State & Regional News

The Lehigh Valley is locked in a prolonged period of chilly and unsettled weather, and forecasters say a coastal storm could bring significant and much-needed rain for the weekend.

People who stayed up late Sunday night were treated to an incredible display of the northern lights, which were visible in the Lehigh Valley.

Take a look at stories throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

The ninth annual Governor's STEM Competition in Pennsylvania has announced its regional winners, with two teams from the Lehigh Valley among the top 20 finalists.

On the heals of Black Maternal Health Week, doctors, nurses, doulas, administrators, and legislators come together to address the rate at which black and brown people are dying during child birth.

Whether you do them by yourself, go to a tax clinic or hire a professional, navigating the tax system can be complicated.

“Twitter is now limiting automated tweets and as a result this account can no longer post all watches/warnings/advisories as they are issued,” a tweet from NWS Mount Holly said Saturday morning. Things seemingly changed Saturday night.

The IRS has been tasked with looking into how to create a government-operated electronic free-file tax return system for all.

Chris Yarnell is working to help Veterans.

Here are tips and tools for Pennsylvanians who use Medicaid to requalify for coverage after a pandemic-era federal moratorium on kicking people off Medicaid has ended.

North Bethlehem Little League is hosting the Pennsylvania State Little League Intermediate 50/70 Tournament through Monday. The local team dropped its opening-round game on Thursday night, but remains alive in the tourney.

A Pennsylvania think tank brings together medical providers and researchers to look at where the state's health care system can be improved. The panel, held by the Commonwealth Foundation, said cost, access, and attention to care are the most important issues to those who live in PA.

Albeit late, lawmakers passed a $47.6 billion plan for the fiscal year that started July 1, with much focus on education this year.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission issued 19 recommendations for PPL Electric to improve upon, including fixing its poor customer service and restoring power to customers faster following an outage.

The National Weather Service posted a flood watch starting at 6 a.m. Friday for the Philadelphia region and its suburbs.

The $208 million will also produce 295 new union jobs, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey’s announcement said, though it’s unclear what cut of the funding the Macungie facility is getting or the number of new jobs expected locally.

Gov. Josh Shapiro unveiled new designs for highway welcome signs and license plates this week, both featuring the Liberty Bell and the phrase "Let Freedom Ring." But it appears history hot spot Easton was left out.

While the Easton Police Department only took a few phone calls over fireworks complaints for July 4, it appears citizens and city council are riled up over the nuisance and danger tied to the explosives.

Hellertown Borough's historical society touts the Heller-Wagner Grist Mill, located along West Walnut Street, as one of the oldest landmarks in town. The mill operated into the 1950s.

State Sen. Jarrett Coleman, R-Lehigh/Bucks, is looking to force his predecessor, now Secretary of Revenue Pat Browne, to release tax returns about Allentown's Neighborhood Improvement Zone. Browne, who crafted the NIZ, has worked to keep the information confidential for five years.

Funding was awarded through the Lehigh Valley Greenways Mini Grant Program. The program aims to protect and promote natural resources through the implementation of ready-to-go, single-year projects.

The National Weather Service expanded an excessive heat warning into the Lehigh Valley on Wednesday, calling for dangerously hot conditions with heat index values up to 105 degrees. A severe weather threat will follow.