State & Regional News

Officials and residents of several New Jersey shore towns say the state’s law decriminalizing marijuana use is having an unintended effect: emboldening large groups of teenagers to run amok on beaches and boardwalks, knowing there is little chance of them getting in trouble for it.

Pennsylvania received $7.3 billion in state and local pandemic relief funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. That money came with an expiration date: Funds must be allocated by 2024 and spent by 2026. Any funds that remain unused by that deadline will be returned to the federal government.

Speakers accuse public school officials, teachers' unions of trying to "sexualize children" or indoctrinating them. Some called for restricting LGBTQ books. Protestors traveled from the Lehigh Valley and beyond to stand against the Moms for Liberty's "extremism" and in support of LGBTQ people.

House Bill 1257 was signed into law as Act 74 of 2022. Effective September 9, 2022, it made some noteworthy changes to the state fireworks law residents should be aware of.

Experts say this latest round of Canadian wildfire smoke in the Lehigh Valley will not be the last, and that millions should prepare for this new normal.

Monday was the first time in decades there were no pink envelopes for Pennsylvania hunters looking to buy antlerless licenses. Here's how the launch of online sales went.

High school seniors in Pennsylvania would be required to fill out a form that determines eligibility for financial aid for postsecondary programs under a bill passed by the state Senate.

Public school advocates worry vouchers will divert money from public education into charters or private schools.

Former state Sen. Pat Browne, one of Governor Josh Shapiro’s cabinet nominees, has officially become Secretary of Revenue. He represented the Lehigh Valley for nearly three decades.

The officials announced a statewide drought watch this July. Here are the latest updates for Lehigh, Northampton and more.

DOE has selected PPL's application for consideration in the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships program.

Allen Issa, a former congressional aide, is the fourth Republican to enter the race for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District.

The incident occurred following the conclusion of a funeral service, as community members were departing the premises.

NOAA's Operational Branch Chief Jon Gottschalck referenced “Snowmaggedon” — the storm that walloped the region in February 2010. He said in this winter outlook, "There’s some hope for snow lovers."

The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission on Wednesday hosted “WorkshopLV: Environment + Transportation." The almost two hour long meeting focused on brainstorming and prioritizing ways to decarbonize transportation across the region.

There are wide disparities on how much individual counties received.

A bill aimed at allowing nurse practitioners to practice on their own is being touted in the state capital. State Sen. Lisa Boscola was in Harrisburg Tuesday showing support for Senate Bill 25 which would allow Nurse Practitioners full practice authority.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is hosting a series of in-person and virtual meetings to collect feedback on its new environmental justice policy. The next meeting is Oct. 25.

The monthly report from the Greater Lehigh Valley Realtors shows home sales down 32 percent in September from September 2022. Low inventory and higher mortgage rates are to blame, officials say.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's “PA Pumpkin Palooza: Where Gourds Go Glam” contest has been extended to Oct. 23. Winners will be announced on Halloween.

"Heart is the Hero" makes for the band's eighth studio album. The group will be sharing selections from that and more during the incoming fall tour, with shows throughout the Midwest, East Coast and Europe.