In a budget proposal for the fiscal year that starts July 1, Gov. Josh Shapiro is proposing to eliminate the bank shares tax and subject banks to the corporate net income tax. First introduced in the 19th century, the tax is based on how much capital banks hold. The he corporate net income tax, or […]
During a court hearing yesterday, Lancaster-based Blackford ATM Ventures consented to a petition forcing it into Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation. The next step is to appoint a bankruptcy trustee to oversee distribution of the company’s assets. The process is not likely to be straightforward, acknowledged an attorney for Silverview Credit Partners, the Florida-based lender that sought to force Blackford […]
A Lancaster-based ATM operator has struck a tentative deal with a creditor that wanted to force it into bankruptcy. Under the deal, Blackford ATM Ventures is getting time to file voluntarily for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, allowing it to reorganize, according to an attorney for the creditor, Silverview Credit Partners. The Tampa-based private lender had sought to impose a Chapter […]
A Tampa-based private lender is asking a bankruptcy judge to force Lancaster-based Blackford ATM Ventures into Chapter 7 bankruptcy and appoint a trustee to oversee the company. Silverview Credit Partners is arguing that a petition for what is called involuntary bankruptcy is the best way to preserve assets for creditors. Silverview floated two loans to […]
Fulton Financial is closing 15 branches this spring, including three in York County, in a move described by a Fulton spokesperson as aligning the bank’s services with trends in customer behavior. Like its peers, the Lancaster-based bank is seeing growth in the use of online and digital tools — reducing the need for physical branches […]
Investors hoping to recover money from Lancaster-based ATM operator Paramount Management Group are facing a new hurdle. In a legal filing this month, a Berks County bank claims it has a stake in some of Paramount’s ATMs, as well as any revenue they may be generating. Customers Bank is asking a Lancaster County judge to stay an earlier […]
The proverbial corner office at Conrad Siegel has a new occupant. The employee benefits consulting and investment advisory firm in Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County has named Abigail Fortino as its next president, effective Jan. 1. She was also named chair of the firm’s management committee. She succeeds Mark Bonsall, who had been president of the firm since […]
Franklin Financial Services, the Chambersburg-based parent of F&M Trust, is rolling out a succession plan for its retiring chief executive. The bank has tapped Craig Best, the former CEO of a Scranton bank, as its next leader effective Jan. 14, according to a regulatory filing. Best, 64, is succeeding Tim Henry, who announced in November that he would retire […]
A court order on Friday gave some relief to investors in Paramount Management Group, a financially strapped ATM operator based in Lancaster. But the order did not give the investors everything they wanted. Notably, it stopped short of ordering Paramount to hire a forensic auditor to help recover funds for the investors, who argue they are […]
Since it was founded in 2019, Zimmermann Investment Management & Planning in New Cumberland has grown to more than $700 million in assets under management. But if it wanted to keep growing at the same pace, it needed a partner, said Curt H. Zimmerman, founder and president of the company. “We just needed a different way […]
Is it fraud or a failing business? That was one of the questions hanging over a court hearing held yesterday morning to consider contempt charges against Paramount Management Group, a Lancaster-based ATM network being sued by its investors. The investors want Paramount held in contempt for its alleged failure to abide by a court order issued earlier […]
Earlier this year, leaders at Lancaster-based Finanta Credit Union put together a five-year growth plan. Thanks to a $15 million gift from a familiar benefactor, the plan is likely to move much faster. Finanta was one of 199 organizations nationwide to receive donations this year from MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and a growing philanthropic […]
Claims against a Lancaster-based ATM network took on new forms during a roughly one-hour hearing held Friday afternoon in a Lancaster County courtroom. An attorney representing disgruntled investors in the network raised concerns about money flows involving the network’s operator, Paramount Management Group, and questioned whether the operator had inflated the number of ATMs it owned. […]
State-backed retirement plans, which have been proliferating around the U.S., appear to boost savings among workers, according to a study released yesterday. Workers are 20% more likely to contribute to a retirement savings account if they work at a business in a state that has an auto IRA program, according to the study, undertaken by […]
Tim Henry is planning to retire effective April 29 as president and CEO of Chambersburg-based Franklin Financial Services Corp., parent of F&M Trust. “It was time,” said Henry, who will turn 67 next year. The bank is in “great shape,” he added, making it a good time to step away. He also plans to leave his role […]
Mid Penn Bancorp is deepening its reach in southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey with the acquisition of a Bucks County bank that has been squeezed by high interest rates. Harrisburg-based Mid Penn has agreed to pay about $127 million for Bristol-based William Penn Bancorporation. The all-stock deal is slated to close in the first half of 2025, […]
A new venture fund in Central Pennsylvania is closer to its fundraising goal thanks to an investment this week from a state authority. The Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority has poured $1 million into the fund, Keystone Innovation Fund II, a joint venture between York-based White Rose Ventures and State College-based 1855 Capital. The fund is on track to close by […]
Traditions Bank earned record profits in 2020 and 2021. But when interest rates shot up between March 2022 and July 2023, the York-based bank ran into financial headwinds that called into question its ability to remain independent without cutting staff and trimming plans for growth. The resulting discussions among bank executives and directors led to the deal […]
WellSpan Health and Inch & Co. reached a settlement in a lawsuit filed last week by WellSpan over a proposed sports complex on which they have been partnering, according to a WellSpan spokesperson and an Inch & Co. executive. The settlement includes transferring ownership of the sports complex site to WellSpan, according to health system spokesperson Ryan Coyle. […]
More changes are coming to the region’s largest engineering firm. Gannett Fleming TranSystems relocated its West Shore headquarters this year. Now, the firm is getting a new name and a new CEO, the first leader from outside the company. The new moniker is GFT. The new CEO is Mike Orth. He succeeds Bob Scaer, who retired in […]
On a sunny day last September, leaders of WellSpan Health and real estate developer Inch & Co. came together to cement their partnership on a new sports complex in North York. Seven months later, the partnership appears to be coming apart. WellSpan is no longer a sponsor of what was going to be called the WellSpan Sports Complex, […]
Developers have acquired land off the Carlisle Pike in Cumberland County where they plan to build three warehouses. The warehouses will span nearly 2 million square feet under plans approved in 2023 under the previous owner of the property, part of Hempt Farms in Silver Spring Township. The developers — a joint venture between New York-based Rockefeller […]
Chestnut Housing Corp., a nonprofit focused on affordable housing, is bringing one project to completion and shoring up funding for its next venture while laying the groundwork for a third. The project poised to open this summer is an eight-unit affordable housing complex called Milburn Apartments at 607-609 Rockland St. in Lancaster, according to Chad […]
A Harrisburg nonprofit has landed a $500,000 state grant for a mixed-use project in Harrisburg’s low-income Allison Hill neighborhood. The $3.3 million project calls for erecting a 15,000 square-foot building at the corner of South 13th and Market streets in Harrisburg, according to Tannon Herman, executive director of Wildheart, the community development nonprofit behind the project, […]
Conewago Manufacturing LLC, an affiliate of Hanover-based contractor Conewago Enterprises Inc., has acquired Hanover Concrete Co., which has operations in Hanover, Gettysburg and Shrewsbury. Terms of the transaction, which was finalized on April 1, were not disclosed. David Albright, president of Hanover Concrete, is joining Conewago as vice president of ready-mix sales. The combined companies provide ready-mix […]
The state is pouring more than $1.3 million into a pair of renovation projects in York and Lancaster counties as part of a program to fund downtown revitalization. Lancaster-based nonprofit Community Basics Inc. landed $823,917 to rehab a 23-unit affordable-housing complex in Maytown called Three Center Square. The York County Industrial Development Authority is getting $504,050 to advance […]
Harrisburg’s planning commission unanimously approved a plan last week to subdivide the former Polyclinic Hospital campus last week, clearing the way for a developer to begin the first phase of a $45 million mixed-use project in the city’s Uptown neighborhood. The commission also approved a change to the property’s zoning from institutional to commercial neighborhood. […]
A local hotelier is planning to bring a startup hotel brand to Lancaster, York and other towns in Central Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley. Shakher Patel, co-founder of Lancaster-based Destiny Partners LLC/Destiny Hospitality LLC has signed a franchise agreement with stayAPT Suites to open five of the brand’s extended-stay hotels. In an interview with biznewsPA, Patel said he hopes […]
York-area developer Inch & Co. has dropped its appeal of a zoning decision barring a warehouse on land it owns in Manchester Township and is focused instead on fine-tuning plans for housing on the tract, according to company co-owner Jeff Inch. The dropped appeal is the latest move affecting a 52.7-acre tract at the center of […]
A Harrisburg-area developer is sparring with a Lancaster County township and authority over sewer tapping fees assessed on a recent apartment project. In a lawsuit filed at the end of last year, the developer, an affiliate of Lower Paxton Township-based Triple Crown Corp., argues that the fees were excessive, and it demands a partial refund. “They […]
Local school officials declined to award a tax abatement for a recreational sports center slated for construction in North York. York-area developer Inch & Co. has been asking the Central York school board for local tax relief for the $34.5 million project, which is backed by WellSpan Health. But at a meeting Wednesday evening, the board’s three-member business […]
A regional beverage distributor is planning a $100 million-plus sales and distribution center in Lebanon County that will replace a smaller facility on the West Shore. ACCB Harrisburg RE LLC, a local subsidiary of Pittsburgh-based ABARTA Coca-Cola Beverages, is building the 240,000 square-foot center on a roughly 52-acre lot in South Lebanon Township. It would be the […]
The corporate headquarters of APR Supply, a distributor of HVAC and plumbing supplies, is moving from Lebanon to an office building in Manheim Township, Lancaster County. In a statement, company president and CEO Scott Weaver attributed the move to the company’s growth. APR has acquired several firms in recent years and now has about 475 employees […]
In a unanimous decision, the Manchester Township zoning hearing board rejected a request that they alter zoning rules for a proposed housing development along Pennsylvania Avenue south of Route 30. The board members said that -based developer Inch & Co. had not adequately justified its need for zoning relief. Inch proposed building 109 single-family homes on […]
Following a legal battle with local officials, San Francisco-based developer Prologis is taking the next step in its efforts to build a warehouse in suburban Harrisburg. The company shelled out $24.25 million for two tracts off Linglestown Road in West Hanover Township where it plans to erect the 1.1 million square-foot building, according to county deed records. […]
One of the nation’s largest apartment operators has scooped up a development-ready tract in northwestern Lancaster County. An affiliate of Greystar paid nearly $8.7 million for the tract, which is poised to house an 11-building, 280-unit apartment complex, according to county deed records. The seller was 1376 Campus Road Associates LLC, an affiliate of Catalyst Commercial Development, a West […]
A longtime Lancaster County farming family has sold off most of its operations to a pair of local ag companies. The Esbenshade family sold its feed mill, swine operations and related properties to The Wenger Group and its shell-egg operations to Kreider Farms. Terms of the transactions were not disclosed in yesterday’s announcement of the two deals. The […]
Advanced technology is sowing the seeds, often literally, for the future of farming. Automated and AI-powered tools can plant seeds, assess crop health and pick the finished product from the field — or greenhouse. But technology alone won’t save farmers. They also need to rethink and reinvent their business models. This edition of the YCEA […]
Business leaders may be wondering where they will find the skilled people they need to keep their companies running and growing in the years ahead. This edition of the YCEA podcast, produced in partnership with biznewsPA, offers perspective from those in the trenches of training. It features Pedro Rivera, president of Thaddeus Stevens College of […]
Amid a broader push to boost the outdoors economy in Pennsylvania, a new state park is coming to the banks of the Susquehanna River in York County. The tentatively titled Susquehanna Riverlands State Park is one of three new parks unveiled yesterday by Gov. Tom Wolf and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy […]
When Covid-19 struck in March 2020, it upended the livelihoods of people who built careers around art, music, theater and other cultural pursuits that thrive on live audiences. Arts and culture are bouncing back, like other sectors of the economy. But they still have some ways to go to reach their pre-pandemic state, according to […]
Last fall, the York County Economic Alliance rolled out an initiative called Welcoming Workplaces. Its end goal is to promote inclusion, diversity and shared prosperity in the region. But the initiative also involves something of a journey for the organizations that have elected to take part. Marissa Bankert, executive director of IEC Pennsylvania; Anika Jackson, […]
Pennsylvania’s small businesses are in line for a capital infusion of nearly $268 million under a program announced July 18 by the Wolf Administration The money is coming from the federal government via the American Rescue Plan ActBut it will be distributed by the state, specifically the state Department of Community and Economic Development.Other hands […]
A York-based venture fund has added to its portfolio of regional startups as it aims to bolster entrepreneurship in Central Pennsylvania. Founded in 2020, White Rose Ventures disclosed an inaugural round of investments in four companies earlier this year.At the end of last week, it unveiled investments of nearly $1.3 million in three more startups. Which are: ReturnLogic, Evermind and TEAMology. Based in Carlisle, ReturnLogic is […]
State lawmakers last week delivered a tax cut long sought by Pennsylvania’s business community. But in adopting a $45.2 billion budget on July 8 for the current fiscal year, they left out other sought-after provisions. The headline news is the immediate cut and subsequent phase-down of the state’s corporate net income tax, which had been […]
You don’t need a headline to tell you that fuel prices are high. But you can listen in to the latest edition of the York County Economic Alliance podcast produced in partnership with biznewsPA. Richard Farr, executive director of rabbittransit, describes how of one of Central Pennsylvania’s largest public transit providers is adapting. Mark Wisniewski, […]
Listen in as a panel of experts discusses the importance of quality, affordable and accessible childcare in the region: Tony Campisi, chairman of Glatfelter Insurance Group; Andrea Heberlein, executive director of the Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission; Jim Hoehn, regional president pf PNC Bank; and Heather Miller, chief education officer at the York Jewish Community […]
Business and childcare leaders in York County have raised more than $500,000 for a grant program designed to improve the quality of early childhood education in the county, replacing a state program that was cut during the pandemic. Leading the charge have been Anthony Campisi, chairman of York-based Glatfelter Insurance Group; Pete Brubaker, president of […]
The Covid-19 pandemic has fueled a range of legal battles in Pennsylvania. Those battles are now the subject of a seminar at Widener University Commonwealth Law School.
The past year in Central Pennsylvania real estate was punctuated by some high-profile deals, as well as a torrid market for warehouses and other industrial properties. Here’s a look at what transpired in 2021.
A state court has delivered a partial win for Pennsylvania in a year-old lawsuit seeking damages from ag giant Monsanto and related enitities over PCBs. An 84-page Commonwealth Court ruling on Dec. 30 swept aside six of Monsanto’s nine objections to the state lawsuit, paving the way for the next phase of litigation. Judges, however, did uphold two […]
Armstrong Flooring, one of Central Pennsylvania’s largest manufacturers and a long-time staple in the Lancaster economy, said late Friday it is considering a sale or other strategic alternative. Company leaders had been working to set Armstrong Flooring on a more profitable path, which included cutting down on its product portfolio and moving to a new, smaller headquarters in […]
The past year has been a busy one for mergers and acquisitions in Central Pennsylvania. Take a closer look at the action in this month-by-month recap for 2021. Unless otherwise indicated, the deal terms were not disclosed. January: U-GRO Learning Centres, a Derry Township-based preschool chain, was purchased by Michigan-based Learning Care Group, one of […]
Every year, developers and local officials around Pennsylvania ask for funding from a state program called the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, or RACP. Last year, projects in Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties took home more than $39 million. But grants are not guaranteed. The program is competitive and many projects walk away empty-handed. […]
Last fall, Lancaster-based private equity firm PennSpring Capital bought a majority stake in Mobiniti, a text marketing firm based in Wilkes-Barre. This week, a PennSpring entity paid $1.55 million for a building in Lancaster where it plans to relocate the operations of Mobiniti, which employs about 20 people.The move brings Mobiniti closer to PennSpring, which offers support to […]
Harrisburg-based management consulting firm Dame Leadership is hoping to take its services nationwide after acquiring an employee-assessment company with clients around the U.S. Dame Leadership said this week it has acquired Success Performance Solutions, a company born in Lancaster but now based in the Lehigh Valley. Terms of the deal — Dame Leadership’s first-ever acquisition — were not disclosed.“We’re […]
West Shore-born tech company ReturnLogic has raised $8.5 million from investors as it looks to exploit opportunities to streamline product returns in the growing world of ecommerce. The new capital will allow the company to hire more people and develop more products, according to a press release.ReturnLogic makes software and other tools that help online retailers manage returns, […]
A York-based venture fund has added to its portfolio of regional startups as it aims to bolster entrepreneurship in Central
When Seth Pheng began working at a medical cannabis dispensary in 2019, the longtime pharmacist noticed two things. One was that people really were coming in for the medicine, not for the marijuana.Two was that it was an industry crying out for standards similar to what he was used to in the traditional pharmacy business.Three […]
Ritter Insurance Marketing, a Harrisburg-area firm that provides products and services to independent insurance agencies, has been sold. Dallas-based Integrity Marketing Group said May 18 it has agreed to buy Ritter, which employs about 280 people in Susquehanna Township and at satellite offices around the U.S.Terms of the deal were not disclosed. But Craig Ritter, an owner […]
A Pittsburgh-based life sciences company has acquired Fathom Pharma, a Hershey-area startup focused on developing safer pain medications. As a result of the deal, Fathom is now a subsidiary of Consegna Pharma. Other terms of the transaction were not disclosed.Together, the two companies hope to develop innovative products that treat overdoses, addiction and pain.They rely […]
Barbara Grimm, above left, worked with David Cooper to create the School Responder app (photos/submitted). During more than a decade working in the Lampeter-Strasburg School District in Lancaster County, Barbara Grimm saw a growing problem. More and more students needed help grappling with behavioral health issues, said Grimm, who worked in a variety of administrative […]
After raising roughly $10 million, a startup venture fund in York has disclosed an inaugural round of investments. Martin Fedorko, left, and Alexa Born founded White Rose Ventures in 2020 (photo/submitted). White Rose Ventures has plowed $1.73 million into companies in Lancaster, Harrisburg and YorkThe firm also unveiled a nonprofit, Braided River Collective, designed to support entrepreneurs around […]
Shortages of labor and materials are giving companies headaches. Michael Bistline is hoping to bring some targeted relief through a new venture launched this month by his Harrisburg-area business, Phillips Workplace Interiors. The venture is called Condivx and it aims to serve as a one-stop shop for general contractors looking for subcontractors at a time […]
The founders of Middletown-based Soccer Shots are hoping an outside investor can help kick their company into new territory The investor is Susquehanna Private Capital. The Bala Cynwyd-based private equity firm has taken an undisclosed ownership stake in Soccer Shots, whose franchisees provide soccer programs for children ages 2 to 8. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. […]
Seeded by a $1 million donation from grocery chain The Giant Co., Harrisburg University is hoping to plant a new center for agricultural research in the capital city.
For centuries, farmers planted seeds and fed animals – and then hoped they would find a market when their produce and livestock were ready to sell. Agribusiness entrepreneur Larisa Miller has been pitching a different model – and she found her first taker in Karns Foods, the Cumberland County-based grocery store chain.
In fall 2019, a pair of doctors from WellSpan Health set up a table at an insurance enrollment fair for the health system’s employees. Their goal was to recruit the first customers for a new online primary care practice. It took a bit of explaining even to an audience familiar with the ins and outs […]
Jabron Taylor wanted to tempt local taste buds with something new. Inspired by the 2019 chicken war between Popeyes and Chick-fil-A, Taylor settled on a recipe based on the Nashville hot chicken sandwich, the signature dish of America’s country music capital but a rarity in Central Pennsylvania. Since November 2019, he and several partners have […]
Dana Stewart has been named COO of Mid Penn Bank effective Jan. 5. He succeeds Jordan Space, who will continue to lead Mid Penn’s private bank and manage its insurance and wealth management subsidiaries under the umbrella of MPB Financial Services LLC. Stewart, who has more than 35 years of experience in financial services, worked most […]
Should a Pennsylvania financial adviser accused of securities fraud be entitled to a jury trial before being subjected to a nearly $1 million civil penalty? A national legal watchdog hopes the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will say yes, even though a lower court already said no. “When the government seeks to impose life-altering financial penalties for […]
Mavis Tires & Brakes leased land on Old York Road near the Fairview Shopping Plaza in New Cumberland. The company plans to build and open a store there by the end of 2026. Laura Martin of SVN Latus Commercial Realty Group facilitated the lease transaction. An additional 2.6 acres are available for lease at the site. […]
Stephen Cerutti, a former assistant U.S. attorney, has joined the Harrisburg office of regional law firm McNees Wallace & Nurick. He is part of the firm’s white collar defense, public corruption and investigations group. Before joining McNees, Cerutti spent more than 25 years with the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., and Harrisburg. He worked […]
Devon Mailey became interim CEO of Duck Donuts in January 2025 following the resignation of Betsy Hamm, who led the chain through a growth spurt following the Covid-19 pandemic. Growth continued this year under Mailey’s leadership — and the interim tag was removed from her title in December. But she has spent a good chunk […]
Lancaster-based law firm Barley Snyder has hired three attorneys to start the year. Hyo Jin “Jinnie” Lee has joined the firm’s food and agribusiness group. A trained pastry chef and food entrepreneur, Lee worked most recently as a judicial law clerk for the Berks County Court of Common Pleas. Lee has a law degree from […]
Building products manufacturer Armstrong World Industries Inc. is continuing a buying spree that began nearly a decade ago. The company, based in Manor Township, Lancaster County, said this week it purchased Parallel Architectural Products, its 14th acquisition since 2016. Based in Englewood, Colorado, Parallel employs about 25 people and makes extruded aluminum products used on building exteriors. An Armstrong […]
A Dunkin’ Donuts is slated to open this summer on a long-vacant tract at the intersection of Route 30 and Biesecker Road in Jackson Township, west of York city, according to Blake Shaffer, a senior associate at York-based Bennett Williams Commercial, who facilitated a sale of the property at the end of 2025. Red Lion-based GN Realty Thomasville […]
Harrisburg-based contractor SECCO Electric has promoted two long-time employees to leadership roles. Darren Evanoff has been promoted to vice president of business development and estimating, while Dave Edmondson has been promoted to vice president of operations. Evanoff joined SECCO in 2005 and has been leading the company’s estimating team, building strong client relationships and supporting […]
Matthew Alpert has been named executive vice president and chief wealth officer of Orrstown Financial Advisors, the wealth management arm of Orrstown Bank. It’s a new position for the organization, according to an Orrstown spokesperson. Alpert worked previously in leadership roles at Wells Fargo, where he managed and developed teams providing financial solutions to high-net-worth individuals and […]
Home improvement contractor West Shore Home is facing a class-action lawsuit alleging it failed to pay hourly sales reps for work they performed before and after their shifts began, charges that have been lobbed at numerous companies over the years The lawsuit alleges that West Shore Home sales reps had to log into their computers and work-related […]
Susan Grosh has joined the family and collaborative law group of Harrisburg-based law firm McNees Wallace & Nurick. Grosh worked most recently at a Lancaster-based law firm and is based in McNees’ Lancaster office. She has spent more than 40 years representing clients in a wide array of family law matters, including divorce, custody, support, […]
Lancaster-based news publisher LNP Media Group is trimming staff ahead of its transfer to startup nonprofit Always Lancaster. The cuts affect 11 staff members, five from the news side and six from operations, according to a spokesperson for Always Lancaster. A spokesperson for LNP’s current parent, Pennon, declined to comment before the organization completes the deal with […]
Lancaster County boiler maker Burnham Holdings Inc. has shaken off its liability for asbestos claims through what is an increasingly common type of transaction. Under the deal, Burnham sold subsidiaries housing the liabilities to affiliates of a firm that specializes in managing them, a Florida-based firm called Financial Asset Recovery Analytics LLC. The transaction will have no […]
A Harrisburg-area office of veterinary practice Animal Hospital of Dauphin County was sold in a lease-back deal to Terramed Real Estate Solutions, a Bala Cynwyd-based real estate investment trust specializing in veterinary, ophthalmology and fertility properties. Practice owner Dr. Rob Sarsfield received just over $1.9 million in equity in Terramed, which owns more than 650,000 square feet […]
Southern Airways, a Dallas-based airline that operates federally subsidized flights out of Lancaster Airport, is getting an extension. The airline’s current subsidies were slated to expire at the end of 2025, but they have been extended through the end of April, according to an order issued Jan. 2 by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The federal […]
Mark Gallo has been named district manager for the Jersey district of Investment Real Estate Group of Companies, a York-based operator of self-storage facilities. Gallo worked previously as district general manager at H&R Block in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, for 19 years, where he oversaw 30 retail offices. For Investment Real Estate, Gallo will oversee operations […]
The new year began without new ownership for LNP Media Group, the Lancaster-based news publisher owned by WITF parent Pennon. Pennon hoped to donate the company to a startup nonprofit called Always Lancaster by the end of 2025, pending approval from the Pennsylvania Attorney General. “To make this transition as smooth as possible as we work through the remaining details, we […]
The federal government has canceled contracts with organizations that assist small and midsized manufacturers in 10 states, cutting off a major source of funding. Pennsylvania is not one of the 10. Nonetheless, the cancellations raise questions about the fate of similar organizations in the Keystone State, including York-based Mantec. The nonprofit receives federal funding via a […]
Federal authorities are leveling pollution-related charges against Pro Diesel Werks, a vehicle service business with operations in Lebanon and Reading, as well the company’s owner and a service manager. They allegedy violated the federal Clean Air Act by disabling pollution control systems on diesel vehicles and tampering with their diagnostic systems, which are supposed to […]
The state is pouring more than $1.3 million into a pair of renovation projects in York and Lancaster counties as
Harrisburg’s planning commission unanimously approved a plan last week to subdivide the former Polyclinic Hospital campus last week, clearing the
Due to recordkeeping lapses by UPMC Health Plan, a state agency reimbursed the health insurer for Medicaid recipients who were not eligible for the program, including some who had died, according to an audit released yesterday by the office of Pennsylvania Auditor General Tim DeFoor. The resulting overpayments to UPMC totaled $357,048 in 2022, according to the […]
Pennsylvania’s top court has backed the right of injured workers to reimbursement for CBD oil as long as it’s included in a doctor’s plan for treating their injuries. The unanimous ruling from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court comes in a case that has been winding through administrative and legal processes since 2019. Among the issues was […]
Just over a month after a deadly attack at UPMC Memorial hospital in York County, state lawmakers are poised to take up legislation addressing violence in the healthcare workplace. The legislation, House Bill 926, is scheduled for a vote March 25 in the House Labor & Industry Committee. Advocates note that healthcare workers are more likely than others […]
A state lawmaker is seeking support for legislation that would make it easier for regulated electric utilities to invest in and possibly own power plants, an idea recently floated by executives at Allentown-based PPL Electric Utilities. The concept responds to growing concerns that the electric grid is not adding enough new power to accommodate a surge in […]
Finanta, a nonprofit based in Lancaster, is expecting millions of dollars from the federal government this year to further its mission, which includes lending to businesses in poor communities. But the federal fund that provides those dollars is among several programs targeted for cuts or possible elimination under an executive order issued late Friday by President […]
How much money will Pennsyvania collect if it switches to combined reporting, a form of taxation designed to bring in more taxes on corporate profits? It depends on who’s counting. The Independent Fiscal Office, a state budget watchdog, would bring in an additional $58 million in taxes during the fiscal year starting in July. In […]
State police broke up a bank-fraud ring that drained more than $3 million from accounts of customers at Members 1st Federal Credit Union, according to a criminal complaint filed in a Cumberland County magisterial district. The credit union, based in Hampden Township, Cumberland County, reimbursed the losses suffered by its members. News of the bust came […]
State officials yesterday celebrated the opening of three new stations for charging electric vehicles amid uncertainty over the federal funding that helped pay for them. The new stations — in Cumberland, Franklin and Susquehanna counties — are funded by a $7.5 billion program designed to make it easier for drivers nationwide to find EV chargers. […]
Revenue spiked nearly 90% for five statewide cyber charter schools as they attracted students during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. While the schools spent some of the money on gift cards, employee bonuses, lobbying and real estate, they were operating within the bounds of the law, according to an audit of the schools unveiled yesterday by […]
After nearly half a century, Harrisburg’s tallest building is set to lose its place as a destination for state employees. The state government is set to vacate the 22-story building over the next two years as part of a broader reshuffling designed to scale back its use of leased office space. The move reflects the […]
In a unanimous decision, the Manchester Township zoning hearing board rejected a request that they alter zoning rules for a
In a budget address yesterday, Gov. Josh Shapiro rattled off a series of ideas for the fiscal year that starts July 1. GOP lawmakers focused on the bottom line — a proposed budget of $51.47 billion that they decried as irresponsible and unsustainable. The governor and state lawmakers — along with plenty of lobbyists — […]
Continuing efforts to put his stamp on state energy policy, Gov. Josh Shapiro outlined a six-point plan yesterday for tackling the basket of challenges plaguing consumers and producers of energy in Pennsylvania. The so-called “Lightning Plan” combines a mix of new and old ideas designed to lower prices for consumers, speed up construction of new […]
Business owners are slowly waking up to a new reporting requirement in Pennsylvania. Under the requirement, businesses of nearly every stripe must report annually to the Pennsylvania Department of State their names, addresses and principal officers, among other things. It is separate from the federal reporting requirement enacted under the Corporate Transparency Act — a law […]
WellSpan Health broke ground yesterday on the second of three mini hospitals it is opening in Cumberland and York counties. The latest small-format medical center is going up at 1201 Walnut Bottom Road in South Middleton Township, Cumberland County — expanding WellSpan’s reach in one of the fastest-growing counties in Pennsylvania. Dubbed WellSpan Carlisle Hospital, the […]
Select Medical Corp., a national rehab chain based in Cumberland County, is giving $5 million to Harrisburg University of Science and Technology over the next five years. The gift, announced yesterday, will support the school’s undergraduate program in exercise science and a doctoral program for physical therapists. “We are thrilled to partner with Harrisburg University to shape the future […]
In a ruling handed down last week, a Pennsylvania court overturned an effort by health officials to recall hundreds of vaping products previously approved for use in the state’s medical marijuana program. The controversial recall, ordered in February 2022 by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, was tantamount to a regulation, according to the ruling in […]
In January 2019, Roxanna Gapstur became president and CEO of WellSpan Health, one of the largest employers in Central Pennsylvania. In little over a year after her first day on the job, she was guiding the health system through one of its most visible challenges, the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic has subsided. But WellSpan and […]
The state’s top court has agreed to hear a case that turns on whether employers must pay for CBD oil and other over-the-counter products under Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation program. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court will consider several questions, including whether workers’ comp law requires employers and their insurers to reimburse injured workers who buy CBD oil and […]
As they broke ground yesterday on a new “mini hospital” in southern York County, WellSpan Health officials identified the next two locations for the small-format medical centers: the Carlisle area and northern York County. The regional health system is opening the three mini hospitals — in partnership with Texas-based specialty operator Emerus — to bring […]
A network of healthcare providers in western Pennsylvania is suing Aetna over what the providers allege is unfair treatment under the terms of a value-based contract. The contract took effect in 2023 and is supposed to reward the network, Bridges Health Partners, for reducing the cost of care while improving the health of people enrolled in Aetna’s Medicare […]
WellSpan Health has expanded to the east, west and south of its base in York County. The regional health system is now poised to reach north. WellSpan has agreed to acquire Evangelical Community Hospital, whose leaders have been looking for a partner that could shore up its ailing finances. Terms of the transaction, expected to close this […]
The Benecon Group, has sold a minority stake to the private equity arm of New York-based investment giant Neuberger Berman. Terms of the transaction — described as “a significant minority investment” — were not disclosed. A Neuberger spokesperson declined to comment beyond the press release. Neuberger joins an ownership group that includes majority owner TA Associates, a Boston-based private […]
A regional health system is laying the groundwork for an aerial delivery service. WellSpan Health said yesterday it is partnering with San Francisco-based Zipline to offer a service that would ferry patient prescriptions, lab samples and medical products via autonomous drones. The health system offered no timeline for when service would begin. When it does, it would likely […]
A state court has shelved the Red Book, a compendium of wholesale drug prices that state officials routinely use to settle disputes over drug costs in Pennsylvania’s worker’s comp program. In a ruling this week, Commonwealth Court disqualified use of the book after an insurer challenged it, claiming the book’s listed prices were not accurate. […]
UPMC is facing a class-action lawsuit filed by a respiratory therapist who claims she was misclassified as an independent contractor when she worked at the health system’s Harrisburg hospital in 2022. The suit, filed last week in an Allegheny County court, claims the therapist should have been classified as an employee and paid overtime when she […]
Garden Spot Communites, a New Holland-based senior-living provider, is extending its footprint into the Philadelphia suburbs. The nonprofit has agreed to affiliate with Frederick Living, a senior-living community in Montgomery County. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. But it is expected to close in early 2024. Garden Spot CEO Steve Lindsey will lead the combined […]
Can Central Pennsylvania become a hub for innovations in telemedicine and other health care technologies? That’s the hope of a new consortium coming together to craft a plan for getting us there. The group includes a who’s who of local economic development agencies, health systems, colleges and private-sector players, including Lancaster-based Emerald Asset Management and Siemens Medical Solutions USA. […]
WellSpan Health is partnering with a Texas company to open three mini hospitals in York and Cumberland counties that will focus on providing emergency care. The regional health system is still finalizing the locations of the new facilities, said Dr. Anthony Aquilina, executive vice president and chief physician executive for York-based WellSpan. But, he said, they […]
Companies that test, grow and process medical cannabis in Pennsylvania are suing to block a rule they say could cost them millions of dollars and ultimately raise prices for patients. The rule, which had been slated to take effect this week, alters the requirements for testing cannabis before and after it is processed into medication […]
A Lancaster County medical practice is bellying up to the browser bar. US Digestive Health at Lancaster is rolling out a telemedicine service that could become a template for sister practices in its gastroenterology network, known as US Digestive Health. The service builds on the network’s experience with telemedicine during the pandemic and its growing acceptance among both patients and […]
Many ambulance companies have opted for mergers and consolidations to offset the crushing financial pressures they face. In northwest Lancaster County, local leaders have come up with another option. They are proposing a regional authority that would levy fees on property owners to support an ambulance service. “There’s pushback on the fees,” acknowledged Marc Hershey, […]
Investors have spent nearly a year blaming Daryl Heller for the crackup of an ATM network that allegedly cost them hundreds of millions of dollars. In a court filing last month, Heller dished out some blame of his own. He alleged that people managing the ATM investments misappropriated funds that should have gone to investors, […]
A state appeals court has halted the bidding process for work on a $325 million state laboratory near Harrisburg after a builders group challenged a labor requirement attached to the project. The requirement, known as a project labor agreement, would require contractors to use mostly union workers. But the Lancaster County-based Keystone chapter of the Associated Builders […]
In a class-action lawsuit filed in late June, a Penn State Health employee alleges the health system mismanaged employee retirement plans, diminishing their returns and overpaying vendors. The suit argues that the plans included investment choices with subpar returns and that they paid too much for certain administrative vendors in breach of the health system’s fiduciary responsibility […]
A York County winery wants another shot at convincing a state appeals court to take its side in a long-running dispute with neighbors who want to shut it down. Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery is asking Superior Court to reconsider the case after judges ruled against the winery earlier this month. The appeal hinges on legal issues […]
A settlement has been reached in one of the myriad lawsuits involving former members of the rock band Live and their former business partner Bill Hynes. In this case, it’s a lawsuit in which Hynes sued band members Patrick Dahlheimer, Chad Gracey and Chad Taylor in late 2022 over their alleged failure to repay a […]
Time may be running out for Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery, a York County venue wrangling with neighbors who want to shut it down, arguing that its operations violate local land-use restrictions. Superior Court of Pennsylvania, a state appeals court, sided with the neighbors — Matthew Balsavage and Amanda Perko — in a decision published last […]
Before Stephen Stoltzfus bought land in southern York County, he wanted to know whether he could operate a sawmill on the 12-acre plot where he also planned to move his family. The initial answers from Codorus Township seemed to be yes, so he settled on the property. But after several months, the township said no, forcing […]
Paramount Management Group, the defunct Lancaster-based ATM network headed by Daryl Heller, sold and resold the same ATMs to the network’s investors, accounting for sales of nearly $22 million, according to a report filed yesterday by a court-appointed examiner in Heller’s bankruptcy case. The report appears to bolster investors’ allegations that they were defrauded by Heller […]
Pittsburgh-based law firm Dickie McCamey & Chilcote has opened an office in Lancaster after plucking two attorneys from Barley Snyder. The office at 100 N. Queen St. is Dickie McCamey’s 20th overall and seventh in Pennsylvania. Staffing the Lancaster office are managing attorney and shareholder Luke Weber and associate Tasha Stoltzfus Nankerville. Weber chaired Lancaster-based Barley […]
After listening to both sides of a loan dispute yesterday morning, a Dauphin County judge outlined a potential truce and asked attorneys to put it in writing. Harrisburg-area flooring supplier Frontier Surfaces claims it is on the brink of financial collapse following efforts by regional lender Mid Penn Bancorp to collect on a $4 million loan to the company. […]
A state appeals court last week upheld a decision by local officials to deny a mixed-use development that included a proposed Sheetz store in Derry Township, Dauphin County. Dubbed Governor’s Crossing, the project was proposed for the southwest corner of West Governor and Fishburn roads south of downtown Hershey. But in November 2023, supervisors in Derry Township […]
A York contractor claims it has not been paid in full for work it performed earlier this year on a multimillion-dollar project to expand a local hospital. In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in York County court, Kinsley Construction LLC says it was hired by other contractors in 2024 to provide concrete for the foundation of a new […]
A regional bank allegedly relied on false premises to seize $1.6 million in inventory from a Harrisburg-area flooring company, according to a legal complaint filed by the company against the bank. The complaint, filed last week in Dauphin County court against Mid Penn Bank, is the latest salvo in a dispute over an alleged loan default by […]
Gratz Borough will not be getting another day in court for its long-running case against a proposed solar project – at least not in Commonwealth Court. In a short note last week, the appeals court said it would not reconsider arguments in a zoning-related dispute over the project. The decision is the latest legal setback […]
WellSpan Health and Inch & Co. reached a settlement in a lawsuit filed last week by WellSpan over a proposed sports complex on
The owner of a Harrisburg-area flooring company and a regional bank are trading allegations in Dauphin County court over the status of a $4 million loan. Mid Penn Bank claims the loan is in default and is seeking a judgement of just over $4 million, plus interest, according to court filings. Scott Appel, founder of flooring […]
A lawsuit is accusing one of Lancaster’s culinary stars of misappropriating money earned by the restaurant and bakery that he and a partner opened nearly a decade ago. The restaurant is Bistro Barberet & Bakery, which has garnered international acclaim since opening in 2015 at 26 E. King St. in Lancaster. In the lawsuit filed this […]
Diopsys Inc., a medical device company based in Middletown, has agreed to pay up to $14.25 million for allegedly violating state and federal laws by submitting false claims to Medicaid and Medicare, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey. Diopsys, which was formerly based in New Jersey, developed a device […]
The RiteScreen Co., an Elizabethville-based manufacturer of window and patio door screens, has acquired FlexScreen, a western Pennsylvania company that developed a flexible window screen. A RiteScreen spokesperson declined to disclose the terms of the transaction. FlexScreen’s flexible screens are designed to simplify installation and removal. But it is a relatively small player in the building products […]
Jim McCleaf was ready to pounce after talking to Wiliam Bowers, the owner of Waynesboro-based manufacturer Pro Tube. Bowers wanted to retire and hoped McCleaf and his wife, Susan, would buy the company, which makes hydraulic, mechanical, exhaust and air-intake tubing. Susan McCleaf suggested a more methodical approach, and the couple spent some time learning about […]
Lancaster Log Cabins was born in Brecknock Township, Lancaster County, in 2016 and moved to the Gap area in 2020. It is planning to move once again, but company owner Dan Smucker hopes it’s the last time. Lancaster Log Cabins paid nearly $15.1 million this month for what Smucker hopes is its “forever home”: A 68.7-acre […]
After buying Lancaster County-based ATI Corp. in October 2023, a Houston-based private equity firm began investing in the manufacturer’s future. The investments have bolstered ATI’s sales force, production processes, and research and development, said Ryan Martin, a managing partner at the private equity firm, LDR Partners LP. Now, LDR is investing in ATI’s leadership. How: Through a […]
After the disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic, the job market is returning to normal for manufacturers in Central Pennsylvania, according to a recent survey by their regional trade association. However, manufacturers face an uncertain year ahead as they absorb the potential for new tariffs promised by President-elect Donald Trump. Depending on how they are applied, […]
A union representing workers at a Lancaster pork processing plant dropped labor charges it filed against Clemens Food Group, which bought the plant earlier this year and then closed it, idling more than 190 workers. The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 152 filed a grievance in October with the National Labor Relations Boar alleging that Clemens […]
Federal regulators filed a lawsuit against a York-area manufacturer for allegedly firing an employee who had raised concerns about safety. In a lawsuit filed in late October, the U.S. Department of Labor accuses Red Lion Controls of terminating the employee after he refused to carry out a task that he felt was unsafe. The agency is seeking […]
GSM Industrial, an industrial fabrication and mechanical contractor based in East Hempfield Township, has acquired Annville-based Light’s Welding, a family-owned business specializing in the agricultural sector. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Light’s Welding was founded in 1948 by C. Alvin Light, growing from a local welding shop to a full-service fabrication and millwright business. “We’re […]
AHF Products is eliminating about 30 white-collar jobs, with less than half the cuts affecting its staff in Lancaster County. In a statement, AHF president and CEO Brian Carson attributed the move to a stagnant market for home improvements and soft demand for residential building products. Based in West Hempfield Township, the company makes vinyl and […]
Amid a projected slowdown in apartment construction, a Michigan-based cabinetry company plans to shutter a plant in Juniata County. Cabinetworks Group is closing the factory near Thompsontown and laying off 420 employees, a tally that includes 110 who were already laid off, according to a notice sent to state and local officials. The notice did not […]
Clemens Food Group announced Friday that it plans to close its recently acquired pork plant in Lancaster and lay off 193 workers while it continues to look for a buyer that will keep the factory going. However, the reassurances, are not swaying the union representing production workers at the plant, the former Kunzler & Company factory acquired by […]
When Tom “Dutch” Ressler strung up his first hammock during a through-hike on the Appalachian Trail in 2003, the equipment he carried was not always optimal. “Staying dry was a challenge,” he said. So, when he returned home to Lancaster, Ressler started fashioning his own gear. The DIY adventure led him to launch his own […]
Klinge Corp., a York-area company making specialized shipping containers, has been sold. The buyer is Trane Technologies, an Ireland-based company that makes HVAC and refrigeration systems, and its transportation-focused subsidiary, Thermo King. Terms of the transaction, which closed Aug. 1, were not disclosed. In a statement, Thermo King Americas president Adam Wittwer described the acquisition as “a […]
When Utz Brands Inc. announced in fall 2023 that it was closing one of its plants in Hanover, executives were prepared to answer questions about how many people worked there, what would happen to them, where production was moving and when. They did not expect as many questions about the fate of the company store […]
Over the last decade, revenue doubled for Electron Energy Corp., a specialty magnet manufacturer in East Hempfield Township, Lancaster County. But if it wanted to keep growing, the company realized that it needed a partner, said Scott Murr, the company’s vice president of revenue operations. That partner, announced yesterday, is Magnetic Holdings LLC, which has taken a […]
A growing metal fabrication company in York County has purchased the former Wayneco Cabinetry plant, which has been idle since the cabinetry business shut down this spring. BMB Holdings LLC paid $3.3 million for the 81,000 square-foot facility, which is at 800 Hanover Road in Jackson Township, west of York city. The new facility is roughly three times […]
Union members voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike at Hanover Foods if they cannot agree on a new contract with the Hanover-based company by the end of this month, according to Wendell Young, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776. The most recent labor contract expired at the end of 2023, said Young, whose union […]
York County manufacturer AMZ Manufacturing has struck a deal settling federal allegations that it failed to take adequate action after two women complained about sexual harassment at one of its plants. The charges, filed last year, alleged violations of Title VII, the federal law barring discrimination based on race, color, sex, national origin or religion. According to the […]
An industrial park in northern York County has attracted another out-of-state investor. An affiliate of New York-based real estate investment firm The Lightstone Group paid $9 million for an industrial building at 503-509 Industrial Drive in the Fairview Industrial Park in Fairview Township, according to county deed records. The seller was an affiliate of High Street Logistics Properties, […]
The residential real estate market is poised to enter the traditionally busy spring and summer season. But buyers in Central Pennsylvania are still waiting for interest rates to slide before making the move to a new home, according to local real estate agents and lenders. The hesitation is showing up in statistics showing homes sitting […]
The Colonial Park Mall, a suburban Harrisburg retail destination being eyed for redevelopment, is back on the market. The 31-acre mall property, which changed hands last fall at a price of $8.8 million, is listed for sale by R.J. Brunelli & Co., a real estate firm based in Old Bridge, New Jersey. “We’re currently marketing it to developers,” Mario […]
A local firm paid $10 million for a renovated office building on the West Shore. The building at 275 Grandview Ave. in East Pennsboro Township was owned by a partnership headed by developer Drew Bobincheck. He sold it this week to an affiliate of Select Capital Commercial Properties LLC, a Mechanicsburg-based real estate investment firm that has […]
One of the region’s largest engineering firms is on the move. Gannett Fleming TranSystems is planning to relocate from its longtime offices in East Pennsboro Township to new space in Silver Spring Township, according to real estate firm CBRE. Gannett Fleming will be leasing 100,000 square feet at 100 and 300 Sterling Parkway, part of an office […]
Jeremy Hunter, owner of the former Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg, is pivoting. Hunter had been trying to sell the building in order to satisfy an agreement with creditors, who moved to foreclose on the property. Under the agreement, he must pay off about $2 million in debt attached to the building or face […]
The corporate headquarters of APR Supply, a distributor of HVAC and plumbing supplies, is moving from Lebanon to an office building
After nearly half a century, Harrisburg’s tallest building is set to lose its place as a destination for state employees.
A former tobacco warehouse-turned-high-end apartment building in York City has sold for $3.7 million. The price for the 18-unit building, known as Courthouse Commons, works out to be about $205,000 per unit, which a real estate firm involved in the deal described as a record-setting price in York. The previous average sale price was just […]
Capital-area developer Drew Bobincheck believes 2025 is going to be a good year for real estate investing. And he’s hoping to convince others to join him for the ride. He and three partners have launched a real estate fund called Opes Capital that they are opening to outside investors. They want to raise $30 million and then […]
Following a legal battle with local officials, San Francisco-based developer Prologis is taking the next step in its efforts to build a
One of the nation’s largest apartment operators has scooped up a development-ready tract in northwestern Lancaster County. An affiliate of Greystar paid
After closing last year, a former West Shore factory for The AMES Companies has been sold. An affiliate of York-based Kinsley Properties paid $18 million for the plant at 465 Railroad Ave. in Hampden Township, according to Gerry Blinebury, a broker with real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield. Cushman & Wakefield is listing the 397,000 square-foot building for lease on behalf of […]
A foreclosure case hanging over the former Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg appears to have ended. The case in Dauphin County court pitted the building’s owner, William Penn Holding Inc., against private lenders seeking to collect on their debt. Jeremy Hunter, William Penn’s owner, confirmed an agreement was reached, but he declined to share the […]
Central Pennsylvania is home to big buildings that store stuff. A Virginia-based company is eyeing construction of big buildings that store data, reflecting a national race to boost data center capacity. PowerHouse Data Centers, an arm of Virginia-based American Real Estate Partners, has been discussing a potential multibillion-dollar data center development on a 700-acre tract in […]
Warehouses in Central Pennsylvania often sport household names like Amazon and Chewy, or the logos of logistics giants like XPO, UPS and FedEx. A new player is muscling in. Toronto-based Shipfusion is leasing a 350,000 square-foot warehouse in the newly developed Core5 Logistics Center at Codorus Creek on the site of a former quarry straddling Manchester and East Manchester townships in York County. The […]
The former Camp Hill office of Reager and Adler law firm was sold for $1.7 million to Community Options, a Princeton, New Jersey-based nonprofit that provides housing and job opportunities to people with disabilities, according to Bill Rothman, founder of Lemoyne-based RSR Realtors. Rothman represented the seller, the estate of the late attorney David Reager. Community Options has an existing […]
The bankrupt owner of Spring Gate Winery in suburban Harrisburg is seeking court permission for a sale of the winery and some of its assets, including its beer and wine licenses. According to court filings this week, Schoffstall Farm LLC is asking for approval of a sale to Nitin Patel, who would pay $2.85 million for the winery. The […]
Home inspectors gather reams of information as they poke around houses that are about to change hands. In some cases, the information prompts buyers to back out of a deal or demand concessions, such as a new roof or a lower price. But in many cases, the information is simply dumped into a binder or […]
For the second time this month, a local group has come up short in a bid to attract high-profile federal funding. The first was an effort led by Harrisburg-based Team Pennsylvania to land money for a clean-hydrogen hub. The Team PA effort was not among those given awards. The second was an effort by a diverse group to […]
When people hear about data breaches, they may think the solution is more and better technology: How high can we build that firewall? After all, it is technology that creates the conditions for data breaches to arise and compromise your personal information. The solution, however, lies in people, according to Dr. James Norrie, who spoke […]
A phishing attack in December exposed personal information on about 300,000 members of Highmark insurance plans, including about 96,000 members in Pennsylvania. The Pittsburgh-based insurer disclosed the breach last week in a notice to the office of the Maine attorney general. In a statement, Highmark said it “immediately responded” to the incident and launched an investigation. So […]
West Shore-born tech company ReturnLogic has raised $8.5 million from investors as it looks to exploit opportunities to streamline product returns in
After trading legal blows for more than a year, the feuding owners of United Fiber & Data have reached a settlement. The confidential deal ends legal sparring that began in 2020 over the company, which was founded in York by members of the rock band Live and their business partner, Bill Hynes. The fight had narrowed in recent months to […]
Home remodeler West Shore Home has long described itself as a technology-enabled company. The Mechanicsburg-based firm now owns a technology company.West Shore Home said yesterday it has purchased Design Center Inc., a firm based in St. Paul, Minnesota.Terms of the deal were not disclosed but it adds 23 employees to West Shore Home, which has been expanding nationally […]
Doceo, a York-based technology services company, plans to move its headquarters this fall to a former Ruby Tuesday restaurant in York Township.The 6,000 square-foot space is larger than the 4,300 square feet the company currently rents in a multi-tenant building at 1499 S. Queen St. in Spring Garden Township, according to spokesperson Maya Miller. It […]
Barbara Grimm, above left, worked with David Cooper to create the School Responder app (photos/submitted). During more than a decade
After raising roughly $10 million, a startup venture fund in York has disclosed an inaugural round of investments. Martin Fedorko,
The Giant Co. is adding new aisles to its virtual supermarket. The Carlisle-based company unveiled a new Amazon-style service yesterday that brings tens of thousands of new items to its online shoppers.Called Ship2Me by Giant, the new service is an online marketplace developed by sister company Peapod Digital Labs. The marketplace features items not normally found on […]
Seeded by a $1 million donation from grocery chain The Giant Co., Harrisburg University is hoping to plant a new center for agricultural research in the capital city.
Contact tracing is turning into a mess rather than an effective tool to stop Covid-19. People aren’t cooperating, contact tracers are becoming overwhelmed and the virus continues to spread at a record rate. “It’s almost like we’re at a dead end with that approach,” said Victor Owuor, chief product officer at Lancaster-based investment firm Aspire […]
Teachers face a captive audience for their talents every day. But it’s not the kind of audience that can point them to the next networking event or business opportunity — or raise their professional profile. That’s what led York County teacher Erin Lapore to create Noble Space, a professional networking site designed with educators in […]
For nearly two decades, Cumberland County tech company Versatile Credit has been making it easier for businesses to offer in-store credit. Its latest device, called Snap Sign, makes it as easy as pointing a mobile phone at a plastic sign. The signs are a secure, contactless alternative to in-store kiosks, tablets or paper applications that […]
Data helps online retailers figure out what you want to buy, but it’s not foolproof. Sometimes, you buy things that don’t fit or don’t work — and back they go. But even when shoes or shirts make a return trip, there is data to be gleaned. That’s the premise behind ReturnLogic, a tech firm founded […]
A Lancaster startup is taking a new tack in distributing its product, an app that helps people improve their health through better eating, sleeping and exercising. The company, Fizika Group LLC, had focused on senior-living communities, said its founder, Martha Lester Harris. But the communities often have their own resources, like gyms and fitness programs, […]
Kyle M. Kelly has joined the Lancaster office of Barley Snyder as a member of the law firm’s business practice group. Before joining Barley Snyder, Kelly worked at a Pittsburgh law firm where he managed middle-market M&A for private equity and corporate clients. He also worked as a judicial intern for the North Carolina Court […]
A court order is paving the way for Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Holdings Inc. to purchase 11 stores in Texas from discount retailer 99 Cents Only Stores, which filed for bankruptcy in April. A Delaware bankruptcy judge this week approved Ollie’s as a stalking-horse bidder for the properties as part of a court-supervised sale, meaning the company is […]
In January 2019, Roxanna Gapstur became president and CEO of WellSpan Health, one of the largest employers in Central Pennsylvania.
Lancaster County-based Bank of Bird-in-Hand is seeking shareholder and regulatory approval to form a holding company, a common step for banks as they grow. The holding company would be called GELT Bancorp Inc., incorporating the Amish word for money. The bank also uses the word for its mobile branches, called Gelt buses. Existing bank shareholders would become […]
LinkBancorp is selling its newly acquired operations in South Jersey for an after-tax gain of about $10.5 million, according to LinkBancorp CEO Andrew Samuel. The buyer is Philadelphia-based American Heritage Federal Credit Union, which has more than 310,000 members and assets of more than $4.8 billion. Expected to close in the second quarter of this year, […]
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology failed to make a monthly loan payment on May 1 in default of its loan agreement, according to a disclosure last week to its bondholders. Under the agreement, monthly payments to the bond trustee roll up into semiannual payments on interest and principal on the university’s bonds. Those semiannual payments are […]
A buyer with a growing portfolio of Pennsylvania shopping centers has added another one. A partnership led by Leo Ullman of New York-based retail developer Vastgood Properties paid $6.63 million at the end of April for Shippensburg Marketplace, according to Brad Rohrbaugh, executive vice president and retail director for York-based Bennett Williams Commercial. Rohrbaugh and […]
Building products manufacturer Carlisle Companies is planning a $45 million expansion of its research and innovation hub in Carlisle. The project will entail construction of a 42,000 square-foot building alongside the company’s existing R&D center, which is at 1557 Ritner Highway, according to Carlisle Companies spokesperson Mehul Patel. The site is near the headquarters and […]
Fulton Bank was on the receiving end on the afternoon of April 26 when state regulators shut down and brokered a sale of Republic First Bank, a troubled Philadelphia-based lender that does business as Republic Bank. As a result, Fulton has acquired most of the assets and branches of Republic First, expanding the Lancaster bank’s footprint in the […]
A private equity-backed holding company is buying a majority stake in Harrisburg’s minor league baseball team from the family of the late Mark Butler, a co-founder of Harrisburg-based discount retailer Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Holdings. Butler, who died in 2019, bought a majority interest in the Harrisburg Senators in 2014. That stake is now being sold to Diamond […]
Over the last few weeks, real estate agents have begun bracing for the end of a common practice in home sales. It’s not the 6% commission, which agents argue is something of a misconception. It is the ability to signal that a homebuyer’s agent will be paid from the proceeds of a sale along with […]
On March 8, 2022, a fire ripped through a Penn Waste recycling facility in Manchester Township, York County, knocking it out of commission. Now, three Penn Waste insurers are suing local contractors involved in building the facility and installing its sprinkler system. The insurers, which include Connecticut-based XL Insurance, are seeking to recover $26 million in damages from […]
A Harrisburg-area engineering firm has added two new offices, including its first-ever location in Maryland. HRG has opened offices in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and Hagerstown, Maryland, hoping to make greater inroads in both areas. The additions bring the firm, based in Swatara Township, Dauphin County, to a dozen offices, with 10 in Pennsylvania and one each […]
It could be another four weeks before a bankruptcy court decides the fate of the beleaguered Governor’s Square apartment complex in uptown Harrisburg. The court had been scheduled to hold a hearing April 2 on a proposed sale of the 222-unit complex But the hearing has now been moved to April 30 at the request of the […]
Operators of the Holtwood and Safe Harbor dams are weighing in against a proposed hydroelectric plant along the Susquehanna River in an area known as Cuffs Run in Chanceford Township, York County.’ The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is currently weighing whether to issue a permit allowing the developer, York Energy Storage LLC, to study the project’s […]
Business groups are decrying a recent directive from Gov. Josh Shapiro designed to increase the state’s use of project labor agreements, deals that generally require the use of union labor on public projects. Issued last week, the directive calls on state agencies to review contract solicitations for capital projects to determine which ones would be good fits […]
About a dozen years ago, several members of East Chestnut Street Mennonite Church in Lancaster banded together to start a nonprofit focused on creating affordable housing, with a focus on people experiencing homelessness. Their first project was the purchase and conversion of a single-family home at 639 E. Chestnut St. Over the next decade, the […]
A court hearing on the bankruptcy sale of Governor’s Square apartment complex in uptown Harrisburg had been scheduled for Feb. 29. However, it has been moved to April 2 per an order from Chief Bankruptcy Judge Henry Van Eck of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Why is this happening: The […]