State & Regional News

Mayor J. William Reynolds said it’s currently unclear the exact financial impact on the city to come from the freeze, but officials estimate there’s been $43.4 million in federal funding awarded and contracted to the city to be spent over the next several years.

The discount retailer last announced it was attempting to navigate its Chapter 11 proceedings after its intended sale to Nexus Capital Management appeared to fall through. In looking for an "alternative going concern transaction," Big Lots announced its sale to Gordon Brothers Retail Partners early January.

A Trump administration order cutting off some federal grant funding left providers of key social services racing to figure out if they would still receive critical funding.

Continued economic growth for the Lehigh Valley was predicted during at “Sizing Up 2025: Lehigh Valley Economic Outlook” at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks on Tuesday. The event, presented by Truist and the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, featured speakers who shared a positive economic picture of the Lehigh Valley and the nation.

Food & Water Watch on Tuesday held a rally outside Rep. Ryan Mackenzie’s city office in defense of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Lead and Copper Rule Improvements. A Republican congressman earlier this month introduced a joint resolution to repeal it.

This week on Political Pulse, Tom and Chris discuss the impact natural disasters have on politics. In recent years, that impact has shifted.

Applications are open for the DCNR's Community Conservation Partnerships Program. Funding supports projects to develop new parks, rehabilitate existing spaces and protect vital natural habitats.

A farm in Lehigh County has tested positive for HPIA, according to a news release Monday from the state Department of Agriculture. A response team is in place and the farm has been quarantined, officials said.

The Jewish Community Center of the Lehigh Valley, Muhlenberg College Hillel and the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley unveiled Sunday a new memorial to victims of the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel.

State officials announced the theme for this year’s annual tick-themed art contest, “Protect. Check. Remove.” Last year, there were no winners in the Lehigh Valley.

Some lawmakers and environmental groups are calling on the Wolf administration to strengthen a proposed regulation that aims to curb emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane before the rule comes up for a final vote. But the proposal exempts tens of thousands of low-producing wells.

State lawmakers are still hashing out the final details of the next state budget, which is due by the end of the month. But an agreement on the spending plan could be reached in the coming days.

Pennsylvania House Republicans voted to prohibit schools and universities from requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for students — and to strip the state health secretary from being able to order certain emergency public health measures in the future.

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.