State & Regional News

The U.S. Department of Agriculture updated its plant hardiness map, showing a warmer Lehigh Valley. The region has moved into a warmer zone from the one where it was placed more than a decade ago. Experts say it has consequences for plant seasons and species.

If you're doing anything outdoors, do it Saturday. Rain will arrive Sunday and is forecast to intensify later in the day, with gusty winds. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for Sunday afternoon into Monday afternoon.

In a letter to Gov. Josh Shapiro, state Rep. Milou Mackenzie asked the Department of State to provide Northampton County with instructions on how to avoid more Election Day mistakes with their voting machines.

A sprawling storm system is expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds and snow to the region this weekend.

Almost 11,000 birds of prey were counted this year during the Lehigh Gap Nature Center’s annual autumn hawk watch as they made their way along the raptor "superhighway" in the Valley’s backyard.

Amtrak officials previously said passenger rail between Allentown and New York City could be restored as soon as 2024. However, a $300,000 study exploring the proposed connection is more than a month overdue.

Forecasters say the Lehigh Valley will see a mixed bag of precipitation in the days ahead, with snow showers possible Wednesday and Thursday and a potent storm system expected this weekend.

Gov. Josh Shapiro said in a visit to Allentown that as part of his 2024-25 budget, he will fund a program providing scholarships to students in poor-performing school districts.

State lawmakers on Monday held a committee hearing titled “Minimizing Risk & Harm: Preparing for Pennsylvania’s Hydrogen Future.” It comes almost two months after President Joe Biden announced seven regional clean hydrogen hub projects, including two in Pennsylvania.

A state mandate requiring schools to identify sexual content in books could cost Lehigh Valley school districts significant time, money and resources.

“I want to warn everybody there are a lot of procrastinators out there, and our driver's license centers are having real serious issues with lines and people showing up before they even open,” PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said Tuesday.

This week on Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell is joined by political scientist Chris Borick to talk about the department, its standing in American politics and its future.

Cloud cover is likely to limit thunderstorm development Monday by acting as a cap, preventing the upward movement of warm, moist air needed to fuel thunderstorms.

President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency canceled Pennsylvania’s $13 million contract with the Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program. A pandemic-era program, farmers were paid to supply local food banks with fresh produce.

Reflecting on their business success, several Lehigh University graduates credit their fortune to their educational foundation and their womanhood. From creating sustainable brands to breaking into male-dominated industries, these women want to redefine entrepreneurship and empower others along the way.

Team Pennsylvania on National Agriculture Day released “The Pennsylvania Agriculture Economic Analysis 2025.” The report takes a deep data dive into the commonwealth’s agriculture sector from 2012-2022.

'A Community Conversation: The Road Ahead' will feature several guests discussing Lehigh Valley traffic and transportation issues. It will be held Thursday, April 3, at the Univest Public Media Center in Bethlehem.

On Wednesday in Heidelberg Township, Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity continued her cross-state tour of informing residents about Money Match, a program that returns unclaimed money and property that belongs to them.

“This weekend will feature an early-summer like weather pattern,” the National Weather Service said, highlighting dry conditions and a mix of sun and clouds expected Saturday afternoon.

All Pennsylvania municipalities would be allowed to install red light cameras aimed at making intersections safer under a proposal that will be introduced as soon as this summer.

Pasa Sustainable Agriculture on Wednesday held virtual town hall focused on the current freeze on U.S. Department of Agriculture grants earmarked for farmers implementing climate-smart production practices.

The North Whitehall Township Planning Commission voted Tuesday to recommend waiving the land development approval process for a proposed new barn at the Lehigh Valley Zoo.