State & Regional News

Pennsylvania State Police have rolled out 15 RapidHIT ID systems to troops across the commonwealth. The machines are capable of analyzing forensic samples and generating DNA profiles in as little as 90 minutes.

A large cicada emergence is underway across the eastern United States. Find out where they're expected in the commonwealth.

This week on Watching the Skies, WLVR's Brad Klein and Bethlehem's Backyard Astronomy Guy, Marty McGuire talk about the planet Venus and its role as the "morning star."

Ryan Mackenzie, the Lehigh Valley's freshman congressman, cast an essential vote to move President Donald Trump's signature bill through the U.S. House last week. His would-be Democratic opponents say he's sold out poor families to give billionaires a tax break.

State Treasurer Stacy Garrity said her department has returned 500 military medals and pieces of memorabilia to veterans and their families since 2021.

The state Department of Environmental Protection announced $1 million in grants to promote environmental education and stewardship across the state. Four Lehigh Valley programs received funding.

The LVPC on Thursday hosted a workshop, “Planning + Pizza: Deploying Electric Vehicle Infrastructure,” aiming to collect feedback about where best to deploy EV infrastructure throughout the region.

Overall, 31 of the region’s 35 major climate sites were wetter than normal, with 22 of them experiencing one of their 20 wettest May 1-15 periods. Allentown took the top spot, experiencing its wettest May 1-15 ever.

The Lehigh Valley's public transit system says it will have to cut service by 20 percent and boost fares by 25 percent without additional state funding — something that Gov. Josh Shapiro has called for but that lawmakers will have to approve.

Tuesday, May 20, is Primary Election Day in Pennsylvania. Several high-profile local races are on the ballot in Lehigh and Northampton counties. Check out our procrastinator's guide and Q&A.

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.

A Lehigh Valley man is heading south to assist with Hurricane Ida relief efforts. The Red Cross volunteer boards a flight Tuesday and will help distribute supplies when he gets to the devastated area.

Much of the state is under a flash flood watch as the remnants of Hurricane Ida travel to the northeastern United States.

Masks will be required in all Pennsylvania public and private schools, as well as child care facilities, Gov. Tom Wolf was set to announce Tuesday, reversing course amid a statewide COVID-19 resurgence that is filling hospital beds just as students return to class.

Some medical professionals are hoping they see an uptick in vaccinations now that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine has FDA approval.

A report from the center-left think tank Third Way shows some degrees at private Lehigh Valley colleges take graduates over a century to see a return on their investment.

Pennsylvania saw another spike in COVID-19 numbers Monday with more than 9,000 new cases reported over the weekend.

Federal unemployment and pandemic benefit programs are set to end on Saturday, Sept. 4.

Gov. Tom Wolf has called for an increase as all six states that border the commonwealth offer higher minimum wages.

The U.S. Department of Energy held an online public meeting on Tuesday to find out how frontline communities in Appalachia are impacted by the growing ethane and petrochemical industries. Ethane is a byproduct of natural gas development and can be used to make plastics.