State & Regional News

The Chicago area was digging out last week after a band of lake-effect snow buried the Windy City, dropping up to a foot in some areas. Could the Lehigh Valley be far behind?

Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, did not sign the discharge petition that will force a vote on releasing the Epstein files on Tuesday. However, Mackenzie has said for months he would support the measure if it came to a vote.

There have been hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines triggered by BusPatrol's cameras in Allentown, along with growing backlash from local drivers who say the system is highly flawed.

A 4-H'er from Walnutport and his horse, Skipa Star Goer, placed first in the pleasure horse driving class during the show, held late last month in Harrisburg.

On this week's episode of Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick dissect the Democratic sweep in elections across the country and the Lehigh Valley last week.

The House passed a bill Wednesday night to end the nation's longest government shutdown, sending the measure to President Donald Trump for his signature after a historic 43-day funding lapse that saw federal workers go without multiple paychecks, travelers stranded at airports and people lining up at food banks to get a meal for their families.

The U.S. Mint has ended production of the penny, a change made to save money and in recognition of the growing irrelevance of the 1-cent coin. The last pennies were struck Wednesday at the mint in Philadelphia, where the country’s smallest denomination coins have been produced since 1793.

Billions of dollars for Pennsylvania’s public schools and social services will soon start flowing after months of delay, as lawmakers on Wednesday approved a $50 billion spending plan to break the state’s budget impasse.

Space weather forecasters have issued an alert for incoming severe solar storms. Such storms could bring northern lights to many U.S. states and temporarily disrupt communications.

The historic 40-day federal shutdown could be coming to an end after eight members of the Democratic caucus broke ranks on a procedural vote Sunday.

Protesting President Trump, marchers took to Broad Street in Bethlehem after a half-hour rally at Rose Garden Park, ending outside City Hall at Payrow Plaza. It was one of thousands of rallies across the nation Saturday that the president's supporters decried as "Hate America" rallies.

Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Longswamp Township, Berks County, has installed 10 new fully automated “state-of-the-art” snow guns that adjust automatically to weather conditions, “maximizing snow production when temperatures drop,” the resort said in a release.

Jeani Garcia, who took the helm at Promise Neighborhoods of the Lehigh Valley this year, was recently named to serve on the executive committee for the state’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention.

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie led the field in political fundraising for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District over the past three months. Democratic candidates Ryan Crosswell and Bob Brooks were not far behind, each raising more than $300,000 over the same time period.

Gov. Josh Shapiro's office says without the federal payments for SNAP — the food stamp program — more than $366 million in monthly benefits could be put on hold starting Nov. 1. The federal government shutdown is in its third week.

Northampton County human services workers will not be furloughed on Oct. 20, but may be furloughed at any time with a week's notice. County Executive Lamont McClure said Thursday he did not think a furlough would be necessary this year.

The Philadelphia-based health system will lay off 1% of its staff, citing "financial headwinds." Jefferson Health completed its acquisition of Lehigh Valley Health Network in August 2024.

Three seats on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court are up for retention elections this cycle. Typically a "mundane affair," as described by political scientist Chris Borick, these races now have a lot of eyes on them, with parties looking to flip these judicial seats in swing states.

Applications are open for the second Good Farmer Award U.S. Officials are looking for farmers with less than 10 years of experience who exemplify sustainable farming practices while contributing to community and environmental health.

Republican Roger MacLean and Democrat Josh Siegel are vying for a four-year term as Lehigh County executive. The winner in the Nov. 4 election will succeed Democrat Phil Armstrong, who cannot run again because of term limits.

A crop farm in Lehigh County was included in the latest round of Pennsylvania's Farmland Preservation Program. Twenty-three other farms across the state were also preserved.

Operations at Lehigh Valley International Airport have not suffered from the government shutdown to date, according to Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority officials. However, an increase in air traffic controllers calling out sick during the last shutdown spurred a deal in 2019.