State & Regional News

President Donald Trump campaigned on immigration enforcement and recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations have gained national and local attention. This week on Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick look into the public's reaction to these raids.

After Monday brought rounds of thunderstorms and heavy rain, more severe weather is expected to target the region on Tuesday, forecasters say.

Xylazine, an animal-grade tranquilizer that's not approved for human use, has taken Pennsylvania's illicit drug supply by storm. Known on the streets as "tranq," it accounted for almost 1 in 4 overdose deaths in Pennsylvania by 2023. Last year in Lehigh County, it was a contributing cause of death in 20 of the 112 deadly overdoses, or 17.9 percent of cases.

Multiple media outlets report Bryan Kohberger has agreed to plead guilty to murdering four University of Idaho students as part of a deal with prosecutors to avoid the death penalty. A change of plea hearing is set for Wednesday. Kohberger’s trial had been set to begin in August

The funding comes from the commonwealth’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program, a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Known as "tranq" on the streets, an animal tranquilizer named xylazine infiltrated drug supplies throughout Pennsylvania since 2019. Its presence in the Lehigh Valley has grown, with deadly consequences.

Life changed for Bethlehem's Moravian community as the Revolutionary War waged. "Suddenly, the world just descends," said one historian. This is the first in a recurring series exploring the Lehigh Valley's place in American history.

WLVR's Brad Klein talks with Bethlehem's Backyard Astronomy Guy, Marty McGuire about planetary viewing in this week's Watching the Skies. Leading into the first week of July, viewers can snag a better view of the planet Mercury just after sunset.

The Clean Trucks PA Coalition report identified more than 600 schools, childcare centers, playgrounds and parks near major roadways and trucking corridors across the state.

In the past four years, Lehigh and Northampton counties each saw a roughly 3% population increase, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data released Thursday.

The 11-day shindig spanning Bethlehem on both sides of the Lehigh River didn’t just blow into town overnight. What’s Musikfest without its volunteers and other unsung heroes?

Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, an amusement park that has drawn generations of families for nearly 100 years to the Ocean City boardwalk, will close at the end of the 2024 season. Operators say it's "no longer a viable business."

The Storm Prediction Center has extended a tornado watch until 10 p.m., and the National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning until 6:45 p.m.

With Tropical Storm Debby on approach to the region, forecasters continue to refine key messaging on what the Lehigh Valley can expect. We're at a 'slight' risk for severe weather, with tornadoes the main threat. Both Lehigh and Northampton counties are also under a flood watch.

Tropical Storm Debby has been flooding parts of the Atlantic coast as remnants make their way north. As a result, PA-Task Force 1 has been deployed to assist North Carolina in emergency response operations.

Officials in Bethlehem celebrated part of the city's designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Wednesday, while making plans for the site's future.

A cold front interacting with moisture from Tropical Storm Debby left the region awash in heavy rain on Tuesday, triggering flash flood warnings and water rescues. More rain will come Friday as Debby moves over the area.

Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz over Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro to be her running mate on the Democratic presidential ticket.

Vice President Kamala Harris picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate on Tuesday, according to three people familiar with the decision.

A listeria outbreak has a major food company recalling deli meats across the county, including here in the Lehigh Valley. An infectious disease doctor explains the signs and symptoms of the foodborne illness.

Jason Moorehead, a former social studies teacher at Raub Middle School, claimed Allentown School District violated his constitutional rights to free speech, assembly and political affiliation.

Local state lawmakers joined members of the Legislative Latino Caucus in Allentown on Monday to celebrate how the new state budget. Specifically, they note the more than $1.1 billion in new funding for school districts, including about $526 million to correct inequities in public education.