidents involving death and misdemeanor counts of involuntary manslaughter and recklessly endangering another person.

Gov. Josh Shapiro billed the agreement as the largest-ever investment by a pharmaceutical company in Pennsylvania history and the “largest-ever investment in the Lehigh Valley.”

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering the eastern hellbender for protections under the federal Endangered Species Act. Find out why habitat loss and the pet trade are contributing to population declines.

If predictions stay true, the Lehigh Valley would be on the higher end of the 4- to 7-inch range of snowfall. PennDOT and the PA Turnpike Commission have set vehicle and road restrictions.

Shapiro highlighted his administration's historic investments in K-12 public education in the last two years before his budget address in the first week of February.

Depending on how the system evolves, a robust and plowable storm seems like the more likely scenario for the region, with the timing on potential snowfall beginning to lock in for Sunday afternoon.

The "African Americans in Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley" traveling display is in the rotunda of the Northampton County Courthouse. It shares foundational stories of the Lehigh Valley through an African American lens.

Infinera has secured a CHIPS and Science Act contract to construct a state-of-the-art semiconductor facility in South Bethlehem. The 2022 law intends to bolster domestic production of essential technology.

U.S. regulators on Wednesday banned the dye called Red 3 from the nation’s food supply, nearly 35 years after it was barred from cosmetics because of potential cancer risk.

The U.S. Department of Commerce reached a non-binding agreement with Coherent Corp. that could lead to the creation of 320 jobs at its Palmer Township facility. The agreement is intended to boost production of silicon carbide substrates, a specialized crystal used to create semiconductor wafers.

Confidence has increased for a clipper system to bring light snow to the region on Thursday, with potential for additional accumulation Sunday into Monday. The coldest air mass of the season arrives behind it, forecasters say.

Excelsior Farms was one of nine farms across the state recognized at the 109th PA Farm Show that have been in the same family for 100 years or more.

January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. LehighValleyNews.com spoke with local human trafficking awareness advocate Carol Andersen to learn how to be more aware of human trafficking in the region.

The Lehigh Valley has been put on the map for its popularity among home buyers. Now, it's officially cheaper to rent than to buy, and the area has been named the hottest small rental market in 2024 by Rent Cafe. What trends can current and prospective residents expect in 2025?