State & Regional News

Beating U.S. Sen. Bob Casey is earth-shaking for Pennsylvania’s Democratic establishment. He's the state's longest-serving Democrat ever in the Senate. Casey had won six statewide general elections going back to 1996.

The Pennsylvania Senate contest between Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey and Republican challenger David McCormick was inside the automatic recount threshold on Thursday morning.

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.

Forecasters say the Lehigh Valley will see a mixed bag of precipitation in the days ahead, with snow showers possible Wednesday and Thursday and a potent storm system expected this weekend.

Gov. Josh Shapiro said in a visit to Allentown that as part of his 2024-25 budget, he will fund a program providing scholarships to students in poor-performing school districts.

State lawmakers on Monday held a committee hearing titled “Minimizing Risk & Harm: Preparing for Pennsylvania’s Hydrogen Future.” It comes almost two months after President Joe Biden announced seven regional clean hydrogen hub projects, including two in Pennsylvania.

A state mandate requiring schools to identify sexual content in books could cost Lehigh Valley school districts significant time, money and resources.

The state Department of Environmental Protection's Energy Programs Office will host five public engagement sessions in December, four in-person and one virtual, as officials work to create a priority climate action plan to address the negative effects of climate change.

Rep. Susan Wild, D-Lehigh Valley, urged the U.S. House to take an unprecedented step Thursday and expel Rep. George Santos from office for alleged misconduct.

Mark Pinsley announced Friday, Dec. 1, that he will run for auditor general in 2024. The position oversees financial and performance audits of Pennsylvania state government.

Residents from the Lehigh Valley and beyond on Thursday attended the state Department of Environmental Protection’s last public comment meeting on the commonwealth’s interim environmental justice policy. The majority said the policy doesn’t go far enough.

During an initial public comment meeting for a proposal to streamline mail delivery for the USPS in the Lehigh Valley, postal workers and residents expressed concern for delays and other issues.

County Executive Lamont McClure reiterated Thursday he will not step down after the county experienced widespread problems with its voting machines on Election Day. Despite the problems, the county's Election Commission certified the results last week.

Ed Smith served nearly a decade on the federal bench after a career as a military lawyer and a Northampton County judge. He died Monday.

Republican Kat Copeland is hoping her experience as a federal and local prosecutor will help her become Pennsylvania's next attorney general.