State & Regional News

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.

Mack Trucks will display a 100-year-old Mack AB model tractor manufactured in Allentown at the 125th New York International Auto Show April 18-27.

The dispute between two Native American tribes comes down to historical claims on a casino's proposed site — and also business.

Commentator Frank Deford isn't crazy about the new boxing movie Southpaw. He says its shortcomings are typical of Hollywood's depiction of boxing.

Nationwide, juvenile incarceration has dropped by half since 1999 — but the probations that have replaced it hold teens to sometimes subjective standards and often include electronic monitoring.

The Day of the Dead is a time when Mexicans remember loved ones with grand floral tributes. But the atmosphere is downbeat in the state of Guerrero, where 43 students are still missing.

North Carolina forcibly sterilized thousands of people between 1929 and 1976. The state has begun compensating victims, but some who were sterilized may never receive restitution from the fund.

After a four-day visit to Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, she reports progress — along with the need for continued support.

There's potentially some good news about Ebola: While cases are still rising in Sierra Leone, the outbreak shows signs of slowing in Liberia. Communities are banding together to get Ebola out.

President Obama awarded the medals to two soldiers who served in Vietnam. Bennie Adkins, who suffered 18 body wounds, reflects on "a horrible, horrible type of battle."

The musicians and artists of Baghdad work under a government that prefers religious festivals to classical concerts. But with a little cunning, they're finding ways to keep the arts alive.

Currently, Ebola is known to spread only through contact with body fluids. Some people have worried that Ebola could start spreading through the air. But scientists say that's not likely.

Scotland's independence referendum is set for Thursday. On the same day, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews will announce whether women can join.

Cyberstalking has transformed domestic abuse in the U.S. Tracking tools called spyware make it cheap and easy for someone to monitor a partner secretly, 24 hours a day.