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Federal election monitors will be on hand in four Pennsylvania counties for Election Day next week, and while that’s not exactly new, state leaders have a message for them: You should watch yourselves as well.

Cousins from Kingston hope that pickle-flavored beer becomes shark bait. An idea that was born four years ago has evolved into a dill-flavored craze that made its way into Trader Joe's, Disneyland and now "Shark Tank."

NASA awarded the University of Scranton a $5.5 million grant to lead a space education and citizen science initiative focused on space weather and amateur radio.

Common Ground Ministries has supplied families with groceries since its founding in 2004. This year, the Christian community organization with the motto “Everybody Eats” started a garden to feed its food pantry recipients in Carbon County and neighboring areas.

Pennsylvania is one step closer to cellphone-free schools. And Commonwealth University faculty hope to prevent planned layoffs at the three state schools.

Archbald Borough Council denied zoning for a hyperscale data center in the Lackawanna County borough. Community members who attended Wednesday’s council meeting erupted into applause and cheers after the rejection.

The two candidates for the 9th Congressional District seat tangled in a lively debate outside Pottsville last night. Meanwhile, a debate for the 7th Congressional District seat is off after one candidate backed out.

The U.S. Attorney General was in Wilkes-Barre yesterday for a roundtable on fentanyl with other state, federal and local officials. And we have some banned book recommendations in the latest episode of Bookmarks.

The OurHAIR initiative, started by Community Care Behavioral Health Organization, trains hair and beauty professionals on the basics of mental health and substance use disorder, including where to send clients for help when they need it beyond the listening ear of their braider or barber.

Today, meet a husband and wife coaching duo on the soccer field in the latest Beyond the Scoreboard. And the Archbald community learned more about a proposed data center campus this week - but many residents remain skeptical.

Today, the state health secretary discusses measles vaccinations as an outbreak continues across the state. And two candidates for a state senate seat met for a forum last night - we’ll have more on the issues they discussed.

Gov. Josh Shapiro and state health secretary Dr. Debra Bogen officially launched the Nurse Shortage Assistance Program in Honesdale on Tuesday. It's a $5 million investment made possible by the state budget. The program provides matching state funds to hospitals to attract nursing staff with student loan repayment assistance.

Today, a new machine is helping rehab patients at Allied Services take more steps. And, what impact could the rise of GLP-1 medications for weight loss have on mental health?

Last October, Scranton City Council approved Mayor Paige Cognetti’s ambitious downtown streetscape plan. The first finished section of new sidewalks and new sidewall was celebrated last week – less than a year later.

The new regional chancellor for Penn State will lead the campuses through change. Menah Pratt hosted community members at a breakfast this week at the Hazleton campus.

With only four weeks until Election Day, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson swung into Northeast Pennsylvania for the third time this year Tuesday. And Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro met Republican challenger Stacy Garrity for a debate Wednesday night.

Today, a battle over the sale of Luzerne County’s railroad tracks is heading to federal court. And we have some mysterious reading recommendations in the latest Bookmarks.

Around 200 people responded to WVIA News’ voter issue survey this year. The survey, while not scientific or representative of WVIA’s audience, provided a sample consistent with results of both state and national polls.

Nonpartisan health policy research, polling and news organization KFF recently conducted a survey with the Associated Press of about 2,000 rural registered voters of all party affiliations. Its results are consistent with local polling on this year's top issues for voters.

One spot for recess in Schuylkill County is unique — but the 30 minutes of daily play will soon be experienced statewide. Starting next school year, all kindergarten through fifth grade students in Pennsylvania will receive 30 minutes of recess daily.

With schools closed and more youth involved, the Bloomsburg Fair provides lessons in leadership, responsibility and community to the several hundred children and teens showing animals this week.

Chris Boland is the director of alumni relations at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. He’s been in recovery since 2009. As National Recovery Month comes to a close, Boland wants others struggling with addiction and substance abuse disorder to know it’s never too late to get help.

Scranton Fire Chief John Judge is leaving the department to take a new position in the State College area. And, state lawmakers returned to Harrisburg on Monday with a long to-do list and a short session.

Federal Medicaid changes required by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act go into effect on Jan. 1, 2027. Pennsylvania is preparing recipients for the changes to come while also updating its own reporting system for the joint federal and state health insurance program.

Officials who oversee Northeast Pennsylvania’s largest airport thought they found a new leader to run it. But they couldn’t finalize a deal to bring in a new executive director, so they have to find someone else.