State & Regional News

Pennsylvania Turnpike tolls will increase 5% starting January 8th. Turnpike tolls have increased each year since 2008.

Lawmakers in Pennsylvania’s state House are scheduled to elect a new speaker Tuesday.

The Pennsylvania State Police investigated hundreds of crashes over the Christmas holiday weekend, with a rise in crashes, fatal crashes and the number of people killed. One fatality occurred during an alcohol-related crash in Lower Macungie Township.

The new Congress, including Rep. Susan Wild and Senator-elect John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, will be sworn into office at noon on Jan. 3, 2023.

The World Health organization is changing the name of monkeypox. The current name is thought to be both racist and stigmatizing.

Jarrett Coleman initially planned to stay on as a Parkland School Board member while simultaneously serving in the state Senate. He changed course last month. Good government advocates say such an arrangement creates the potential for conflicts of interest.

Elected leaders will jockey for control of the House for at least a few more weeks.

Need continues to grow for emergency food services. With the end of pandemic-era benefits and inflation still not letting up, demand is higher than ever, according to food pantry managers.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will host guided hikes in state parks and forests on Jan. 1. Lehigh Valley hikers may want to head to Jacobsburg State Park for a walk through Henry's Woods.

Bryan Kohberger plans to waive an extradition hearing in Monroe County Court so he can be quickly brought to Idaho to face murder charges, his defense attorney said Saturday.

House Education Committee Chair Peter Schweyer said Level Up funding should be released immediately.

Record-warm ocean temperatures are likely to fuel the peak of hurricane season, scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday.

Musikfest is operating under a new code of conduct this year after an antisemitic incident at Christkindlmarkt in December. The nonprofit organization's CEO said it wants to create a welcoming environment but can't outright ban hate speech.

The resort in Pocono Township, Monroe County, underwent a $125 million renovation and expansion — its biggest improvement project since opening 18 years ago.

Residents of Afton Village in Center Valley spent Tuesday cleaning up after an intense storm rushed through parts of the Lehigh Valley on Monday evening. Most of the damage was limited to toppled trees. No injuries from the storm were reported.

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for the Lehigh Valley and much of the Mid-Atlantic region.

Maria Montero, an Easton resident, is seeking the Republican nomination to challenge U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, the incumbent Democrat, in the Lehigh Valley's 2024 congressional race.

A bill in the state Legislature proposes to fix the problems that have put a pause on enforcement in places like Allentown and Bethlehem. And the program will expire in October unless new legislation is passed.

Representatives from Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany, arrived Tuesday, but will have experienced much of what the Lehigh Valley has to offer and more come their departure on Sunday afternoon.

Bill Bachenberg is accused in a $10 million lawsuit of hiring a cybersecurity company to analyze voting machines in Fulton County for voting irregularities but than stiffing it when it found no evidence of voter fraud.

WLVR's Megan Frank talks with reporter Will Oliver and managing producer Stephanie Sigafoos.

Political observers in the Lehigh Valley said the new criminal charges against former President Donald Trump won't be enough to shake up the 2024 presidential race. Despite two impeachments and multiple federal charges, the 45th president still dominates the Republican Party.