State & Regional News

The North Whitehall Township Planning Commission voted Tuesday to recommend waiving the land development approval process for a proposed new barn at the Lehigh Valley Zoo.

Courts weigh the benefits of punishing drivers for their actions and helping them recover from underlying issues that may have led them to drive impaired, according to the region's chief prosecutors.

National politics often makes headlines, but former Bethlehem mayor Bob Donchez says municipal government impacts its residents more. This week on Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell dives into what goes on inside local government with Donchez.

Increased stress due to everyday life, like politics or the economy, coupled with habitual, risky behaviors distracting the driver from the road, can create a slippery slope, ripe for crashes, experts said. Plus, those risky behaviors are far more common than the average driver would think.

Organizations such as colleges, local governments and non-profits are encouraged to apply for funding under Congress's Community Project Funding program. The Lehigh Valley has secured tens of millions in funding through federal discretionary spending in recent years.

A Lehigh County man "targeted" 23 Lowe's stores across more than a dozen counties in Pennsylvania. Attorney General Dave Sunday announced charges against him Monday.

An influx of residents and warehouses have made highways in Lehigh and Northampton counties more crowded. An analysis by LehighValleyNews.com finds some stretches of road have experienced increases of 40% to 50% in traffic volume, with Route 33 overtaking Interstate 78 as the region's second-busiest highway.

A recent bald eagle rehabilitation and release is a bright spot amid a dangerous time for bald eagles in the Lehigh Valley and the rest of the commonwealth. Bird flu continues to threaten wild bird populations, causing more than a dozen bald eagles to be euthanized across Pennsylvania.

A five-part series this week will explore traffic and transportation issues in the Lehigh Valley. Increasing traffic volume, dangerous driving and insufficient infrastructure are among the topics examined.

Said LANTA planning and scheduling manager A.J. Jordan, “LANTA Planning Department is consistently working to make sure changes impact riders as little as possible."

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf says he has a plan to create more jobs in the state while also helping to fight the spread of coronavirus.

Pennsylvania’s primary election is four weeks from Tuesday, May 5, but many questions remain about how to conduct a “fair and free election” during a pandemic.

A coalition of advocacy groups filed a lawsuit late Monday over Pennsylvania’s mailed ballot return deadlines, seeking an extra week for voters to send them back.

Governor Tom Wolf plans to partially reopen some parts of the state on May 8. But, PA Post’s Ed Mahon, reports that’s not good enough for some GOP state lawmakers.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health has been accused of halting inspections at long-term care facilities during the coronavirus outbreak.

Parks in Northampton County are slated to reopen this Friday — trails will open, but playgrounds and pavilions will remain closed.

Pennsylvania hospitals may be able to resume elective procedures and surgeries in the near future.

More than one-and-half million Pennsylvanians have submitted unemployment claims since mid-March, when the Wolf Administration started ordering businesses to close to help contain COVID-19.

The Lehigh Valley will not be among the first areas of the state to reopen next month. Governor Tom Wolf outlined more details on the plan for Pennsylvania on Wednesday, April 22 and as WLVR’s Tyler Pratt reports, it will move forward in three phases: red, yellow and green.

Armed with nothing but signs and science, half a dozen medical workers from across the state showed up near the capitol in Harrisburg on Monday to counter the message of hundreds of “ReOpen PA” protesters calling for an end to coronavirus restrictions.

In many ways, Dr. Rachel Levine has become the face of the COVID-19 crisis in Pennsylvania.

Discrimination and hate crimes directed at Asian Americans in Pennsylvania are a top concern for law enforcement and other officials.