State & Regional News

Donald Trump held a campaign rally before a packed house at the PPL Center in Allentown — a city with a large Puerto Rican population. He said he had done more for Puerto Ricans than any president in American history.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey held a campaign event at Cedar Crest College, urging support for women’s reproductive rights. He highlighted the need for legislation that ensures access to fertility treatments and family planning.

Thousands came to downtown Allentown for former President Donald Trump's campaign rally — exactly one week before Election Day.

"Fox & Friends" is visiting diners and restaurants in battleground states in the days leading up to Election Day. Fox News Channel said it will be at Superior Restaurant on Main Street in Emmaus on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

A Lehigh County judge granted a motion by the Lehigh County Board of Elections to extend in-person voting at the elections office at the Lehigh County Government Center in Allentown until 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Martin Sheen, whose given name is Ramón Estévez, played President Jed Bartlet on The West Wing.

This week on Political Pulse, Shortell and Borick discuss the course of the upcoming election — from President Joe Biden dropping out to divisive ads and highly contested local races.

On the eve of his father's campaign rally in downtown Allentown, Donald Trump Jr. paid a visit to Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays in North Whitehall Township. A crowd of more than 1,000 showed up.

The Interfaith Temple and The Enlightenment Circle hosted an “Embrace Unity: A Call for Peace” event at the Delta Hotel in Allentown on Monday.

Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe drew condemnations from across the political spectrum after he made racist jokes at former President Donald Trump's Madison Square Garden rally Sunday. The remarks came two days before Trump's event at the PPL Center in Allentown, which is one of the largest Puerto Rican enclaves in the country.

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.

Lawmakers in Harrisburg passed nearly three dozen laws last week in a final burst of action as they held their last voting session of the year.

Nippon Steel is set to pay more than $14 billion to acquire Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel in a deal that Rep. Susan Wild said is “really kind of heartbreaking."

Pennsylvania's gas tax– the highest in the nation in 2023 – will drop from $0.611/gallon to $0.576/gallon and will remain in place through 2024.

It might seem counterintuitive, but harvesting holiday trees year after year is better for the environment than using an artificial one, experts said, especially amid the proliferation of plastic piling up in landfills.

Bethlehem Police Chief Michelle Kott said these types of incentives will help to attract “the best and brightest” candidates to serve the city.

More than three dozen projects in the Valley were awarded grants, receiving about 7% of the total funding awarded. Statewide, $335 million in grants were announced Wednesday.