State & Regional News

This New Year’s Day, tens of thousands of people across the country, including dozens in the Valley, will take a guided hike through a state park to mark the beginning of 2024.

Dozens of Lehigh Valley projects cashed checks worth nearly $19 million in fiscal year 2023 thanks to support from U.S. Rep. Susan Wild and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey. The Pennsylvania's Congressional delegation brought home $364.5 million in earmarks, which ranked in the top half of U.S. states.

Under the bill, gun owners could lose their license to carry if they try to take a loaded weapon onto a plane. This would be similar to losing a license for possessing a small amount of marijuana, one lawmaker said.

Executive Education Academy Charter has been waiting to appeal its application denial since 2021. Gov. Josh Shapiro's nominees were just confirmed by the State Senate earlier this month.

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s gift ban says he can’t take tickets from groups with “financial relations with the Commonwealth.” Team Pennsylvania was awarded $1.8 million in state contracts this year.

The most popular names have been a constant the past few years, according to the major health networks. But one trend that emerged in 2023 in the Lehigh Valley seems to be tied to sports — specifically, the success and popularity of the Philadelphia Phillies. Taylor Swift also may be having an impact.

The Pennsylvania Department of State is starting a new office to help train county election workers, Pa. Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt said. It also plans to update its guidance for logic and accuracy testing that could have caught issues with the Northampton County voting machines.

Lafayette College will host the 2024 vice presidential debate this coming September, drawing the world's eyes to its Easton campus. Nicole Hurd, the college's president, hopes it will be an opportunity to highlight the liberal arts school and the greater Easton community.

Lawmakers in Harrisburg passed nearly three dozen laws last week in a final burst of action as they held their last voting session of the year.

Nippon Steel is set to pay more than $14 billion to acquire Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel in a deal that Rep. Susan Wild said is “really kind of heartbreaking."

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey is rallying votes in Washington for the Better Care Better Jobs Act.

Pennsylvanians may see rivers and streams hit their high water levels in the next few days. State officials are still tallying the damage from Tropical Storm Ida, but they say the commonwealth could be in for more flash floods in the future.

Tropical Storm Ida passed through our region Wednesday, dumping up to 8 inches of rain in some places.

Rescue crews made thousands of water search operations in Pennsylvania Wednesday as Tropical Storm Ida dropped up to 8 inches of rain across the state.

The father of a Moravian University student was found dead Thursday after a water incident Wednesday evening.

Three people were killed in Montgomery County after severe storms from Hurricane Ida hit the region on Wednesday.

Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday gave an endorsement in Pennsylvania's crowded U.S. Senate field, backing Republican Sean Parnell in what is expected to be one of the nation’s most competitive Senate contests in next year’s election.

The Supreme Court ended the federal moratorium on evictions last week.

President Joe Biden addressed the nation Tuesday about the recent evacuation out of Afghanistan.

Muhlenberg College is welcoming in-person students back to campus this week. But for some of the COVID-19-era sophomores, being back-to-school means they’re new to school.

Last week, Pennsylvania’s opioid disaster declaration expired and the General Assembly refused to renew it.

Joe Martellucci, the administrator of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Services for Lehigh County, said the opioid epidemic is far from over, despite the end of the state’s opioid emergency declaration.