State & Regional News

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

Punxsutawney Phil was pulled from his tree stump at dawn on Thursday to 'predict' six more weeks of winter. But there's plenty of evidence that won't be the case in the Lehigh Valley and throughout the region.

LGBTQ community leaders in Pennsylvania formed Keystone Equality, a new statewide LGBTQ advocacy organization. Orefield resident Corinne Goodwin will be the Lehigh Valley representative on the board.

Medical experts say recent legislation could help reduce the number of opioid overdose deaths in Pennsylvania.

A spokesman for the center said the conservative attacks made them concerned about the safety of kids and parents.

Denise Snyder founded St. Luke’s Nurses Honor Guard for those dedicated to the profession.

The city is hoping to gain approval as one of only a handful of World Heritage Sites in the U.S. — and join with other locations in Europe as a single Moravian Church settlement site of significance.

Grants of up to $400,000 that focus on addiction treatment services for communities that were hard-hit by the opioid epidemic will be awarded later this year.

“When a bill jumps $200 or $300, that’s the difference between groceries on the table. So we have to see what legislative remedies there are at our disposal, because ‘you’ve gotta pay your bill’ is not the answer I want to give anybody," said Rep. Josh Siegel.

Rules around gifting have changed for top officials in Gov. Josh Shapiro's administration.

The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission has proposed raising tolls on its eight toll bridges starting in 2026 to keep up with rising maintenance costs.

Fort Myers flights will take off from ABE this fall, Allegiant’s 11th nonstop destination from the Allentown area, it was announced Tuesday.

The Lehigh Little League 9-and-10-year-old all-stars won the state championship to qualify for the Eastern Regional Tournament Aug. 2-9 in Cranston, Rhoad Island.

Dangerous heat is expected Monday through Wednesday in the Lehigh Valley, with concerns of excessive rainfall on Thursday before much cooler air arrives.

Excessive humidity and extremely warm temperatures have prompted a heat advisory for the Lehigh Valley on Friday. On top of the heat, there's a risk of severe weather and an unsettled weekend ahead.

Members passed a resolution supporting a Pennsylvania House bill to legalize marijuana and Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposed budget, which projects millions in taxes from the move. Two former cops on council voted against the measure.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, said Congress should intervene if the Trump administration fails to release details of the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The sex offender and financier's death in custody in 2019 has sparked years of speculation and conspiracy theories.

Judge Steven Hippler ordered Bryan Kohberger to serve life in prison without parole for killing four University of Idaho students. Friends and relatives delivered powerful statements of love, anguish and condemnation at the sentencing hearing Wednesday.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, the Lehigh Valley's first-term Republican lawmaker, will hold his second telephone town hall Wednesday evening. It comes after Congress passed the controversial One Big Beautiful Bill and amid turmoil over the Jeffrey Epstein fallout.

Northampton County officials announced a new agreement with American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 13 Local 1265, officials announced Monday, giving some court employees, 911 center supervisors and workers at the Juvenile Justice Center an 11% raise over the next three years.

Nearly 100,000 passengers flew through Lehigh Valley International Airport last month — the best June on record, airport authority officials said.

Allentown was the only Lehigh Valley city to be awarded funding through this round of the Alternative Fuel Incentive Grant. The program aims to improve air quality in communities through cleaner fuel transportation infrastructure