State & Regional News

The $13 million contract was with the Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program. A pandemic-era program, commonwealth farmers were paid to supply local food banks with fresh produce.

Governor Josh Shapiro, joined by local and state politicians, spoke out in support of mass transit investments for the betterment of the Commonwealth, at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hecktown Oaks Thursday.

Excitement at Target, Best Buy, and GameStop for the release of Switch 2, Nintendo's newest game console. While fans in New York City and Philadelphia reported longer lines, some local gamers were lucky enough to buy one before it sold out on Thursday.

An Allentown woman was charged with possession of a quarter pound of synthetic opioid fentanyl, District Attorney Stephen Baratta announced Wednesday.

Political Pulse host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick discuss the implications of the Republican tax and spending package recently passed in the US House.

Smoke drifted over the Great Lakes on Monday night and pushed east, the National Weather Service said, with forecasters warning it will result in smokier skies for the Lehigh Valley and large swaths of the eastern U.S. on Tuesday.

More than 120 people showed up for the weekly "Mondays with Mackenzie" demonstration outside one of the congressman's offices on Monday. It was the first of the protests since he cast an essential vote for President Donald Trump's signature policy bill.

The National Weather Service said the haze could be more apparent toward the late afternoon and evening hours, particularly at sunset.

A $25,000 donation from the Garrigan Foundation will allow Lehigh Valley Public Media to contribute to a summer enrichment program and similar events at local libraries. It restores a federal grant the Trump administration froze earlier this month in a strike against PBS and NPR.

Easton City Council heard requests for CDBG funds at their Wednesday meeting, but officials are concerned about the Trump administration's goal to cut the program and potentially cripple funding initiatives for those in need.

PBS39 broadcast a special, hourlong community forum on "housing gridlock," in which record-high prices, a 9,000-unit deficit and high interest rates have frozen the market for the workforce and first-time buyers.

The episode examines how a partial funding standoff in Washington is contributing to delays at airport security checkpoints, with TSA staffing strained as the Department of Homeland Security remains caught in a broader political fight.

Without enhanced tax credits for the Affordable Care Act, Lehigh Valley residents have seen their Pennie premiums climb more than $300 a month on average.

Easton Fire Chief Henry Hennings said the Hotel Hampton blaze exposed critical staffing shortages, delayed response challenges and growing risks in high-occupancy buildings.

Jessica Ortiz and Paulette Hunter withdrew their objection to state Rep. Ana Tiburcio's candidate petition Tuesday, clearing the way for a Democratic primary battle between Tiburcio and Allentown City Councilwoman Ce-Ce Gerlach.

Explore how the cost of living has changed in the Lehigh Valley, with data on groceries, energy, housing and transportation over the past decade.

With primary petitions now filed, the Lehigh Valley’s election season is coming into clearer focus, with several races likely to be more competitive than they first appear.

The full story, to publish Wednesday, will explore why newly available apartments are attracting large numbers of applicants and what that reveals about the balance between housing supply and demand.

PPL Electric said it expects electric demand on its system could triple over the next decade. That growth is being driven largely by expansion of advanced manufacturing, new data centers and other large industrial electricity users.

“Political affiliation has become a barrier,” Ron Beitler said on this week's "Political Pulse." “It’s become a barrier when you’re talking to someone one-on-one. It’s become a barrier particularly on social media.”

Gas prices are rising across the country as global tensions push oil markets higher and lawmakers raise concerns about possible price gouging.

On this week’s episode of Political Pulse, Tom Shortell talks with political scientist Chris Borick about the political risks, messaging challenges and historical context surrounding the bombing of Iran.