State & Regional News

Five of the farms are in Northampton County and four in Lehigh County. They were among 33 farms across the state approved this month for Pennsylvania's Farmland Preservation Program.

Students shared a text from the Villanova alert system that told them to lock and barricade doors and move to secure locations. A second alert from Villanova officials warned people to stay away from the law school.

Northampton County's Return on Environment report won't come out until the fall, but early findings support the notion that local open spaces provide financial and health benefits for residents.

Garrity, a Bradford County native, is the first Republican to formally challenge Democratic incumbent Josh Shapiro in the 2026 race.

West Nile virus is endemic to Pennsylvania, including the Lehigh Valley. While human cases this year remain low, officials are still urging residents to avoid mosquito bites.

Experts say the Atlantic Ocean has heated up over the past month as peak hurricane season approaches. While warmer-than-average water doesn't guarantee storms, it can contribute to more moisture-laden and stronger systems. Plus, there are other factors at play.

Until state legislators adopt a budget, state agencies can't reimburse counties for services they provide. Right now, Lehigh County is waiting on $12.5 million in reimbursements, with no end to the budget impasse in sight.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, downplayed President Donald Trump's proposal to slash $32.9 billion from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development following a tour of the Allentown Rescue Mission.

The Lehigh Valley's congressional showdown already is shaping up to be among the nation's costliest races for 2026. Tom Shortell and Chris Borick break it all down in this week's Political Pulse.

A recent ruling from Pennsylvania's Supreme Court seemingly marks a major shift in how DUI cases can be prosecuted, with the court ruling that if a driver hasn’t been previously convicted, the state can’t punish them as if they were.

Gov. Tom Wolf said Oct. 21, 2021, that employers who receive state loans, grants or tax breaks will be required to pay workers at least $13.50/hour and to provide paid sick leave.

The Biden administration wants to make Berks County Residential Center a women-only facility. Pennsylvania lawmakers say that's a bad idea.

A bill that would require Pennsylvania public schools to post curriculum materials online is advancing through the state legislature. Republicans unanimously support it.

President Joe Biden is trying to drum up support for a several trillion-dollar infrastructure spending plan that's being negotiated in Congress. The effort included returning to his boyhood home of Scranton.

More meals and a lag between delivery and reimbursement compound the problem.

Gov. Tom Wolf is spearheading a package of legislation aimed at combatting sexual violence on college campuses.

Mike Doyle, who has represented western Pennsylvania in Congress for more than a quarter-century and became the dean of Pennsylvania’s Congressional delegation, announced Monday that he will not run again for re-election. As WESA was first to report early this morning, the move comes as the incumbent faced a challenge from the left next year and — if he won — the prospect of being in the minority party in the U.S. House.

The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs has announced that the Pennsylvania Opioid Command Center will be revamped.

The Pennsylvania Department of State oversees the commonwealth’s elections. The agency is led by Veronica Degraffenreid, who assumed the role of acting secretary of state on Feb. 8.

Penn State is requiring all University Park campus employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by December 8 to comply with President Joe Biden’s executive order, the university announced Tuesday.

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is doling out nearly $2 million in support grants to ramp up booze production and sales.

A cursory glance at September COVID-19 data from Pennsylvania’s health department might lead some to conclude the vaccines are far less effective than they actually are, but a deeper look at who is vaccinated and who isn't paints a different picture.