State & Regional News

Philadelphia set a record Saturday with its wettest March day on record, eclipsing 3 inches just before 2 p.m. The Lehigh Valley didn't get quite that much, but set a record of its own for the day, according to the National Weather Service.

While not federally recognized, residents across the country for the last half-century have acknowledged Earth Day by demonstrating for more environmental protections, cleaning up their communities or learning more about the planet they call home through educational initiatives.

Dr. Debra D. Esernio-Jenssen, a Lehigh Valley Health Network physician facing multiple lawsuits over alleged child abuse misdiagnoses, has announced her retirement. Separately, Lehigh County announced it will create a new "community centered" Child Advocacy Center.

Easton activist Lance Wheeler, known for his work with West Ward WISE, has been cleared of charges of threats and abuse against a trio of Wilson teens in 2022.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America released its Allergy Capitals report this month. Allentown ranked in the Top 15 nationwide.

A section of Institute Drive will be closed through most of April to protect breeding amphibians. Experts said the road-closing conservation effort is not only important for the animals, but also for the region’s overall landscape and ecosystem.

According to experts, the only way to view the total eclipse on April 8, 2024, is to be inside the 120 mile-wide path of totality. Outside of it, you won't have nearly the same experience.

Crews worked Saturday to repair a sinkhole that opened in the westbound lanes of Route 22 in Northampton County. The 9-feet-deep sinkhole was partially in the right lane and highway shoulder, according to a PennDOT spokesman.

Spring wildfire season runs from March through May across the commonwealth. State officials are urging residents to do their part to prevent wildfires.

The Lehigh Valley ranked first in the nation in economic development projects in 2023 than any similarly sized market, according to Site Selection magazine. The region also ranked fourth in all communities in the Northeast.

Bucks County tests come back negative for the coronavirus in case of people exposed at at private gathering.

Gov. Tom Wolf held a press conference Friday morning and confirmed the first two presumptive positive cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania is now able to test for coronavirus. The health department announced yesterday [Tuesday] that samples will be processed by a state lab in Exton.

The Pennsylvania Health Department may start conducting its own lab tests for the coronavirus later this week. Currently the CDC is handling all testing for the virus. 

Once home to some of the country's strictest anti-illegal-immigration laws, Hazleton is now 40 percent Latino. The city is younger and bigger than it's been in decades, and the economy is thriving.

Stretching a meal over several days was once a necessity. And in the 1940s, leftovers were a culinary art. Historian Helen Zoe Veit dishes on America's complicated relationship with leftovers.

Meyer says "something fascinating and completely unfair" plagues the restaurant industry: Waiters' incomes have risen far faster than other staff. To balance salaries out, he'll charge more for food.

It's "clean diesel" engine was key to its growth strategy. But top managers' quest to make Volkswagen the world's leading carmaker very likely sowed the seeds of the company's downfall, analysts say.

More than 23,000 Americans end up in emergency rooms each year after taking dietary supplements, an analysis shows. Most cases are linked to weight-loss products or energy-boosting supplements.

How a Florida community college is testing out new tools to boost learning and graduation rates. The key: getting professors access to real-time data on student engagement and performance.

Iowa's population is changing, with the number of Latinos growing fast. Activists are working to get them more engaged in the presidential caucuses, which could impact the state's politics long after.

For the first time since World War II, Japan's military can fight beyond its borders. The move sparked weeks of protests even though the likelihood of involvement in a foreign war appears quite small.