State & Regional News

More eyes are on local and international races, especially with billionaire Elon Musk becoming more politically active. Why should anyone care about smaller elections? This week on Political Pulse, Tom Shortell and Chris Borick dive into those details.

Multiple sources tell LehighValleyNews.com that Carol Obando-Derstine is expected to launch a campaign for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District. The battleground seat is held by freshman U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, will be one of four House members from battleground districts to take questions from a bipartisan audience and CNN anchors.

The projects were among 81 community projects across Pennsylvania for which Gov. Josh Shapiro announced grants through the Main Street Matters program.

This week, a preview of confirmation hearings scheduled for Wednesday to confirm a new head for NASA. The nominee is well known to the Lehigh Valley.

PennDOT officials say complaints about roadside trash peak in early spring when snow melts, revealing months of litter build-up. State officials estimate there are 500 million pieces of rubbish on Pennsylvania roads — about a third of which are cigarette butts.

Lehigh Valley Public Media comprises LehighValleyNews.com, PBS39 and 91.3 WLVR. Debates to be held in advance of the May 20 primary election include Allentown mayor, Bethlehem mayor, Northampton County executive and Lehigh County executive.

The U.S. Center for SafeSport knew a former police officer was the subject of an internal investigation at his former job but hired him anyway, according to details released this week by Sen. Chuck Grassley, who is looking into the matter.

The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in Pennsylvania rose about 14 cents this week, from $3.261 to $3.405.

Northampton County officials on Thursday announced $100,000 in grants to a handful of food banks and homeless shelters. The grants are a response to cuts to federal food aid programs, County Executive Lamont McClure said.

Lehigh Valley Republicans were among those protesting in Washington on Wednesday, among them, Northampton GOP Chair, Lee Snover.

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Dick Thornburgh has died at 88. He is remembered for his handling of the 1979 Three Mile Island crisis.

President Donald Trump signed the latest federal stimulus bill yesterday, but federal unemployment benefits may still be delayed for recipients. In the interim, WLVR’s Brittany Sweeney has more on other Pennsylvania resources for people struggling to make ends meet.

Levittown's Mia Krier, a Rosie the Riveter, discusses the years long effort to bring a congressional gold medal to women who helped win WWII.

Pennsylvania’s secretary of health, Dr. Rachel Levine says more than 40,000 healthcare workers have received Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine and tens of thousands of more doses are on the way - including the new vaccine from Moderna.

Pennsylvanians are getting their first doses of the new COVID-19 vaccine today. Tens of thousands more are expected this week. And health care workers in the Lehigh Valley will be among the first in line.

The state’s so-called COVID testing “strike team” that descended on Northampton County last week has moved on. The initiative provides services in areas with surging coronavirus cases.

Dominion Voting Systems were targeted in the president's claims of an inaccurate election, but Spotlight PA's reporting found no problems with these machines.

Pennsylvania’s state lawmaking session ended Monday, and with it, any chance for legislative intervention seeking to overturn the state’s election results.

President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to make permanent a program that protects some undocumented immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children.

President-Elect Joe Biden is preparing to pick key members of his Cabinet. As WLVR’s Tyler Pratt reports, one group is lobbying Biden’s team to make Pennsylvania’s top health official the next surgeon general.

Democrat Joe Biden was certified Tuesday as winner of the presidential election in Pennsylvania, culminating three weeks of vote counting and a string of failed legal challenges by President Donald Trump.