State & Regional News

Take a look at stories throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact or that you might want to look at again.

Punxsutawney Phil was pulled from his tree stump at dawn on Thursday to 'predict' six more weeks of winter. But there's plenty of evidence that won't be the case in the Lehigh Valley and throughout the region.

LGBTQ community leaders in Pennsylvania formed Keystone Equality, a new statewide LGBTQ advocacy organization. Orefield resident Corinne Goodwin will be the Lehigh Valley representative on the board.

Medical experts say recent legislation could help reduce the number of opioid overdose deaths in Pennsylvania.

A spokesman for the center said the conservative attacks made them concerned about the safety of kids and parents.

Denise Snyder founded St. Luke’s Nurses Honor Guard for those dedicated to the profession.

The city is hoping to gain approval as one of only a handful of World Heritage Sites in the U.S. — and join with other locations in Europe as a single Moravian Church settlement site of significance.

Grants of up to $400,000 that focus on addiction treatment services for communities that were hard-hit by the opioid epidemic will be awarded later this year.

“When a bill jumps $200 or $300, that’s the difference between groceries on the table. So we have to see what legislative remedies there are at our disposal, because ‘you’ve gotta pay your bill’ is not the answer I want to give anybody," said Rep. Josh Siegel.

Rules around gifting have changed for top officials in Gov. Josh Shapiro's administration.

The shutdown of the southbound lanes is scheduled for early Sunday between the Lehigh Valley and Quakertown interchanges, according to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.

More than a month past the budget deadline, Lehigh Valley state Sens. Jarrett Coleman and Nick Miller offered little optimism a deal was around the corner.

U.S. Reps. Ryan Mackenzie and Lisa McClain praised the One Big Beautiful Bill Act for helping manufacturing companies and workers during a tour of Ampal Inc. in Lower Towamensing Township.

Between delayed state funding and federal cuts, Second Harvest Food Bank does not have enough food to meet demand, its leaders say.

Hundreds of active wildfires across Canada – with a significant portion burning out of control – have sent smoke drifting into the U.S. again, including the Lehigh Valley.

Lehigh Country Controller Mark Pinsley criticized President Donald Trump and U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie for gutting the social safety net and Democratic leaders for failing to offer effective resistance.

58 consecutive years of touring and no talk of slowing down for this group of musicians who love their work.

Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites has unveiled a variety of Musikfest programming for the whole family, on display at the Colonial Industrial Quarter in Historic Bethlehem.

The tract, spread across Penn Forest and Kidder townships, includes Mud Run, a key tributary of the Lehigh River. It was purchased through a $1 million grant from the Open Space Institute.

Mark Pinsley is the fourth Democrat to challenge Republican incumbent Ryan Mackenzie in the Lehigh Valley's battleground district in the 2026 midterm.

The Lehigh Valley has a history of flooding, and climate change could be increasing the risk. With federal funding cut or on the chopping block, officials warn the Valley could be left unprepared.

While the risk area covers a significant portion of the region, the greatest flash flood threat will depend on a number of factors, the National Weather Service said early Thursday.