State & Regional News

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.

The state Department of Environmental Protection's Energy Programs Office will host five public engagement sessions in December, four in-person and one virtual, as officials work to create a priority climate action plan to address the negative effects of climate change.

Rep. Susan Wild, D-Lehigh Valley, urged the U.S. House to take an unprecedented step Thursday and expel Rep. George Santos from office for alleged misconduct.

Mark Pinsley announced Friday, Dec. 1, that he will run for auditor general in 2024. The position oversees financial and performance audits of Pennsylvania state government.

Residents from the Lehigh Valley and beyond on Thursday attended the state Department of Environmental Protection’s last public comment meeting on the commonwealth’s interim environmental justice policy. The majority said the policy doesn’t go far enough.

According to PennDOT, 86 crashes occurred at the same Route 22 interchange between 2019 and 2023, the most recent years of data available. And 34 of those crashes occurred in the exact same spot.

A wind advisory was extended until 4 p.m. Friday in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas, with winds 15 to 25 mph and gusts of 35 to 50 mph expected.

Severe storms will affect much of the East on Wednesday, forecasters say, with the Lehigh Valley likely to see heavy rain in the afternoon hours and through the evening rush.

Michael Wargo of Mahoning Township has advocated for veterans' mental health services for more than a decade after his son died by suicide.

On this week's episode of Political Pulse, Tom Shortell and Chris Borick talk about President Donald Trump's second term. Has he started it off on a strong foot? In Trump's first month in office, Borick said, approval numbers seem to be pointing down.

Governor Josh Shapiro stopped by Farmersville Elementary in Bethlehem Twp. Monday to rally support for a program offering stipends to student teachers.

A Lehigh Valley student has taken the top spot for a Pennsylvania poetry competition. In May, Isavel Mendoza will move on to the national finals in Washington, D.C., to represent Pennsylvania.

The inaugural meeting of the PA Road Salt Action Working Group was held Tuesday afternoon. The group aims to reduce salt pollution as well as promote responsible road salt application practices statewide.

A multi-day severe weather event will unfold as a strong storm system marches from the Central Plains to the Great Lakes on Monday and Tuesday before targeting the Lehigh Valley on Wednesday.

More than 450 students from across Pennsylvania gathered for Aevidum Live, a conference focusing on speaking up about depression and suicide prevention, and encouraging others to help stop the stigma of mental health help.

Eric Mintel recently led an paranormal investigation at Miller Symphony Hall. It comes right before the second Bucks ParaCon, set for March 8.

The public sees construction crews break ground and manage traffic, but they often miss years of behind-the-scenes work such as acquiring rights of way, managing utilities and engineering. That's what's happening at Freemansburg Avenue and Farmersville Road.