State & Regional News

Bob Brooks has declared victory in the Lehigh Valley's Democratic primary for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District.

Tuesday is Primary Election Day in Pennsylvania. Lehigh Valley Democratic voters will cast ballots in the 7th Congressional District, 16th District state Senate, the 22nd District state House of Representatives and 187th District state House. Republicans have no races for those seats; GOP candidates in them are unopposed.

A significant warmup is set to take hold across the Lehigh Valley this weekend and intensify into next week, bringing the region its first sustained stretch of summerlike heat of the season.

Katherine Reinhard said many voters remain undecided heading into the primary and urged audiences to rely on credible reporting as they make final decisions.

Beginning June 6, Pennsylvania drivers caught holding a cell phone behind the wheel under Paul Miller’s Law will face a $50 fine, plus court costs and fees.

Carol Obando-Derstine, Lamont McClure and Ryan Crosswell expressed a desire to reform ICE rather than abolish it during one-on-one interviews in the PA-7 Talks series.

Former residents and several people close to the fire department described years of deteriorating conditions and limited enforcement inside the Hotel Hampton, including blocked or missing exits, rodent infestations, malfunctioning or ignored smoke alarms and more.

Political scientist Chris Borick says endorsements and money have given Bob Brooks a slight advantage in the crowded PA-7 race.

PBS39 from 6-7 p.m. today, April 30, will broadcast a special hourlong community forum, "A Community Conversation: Understanding Childhood Vaccine Changes."

On this week’s episode of Lehigh Valley Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell spoke with political scientist Chris Borick about the economic forces driving the boom of data centers — along with the political friction emerging.

The speaker series, which runs on select Thursdays through March, focuses on engaging residents about the local environment, as well as conservation efforts.

As the federal government shutdown drags on into its second month, hundreds of flights Friday are being canceled at 40 airports across the country. Regional airports, such as LVIA, could be affected, too.

The hourlong program by PBS39 comes in the wake of the closure of a homeless encampment along Jordan Creek in Allentown and the scheduled shutdown of a separate one along the Lehigh River in Bethlehem.

Current conditions, along with the continued drying of fine fuels, "could support the rapid spread of any fires that ignite, which could quickly become difficult to control," the National Weather Service said.

With an unusually politicized Supreme Court retention question on the ballot Tuesday, Lehigh Valley voters overwhelmingly backed Democratic candidates.

Mackenzie, along with officials from Wildlands Conservancy, the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, on Wednesday morning hiked a portion of the property, lauding the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund that helped preserve it.

Following a wind advisory Wednesday night, forecasters say the Lehigh Valley will see a fairly active pattern continuing through the weekend and into early next week as temperatures tumble.

Democrat Sarah Fevig may have spent a record amount for a single county commissioner candidate in her campaign. Meanwhile, Zach Cole-Borghi handily defeated his opponent despite the specter of criminal charges.

All three of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices who sought reelection Tuesday will get another term. The result shapes the makeup of the seven-member court through the next presidential election in 2028.

People came to the polls mindful of the state Supreme Court retention vote — and with a wide variety of issues on their minds, from the federal government shutdown to abortion policy and access to health care.

Here's all you need to know about the 2025 general election in the Lehigh Valley, where scores of local races are on the ballot — including county and municipal offices, plus school boards and Pennsylvania Supreme Court retention questions getting an unusual amount of attention.

Unofficial results show Democrat Josh Siegel defeated Republican Roger MacLean by nearly 20,000 votes in Tuesday's Lehigh County executive race.