State & Regional News

This week on Political Pulse, Tom and Chris discuss the latest trends emerging from science-based polls to break down local, state and national campaigns and issues.

U.S. Rep. Susan Wild and state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, both seeking the Lehigh Valley's seat in the next Congress, each cast themselves as a moderate facing a radical in a debate Sunday.

SpaceX’s capsule Polaris Dawn splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico in the predawn darkness early Sunday. Returning to Earth were two SpaceX engineers, a former Air Force Thunderbird pilot and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman of the Lehigh Valley. Isaacman became only the 264th person to perform a spacewalk.

A Lehigh University graduate last year recorded a new species of mushroom at Wildlands Conservancy's South Mountain Preserve.

Monarch butterflies are starting to migrate through the Lehigh Valley. An annual tagging program, held at Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center, helps conservation efforts.

What feels like a local housing crisis is actually a “global phenomenon” across all income levels, state Rep. Josh Siegel, D-Lehigh, said at a housing summit Friday.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled on procedural grounds that a lower court should not have taken up the case because it did not draw in the election boards in all 67 counties.

Called the Recovery in Nature initiative, two state departments have joined forces to create regional-specific partnerships to bolster substance use recovery efforts while strengthening all residents’ connection to nature.

Folks of older age and those with mobility troubles may already have enough of a hard time getting where they need to go, so a local panel is brainstorming how to get federal funding to make day-to-day transportation a smoother ride for them.

Democrats said they wanted Vice President Kamala Harris to provide more details about her policies while Republicans acknowledge she presents a more serious challenge to former President Donald Trump.

The Lehigh Valley will face “an active week in terms of weather hazards,” the National Weather Service said early Monday, with the remnants of Beryl expected to impact the area.

In a statement Sunday, U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, D-Lehigh Valley, stopped short of saying President Joe Biden needed to leave the ticket but warned that he could harm candidates in down-ballot races.

Nearly 250 years ago, Easton was one of three Colonial cities where the newly-adopted Declaration of Independence was read to the public for the first time. On Sunday, the city celebrated its place in history by reading the document again.

Another heat advisory has made its way to the Lehigh Valley, accompanied by an air quality alert. While temperatures aren't expected to be as high as the last heat wave, the heat index could still hit triple-digits Monday and Tuesday.

Darian Cruz, who starred at Bethlehem Catholic and Lehigh University, will honor his grandparents by representing their native Puerto Rico when he wrestles at the Paris Olympics next month.

President Joe Biden nominated Montgomery County Judge Gail Weilheimer to a judicial vacancy in the U.S. District Court's Eastern District of Pennsylvania. U.S. Rep. Susan Wild said more attorneys from the Lehigh Valley ought to be considered for the postings.

Bethlehem native Ariel Torres became the first drag queen to perform at the Governor's Residence for its Pride Month Celebration Reception on June 26. Torres performed “I Was Here” by Beyoncé as his drag persona, Elektra Fierce St. James.

A dancing duo from the greater Lehigh Valley is heading south to compete in the Transplant Games of America. The couple is part of Gift of Life's Team Philly made up of 150 people.

Fireworks are a popular fun way to celebrate the 4th of July, but they can also be dangerous. Allentown's police and fire officials say every year they see a serious injury or fatality caused by fireworks.

The famous Sheetz $1.776 gas promo will not make a return this year, even though AAA East Central reports lower gas costs compared to this time last year. The Biden-Harris Administration is attempting to mitigate that.

This Fourth of July in the Lehigh Valley, the fireworks in the sky might come from Mother Nature. There's a storm threat, and some will be capable of producing very heavy rain that could lead to localized flash flooding.

Neither first lady Jill Biden nor U.S. Rep. Susan Wild addressed questions about President Joe Biden's fitness for office following his poor performance at last week's presidential debate against former President Donald Trump.