State & Regional News

With more than two dozen species of fireflies that call Pennsylvania home, it’s no wonder one was adopted as the state’s insect. But, these flashy insects are threatened due habitat loss and light pollution.

The American Red Cross is warning people to be aware of the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses as a heat wave sweeps the Lehigh Valley. They say a few simple tips can help save lives.

Anna Stofko, 86, was a longtime volunteer in Northampton County Democratic politics. Her daughter said she had an overwhelming influence on her life. “If it wasn’t for her I wouldn't be a state senator,” Boscola said.

In all, more than a dozen Lehigh Valley Public Media broadcasters and journalists were recognized in the annual Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association’s Professional Keystone Media Awards. PBS39 also received honors.

Northampton County Department of Human Services employees represented by SEIU Local 668 called off a strike planned for Friday after eleventh-hour negotiations yielded a potential new contract.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pennsylvania, is slated to appear at Saturday's Rally the Valley for Women's Choice in Bethlehem. It's part of a five-day campaign tour the three-term incumbent is launching this week in his race against Republican challenger David McCormick.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration's General Duty Clause essentially says employees are entitled to a safe and healthy workplace. In some cases, that applies to workers that can endure excessive heat, like during a heat advisory.

U.S. Rep. Susan Wild visited Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest to show support for the $35 price cap on most inhalers. Two companies' caps went into effect June 1, with a third expected to follow.

Over the last three decades, more than 400 farms have been preserved in Lehigh County. The program aims to ward off development and protect open spaces.

Grant applications for the Municipal Opportunities for Retrofits and Energy Efficiency, or MORE, Program are open. Loans are also available through a Lehigh Valley lender.

In Allentown on June 21, education advocates, parents, and students marched to support Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed changes to the way the commonwealth funds its schools.

Latino leaders from across the state said Thursday the 2021 Pennsylvania Latino Convention will take place in Reading this fall.

Gov. Tom Wolf spoke out on June 17 against a Republican-backed election reform bill, calling it an ‘unconstitutional’ attack on voter rights.

A freshman Philadelphia Democrat has set off a firestorm in Harrisburg by proposing a bill that would establish new mandatory minimum sentences — an approach much more in line with Republicans’ criminal justice platform than his own party’s.

Gov. Tom Wolf wants Pennsylvania to join a nationwide program that aims to curb pollution generated by power plants.

The Republican-controlled Pennsylvania Senate voted June 10 to end Gov. Tom Wolf’s COVID-19 disaster declaration. The resolution passed the house on June 8, and now goes back to that chamber for a final concurrence vote.

For the first time in its nearly 200-year history, the Philadelphia Flower Show will be held outdoors at a South Philly park beginning June 5 and running through June 13.

State parks saw an increase of more than 7 million visitors last year and the trend is expected to continue.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services is extending support for older youth who have aged out of the foster care system.

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission says more people are taking to fishing and boating during the pandemic. The agency is getting ready for another busy summer season.

Dr. Sumit Ray, critical care chief at a New Delhi hospital, is on the front lines of India's growing COVID-19 crisis. "As a system in different parts of the country, we have collapsed," he says.

After one of the most destructive and extreme wildfire seasons in modern history, Californians are bracing again. Widening drought is creating conditions even worse than last year.