State & Regional News

The bill would limit the manufacture, sale, distribution and use of firefighting foam containing PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, beginning in 2026.

President Donald Trump campaigned on immigration enforcement and recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations have gained national and local attention. This week on Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick look into the public's reaction to these raids.

After Monday brought rounds of thunderstorms and heavy rain, more severe weather is expected to target the region on Tuesday, forecasters say.

Xylazine, an animal-grade tranquilizer that's not approved for human use, has taken Pennsylvania's illicit drug supply by storm. Known on the streets as "tranq," it accounted for almost 1 in 4 overdose deaths in Pennsylvania by 2023. Last year in Lehigh County, it was a contributing cause of death in 20 of the 112 deadly overdoses, or 17.9 percent of cases.

Multiple media outlets report Bryan Kohberger has agreed to plead guilty to murdering four University of Idaho students as part of a deal with prosecutors to avoid the death penalty. A change of plea hearing is set for Wednesday. Kohberger’s trial had been set to begin in August

The funding comes from the commonwealth’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program, a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Known as "tranq" on the streets, an animal tranquilizer named xylazine infiltrated drug supplies throughout Pennsylvania since 2019. Its presence in the Lehigh Valley has grown, with deadly consequences.

Life changed for Bethlehem's Moravian community as the Revolutionary War waged. "Suddenly, the world just descends," said one historian. This is the first in a recurring series exploring the Lehigh Valley's place in American history.

WLVR's Brad Klein talks with Bethlehem's Backyard Astronomy Guy, Marty McGuire about planetary viewing in this week's Watching the Skies. Leading into the first week of July, viewers can snag a better view of the planet Mercury just after sunset.

The Clean Trucks PA Coalition report identified more than 600 schools, childcare centers, playgrounds and parks near major roadways and trucking corridors across the state.

Gov. Josh Shapiro's 2026-27 budget proposal falls back on familiar proposals to regulate skill games and legalize marijuana, two flashpoints that fueled a months-long budget impasse last year.

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.

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.”

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie defended expanded immigration enforcement under the Trump administration while acknowledging the need for reforms after recent incidents involving federal agents.

Guests enjoyed dinner Tuesday night at Bethlehem's United Steelworkers Union Hall before a panel of five women tried to make sense of rising costs for housing, groceries, healthcare and other essential needs.

Wonder, a fast-growing food and delivery concept that blends elements of a food hall, restaurant and delivery service, is coming to the Promenade this summer, it was announced Tuesday.

Miller-Keystone Blood Center requires about 350 blood donations every day to meet the needs of regional hospitals. Sunday's big winter storm forced the cancellation of multiple blood drives.

Month-to-date snowfall in the Allentown area now stands at 20.8 inches, nearly triple the normal January average of 7.7 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

The storm dropped a record 11.8 inches of snow on Lehigh Valley International Airport, breaking the old record of 10.4 inches for the date set in 1988.

Forecasters say the Lehigh Valley region could see 10 to 16 inches of snow and sleet accumulations, with a wintry mix of snow and sleet expected Sunday afternoon and evening. A winter storm warning remains in effect into Monday afternoon.

The Lehigh County Coroner's Office said the 27-year-old died Saturday night at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest — hours after being shot during a standoff with Pennsylvania State Police in a North Whitehall Township driveway.

Forecasters now expect widespread snow totals of 12 to 18 inches across much of the region, with locally higher amounts possible. The warning replaces the earlier watch, signaling that severe winter weather is now considered imminent.