State & Regional News

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.

PennDOT announced its list of upcoming seasonal driver license, photo and other service centers, as well as road trip tips and travel construction delays.

The Pennsylvania House passed a bill last week that would overhaul the state’s education funding system, sending millions to Lehigh Valley schools over the next seven years. But it faces an uncertain future in the Senate.

No matter what we call it, hazardous heat is expected across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, according to the Weather Prediction Center.

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

Senate Republicans blocked a vote on a bill that would guarantee access to assisted reproductive technology. The effort came a day after Democrats blocked a Republican effort to penalize states that attempt to ban invitro fertilization treatments.

A bill aimed at saving local pharmacies with pharmacy benefit manager, or PBMs, reform was touted in Allentown this week. Pennsylvania State Representative Josh Siegel, who represents Lehigh County, joined State Representative Jessica Benham, who represents Allegheny County, at Allentown Pharmacy.

The grant program would allow schools to recruit students, paraprofessionals and other community members to pursue a career in education. It passed the House with bipartisan support last year but has been stuck in committee in the Senate since then.

Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan says machine gun conversion devices, also known as Glock switches, are becoming increasingly common in the region. The illegal modifications turn semi-automatic firearms into automatic weapons.

A new report release by the American Heart Association shows the U.S. on trend to have a cardiovascular disease crisis within 30 years. A public poll shows people feel eating healthy is the way to avoid the crisis, but price points and access limit that ability.

Heat index outlooks — projecting what it feels like outside with the heat and humidity combined — push feels-like temperatures near triple digits between June 17-21 and top 100 degrees in the Lehigh Valley between June 19-25.

More than two dozen state legislators, including one from the Lehigh Valley, have co-sponsored HB2238, which would eliminate the use of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in household products.

A Democratic-sponsored proposal to boost public school funding by billions and impose stricter rules on cyber-charter schools is on its way to the Pennsylvania Senate after passage in the state House.