State & Regional News

In the home stretch of summer, is the worst of the heat behind us? Here’s where things stand in the Lehigh Valley as we look ahead — and enter the peak of hurricane season.

The American Red Cross and Miller-Keystone Blood Bank are urging people to give blood to avoid a critically low situation. A summer slump and severe weather has impacted donations.

Four farms in Lehigh and Northampton counties were the latest to be included in Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation Program. The program aims to ward off development and protect open spaces.

Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, an amusement park that has drawn generations of families for nearly 100 years to the Ocean City boardwalk, will close at the end of the 2024 season. Operators say it's "no longer a viable business."

The Storm Prediction Center has extended a tornado watch until 10 p.m., and the National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning until 6:45 p.m.

With Tropical Storm Debby on approach to the region, forecasters continue to refine key messaging on what the Lehigh Valley can expect. We're at a 'slight' risk for severe weather, with tornadoes the main threat. Both Lehigh and Northampton counties are also under a flood watch.

Tropical Storm Debby has been flooding parts of the Atlantic coast as remnants make their way north. As a result, PA-Task Force 1 has been deployed to assist North Carolina in emergency response operations.

Officials in Bethlehem celebrated part of the city's designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Wednesday, while making plans for the site's future.

A cold front interacting with moisture from Tropical Storm Debby left the region awash in heavy rain on Tuesday, triggering flash flood warnings and water rescues. More rain will come Friday as Debby moves over the area.

Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz over Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro to be her running mate on the Democratic presidential ticket.

The mocktail mixing competition brought together media personalities from different outlets in the Lehigh Valley, serving up alcohol-free drinks.

U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, during her farewell address on the House floor Wednesday, said the $38 million spent in Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District was an obscene amount.

The Lehigh Valley has been a real estate hot spot, and according to political polling, it's taken a toll on residents. What can officials do for their concerned constituents when this issue doesn't present a quick fix? This week on Political Pulse, Chris Borick and Tom Shortell talk all about it.

A nuisance system that moved through the region Sunday night brought the Lehigh Valley its first measurable snowfall of the season, the National Weather Service said.

State and county officials have long requested more time to pre-canvass mail-in ballots along with other changes to Pennsylvania's election code. But with the General Assembly gridlocked, those changes are stalled.

State environmental officials awarded $2.55 million in grants as part of a statewide effort to improve air quality in communities through cleaner fuel transportation infrastructure.

The Lehigh Valley (Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton metro) not only made a significant jump in November’s Realtor.com Market Hotness rankings, it also held steady in the company’s 2025 forecast.

Three farms in Lehigh County were the latest to be included in Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation Program. The program aims to ward off development and protect open spaces.

A system arriving Sunday night could bring a period of snow and ice to the area before a changeover to rain but “there remains considerable uncertainty with the details.”

During the 2023-24 hunting seasons, a record-breaking 261,672 pounds of venison from 6,905 deer and six elk statewide was donated through Hunters Sharing the Harvest. Find out how much was donated in the Lehigh Valley.

Part of the DCNR Community Conservation Partnerships Program, the grants support projects to develop new parks, rehabilitate existing spaces and protect vital natural habitats. A dozen Lehigh Valley projects were funded.

The Lehigh Valley’s Gross Domestic Product grew to a record $55.7 billion in 2023, according to government data released this month.