State & Regional News

Nine juveniles who escaped from a detention center in Berks County and were at large for less than a day have been captured, state police said Monday.

A heat map generated from PennDOT crash statistics shows a high rate of collisions involving deer and vehicles — the Lehigh Valley included. Pennsylvania also ranked No. 3 overall for the likelihood of having an animal-vehicle collision.

U.S. Senator Bob Casey is rallying bipartisan support to restore federal funding for hunter safety and archery courses in schools, citing a misinterpretation of the Safer Communities Act.

Several Lehigh Valley residents reported witnessing a string of lights in the sky in the Allentown and Bethlehem areas on Saturday night, Sept. 16.

Congresswoman Susan Wild is advocating for $16 billion in additional dollars to support the sector.

The mud-colored salamander–also known as a snot otter, mud devil, and Allegheny alligator–can grow to be two feet long, and can live up to 30 years.

In the wake of a jail escapes in Chester and Warren counties, state Republican lawmakers are planning to introduce a set of bills to improve county jail security, infrastructure and staffing.

Authorities in Pennsylvania said they captured escaped murderer Danelo Cavalcante after hunting for him nearly two weeks.

The state's Basic Education Funding Commission held its first meeting in Allentown to collect testimony on fixing Pennsylvania's school funding formula after a landmark court ruling declaring it unconstitutional.

State Senate Republicans added vouchers back to the budget while cutting Level Up funding for Allentown and Bethlehem Area school districts.

The proposal under consideration in Harrisburg would up Pennsylvania’s renewable energy goals from 8% now to 30% by 2030.

January is National Radon Action Month, and officials from the American Lung Association are offering a limited supply of free radon test kits for commonwealth residents, including those in the the Lehigh Valley.

Resources for grandparents who are raising their grandchildren are limited. A Pennsylvania nonprofit is working to change that in the new year.

“It’s really kind of this multifaceted device that is a toy — but it’s also more of a therapeutic tool, device or aid,” Lehigh Valley native Howard Romans said.

This New Year’s Day, tens of thousands of people across the country, including dozens in the Valley, will take a guided hike through a state park to mark the beginning of 2024.

Dozens of Lehigh Valley projects cashed checks worth nearly $19 million in fiscal year 2023 thanks to support from U.S. Rep. Susan Wild and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey. The Pennsylvania's Congressional delegation brought home $364.5 million in earmarks, which ranked in the top half of U.S. states.

Under the bill, gun owners could lose their license to carry if they try to take a loaded weapon onto a plane. This would be similar to losing a license for possessing a small amount of marijuana, one lawmaker said.

Executive Education Academy Charter has been waiting to appeal its application denial since 2021. Gov. Josh Shapiro's nominees were just confirmed by the State Senate earlier this month.

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s gift ban says he can’t take tickets from groups with “financial relations with the Commonwealth.” Team Pennsylvania was awarded $1.8 million in state contracts this year.

The most popular names have been a constant the past few years, according to the major health networks. But one trend that emerged in 2023 in the Lehigh Valley seems to be tied to sports — specifically, the success and popularity of the Philadelphia Phillies. Taylor Swift also may be having an impact.

The Pennsylvania Department of State is starting a new office to help train county election workers, Pa. Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt said. It also plans to update its guidance for logic and accuracy testing that could have caught issues with the Northampton County voting machines.

Lafayette College will host the 2024 vice presidential debate this coming September, drawing the world's eyes to its Easton campus. Nicole Hurd, the college's president, hopes it will be an opportunity to highlight the liberal arts school and the greater Easton community.