Tom Shortell
Politics ReporterI cover all things politics for LehighValleyNews.com. As veteran reporter of the region, I previously covered the Slate Belt, Northampton County, Lehigh County and local courts during stints at the area’s two newspapers. I also penned the popular Road Warrior column at The Morning Call, keeping readers up to speed on transportation news. I graduated from St. Bonaventure University and have yet to find a pun I don't like. I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today. Contact me at toms@lehighvalleynews.com or 610-984-8209.
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House Republicans want to slash federal spending by $2 trillion and are eying cuts and restrictions to the $880 billion Medicaid program. Demonstrators say they'll keep applying pressure to U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, to oppose such plans. -
Readers have expressed interest in light rail or a more robust public transit system, but even improved options have failed to match the convenience they seek.
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Patti Bruno said she would fight to protect Gracedale, labor rights and election integrity if elected to an at-large seat on Northampton County Council.
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Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan endorsed state Rep. Josh Siegel, D-Lehigh, for Lehigh County executive. The decision drew the anger of county Republicans who want to formally censure Holihan for backing a candidate they describe as a far-left extremist.
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Roger MacLean, who led the Allentown Police Department for seven years and briefly served as the city's acting mayor, is running as a Republican for Lehigh County executive.
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Mike Welsh will run as a Republican to oversee day-to-day operations of Lehigh County government.
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Local officials in places like Lowhill Township want more tools to help them control industrial development and traffic in their borders.
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Republicans balked at Gov. Josh Shapiro's $51.4 billion budget proposal Tuesday, saying the spending patterns did not align with Pennsylvania's financial realities. Lawmakers will debate the plan and determine its outcome.
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LehighValleyLive.com will continue the paper's legacy of covering the daily happenings in Northampton and Warren counties. The end of the print edition is part of a wider focus on digital news by its parent company Advance Local.
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Many interchanges on Route 22 and Route 309 are badly outdated, leaving drivers to navigate increasingly unsafe roads. PennDOT has plans to address several of them, including trouble spots in Fullerton and Center Valley.
