The founders of Inch & Co. are looking to raise $20 million from investors interested in backing the York-area company’s forays in multifamily housing.For the last 15 years, the company has leaned on its own resources, buttressed by capital from friends and family, said Jeff Inch, a co-founder and co-owner of Inch & Co.“Now it’s time […]
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 shareholders in […]
Lemoyne-based insurance and benefits agency Gunn-Mowery is expanding its footprint in York CountyThe firm has acquired Central Penn Benefits, an insurance and benefits agency in West Manchester Township, York County.Terms of the transaction, which closed May 1, were not disclosed. But Central Penn Benefits will continue to operate under its own name and from its existing office as […]
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, the […]
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 still being […]
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 competitive […]
York County commissioners last week approved the county’s participation in a program that offers specialized financing tools for clean-energy and energy-efficiency projects. The program, offered in partnership with Schnecksville-based Sustainable Energy Fund, is called the Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy program, or C-PACE.How does it work: Commercial and nonprofit property owners tap the program to secure private-sector […]
The chief banking subsidiary of Chambersburg-based Franklin Financial Services has broken ground on a new branch at 4765 Linglestown Road in Lower Paxton Township.It will be F&M Trust‘s first free-standing, full-service branch in Dauphin County. “It’s a natural progression of our growth and activity in the capital region, specifically Dauphin County,” F&M Trust president and CEO Tim Henry said […]
Pennsylvania officials are tapping an Allentown-based lender to operate a statewide program funneling money to homeowners who want to make their homes more energy efficient.The program, called the Keystone Energy Efficiency Program, could provide up to $10 million in loans to eligible homeowners in amounts ranging from $2,000 to $25,000.The amounts are generally too high […]
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 Baseball […]
R.F. Fager Co., a West Shore distributor of plumbing, heating, roofing and other supplies, has a new partner.New York-based private equity firm Tenex Capital Management has made an undisclosed investment in the company. Efforts to reach R.F. Fager and Tenex were not successful, But in a statement to trade publication PE Hub, Tenex managing director Gabe Wood said, […]
New York-based private equity firm Broad Sky Partners has snapped up Punctual Pros, a regional franchisee for three high-profile consumer-facing brands.Based in East Hempfield Township, Lancaster County, Punctual Pros serves customers across Central Pennsylvania as an operator of One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing and Mister Sparky Electrical franchises.The company is hoping to expand its footprint through acquisitions, said company […]
Rising interest rates and record inflation stifled mergers and acquisitions last year, leading to an 18% drop in activity compared to 2022 for Central and southeastern Pennsylvania, according to a report this week by accounting and professional services RKL LLP.Lancaster and the capital area bucked the regional decline, which reflected the national scene. Nonetheless, M&A activity […]
A nonprofit investor that tracks corporate performance on environmental, social and governance issues is asking Sunbury-based Weis Markets to beef up its disclosures on climate change and supply chain risks.The Massachusetts-based nonprofit, The Accountability Board, is seeking a shareholder vote on the issue during Weis’s annual meeting this spring. The resolution calls on Weis to produce a report […]
Mid Penn Bancorp is fielding a sports and entertainment division designed to cater to the financial needs of high-profile athletes and entertainers.The unit formalizes an area where Mid Penn already has been making inroads, said Jordan Space, the bank’s COO. Many celebrities have come to know and trust the Harrisburg-based bank through its annual celebrity golf tournament […]
Four months after taking the field, a statewide venture fund is taking its first shots.The so-called GO PA Fund has invested in two companies, a financial technology firm based in Swarthmore and an advertising tech company based in New York, albeit with roots and some operations in Philadelphia. The fintech company is LoanStar Technologies, which helps […]
After closing more than 200 branches in 2023, PNC Bank said yesterday it is aiming to spend $1 billion over the next four years to renovate 1,200 branches nationwide and open 100 new ones in some of the country’s fastest-growing citiesBanks are cutting branches. But they also have been opening them in markets where they see potential […]
Fulton Financial has named an interim CFO following the resignation last week of Mark McCollom, who had been the bank’s finance chief since 2018.A regulatory filing and press release issued Friday did not disclose the reason for McCollom’s departure. Lancaster-based Fulton has named Beth Ann Chivinski as interim CFO while it conducts a formal search process to fill the position. […]
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 for […]
Everything is bigger in Texas, including spending on roads, bridges, pipes and other infrastructure.“It’s the place to be in our world,” said Bob Scaer, CEO of engineering firm Gannett Fleming. “And you can’t penetrate that by hiring a person to start growing. The only way in is acquisition.” For Camp Hill-based Gannett Fleming, that acquisition was […]
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 nonprofit […]
Efforts to redevelop the former Red Lion Country Club in York County have taken a second hit.At a meeting on Feb. 27, zoning officials in York Township voted 3-2 to deny a developer’s request for a special exception to allow age-restricted housing under the property’s current zoning, which is for commercial office. “I don’t think […]
Pennsylvania’s top court has backed a lower court’s decision in a closely watched case involving application of the state’s prevailing wage law.The case hinged on conflicting views of the law, which sets a minimum wage for workers on publicly funded projects. What’s the issue: Whether prevailing wages should be paid on a private-sector project funded by […]
State officials have narrowed the list of projects they are considering for a new funding program designed to prep industrial sites for development.The program, announced last fall by the Shapiro administration, drew more than 100 applicants seeking a total of more than $236 million. Officials are now focusing on a short list of 32 applicants […]
A Maryland developer has revealed its vision for what will replace the Harrisburg Mall, a longtime suburban destination destined for the wrecking ball. Baltimore-based St. John Properties is proposing a roughly 550,000 square-foot development — dubbed Swatara Exchange — that includes a mix of retail and commercial buildings, with a smidgen of office space. While the plan calls for […]
Kinsley Properties and Royal Square Development & Construction have formed a joint venture to convert a vacant office building in downtown York into a 43-unit apartment.The 38,000 square-foot building is the former Fox Bakery at 204 N. George St., not far from WellSpan Park. Construction on the $7 million project began this week and is expected to wrap up […]
Two years after christening a brand-new headquarters in Cumberland County, West Shore Home has opened its third corporate office.This one is an 82,000 square facility in the Dallas suburb of Irving, Texas, that includes office space for more than 120 employees. “West Shore Home is growing at an explosive rate and this is the next step in our goal to […]
Contractors typically face some liability for issues that arise after they finish their work for a property owner.A Supreme Court ruling this week potentially expands that liability. In a split opinion, justices ruled that a contractor could be held liable for allegedly defective work even if the property owner knew there was a problem. Under previous […]
The ground may be cold but battles over land use in Central Pennsylvania are heating up.Residents and developers are clashing on several fronts across the region.Not surprisingly, proposed warehouses are among the sharpest points of contention.Large-scale solar projects have triggered outcries, as well.But disputes also have arisen over housing, most notably in Lancaster city, where a […]
With spending on bridges and highways expected to ramp up, a Florida-based investment firm has bought into Flagger Force, a Hummelstown-based company whose crews can be found directing traffic around work sites.Blue Sea Capital said yesterday it had invested in Flagger Force as part of a strategic partnership to support the company’s growth. Terms of the deal were […]
York County has lost two of its most prominent business and philanthropic leaders.Brothers Jonathan and Timothy Kinsley died Monday while on a skiing trip in British Columbia. Jonathan, 59, was an executive with York-based Kinsley Enterprises, which oversees the Kinsley family’s business assets, including Kinsley Construction. Timothy, 57, was president of Kinsley Properties, a real estate development and […]
Robert Grubic is retiring as CEO of the engineering firm that has borne his name for just over four decades.As of the end of this year, the next CEO of Harrisburg-based Herbert Rowland & Grubic will be Jason Fralick, who has been its president since 2019.Grubic plans to remain chairman of the board at the employee-owned company.“HRG is […]
A mixed-use development is taking shape along Route 15 in Upper Allen Township, Cumberland County.Camp Hill developer Linlo Properties began site work in May for the project, dubbed The Mills at Shepherdstown Crossing.Once completed, it will bring 54 apartments, retail space, a Burger King and a Chick-fil-A to the intersection of Gettysburg Pike and South Market Street, which offers access to Route […]
A state court has reversed a decision that could have added millions of dollars in costs to construction projects financed with bonds issued by municipal authorities.The ruling last week by Commonwealth Court revolved around interpretations of the state’s prevailing-wage law, which sets a minimum wage for workers on projects funded by public money.The case arose in […]
When Seth Hughes first stepped onto a construction site as a teenager, he didn’t think about owning a construction company someday.But as his career advanced, it started to emerge as a goal, Hughes said.The goal is now a reality. Hughes has purchased Mechanicsburg-based Mowery Construction from its previous owner, David Cross. The pair began laying the groundwork for […]
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 from […]
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 York-based […]
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 of the […]
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 […]
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 the country’s […]
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. This year, […]
As people trickle back into the workplace around Central Pennsylvania, it may feel like a return to normal. But the feeling could be deceptive.The return to the workplace is a change. And while the change is welcome, people still need time to adjust.“It’s not like you can just pick up where you left off,” said […]
Martin Fedorko did not cross the finish line the first time he tried to create a venture fund in York County. But he came away with valuable lessons he is applying to his latest effort: White Rose VenturesMost importantly, he learned that York County’s would-be investors are indeed interested in backing local companies. They just […]
As elected officials debate another government-led kickstart to the U.S. economy, business leaders are optimistic about their own prospects but resigned to slower growth overall.That’s the gist of two recent surveys gauging the outlook of executives who have spent the last six months grappling with the crippling impact of a pandemic that has taken more […]
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 on […]
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 the region.They […]
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 of high […]
The founders of Middletown-based Soccer Shots are hoping an outside investor can help kick their company into new territoryThe 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. But […]
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 of […]
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 launched […]
Lancaster-based law firm Barley Snyder has named new leaders for its business and employment practice groups.Partner Daniel Desmond has been named chair of the business practice group, succeeding Jeremy Frey. Desmond has been the group’s vice chair since 2024 and has more than a decade of experience. He also chairs the law firm’s PA annual […]
Stephen Nieli has been named executive director of the High Family Office, which provides services to the High family and other shareholders in High-related entities. Nieli is succeeding Dean Glick, who worked for various High companies over 38 years.In addition to his new role at the family office, Nieli has been elected president of ., a nonprofit […]
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 2011. Conrad Siegel […]
McClure Company, a mechanical contractor based in Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County, paid $2.15 million to buy a 52,761 square-foot office building at 1800 Linglestown Road in Township. The building had been owned by a lender, according to Robin Zellers of Lemoyne-based real estate firm NAI CIR. Zellers, along with NAI CIR’s Nik Sgagias and Bryan Donovan, […]
The owner of a Gettysburg-area hotel prevailed in a court case that turned on questions of when to apply a state tax on real estate transfers.At issue was a transfer of properties between entities controlled by the same owner.State tax collectors argued that transfers in 2018 by Kunj Harrisburg LLC, which operates the Eisenhower Hotel & Conference […]
East to West Properties LLC paid $650,000 for a three-story office building at 215 Pine St. in Harrisburg, according to county deed records. The seller was 215 Pine St LLC, a partnership headed by local real estate investor Ramandeep Singh. The roughly 10,000 square-foot building is occupied by three tenants, the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, the Department of […]
Shortly after disclosing the retirement plans of its chief executive, Michele Buck, The Hershey Co. unveiled new leaders for its U.S. candy and salty snack businesses. Effective Feb. 3, Andrew Archambault will lead the U.S. confections unit, while Veronica Villasenor will lead salty snacks.Archambault joins Dauphin County-based Hershey from Keurig Dr Pepper, where he was president […]
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 on April […]
Amy Blackmore has been named an equity shareholder at Saxton & Stump, a Lancaster-based law firm, effective Jan. 1. She was previously a senior counsel.Blackmore represents healthcare providers in medical malpractice cases and is a member of the law firm’s healthcare litigation, commercial litigation, and appellate and post-trial advocacy groups.Blackmore joined Saxton & Stump in […]
Matt Bilson has joined the Investment Real Estate Group of Companies as a financial analyst.In his new role, Bilson will underwrite potential self-storage acquisitions, including analyzing financial statements, market conditions, rents and expenses. Additionally, he will support financing and equity-raising initiatives, as well as analyze the performance of the company’s existing self-storage portfolio. He will […]
Asahel Church has joined Barley Snyder as a member of the law firm’s litigation and real estate practice groups. He is based in the Lebanon office.Church is a graduate of Northwestern University and Penn State Dickinson School of Law. Before coming to Barley Snyder, he worked at a regional law firm where he concentrated his […]
Gary Sutton, a popular regional radio host, is bringing his morning show to SportsRadio 98.9 FM and 1350 WOYK. Sutton’s show will run every weekday from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and focus on local and national news, as well as local sports.“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Gary to WOYK,” station general manager Darrell Henry […]
U & ME Chambersburg LLC paid nearly $40.6 million for Chambersburg Crossing, a roughly 265,000 square-foot shopping center in Franklin County, according to county deed records.The property at 901 Norland Ave. is anchored by a Giant supermarket. The seller was an affiliate of KPR Centers, a New York-based real estate investment firm.KPR was represented by Chris Munley, […]
Ripples from the data-center revolution are continuing to wash over Central Pennsylvania.The latest ripple is a $131 million project from PPL Corp. designed to upgrade power lines and build a new switchyard in southern York County.The project is designed to improve reliability of the electric system in light of growing demand, including from data centers, in […]
Green Image Lawn Care, a regional lawn-care company with offices in York and Lancaster counties, has been acquired by LawnPRO Partners, a platform backed by HCI Equity Partners, a private equity firm based in Washington, D.C. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.Green Image is led by Luke Zimmerman and Ryan Freed, who are continuing to run […]
The Hershey Co. said Friday that Michele Buck plans to retire on June 30, 2026 as chair, president and CEO of the Dauphin County-based company. Buck, who grew up in the Carlisle area and graduated from Shippensburg University, started working at Hershey in 2005 and became CEO in 2017.Under her leadership, Hershey surpassed $10 billion […]
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 owed tens […]
Linglestown Rd LLC paid $40,000 for a three-acre tract off Linglestown Road and Interstate 81 in West Hanover Township, Dauphin County, according to county deed records. James D. Ross of NAI CIR represented the seller, R. Stough.VIP Edu LLC paid $695,000 for 3.593 acres of land at Indian Springs Drive in Lancaster from SBCC Land […]
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 Commonwealth […]
In a regulatory proposal published this month, Pennsylvania tax collectors are offering up a revised definition of business income, a move that sounds innocuous on its face. But observers question whether the new definition would do more than just clarify which corporate profits are subject to state taxation.The proposed changes, the observers say, could open […]
An Atlanta-based IT staffing company has settled federal claims that it failed to protect confidential health information after Pennsylvania officials hired the company to oversee contact tracing during the Covid-19 pandemic. The company, Insight Global LLC, has agreed to pay $2.7 million to resolve allegations that its handling of data violated the federal False Claims Act, according […]
Following a flurry of comments from customers and consumer advocates, state utility regulators altered the penalties imposed on electric utility PPL Electric Utilities over billing issues that led to overcharges for some customers, among other problems.In a 3-2 vote on April 25, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission approved a settlement agreement requiring PPL to provide more reporting […]
State officials may be taking another swing at drafting rules designed to make it easier for people with criminal records to earn professional licenses in Pennsylvania.That’s because a regulatory review panel gave the latest version a thumbs down at a meeting last week.Members of the Independent Regulatory Review Commission were concerned about some of the […]
A Harrisburg lobbying firm has formed a business affiliation with a Philadelphia-area law firm.Under the arrangement, lobbying shop The DT Firm and law firm Lamb McErlane will refer clients to each other, said Joel Frank, chairman and managing partner of Lamb McErlane. While many law firms have created in-house lobbying divisions over the last few years, Lamb McErlane has […]
In a series of bipartisan votes yesterday, a state House panel approved a package of four bills designed to tweak the process for selling public water and sewer systems to private companies.The tweaks would amend a state law known as Act 12, which paved the way for greater consolidation of local water and sewer systems. Advocates note […]
Business groups are decrying a recent directive from Gov. Josh Shapiro designed to increase the state’s use of project labor
A state House panel has passed bills on party-line votes that would strengthen protections against workplace discrimination.One bill would lower the threshold for state anti-discrimination enforcement to businesses with as few as two employees, down from the current threshold of four.Another bill would tweak provisions covering gender-based wage discrimination. It would, for example, bar disparate […]
Disgruntled taxpayers in Pennsylvania would have a new option for disputing their tax bills under legislation approved yesterday by a state Senate panel.Sponsored by GOP state Sen. Tim Hutchinson, the bill would create an independent settlement process, potentially avoiding protracted court battles over tax bills, according to its supporters, which include the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs and Pennsylvania […]
Appearing March 13 at a Scranton union hall, Gov. Josh Shapiro laid out plans for speeding up Pennsylvania’s shift to cleaner forms of electricity while creating jobs and capping carbon emissions from the power sector.The plans aim to bridge differences that have long divided environmentalists, labor groups, lawmakers and others with a stake in state […]
Earlier this year, Gov. Josh Shapiro rolled out a plan for economic development in Pennsylvania that is expected to unfold over the next decade. Progress is likely to be measured in shorter increments of time.State lawmakers, who are being asked to fund parts of the plan, could start asking for results by next year.And therein […]
Efforts to redevelop the former Red Lion Country Club in York County have taken a second hit.At a meeting on
State regulators have tweaked regulations that modify the professional licensing process for people with criminal backgrounds, following stiff pushback from critics of the original proposal.The rules implement a 2020 state law making it easier for people with criminal convictions to become accountants, barbers, nurses and real estate agents, among the many other professions that require a state […]
State officials have narrowed the list of projects they are considering for a new funding program designed to prep industrial
As part of his budget proposal for the state’s next fiscal year, Gov. Josh Shapiro is offering a remedy to the shortage of ready-for-business industrial spaces in Pennsylvania.It is a $500 million, bond-funded expansion of PA SITES, a program the governor rolled out last year on a pilot basis with $10 million in funding. The […]
Absence makes the list grow longer.It has been more than a year since state officials dished out funding under the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, aka RACP, a state program that backs high-profile projects around the state.Now, for the first time under Gov. Josh Shapiro, the state is preparing to award funding once again following an […]
Gov. Josh Shapiro laid out a vision for jumpstarting economic development in Pennsylvania during an address yesterday at OraSure Technologies, a medical diagnostics company in BethlehemThe 52-page strategy includes a mix of new funding, a focus on key industries and a series of other steps designed to make Pennsylvania more competitive in retaining and attracting workers and businesses […]
Under a partnership announced Aug. 15, Rite Aid and WellSpan Health plan to share data so they can better coordinate care for the roughly 100,000 patients they share in Central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland.They may eventually share space, with York-based WellSpan operating inside Rite Aid pharmacies, according to Chris Bohrer, senior vice president of payer and strategic initiatives for […]
Health insurance premiums are set to jump for people and small businesses shopping for policies offered under the Affordable Care Act in 2023.Insurers are asking for an average increase of 7.1% on individual policies and 5.2% on policies for small groups, according to the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, which has to sign off on the premium […]
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 years […]
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
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
After taking a break during the Covid-19 pandemic to focus internally, a Lancaster-based venture formed by some of the region’s biggest players in health care is welcoming its first outside partner in nearly two years: SkinIO, a Chicago-based company using technology to broaden access to dermatology screenings.People can use the SkinIO app to take pictures […]
A team of 20 medical professionals from the U.S. military plans to spend another 30 days pitching in at WellSpan York Hospital as the facility contends with a spike in Covid-19 cases.
An Atlanta-based IT staffing company has settled federal claims that it failed to protect confidential health information after Pennsylvania officials
Ben Ried and John B. Zonarich entertained merger proposals from other law firms. But none seemed as right as the union they unveiled yesterday between their respective Harrisburg firms, Mette Evans & Woodside and SkarlatosZonarich LLC.“There were other opportunities,” Zonarich said in an interview with biznewsPA. “But there were no other opportunities like this.”Zonarich and […]
In a case that drew national attention, Pennsylvania’s highest court backed a married couple seeking a bigger award after winning a lawsuit against an insurer they accused of engaging in fraud and negligence when it sold them a life insurance policy.In 2020, an Allegheny County jury found the insurer, Ameriprise Financial, liable for $120,570 in […]
Following a flurry of comments from customers and consumer advocates, state utility regulators altered the penalties imposed on electric utility PPL
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is suing Sheetz, arguing that the company’s use of criminal background checks in hiring is discriminatory.The agency noted that Sheetz was not motivated by race in making hiring decisions. However, the agency claims that the convenience-store chain’s hiring practices disproportionately screened out job applicants who are Black, Native American, Alaska […]
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 Advantage […]
A Harrisburg lobbying firm has formed a business affiliation with a Philadelphia-area law firm.Under the arrangement, lobbying shop The DT Firm and
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 York-based Kinsley […]
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 property’s […]
A state House panel has passed bills on party-line votes that would strengthen protections against workplace discrimination.One bill would lower
Manheim Township is firing back against a lawsuit aiming to hold it responsible for problems with the sewer system in neighboring Lancaster city.The lawsuit, filed in January by Lancaster city in Lancaster County court, argues that Manheim officials have not done enough to control stormwater from entering the city sewer system.The system serves homes and businesses […]
For more than a year, singer Ed Kowalczyk has been touring under the banner of Live, the platinum-selling rock band he co-founded more than 30 years ago in York.But the agreement allowing him to use the Live name is under fire in a York County court. Former Live drummer Chad Gracey is suing Kowalczyk for […]
The legal fight continues over high-voltage power lines that would run through southern York and Franklin counties. The chief issue is whether state utility regulators overstepped constitutional bounds when they blocked the interstate project in May 2021.Proposed in 2017 by Ohio-based Transource, the $372 million Independence Energy Connection would ease congestion for power flowing from Pennsylvania to Maryland by constructing […]
A state court has handed a preliminary legal victory to a business owner in a fight over the cost of connecting solar projects to the electric distribution system.The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission had objected to the business owner’s lawsuit on procedural grounds. But in a ruling last week, Commonwealth Court overruled the objections, allowing the case […]
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 complex’s […]
A locally based company allegedly broke state law by reselling internet service in what the state attorney general described in a lawsuit as a “sham business.”The company, Davis Communications Internet Inc., subscribed to business internet plans, then advertised itself as an internet provider in its own right, specifically targeting consumers in rural York County, where internet […]
Pennsylvania’s top court has backed a lower court’s decision in a closely watched case involving application of the state’s prevailing
Federal housing officials are objecting to the proposed sale of Governor’s Square, a beleaguered Harrisburg apartment complex whose owner declared bankruptcy last year.In a court filing this week, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development argues there are not enough guarantees that the potential deal will preserve the complex’s status as affordable housing. HUD […]
Citing a shrinking demand for catalogs and magazines — and rising costs for ink and paper — commercial printing giant LSC Communications is stopping the presses at its two plants in Lancaster County, laying off about 656 workersThe closure comes more than two years after LSC was rescued from bankruptcy by a Connecticut-based conglomerate called Atlas Holdings. Executives had […]
After steering one of the region’s largest private companies onto the public market, Utz Brands CEO Dylan Lissette is stepping into a new role.After 27 years with the Hanover-based snack maker, Lissette will become executive chairman of the company’s board on Dec.15.Utz’s new CEO will be Howard Friedman, currently COO of St. Louis-based Post Holdings, a consumer-packaged goods […]
As it gears up for a move to Philadelphia, Harsco has unloaded its longtime Wormleysburg headquarters this year for $4.3 million.However, the roughly 42,000 square-foot building will remain a corporate headquarters.A partnership that includes Lemoyne-based Rhodes Development Group bought the building and plans to move there, along with two of its operating divisions, according to Larry Kluger, president and CEO […]
Graham Engineering, a York-based equipment maker, has purchased a Berks County company with a complementary business.Graham Engineering makes machinery used in producing — or extruding — plastic parts ranging from car bumpers to catheters.Its new acquisition, Birdsboro-based Kennedy Tool & Die, specializes in making molds and tooling used in plastics-manufacturing processes called blow molding, rim molding […]
The bankruptcy case of Armstrong Flooring is nearing its end.U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Mary Walrath approved the sale yesterday of the company’s North American assets to Mountville-based flooring manufacturer AHF Products and Boston-based Gordon Brothers.An AHF spokesperson said yesterday the company hopes to close on the $107 million deal by next Friday, July 22.Then what: AHF will continue to operate […]
After disclosing buyers for some of its operations in North America, Armstrong Flooring has unveiled deals to sell its remaining businesses.In a news release July 11, the company identified buyers for its operations in Australia and China.Who: The Australian assets — including a factory in Braeside, Victoria — are going to a group of companies identified as the Cowes […]
After two months in bankruptcy, Armstrong Flooring is on the verge of dealing its way out.The Lancaster-based manufacturer said yesterday it has agreed to sell its North American assets to a consortium that includes AHF Products, a former division of Armstrong Flooring.Mountville-based AHF and Boston-based Gordon Brothers have agreed to pay $107 million in cash and assume unspecified liabilities in exchange for […]
Armstrong Flooring has once again pushed back the deadline for wrapping up a sale.The Lancaster-based manufacturer now expects to finalize a sale by a court hearing slated for Tuesday, July 12.In a statement issued early on Friday, July 8, a company spokesperson said the company has finalized a deal to sell its operations in China […]
Mobile Climate Control, which already has a distribution Center in York County, is consolidating all of its U.S. operations at a new facility in West Manchester Township.
The Conrad Co. is the name of a new holding company unveiled this year by Penn-Air & Hydraulics Corp., a growing manufacturing services company based in Springettsbury Township, York County. The holding company encompasses PennAir, a company acquired by PennAir in 2019 and three other companies acquired since then, according to Seth Bray, the CEO of PennAir and […]
A state court has delivered a partial win for Pennsylvania in a year-old lawsuit seeking damages from ag giant Monsanto and related enitities
The founders of Inch & Co. are looking to raise $20 million from investors interested in backing the York-area company’s forays
A new twist is complicating the bankruptcy case of Uptown Partners LP, the Maryland-based owner of Governor’s Square apartment complex in Uptown Harrisburg. The company managing the affordable-housing complex, Landex Management LLC, is asking the court to void its contract with Uptown Partners, arguing that the owner is not providing enough resources to manage the beleaguered property effectively.Uptown, […]
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 Bennett Williams […]
The potential buyers of a Lancaster County-based tiny-homes company are taking a new tack.Chase Packaging Corp., a New Jersey-based shell company, had been planning to take Tiny Estates LLC and two related entities public through a merger.The companies are led by CEO Abby Shank, a former KPMG auditor who started a tiny-home community outside Elizabethtown in 2018.But the two sides […]
When Penn Center Harrisburg hit the market in summer 2022, the asking price for the three-building complex was $22 million. The half-vacant property in the 2600 block of North Third Street ended up selling for $1.45 million late last month following the bankruptcy of its owner, Penn Center Harrisburg LP. The buyer is an affiliate of Pennmark, a Philadelphia-area […]
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 the […]
It could be another four weeks before a bankruptcy court decides the fate of the beleaguered Governor’s Square apartment complex
A regional nonprofit is poised to spin off its senior-living operations to a larger peer based in Missouri.Topton-based Diakon, which has a finance and support center in Middletown, has agreed to merge its senior-living subsidiary into St. Louis-based Lutheran Senior Services. Terms of the transaction, expected to close this summer, were not disclosed. “This was a strategic […]
About a dozen years ago, several members of East Chestnut Street Mennonite Church in Lancaster banded together to start a
A court hearing on the bankruptcy sale of Governor’s Square apartment complex in uptown Harrisburg had been scheduled for Feb.
Federal housing officials are objecting to the proposed sale of Governor’s Square, a beleaguered Harrisburg apartment complex whose owner declared
A tiny-home startup in Lancaster County is poised for the big time.A publicly traded shell company has agreed to buy Tiny Estates LLC and two related companies, Endeavor Tiny Homes LLC and Tiny Communities Fund LLC. The companies are led by CEO Abby Shank, a former KPMG auditor-turned-entrepreneur who started a tiny-home community outside Elizabethtown in 2018. Shank, who went on to build […]
Lancaster-area officials, nonprofit executives and business leaders gathered yesterday to mark the next step in a nearly four-year journey to redevelop the former UPMC Lancaster campus along College Avenue.Nonprofit developer HDC MidAtlantic broke ground Feb. 7 on the first phase of redevelopment — a $23 million, 64-unit affordable-apartment building at 213 College Ave., the site of a vacant office […]
As part of his budget proposal for the state’s next fiscal year, Gov. Josh Shapiro is offering a remedy to
A Lebanon County judge has sided with a North Annville Township decision shooting down developers hoping to plant a roughly 858-acre solar farm in the rural municipality west of Lebanon city.The ruling, handed down last week, upholds a 2022 vote by North Annville supervisors to deny a conditional use permit to Lebanon Solar I LLC, a […]
Tenants are raising a legal hurdle to the proposed sale of an affordable-apartment complex in uptown Harrisburg.A New Jersey firm bid just over $9.6 million to buy the complex, known as Governor’s Square, from its current owner, Uptown Partners, which filed for bankruptcy protection last year. The tenants, represented by an attorney from a Harrisburg-based nonprofit, have […]
The bankrupt owner of an apartment complex in uptown Harrisburg is seeking court approval to sell the property to a New Jersey firm. ANCDI Properties is offering to pay just over $9.6 million for Governor’s Square, beating out two competing bids, according to a filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “My […]
A state appeals court has sided with a local developer aiming to build a warehouse complex in Swatara Township, Dauphin County. The decision is the latest in a long-running battle over whether warehouses should be allowed on tracts along Route 322 east of Harrisburg, near Penhar Drive. State court shot down a previous developer’s efforts in […]
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 feasibilty.Holtwood […]
Business groups are decrying a recent directive from Gov. Josh Shapiro designed to increase the state’s use of project labor
About a dozen years ago, several members of East Chestnut Street Mennonite Church in Lancaster banded together to start a
A court hearing on the bankruptcy sale of Governor’s Square apartment complex in uptown Harrisburg had been scheduled for Feb.
The Hershey Co. plans to shed jobs this year as it battles higher cocoa prices and sluggish sales.The cuts will amount to less than 5% of the company’s roughly 20,000 workers worldwide, according to a Hershey spokesperson. “We do not expect significant disruption or impact to our employee base,” the spokesperson said, declining to detail […]
Mechanicsburg-based Select Medical Holdings Corp. is preparing to spin off its occupational health services division, which does business as Concentra. Select Medical’s board approved the spin-off this week and expects the deal to close in late 2024. Select Medical shareholders would receive stock in Concentra in amounts yet to be determined but in a transaction that is […]
The new year is poised to bring new digs to two local companies. Reynolds Restoration Services bought a flex property in suburban Harrisburg for its new headquarters. York County-based construction firm Wagman also has purchased a building for a new HQ, a property in Manchester Township, York County. Both companies said they are outgrowing their current spaces. Starting with: […]
The High family is presenting a second major gift to their family foundation. The family’s ownership of Lancaster County-based High Real Estate Group is being transferred to High Foundation, the foundation announced on Dec. 20. The year-end gift follows the donation last year of High Industries, which was valued at nearly $115.2 million. The value of the real estate company was not disclosed but […]
A Maryland developer has revealed its vision for what will replace the Harrisburg Mall, a longtime suburban destination destined for
A state court has tossed aside regulations that would have enrolled Pennsylvania in a multistate carbon-cutting program, regulations that were a climate-change priority for the former administration of Gov. Tom Wolf.At issue was whether the heart of the program — a market in which companies must buy credits to emit carbon — represented a fee or […]
A Harrisburg-area financial advisory has joined the wave of consolidation washing over the industry.Comprehensive Financial Associates, based in Susquehanna Township, has been acquired by insurance and benefits brokerage AssuredPartners, according to a press release from Wise Rhino Group, the M&A firm that advised Comprehensive Financial. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. But it also includes an […]
McNees Wallace & Nurick has picked 10 small, Black-owned businesses to receive free legal services in the third annual installment of the Harrisburg-based law firm’s program to overcome barriers to business growth and success.The small businesses, introduced last week at a reception at the King Mansion in Harrisburg, hail from across Central Pennsylvania, as well as […]
The challenges for childcare providers have not eased since the pandemic. If anything, they have grown steeper, as providers struggle to retain and attract workers at a time of rising wages.But if business leaders have learned anything over the last few years, it is that working parents need access to quality childcare if they hope […]
The ground may be cold but battles over land use in Central Pennsylvania are heating up.Residents and developers are clashing
Fraudsters drained nearly $250,000 from bank accounts of the Center for Independent Living of Central PA, and the Harrisburg-based nonprofit wants its bank, Mid Penn Bank, to refund the money, according to a lawsuit filed last week in Dauphin County court.The Harrisburg-based bank allegedly failed to enforce “commercially reasonable” security controls on the accounts and thus it […]
Construction on $15 million affordable-housing project in Lancaster city is pulling closer to the starting bell.The developer, a Lancaster-based real estate investment fund called OZFund Inc., has landed a low-interest $1.8 million loan to help cover the costs of stormwater remediation and a “green roof” for the project, which is slated for 800 S. Queen St. in […]
Thanks to a recent court ruling, the commonwealth of Pennsylvania could be on the hook for more than $100 million in tax refunds to businesses.The ruling came in a case that arose over provisions outlining how companies can use past losses to lower their tax bills.Some corporate taxpayers have claimed, successfully, that provisions that have […]
State officials fired the starting gun and now economic-development officials across Central Pennsylvania are off to the races.In an announcement Sept. 13, the Department of Community and Economic Development unveiled the local agencies that will play a role in distributing $246.7 million to small businesses statewide under a federal program called the State Small Business […]
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