State & Regional News

People in the Lehigh Valley are struggling more to pay for essentials such as rent, food and health care compared to the rest of Pennsylvania, according to a study by the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley.

With more than two dozen species of fireflies that call Pennsylvania home, it’s no wonder one was adopted as the state’s insect. But, these flashy insects are threatened due habitat loss and light pollution.

The American Red Cross is warning people to be aware of the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses as a heat wave sweeps the Lehigh Valley. They say a few simple tips can help save lives.

Anna Stofko, 86, was a longtime volunteer in Northampton County Democratic politics. Her daughter said she had an overwhelming influence on her life. “If it wasn’t for her I wouldn't be a state senator,” Boscola said.

In all, more than a dozen Lehigh Valley Public Media broadcasters and journalists were recognized in the annual Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association’s Professional Keystone Media Awards. PBS39 also received honors.

Northampton County Department of Human Services employees represented by SEIU Local 668 called off a strike planned for Friday after eleventh-hour negotiations yielded a potential new contract.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pennsylvania, is slated to appear at Saturday's Rally the Valley for Women's Choice in Bethlehem. It's part of a five-day campaign tour the three-term incumbent is launching this week in his race against Republican challenger David McCormick.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration's General Duty Clause essentially says employees are entitled to a safe and healthy workplace. In some cases, that applies to workers that can endure excessive heat, like during a heat advisory.

U.S. Rep. Susan Wild visited Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest to show support for the $35 price cap on most inhalers. Two companies' caps went into effect June 1, with a third expected to follow.

Over the last three decades, more than 400 farms have been preserved in Lehigh County. The program aims to ward off development and protect open spaces.

The Statue of Liberty reopens July 4, for the first time since Hurricane Sandy damaged the statue's pedestal and flooded park service offices. We look at what it took to reopen the iconic statue — and why nearby Ellis Island remains closed indefinitely.

After years of food shortages and drought, in a country that was once the breadbasket of southern Africa, Zimbabwe's crippled economy is recovering — after adopting the U.S. dollar as its currency. But memories of the violent elections in 2008 are fueling fears about security. The disputed vote ended in a power-sharing deal between President Robert Mugabe and his main opposition rival. The Zimbabwean leader has now proclaimed July 31 as election day. New York-based Human Rights Watch warns there's potential for more violence — unless key security and other reforms are brought in before the vote.

When it comes to selling Texas Latinos on the Republican Party, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz would seem like a natural. But even though he is the son of a Cuban refugee, Cruz is much closer to his Tea Party supporters' hard line on immigration than he is to the Republicans who are urging a more accommodating position for the sake of the party's future.

One day after Egypt's military deposed the nation's first democratically elected president, it began a crackdown on Mohammed Morsi's Islamist Muslim Brotherhood.

Homemade sodas are hot these days: Americans bought more than 1.2 million home carbonators last year. For the Fourth of July, we asked mixologist Gina Chersevani to help us tap into the trend with a soda float inspired by Independence Day.

A young college grad asks an economist for advice.

Consumers already have an abundance of choice when it comes to entertainment and news subscriptions. But analysts say it's still early days for all the digital subscription offerings we'll have to pay for.

President Obama lost Texas by more than 1 million votes last year. But Democrats believe their fortunes in the state may soon be changing, thanks to demographics and a new organizational push.

Matthew Burnett wanted his clothing line to be "Made in the USA." But he decided it was too difficult to find information on U.S. manufacturers. So Burnett and his business partners created Maker's Row, a website where people who design things can find people who make things.

Some 15 states are expected to consider giving advanced practice nurses more independence and authority this year. It's part of a push to meet increased demand for primary care as more people get insurance under the health law.

A year after publishing her controversial Atlantic story, "Why Women Can't Have It All," Anne-Marie Slaughter talks about her decision to leave the State Department to be at home. Her mother suggests that whether they stay home or work, women today have a much better sense of themselves than did previous generations.

Government work was once synonymous with job security and stability. But these days furloughs, pay freezes and threats of further cuts are fomenting discontent. Some federal employees also say that public criticism of the federal government is also taking a toll.