State & Regional News

After pandemic-related delays, Wind Creek Bethlehem's new North Tower is officially open for business. It adds new meeting space, hotel rooms and a spa. Officials hope it will help the complex compete with casinos set to open soon in New York.

The bill, spearheaded by state Rep. Mike Schlossberg, would dedicate American Rescue Plan money to training mental health care providers, creating more suicide prevention programs and supporting specialty courts.

The latest map issued by the U.S. Drought Monitor shows a majority of Pennsylvania — including most of the Lehigh Valley — in a moderate drought.

As smoke from the Canadian wildfires continues to shroud the skies of the Lehigh Valley, air purifiers have become a hot-ticket item at just about every retailer.

The air quality in Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton is so bad, it’s the equivalent of smoking more than 14 cigarettes.

Smoke blanketed the Lehigh Valley area for a second straight day on Wednesday. Light scattering from particles in the smoke turned the sky a fiery orange in some areas.

The Lehigh Valley is under a code red air quality alert in effect until midnight.

Rep. Robert Freeman's signature House Bill 450, which aims to extend the length of the Main Street program, has cleared the House. Freeman noted Easton as a prime example for the success of the program, and why it should be extended.

The borough hopes to provide amenities to its residents and drive tourism. The projects are slated for Gerald C. Yob Community Park.

Workers at a Starbucks store at Northampton Crossings are the latest to join a strike timed to Pride month, alleging unfair labor practices and disputes with the company over LGBTQ+ displays in stores. While striking, workers say they were kicked off of Starbucks property, with police involved.

Officials from the state Department of Environmental Protection issued a Code Red Air Quality Action Day for all of Pennsylvania, including the Lehigh Valley.

A tornado warning was issued in the Martins Creek area of Northampton County on Monday afternoon as severe storms moved through. On Tuesday, the National Weather Service confirmed a twister had reached the ground.

Officials gathered at The Waterfront to highlight the Environmental Protection Agency’s $5 billion climate pollution reduction grants program.

The region had been in drought and running a deficit in the rain column, but things changed in a big way on Monday for some parts of the Lehigh Valley. Now, more heavy rainfall is on the way.

A Pennsylvania state court on Tuesday rejected the latest Republican effort to throw out the presidential battleground state's broad mail-in voting law.

Prosecutors say they are seeking the death penalty against a man accused of stabbing four University of Idaho students to death late last year.

Storms today could bring damaging winds, large hail, flash flooding or even a tornado or two across the region. The Lehigh Valley is now under an enhanced risk for severe weather.

A coalition with wealthy backers is pushing Pennsylvania lawmakers to use public dollars to create tuition vouchers so K-12 students can attend private schools. Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration is in support of this idea.

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.

In the wake of an antisemitic group spreading hateful flyers across the area, Rep. Susan Wild and the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley are making it clear that hate has no place in the Lehigh Valley.

State Sen. Lisa Boscola said she will remain a Democrat but will promote the centrist ideology of the centrist Forward Party co-founded by former presidential candidate Andrew Yang.