-
Hayden Mitman/LehighValleyNews.comLehigh County prosecutors tried to avoid the standard procedures for criminal court by bypassing defendants' preliminary hearings. Instead, Lehigh County Judge Thomas Caffrey ruled the cases should proceed Friday morning as scheduled. -
Evan Vucci/AP/APIn this week's episode, Political Pulse host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick talk about current events shaping political opinions in unexpected ways. Borick said it marks a "wild start" to 2026 and could set the stage for the rest of the year.
Listen on 93.1 WLVR and at LehighValleyNews.com
More Headlines
-
Last fall, Cynthia Mota said she thought it was “time for different leadership” in Allentown. She’s since reconsidered her run for mayor. -
Michael Wargo of Mahoning Township has advocated for veterans' mental health services for more than a decade after his son died by suicide.
-
On this week's episode of Political Pulse, Tom Shortell and Chris Borick talk about President Donald Trump's second term. Has he started it off on a strong foot? In Trump's first month in office, Borick said, approval numbers seem to be pointing down.
-
Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure says he'll run for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District seat in 2026, seeking to bring the seat back under Democratic control.
-
Mark Pinsley also plans to publish a series of “plain-language reports” about how billionaire Elon Musk’s efforts to cut the federal government will affect local municipalities, services and programs.
-
Patrick Palmer was less than two dozen votes short of winning one of four Democratic nominations for council in 2021.
-
If you’ve ever thought about running for local office, you’ve probably had one big question above all: How do I get my campaign up and running? Tom Shortell and Sam Chen have the answers in this week's Political Pulse.
-
Santos became the youngest person ever elected to Allentown City Council when she won election in 2021. She'll join four other candidates in the primary election on May 20, 2025.
-
The federally funded Neighborhood Health Centers of the Lehigh Valley served about 10,000 people last year across its five locations across the region.
-
Ben Stemrich announced his bid Friday, joining three other candidates — Jeremy Binder, Luis Acevedo and Cristian Pungo — in the contest for four open seats.
-
So far, two Macungie residents have applied to fill an open seat on the borough council. On Monday, the body's current members asked them a few questions.
-
In this week's episode of Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick talk about the Lehigh Valley's "packed primary" and the highly contested races to keep an eye on.
-
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.
-
More than 48,000 people have requested a mail-in ballot in Lehigh and Northampton counties ahead of Tuesday's primary election. Even if thousands of those never get turned in, it should mark an increase from the 2021 local primary.
-
In Tuesday's Democratic primary election, two challengers are on the ballot to face off against incumbent council members Roger Ruggles and Taiba Sultana.
-
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.
-
Republicans Roger MacLean and Mike Welsh contend they're each the best person to end their party's 20-year losing streak in the Lehigh County executive race. The winner of the May primary will take on Democrat Josh Siegel in the November race.
-
Lehigh County Executive Phil Armstrong joins Tom Shortell on this week's episode of Political Pulse to explain how county government fills vital social service roles and what duties come with the county executive role.
-
Northampton County Controller Tara Zrinski and former county registrar Amy Cozze are locked in the county's most expensive primary battle since 2013.
-
Matt Tuerk on Monday hit out at Ed Zucal for new campaign mailers and actively courting Republican support in the final weeks of his campaign.
-
A candidate needs just 100 valid write-in votes to win a party’s nomination for city mayor, according to Pennsylvania election regulations.
-
Registered voters have until 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, to request a mail-in ballot for the May 20 primary election. In Lehigh and Northampton counties, the primary will be limited exclusively to registered Democrats and Republicans.
