State & Regional News

The Pennsylvania Department of State is starting a new office to help train county election workers, Pa. Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt said. It also plans to update its guidance for logic and accuracy testing that could have caught issues with the Northampton County voting machines.

Lafayette College will host the 2024 vice presidential debate this coming September, drawing the world's eyes to its Easton campus. Nicole Hurd, the college's president, hopes it will be an opportunity to highlight the liberal arts school and the greater Easton community.

Lawmakers in Harrisburg passed nearly three dozen laws last week in a final burst of action as they held their last voting session of the year.

Nippon Steel is set to pay more than $14 billion to acquire Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel in a deal that Rep. Susan Wild said is “really kind of heartbreaking."

Pennsylvania's gas tax– the highest in the nation in 2023 – will drop from $0.611/gallon to $0.576/gallon and will remain in place through 2024.

It might seem counterintuitive, but harvesting holiday trees year after year is better for the environment than using an artificial one, experts said, especially amid the proliferation of plastic piling up in landfills.

Bethlehem Police Chief Michelle Kott said these types of incentives will help to attract “the best and brightest” candidates to serve the city.

More than three dozen projects in the Valley were awarded grants, receiving about 7% of the total funding awarded. Statewide, $335 million in grants were announced Wednesday.

Driven by $8.1 billion in manufacturing, the Lehigh Valley's Gross Domestic Product grew to a record $50.2 billion in 2022. The region's economy now ranks above Vermont and Wyoming.

State Sen. Lisa Boscola said it's a fallacy if the U.S. Postal Service thinks it can save up to $7 million by shipping outgoing mail from the Lehigh Valley to Harrisburg for processing without cutting jobs. On Monday, she called on USPS to do further analysis of its plans.

“If it does come down in any area, which most areas will see at least some snow showers from it, it is going to stick everywhere," one local forecaster said.

Pennsylvania’s distracted driving law will take full effect in 2026, marking one of the most consequential legal shifts for motorists in years and headlining a slate of new laws set to roll out across the Commonwealth.

Weather was the main culprit for thousands of power outages that spanned the region early Tuesday.

As the New Year approaches, minds turn to the classic resolution. But who still makes New Year's resolutions? What are the most popular ones? And how many follow through?

While the political news cycle can change on a dime, some clear stories appear in store for 2026, including the Lehigh Valley's congressional race.

Beginning at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, the office will transition away from the traditional, chronological structure of the area forecast discussion.

The rebate is meant to help seniors, widows and widowers and residents with disabilities who paid property taxes or rent in 2024.

Host Tom Shortell helps two contestants revisit the stories, scandals and curveballs that defined the year in politics.

After days of updates, forecasters say the overall message is not how much snow or sleet could fall, but how difficult travel could become, especially Friday night.

The Trump administration has sued several states, including Pennsylvania, arguing they are stymying efforts to ensure free and fair elections.

There's a possible scenario emerging Friday in which parts of the Lehigh Valley could end up with 6 inches of snow, and some could end up with a lot more sleet or even freezing rain.

In less than two weeks, local Democratic volunteers are set to help nominate a candidate for a Feb. 24 special election.