State & Regional News

SpaceX’s capsule Polaris Dawn splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico in the predawn darkness early Sunday. Returning to Earth were two SpaceX engineers, a former Air Force Thunderbird pilot and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman of the Lehigh Valley. Isaacman became only the 264th person to perform a spacewalk.

A Lehigh University graduate last year recorded a new species of mushroom at Wildlands Conservancy's South Mountain Preserve.

Monarch butterflies are starting to migrate through the Lehigh Valley. An annual tagging program, held at Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center, helps conservation efforts.

What feels like a local housing crisis is actually a “global phenomenon” across all income levels, state Rep. Josh Siegel, D-Lehigh, said at a housing summit Friday.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled on procedural grounds that a lower court should not have taken up the case because it did not draw in the election boards in all 67 counties.

Called the Recovery in Nature initiative, two state departments have joined forces to create regional-specific partnerships to bolster substance use recovery efforts while strengthening all residents’ connection to nature.

Folks of older age and those with mobility troubles may already have enough of a hard time getting where they need to go, so a local panel is brainstorming how to get federal funding to make day-to-day transportation a smoother ride for them.

Democrats said they wanted Vice President Kamala Harris to provide more details about her policies while Republicans acknowledge she presents a more serious challenge to former President Donald Trump.

Early Tuesday, Jared Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur who has a home in the Lehigh Valley, launched into space for a second time as part of a mission dubbed Polaris Dawn. The launch was visible in the area.

This week on Political Pulse, Tom and Chris talk about public opinion polling at a state and national level — and what that means to voters.

In its first year, the conference in Lancaster drew hundreds from across the state and was organized by committee members of the PA Latino Convention.

In a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk, along with other community leaders and groups, delivered passionate pleas to help with voter turnout this year.

The different proposals would provide connections to New York City, Philadelphia or Reading.

The Lehigh Valley Passenger Rail Analysis will be unveiled during a special informational meeting on Wednesday. Here's what to know and what could happen next.

Rep. Jeanne McNeill, D-Lehigh, said House Bill 905 could be run through its legal paces in the next couple of months.

The Lehigh Northampton Airport Authority's business committee recommended higher rideshare fees, endorsed a design firm to oversee plans for a new parking garage at Lehigh Valley International Airport, and reviewed a new tool for passengers to book flights to and from LVIA.

Dubbed the “residence reimagining project” by a staffer for the Democratic governor, the work will focus on bringing in new pieces of furniture, art, and other items to the public areas of the historic mansion along the Susquehanna River.

Aimee Kohler in 2022 launched The Running Kind, a sustainable, Valley- based business focused on zero-carbon racing events for both amateurs and professionals. The next race is set for April 7.

The conference in Lancaster this week will include workshops on business, entrepreneurship, technology, civic engagement, health and well-being, politics and government, and mentoring.

Philadelphia set a record Saturday with its wettest March day on record, eclipsing 3 inches just before 2 p.m. The Lehigh Valley didn't get quite that much, but set a record of its own for the day, according to the National Weather Service.

While not federally recognized, residents across the country for the last half-century have acknowledged Earth Day by demonstrating for more environmental protections, cleaning up their communities or learning more about the planet they call home through educational initiatives.

Dr. Debra D. Esernio-Jenssen, a Lehigh Valley Health Network physician facing multiple lawsuits over alleged child abuse misdiagnoses, has announced her retirement. Separately, Lehigh County announced it will create a new "community centered" Child Advocacy Center.