State & Regional News

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump were locked in a 48% to 48% tie in a poll of likely voters released Wednesday by Muhlenberg College's Institute of Public Opinion.

The industrial and transportation sectors are responsible for the largest share of the Valley's greenhouse gas emissions. The findings will form the foundation the next project, a regional Comprehensive Climate Action Plan.

A state appeals court is upholding a lower court's finding that a Republican-controlled county in Pennsylvania violated state law when election workers refused to tell voters whether their mail-in ballot in April's primary election would be counted. The case is one of several election-related lawsuits being litigated in Pennsylvania, a hotly contested presidential battleground state. Tuesday's decision by a Commonwealth Court panel upheld a Washington County judge's month-old order.

This week on Political Pulse, Tom and Chris discuss what makes a poll scientifically accurate, including a breakdown of how political polls are conducted.

Leaf-peeping season is right around the corner in the Valley, moving from north to south as temperatures drop into fall across the commonwealth. Here's why the region could see an earlier, shorter season.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz made his first campaign stop in the Lehigh Valley, addressing more than 1,500 people at Freedom High School's gymnasium Saturday afternoon.

Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz wowed the crowd with a campaign speech at Freedom High School in Bethlehem on Saturday afternoon.

Chris Kiskeravage served in the Allentown Fire Department from 1996 to 2019 before his death from occupational cancer last June. His service included 15 years as assistant chief of training.

The Kamala Harris campaign is rolling out a lineup of Latino VIPs in a bid to connect with Hispanic voters in the Lehigh Valley. Today's visit to the Lehigh Valley by Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz is just the latest effort.

Patillas, Puerto Rico, has been named Bethlehem's sixth sister city. Puerto Ricans make up the fastest-growing segment of Latinos in the Lehigh Valley.

Pennsylvania's Supreme Court made a ruling pertaining to abortion rights across the state. The issue being disputed is whether government funds should be used for the procedure and if there's a constitutional right to abortions in the state.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's administration says he plans next month to propose steps toward fixing a state higher education system that's among the worst in the nation in affordability.

Applications open Monday for the 2024 Lehigh Valley Greenways Mini Grant Program and are accepted until 4 p.m. March 8. The grants are earmarked for conservation efforts in Lehigh and Northampton counties.

More than 160,000 Pennsylvania students are enrolled in brick-and-mortar and cyber charter schools, with the latter’s enrollment having ballooned in recent years.

Jay Bryson, chief economist for Wells Fargo’s Corporate and Investment Bank, told Lehigh Valley business leaders Wednesday that he expects the economy will lose some steam in the coming months, but avoid a recession.

Christopher Fitzgerald was shot and killed near the Temple University campus in Philadelphia while working as a university police officer in February 2023.

A 605-pound black bear harvested in the Lehigh Valley has ranked one of the largest in the state to be bagged during its most recent season, and was the sixth-heaviest bear in Pennsylvania for 2023.

The Ready to Learn Block Grant money can be put toward a variety of uses, including the expansion of a school district’s social and health services, and even professional development for educators.

Lawmakers announced the $40 million infusion that they said will support a new Northside Logistics and Cargo Complex. It will include a new dock facility and direct truck-to-aircraft loading apron at LVIA.

The team behind Lehigh University's "Community Mapping for Environmental Justice” project is creating an interactive map of litter in Bethlehem. Officials said the collaborative effort aims to improve the health and well-being of the entire community.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

Registration is open for the Nurture Nature Center's Youth Climate Summit of the Lehigh Valley, a free event April 19 and 20. The summit aims to engage middle and high school students in climate change issues, as well as seek solutions.