Subscribe to our newsletters!

The Latest News

Banking & Finance

Camp Hill bank to shed NJ branches

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Amid improving finances, college misses bond payment

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Fulton buys failed Philly bank

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

York adopts new financing tool for green projects

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

First Dauphin branch in the works for F&M Trust

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

State rolls out home-energy loan program

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

PE-backed firm takes stake in Harrisburg baseball team

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

West Shore distributor sells stake to PE firm

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, […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Regional home-services company sold

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Inflation, rising rates weighed on dealmaking

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Weis pressured over climate, supply chain disclosures

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 on […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Local bank aims for the stars

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Statewide venture fund makes first investments

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

PNC unveils $1B plan to upgrade, open branches

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Fulton names new finance, risk chiefs

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. […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Nonprofit lender hires finance, credit chiefs

Lancaster-based nonprofit lender Community First Fund has filled a pair of C-suite roles.  Elizabeth Bennett has been named the lender’s CFO, while Ed Gallagher has been named chief credit officer. Bennett worked most recently as CFO for Pennsylvania College of Art & Design in Lancaster and has also held finance roles at Lancaster Theological Seminary and Ephrata-based D&E Communications. Bennett succeeds Lloyd […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Orrstown, PeoplesBank to merge in $270M deal

A pair of longstanding local banks are coming together in a merger valued at $207 million. Under the all-stock deal, dubbed a merger of equals, the York County-based parent of PeoplesBank is merging into Shippensburg-based Orrstown Financial. The combined bank — which will take the Orrstown name — would have assets of roughly $5.2 billion and a network of 51 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Construction

Small housing group aims for bigger impact

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Zoners turn down housing plan for former country club

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

High court rules in dispute over PA wage law

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

State winnows applicants for new site-prep funding

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 — […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

PLAN UNVEILED FOR SUBURBAN HARRISBURG MALL

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Kinsley, Royal Square partner on $7M apartment project

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Fast-growing remodeler opens Texas office

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Court ruling could expand contractors’ liability

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 legal interpretations, […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Land-use fights flare across Central PA

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Flagger Force sells stake to investment firm

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Two Kinsley brothers die in avalanche during ski trip

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Longtime CEO to retire from regional engineering firm

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Camp Hill firm forges ahead with $29M project

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Court rejects expanded view of prevailing-wage law

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Regional construction firm changes hands

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Deal adds IT talent for West Shore Home

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

West Shore construction firm on the move

RLS Construction Group LLC is investing nearly $1.5 million to buy and remodel the former Hampden Township municipal building at 230 S. Sporting Hill Road.The new location in Cumberland County will allow the company to consolidate operations that are currently at two locations, said Bob Schopfer, owner, president and CEO of RLS Construction.The company has […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

New owners plan facelift for former Coakley’s

A staple of downtown New Cumberland is poised for a makeover.New owners have taken over a group of properties that include the former Coakley’s Restaurant and Irish Pub, which closed in 2014 after going bankrupt.Plans are still taking shape. But Kara Pierce said she and her partner, engineering executive Bill Tafuto, plan to invest about […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Economy

entrepreneurship

Food

The Caring Cupboard

David Fitzkee has been named executive director at The Caring Cupboard, a nonprofit food pantry with operations in Jonestown and Palmyra. He succeeds Shila Ulrich, who was named president of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank starting in January.Fitzkee, who has nearly 20 years of experience in nonprofit management, is joining Caring Cupboard in the midst of what the nonprofit sees […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Lawsuit accuses high-profile Lancaster chef of misusing restaurant funds

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 week, the […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Hanover contractor buys concrete company

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 concrete and […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Regional repair shop faces federal charges

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 warn […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Lancaster manufacturer winding down Philly subsidiary

Lancaster manufacturer Burnham Holdings Inc. is planning to wind down a subsidiary operating out of a plant in Philadelphia. Burnham’s move to shutter its subsidiary Crown Boiler is designed to streamline company operations and enhance efficiency. But it also reflects rising demand for more efficient boilers made by other Burnham subsidiaries, including U.S. Boiler, New Yorker Boiler and Velocity Boiler Works.Crown Boiler did not […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Saxton & Stump

Rory Connaughton has joined Saxton & Stump as a shareholder in the Lancaster law firm’s commercial litigation and labor/employment groups.Connaughton was previously co-founder and former managing partner of Brubaker Connaughton Goss & Lucarelli, a law firm that is also based in Lancaster. He brings three decades of experience in commercial litigation, including recent work as an […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Boyer & Ritter

Fatim Doumbia has joined Boyer & Ritter as a senior associate auditor, where she will work with various industry practice groups for the Camp Hill-based accounting and consulting services firm.Doumbia has more than seven years of auditing experience working for some of the largest firms in the accounting field, both in the for-profit and nonprofit […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Hanover-area Wawa property sold

The roughly 2-acre site housing a Hanover-area Wawa changed hands last month at a price of nearly $5.5 million, more than twice the price paid about three years ago for a neighboring shopping plaza.The buyer was an affiliate of Rialto Management, a New York City-based real estate company that describes itself as managing commercial and residential properties on […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Investment Real Estate Group of Companies

Orla Allison has been named director of human resources for Investment Real Estate Group of Companies, the York-based operator of Moove In Self Storage facilities.Allison has more than a decade of experience in strategic leadership, talent acquisition and employee relations. She worked most recently as the director of HR Americas at OpSec Security LLC. “We […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Rettew

Andy Bennett has been named COO of Rettew. Bennett, who joined the Lancaster-based engineering firm in July as vice president of operations, succeeds Rob Lauriello as part of the company’s succession plan.As COO, Bennett will oversee day-to-day technical operations, as well as the development and implementation of annual business and quality management plans, working closely with […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

York, Lanco rehab projects land state grants 

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 its plans […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Harrisburg planners OK first steps in hospital redevelopment

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. However, the […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Regional retail portfolio on the block

A portfolio of 16 shopping centers across Central and eastern Pennsylvania is hitting the market.The centers, including some in Cumberland, Lebanon and York counties, are managed by Vastgood Properties LLC, a Port Washington, New York-based firm that owns them alongside other investors, according to Vastgood CEO Leo Ullman. Ullman referred questions about the sale listing to the broker, Chris […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

‘We can’t stand still’: Growth-minded bank passing baton to new leader

During the 34 years he’s been a board member at F&M Trust, G. Warren Elliott has seen “too many” community banks disappear in mergers and acquisitions.Elliott, F&M Trust’s chairman since 2012, does not want the Chambersburg-based bank to join their ranks, but he knows the lender will have to work to preserve its independence.“We can’t […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Authority tees up potential golf course sale amid data center demand

A suburban Harrisburg golf course is the latest plot of land in the region to draw attention from developers of data centers, power-hungry computing facilities that are vital to the growth of artificial intelligence.Would-be buyers with data centers in mind have shown an appetite for the Dauphin Highlands golf course, according to Jeannette Krebs, spokesperson […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Utility cutting Pennsylvania staff

FirstEnergy is laying off about 350 people across its five-state territory, including 75 in Pennsylvania, where it does business as Met Ed, West Penn Power and other brands. The cuts represent less than 3% of the Ohio-based company’s workforce overall and are not expected to affect the company’s ability to maintain electric infrastructure, which is under growing pressure […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Government

Proposed tweaks to prevailing wage spur debate

Contractors and some lawmakers are pushing back against efforts to change how Pennsylvania officials apply prevailing wage law, which sets a floor for wages on publicly funded construction projects.Their target is legislation before the state House and Senate that critics argue will drive up costs for public works.“It’s simply the wrong solution for Pennsylvanians,” state […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Firms win fight over medical cannnabis recall

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Tax proposal raises specter of combined reporting

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Feds settle with staffing firm over Covid-era data

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Regulators tweak penalties over PPL billing issues

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Licensing rules for ex-convicts hit snag

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Law firm, lobbying firm team up in capital

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Panel OKs reforms to water, sewer system sales

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Shapiro labor directive triggers blowback

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

House panel OKs bills on wage, workplace discrimination

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Senate panel OKs tweak to tax appeals

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Guv revives, revises carbon cap-and-trade

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Rules on licensing for ex-convicts near finish line

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Shapiro budget includes $500M focus on industrial sites

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 program […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Local projects vying for state RACP funds

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Health Care

Feds target hiring practices at Sheetz

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

PA health systems sue insurer over value-based contract

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Insurers sue local contractors over recycling-plant fire

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 Construction,  York-based Susquehanna […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Manheim seeks dismissal of Lancaster stormwater suit

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Power-line developer notches victory as legal fight plows ahead

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Court OKs lawsuit over solar hookups

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Court extends time for bankruptcy sale of Harrisburg apartments

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

AG: “Sham” internet provider targeted rural York

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Feds object to bankruptcy sale of Harrisburg apartments

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Lancaster takes aim at township over stormwater 

In a lawsuit filed this month, Lancaster city is accusing a neighboring township of not doing enough to prevent stormwater from flowing into the city’s sewer system, a problem that has been brewing for years.Among other alleged failures, officials in Manheim Township have not required developers to install adequate stormwater controls or paid for the […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Manufacturing

Following acquisitions, York-area firm forms holding company

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

State lawsuit over PCBs advances

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Marketing

Real Estate

Deal for Lanco tiny-homes startup changes shape

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Harrisburg office complex sold to Philly-area firm

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Nonprofit shedding senior-living operations

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Deal could take Lanco tiny-home firms public

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Project dubbed ‘significant addition’ to Lancaster’s affordable housing stock

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Concerns raised over pending sale of Harrisburg apartments

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Court OK sought for NJ firm to buy Harrisburg apartments

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

State court backs developer in warehouse spat

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

York, Harrisburg firms on the move

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: […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Retail

Technology

Other Categories

Nonprofit sues bank after alleged account fraud

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Low-interest loan bolsters Lancaster apartment project

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Court ruling could prompt millions in corporate tax refunds

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Local agencies win money, role in new small-biz funding program

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 […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Lancaster firm pitches high-tech approach to tracking Covid-19 risk

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 Ventures.The […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

York-area manufacturer gears up for life, uncertain economy after shutdown

When its doors reopen this month, York County manufacturer Weldon Solutions will be proceeding with caution: The company plans to bring back a portion of its 40 workers at a time. “I want to see what it looks like to bring more and more people in,” said Travis Gentzler, Weldon’s president. “I don’t want to bring […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Modeling compassion in the crucible of Covid-19

The consultants at Work Wisdom were used to the video-conferencing app Zoom, the instant-messaging service Slack and other tech tools that connect people remotely. The team at Work Wisdom in Lancaster, from left: Mary Alice Fallon Feskey; Jamie Arroyo; Kate Coleman; Donunshae Sanders; Kedren Crosby; Kimberlee Peifer; Sarah Colantonio; Randy Berridge; and Anne Parmer. (PHOTO/SUBMITTED)So when […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Startup, interrupted

Sam Beiler and Jared Neff had been drawing up growth plans for their Lancaster-based startup, but the Covid-19 pandemic dashed their forays into raising outside capital. Now, their goal is to begin generating a profit more quickly.“That’s kind of the mindset of any startup right now,” said Beiler, co-founder and CEO of a social media […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

Winery follows tested formula but future still uncertain

Carl Helrich enjoys a glass of wine among the barrels at Allegro Winery in Chanceford Township, York County. PHOTO/SUBMITTEDCarl Helrich took over Allegro Winery on Sept. 10, 2001. Family and hard work got him through the economic contraction that followed the terrorist attacks the very next day.He has been having flashbacks to those rocky times […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

At work but not at ease for Wolfgang Confectioners

In early March, as the coronavirus spread into Pennsylvania, Wolfgang Confectioners beefed up its already strict regimen for sanitation and cleaning. Employees at work in a Wolfgang Confectioners plant in Loganville, York County. PHOTO/SUBMITTED“People are constantly washing their hands. We have uniform changes on a regular basis, so there’s a lot of things that we do […]

To access this post, you must purchase biznewsPA Subscription or biznewsPA Team Subscriptions.

Read More »

"We had a great experience working with Joel and biznewsPA. The content we placed in his newsletter significantly outperformed similar content placed in newsletters with similar audiences. The data clearly demonstrated that his readers are engaged and represent the executive audience we wanted to reach."

• David Peck, Vice President of Business Development, Industrial Resolution