State & Regional News

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey conceded to Republican challenger David McCormick on Thursday night. The Pennsylvania Department of State ended the automatic recount in the unusually close race since the result was no longer contested.

The drought is far from over, but enough precipitation has fallen to boost the confidence of state officials when it comes to outdoor fires.

Join Megan Frank every Friday at 9:30am and 6:30pm for Insights with LehighValleyNews.com on WLVR. This week, Brittany Sweeney takes her place, joined by politics reporter Tom Shortell and Easton reporter Brian Myszkowski.

Democratic Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania is conceding his reelection bid to Republican David McCormick. The concession came Thursday, more than two weeks after Election Day. A statewide recount is showing no signs of closing the gap and Casey's campaign has suffered repeated blows in court.

FirstEnergy sought to raise local customers' electric bills by more than 9%, but the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission blocked the higher rate.

The bipartisan House Tourism & Economic & Recreational Development Committee spent three days in the Lehigh Valley this week. Part of the visit included a hearing with local organizers to discuss funding celebrations of America's 250th anniversary.

After a steady – but not soaking – overnight rain, the area remains on track to break a pair of records that have stood the test of time. But more precipitation is on the way, including snow.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning in effect from Thursday afternoon through Friday afternoon for Carbon and Monroe counties in an "elevation-dependent system."

U.S. Rep. Susan Wild said the House Ethics Committee is split in deliberations over how to handle an investigations into former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz on allegations of sexual misconduct. President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Gaetz to lead the Justice Department.

The Lehigh County Board of Elections voted 3-0 to certify 191,158 ballots Wednesday afternoon. Fights over how to count contested provisional ballots are already popping up in the neck-and-neck U.S. Senate race between Bob Casey and David McCormick.

“These signs of erosion within the Republican unity around the president and his policy proposals," political scientist Chris Borick said on this week's Political Pulse.

The last supermoon of the year soon will shine in December skies. When a full moon is closer to Earth in its orbit, a so-called supermoon happens.

Lehigh Valley Shift4 founder and billionaire spacewalker Jared Isaacman urged senators on Wednesday to take swift action on his bid to lead NASA, after being yanked and then renominated by President Donald Trump.

Meteorologist Bobby Martrich of EPAWA Weather Consulting highlighted the area as one to watch, thanks to the setup of a “thermal gradient” or baroclinic boundary as the storm moves through.

The Lehigh Valley is under a winter weather advisory from 4 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, with total snow and sleet accumulations of 2 to 5 inches expected, with the greatest amounts at higher elevations.

PennDOT has announced a successful construction season across District 5, including millions of dollars invested in Lehigh Valley road improvements.

While the program has expanded into the Lehigh Valley over the past few years, and is growing in popularity, officials said demand has also increased this year as federal programs and initiatives were canceled or paused.

The Lehigh Valley is in line for potential snowfall Tuesday as a coastal storm takes aim at the region, but there's a lot of uncertainty at this point," forecasters say.

After persistently dry, windy weather last year triggered concerns over the longevity of holiday trees, this year’s crop is shaping up well, Lehigh Valley growers said, with many different varieties available.

UGI Utilities Inc. on Wednesday announced a smaller-than-expected increase in the purchased gas cost rate beginning Dec. 1.

Lehigh County Judge Thomas Caffrey said criminal dockets related to an interstate drug ring should have been unsealed weeks ago. LehighValleyLive.com, LehighValleyNews.com and The Morning Call had petitioned the court to release information pertaining to dozens of criminal defendants.

Commonwealth flags will fly at half-staff in Northampton County through Nov. 29 to honor fallen Northampton Fire Department Captain and retired State Police Trooper Michael Booke, who died this month.