State & Regional News

Three people died and four remain missing in the explosion at the R.M. Palmer Co. chocolate-making plant in West Reading. The grim announcement Saturday night came after a day of hope spurred by a victim found alive in the wreckage early in the day.

Pennsylvania will again operate a water assistance program for low-income households behind in their water or wastewater bills, state officials announced last week.

While the report indicates positive trends, community advocates and leaders raised concerns about high rates of gun violence and educational outcomes. They called for more hyper-localized data to identify trends and correlations between issues impacting Black communities.

Thursday's March For Our Lives rally marks its fifth anniversary since its inception after a 2018 mass shooting at a Florida high school. Hundreds are expected at Thursday's rally in Harrisburg, which coincides with rallies this week in Florida, Michigan, California and Texas.

Gov. Josh Shapiro said he's long admired the Lehigh Valley's unique ability to build partnerships. It's a skillset he said he hopes to bring to other communities across the state to promote economic growth. Shapiro was keynote speaker at the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. annual meeting in Bethlehem.

A six-month investigation found the state’s “competency” review system is so broken it often extends incarceration, which can exacerbate mental health issues.

Another social-media fueled challenge has spurred a rise in the theft of Kia and Hyundai vehicles in Pennsylvania, but has the trend caught on in the Lehigh Valley?

Reporting an increase in violent incidents in the state's prisons in 2022, the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association has suggested that staffing needs to increase, and policies need to be reviewed to help make the prisons safer.

U.S. Army Capt. Christopher Scott Seifert died in an attack on troops in Kuwait. His killer was sentenced to death. For Seifert's parents in the Lehigh Valley, the passage of time hasn't eased the loss. 'He was a much-wanted child and a very loved young man,' says his mother Helen.

Officials say some people have received a text message asking for EBT card information and claiming that their card is blocked.

The fire erupted Saturday in Lehigh Township. Over the following days, the fire grew from 150 acres to almost 600 near the border of Northampton and Carbon counties.

Norfolk Southern executives said last year that the railroad would back away from rushing inspections because of safety concerns. But the new directive about minute-long inspections appears to reverse the stance.

Daniel Klem Jr., director of the Acopian Center for Ornithology at the college, on Saturday was presented with the Walt Pomeroy Conservation Award. His most recent study found 3.5 million birds dying every day in a 365-day period.

State Sen. Jarrett Coleman challenged over 500 mail-in ballot applications of former Lehigh County voters. Coleman said in a text that he will pursue other ways to challenge how counties register voters living abroad.

Easton Outdoor Company hosted the launch of the Elevate program, which aims to help outdoor activity-oriented businesses connect and thrive, on Monday, Oct. 29.

Unofficial results from the Pennsylvania Department of State show U.S. Rep. Susan Wild trailing Republican Ryan Mackenzie by about 1 percentage point in Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District.

The coffee chain has billed customers an extra charge for dairy replacements like soy and almond milk. That charge will cease in early November.

With a win in Wisconsin, Trump cleared the 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency.

York County District Attorney Dave Sunday, a Republican, beat former Auditor General Eugene DePasquale to become Pennsylvania’s top prosecutor.

Ryan Mackenzie, a 12-year veteran of the state Legislature, declared victory in his campaign against three-term U.S. Rep. Susan Wild. It was one of the most coveted congressional seats in the nation.

Flood, a Republican, won a third term Tuesday night representing northern Northampton County in the state House of Representatives.

Several of the Lehigh Valley's state lawmakers are ucontested in the 2024 general election. That means they're shoe-ins for victory.