Subscribe to our newsletters!

The Latest News

Banking & Finance

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.

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.

WHAT’S AHEAD FOR CAMP HILL BANK

Thanks to a single deal, Linkbancorp went this year from doing business in one state to doing business in five. That deal was the bank’s merger this fall with Maryland-based Partners Bancorp. The all-stock deal closed at the end of November, followed by a bankwide conversion to the Linkbank brand over the first weekend in December, according to Andrew Samuel, […]

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

VC firms land government funding

State officials are directing federal funds toward venture capital firms they hope can jumpstart early-stage tech companies in Pennsylvania. The firms are Allegheny County-based BTVC Fund I LLP, which is receiving $1.5 million, and Atlanta-based Metallum Ventures LP, which is getting $2.25 million. The funding, announced yesterday, comes from the State Small Business Credit Initiative, a federal program that […]

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

Defamation claim raised in suit over fraud loss

Mid Penn Bank is firing back at claims it did not adequately protect a nonprofit from fraud. In a legal filing this month, the Harrisburg-based bank alleges that the Center for Independent Living of Central Pennsylvania harmed the bank’s reputation in a press release issued in February announcing a lawsuit against the bank. In the press release, the center claimed […]

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

Court OKs settlement in data breach

A federal court has approved a settlement in a data-breach lawsuit brought against Fulton Bank. Under the agreement, the Lancaster-based bank will pay $750,000 to set up a fund to compensate victims of the breach, which hit a Fulton Bank vendor rather than the bank itself. The bank is not admitting any liability for the breach, […]

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

Alleged bank fraud hits local, national targets

State authorities on Friday disclosed what they say was a widespread bank-fraud operation in Central Pennsylvania that drained nearly $2 million from the accounts of victims. Two men have been arrested in connection with the fraud but a criminal complaint lists nine other people. More charges are expected, according to the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office, […]

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

Brokerage buys capital-area advisory firm

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 […]

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

Lancaster advisory firm sold

Amid a wave of consolidation in the financial planning sector, Lancaster-based Domani Wealth has been purchased by a larger firm based in Illinois. The acquisition is the fourth this year for the firm, Savant Wealth Management, which is based in Rockford, west of Chicago. Terms of the deal were not disclosed but Domani will keep its existing leadership, […]

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

Mid Penn filing blames Citi for nonprofit’s loss

New York-based Citibank should be held liable for any losses suffered by a Harrisburg-based nonprofit that claims it was the victim of fraud, according to a legal filing by Mid Penn Bank. The nonprofit, the Center for Independent Living of Central PA, sued Mid Penn over the loss in February. Fraudsters allegedly managed to access two of the nonprofit’s accounts at […]

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

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 […]

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

PA Court OKs tax refund over location issue

In a case that could have far-reaching implications for corporate taxpayers, the state’s highest court has awarded a $2.1 million tax refund to a Pennsylvania-based arm of Johnson & Johnson. Reached last week, the decision hinged on what sounds like a simple question: Whether the company owed taxes in Pennsylvania based on services produced in this […]

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

Camp Hill bank to merge with Delmarva peer

Camp Hill-based LinkBancorp has struck a deal that will extend its footprint into Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia. The bank said yesterday it has agreed to a “merger of equals” with Partners Bancorp, a Salisbury, Maryland-based bank with a long history in the Delmarva region. The all-stock deal is valued at $167.8 million, according to a press […]

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

PennSpring scoops up STEM camp operator

A Lancaster-based private equity firm is taking a third shot at the youth-enrichment market, a space where it has found success in the past. PennSpring Capital has acquired Emagination Tech Camps, which has been rebranded as Emagination STEM Camps, according to Lou Castelli, PennSpring’s managing partner. The previous owner was a private investor who bought the company during […]

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

Suit aims to stop Centric merger

A shareholder of Centric Financial is seeking to block the Harrisburg-area bank’s planned merger into a western Pennsylvania bank. In a class-action lawsuit filed this month in Cumberland County court, shareholder Charles Reinhardt claims the $144 million deal undervalues Centric, which is based in Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County. The lawsuit also takes aim at other terms of […]

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

State College bank launches in capital region

A State College bank is making its first play in the capital region, where it hopes to drum up home and business loans. Centre 1st Bank has hired Bob Rader, a longtime capital-area banker, to head up a new loan office at 1017 Mumma Road in Wormleysburg. Rader, who lives in Mechanicsburg, is president of the […]

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

Banks seek more time, info on Welkowitz deal

Local banks are telling a Lancaster County court that they need more time and information to assess a deal that would settle debts from the estate of the late developer Richard Welkowitz. The estate has proposed selling off its stake in ventures that own more than 5,000 ATMs for $13.8 million to a Lancaster-based private equity firm, Heller […]

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

Lancaster wealth advisory merges with Maryland firm

Tim Decker initially turned to Greenspring Advisors as part of the succession planning for staff and clients of his Lancaster-based wealth management firm, ISI Financial Group. Greenspring, a larger firm based in Towson, Maryland, would take over if something happened to him, Decker said.But he decided not to wait, in part due to the challenges of hiring in today’s […]

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

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.

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 […]

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

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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. […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

Brewery on tap for mixed-use project

Burkentine Builders is gearing up to finish a mixed-use project that will bring another brewery to southern York County. The Hanover-based builder held a topping-off ceremony April 25 for the roughly $5 million project, which is bringing two buildings totaling 10,000 square feet of commercial space and 20 apartments to the borough of New Freedom.Construction […]

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

Regional projects land $50M-plus in state funds

State officials on Friday unveiled more than $50 million in grants earmarked for projects around Central Pennsylvania, including a life sciences incubator in Lancaster, a hotel renovation on the West Shore and a park along the Codorus Creek in York. Other beneficiaries include Rock Lititz and the partnership developing a mixed-use apartment building near the […]

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

York taps new developer for vacant industrial tract

A new developer is getting a crack at bringing life to a former industrial tract in York. At a meeting last week, the Redevelopment Authority of the City of York awarded a six-month option on a 4.4-acre site in the Northwest Triangle to Statewide Partners, a regional firm with offices in Harrisburg and York. Preliminary sketches from Statewide show […]

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

entrepreneurship

Food

Sheriff’s sale looms again for former Harrisburg Catholic school

After dodging the auction block in July, the former Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg is once again facing a sheriff’s sale. The sale is scheduled for the morning of Oct. 16, according to legal filings and the Dauphin County sheriff’s office. The sheriff’s office initially scheduled a sale in July. But it was postponed. At the […]

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

Ephrata National Bank

Ephrata National Bank in Lancaster County has promoted two staff members: Matthew McKinney and Tyler Trettin. McKinney, a financial adviser, adds AVP to his title. McKinney joined ENB in 2016 and has held several roles, including document imaging specialist, sales assistant, and most recently, financial adviser. In hs newly elevated role, he will continue to […]

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

How to make innovation an enduring piece of the regional economy

Column by Martin Fedorko Across Central Pennsylvania, new companies are being launched every day. From labs in State College to

Specialty office equipment supplier relocates

Pure Water Technology, a Lancaster-area company that supplies equipment providing drinking water, ice and coffee, moved about a month ago to a larger, newly constructed headquarters at 1140 Corporate Blvd. in West Hempfield Township. The total investment in the land and construction for the 24,000-square-foot building was about $5.7 million, according to John Burkholder, the […]

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

Penn State Health

Penn State Health, the regional health system based in Derry Township, Dauphin County, has promoted two executives. Kyle Snyder has been named president and COO, while Tracy Moyer has been named vice president and CFO. Snyder succeeds Deborah Addo, who is retiring. Snyder had been president of Penn State’s Holy Spirit and Hampden medical centers […]

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

Harrisburg’s tallest building poised for partial apartment conversion

As state workers prepare to exit Harrisburg’s tallest office tower, a developer is hatching plans to rip out the cubicles. Harristown Development Corp. wants to put 81 apartments in a portion of the 22-story office building, which is at 333 Market St. The city’s planning commission signed off on the $23 million project at a […]

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

Funk Construction

Jessica Kosoff and Nathan Fry have joined the ownership group at Funk Construction, a Lebanon-based contractor. The company’s existing owners are brothers Ken and Dave Funk. Kosoff, who has worked at Funk since 2004, is the company’s vice president of construction. She worked previously at CRSS, a Jacobs Engineering Company, Alexander Constructors and Barclay White Skanska. […]

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

G&S Foods LLC

Patricia Zwergel has been named CFO of G&S Foods LLC, a Hanover-area snack food manufacturer. Zwergel was previously president and CEO of The Warrell Corp., a candy maker in Lower Allen Township, Cumberland County, that was acquired earlier this year by Wolfgang Confectioners in Loganville. Before joining Warrell, Zwergel held financial leadership roles at York-area manufacturers Graham Engineering Corp. and York […]

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

Delays plague federal funding for factory services centers

Mantec, a York-based nonprofit that assists manufacturers across Central Pennsylvania, is facing an uncertain financial future for the second time this year. The uncertainty stems from a slowdown in federal funding for its sister centers in other parts of the U.S., as well as the government shutdown this week, according to Mantec president and CEO […]

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

Dame Leadership

The chief executive role at Wormleysburg-based consulting firm Dame Leadership is changing hands as company president Ed Dame adds CEO to his title. He succeeds his father, John Dame, the company’s founder, who has moved into a role as chairman. As president and CEO, Ed Dame will lead the firm’s day-to-day operations and service expansion. As chairman, […]

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

Trout CPA

Robert Firely has been named COO of Trout CPA, a new position for the Lancaster-based accounting and consulting firm. Firely joined the firm in January as a partner after a stint as senior vice president with M&A advisory firm Murphy McCormack Capital Advisors. Before that, he was CFO and chief administrative officer for Triose, a healthcare-focused logistics company in Berks […]

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

York design firm snags smaller neighbor

York-based architecture, engineering and design firm Warehaus has acquired a smaller neighbor with a client base spanning Pennsylvania and Maryland. The neighbor is West Manchester Township-based Johnston and Associates, founded in 1988 by Eric Johnston and specializing in all areas of land development, including zoning and environmental permitting. “This is an exciting milestone for our team,” Warehaus president, […]

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

Court orders further review in case over medical cannabis testing

In a 5-2 ruling last week, the state Supreme Court upheld the authority of state regulators to issue rules for testing medical marijuana products before they hit the shelves. The ruling overturns a 2023 decision by Commonwealth Court that found regulators had exceeded their authority. Nonetheless, Pennsylvania’s top court sent the case back to the lower […]

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

Lanco shopping center sold

A real estate partnership headed by Lancaster-area investor Joe Deerin paid $10.76 million for Shops at Prospect, a 63,292-square-foot, grocery-anchored shopping plaza in West Hempfield Township, Lancaster County, according to county deed records. The seller, Brixmor GA Shops at Prospect LP, was represented by Colin Behr and Chris Munley of real estate firm CBRE. Brixmor, then under a […]

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

Deal broadens reach of Harrisburg-area engineering firm

A regional engineering firm based in the Harrisburg area is expanding its reach in Central and eastern Pennsylvania. Herbert Rowland & Grubic Inc. in Swatara Township has scooped up Becker Engineering LLC, a smaller firm based in East Lampeter Township, Lancaster County. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. But HRG is retaining Becker’s office at […]

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

Startups supporting seniors, caregivers draw spotlight

By 2030, the youngest baby boomers will be 65 years old. With 74 million people in this group, coupled with a worsening physician shortage, the need for tech innovation to address care gaps is critical. To address this need, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern Pennsylvania (Ben Franklin CNP) hosted the AgeTech Techcelerator […]

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

Mid Penn doubles up on deals

Mid Penn Bancorp continued to expand its South Jersey footprint with the acquisition of community bank 1st Colonial Bancorp, Inc. in a combined stock and cash deal valued at $101 million. Twenty-four hours later, Mid Penn agreed to acquire Sarasota, Florida-based Cumberland Advisors in a deal that is expected to bring approximately $3.3 billion new […]

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

Is there a middle way for data centers? Team PA bets on it

Advocates embrace data centers as engines of economic opportunity and a symbol of Pennsylvania’s appeal to high-tech industries, drawn, in part, by abundant supplies of energy. Critics are fighting back, citing the centers’ potential harm to the environment and quality of life in the communities where they are being proposed. Team Pennsylvania is hoping to […]

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

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 […]

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

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, […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

A peek behind the state plan for economic growth

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. […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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. […]

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

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 […]

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

Guv pitches new strategy for PA economy

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 Bethlehem The 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 […]

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

Guv’s higher-ed plan gets mixed grades

Educators love it because they would no longer depend on legislative approval for annual state funding. Families buffeted by inflation — and reluctant to take on debt — will appreciate its promise of college tuition as low as $1,000 per semester. But critics wonder how much it will actually cost. “It” is the blueprint for […]

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

DEP eyes $500M program to slash industrial emissions

Pennsylvania’s environmental agency is hoping to snag up to half a billion dollars in federal funding to start a grant program focused on cutting carbon emissions from cement kilns, steel manufacturers and other industrial operations. If funded, the program would be called Reducing Industrial Sector Emissions in Pennsylvania, or RISE PA, according to the Department […]

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

PA TAX-APPEAL PROCESS TARGETED FOR REFORM

Lawmakers are floating legislation they argue could lead to better results for Pennsylvania residents and businesses that challenge their state tax bills. The legislation would allow taxpayers in certain situations to file appeals past a statutory deadline. And in an effort to settle disputes more quickly, the legislation would create a new, independent mediation process. […]

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

Pew survey rekindles debate over state-backed IRA

A new survey claims to show that three-quarters of Pennsylvania’s small-business owners support the creation of a state-backed retirement plan that would automatically enroll workers — the kind of plan that was approved earlier this year in the state House. Nearly a quarter, or 26%, “strongly support” the idea, according to the survey, conducted by The Pew Charitable […]

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

Court sides with solar firm in zoning battle

Gratz borough in Dauphin County failed to properly advertise a meeting where it set stricter zoning standards for solar energy systems even as a company was seeking permission to build a 17-megawatt project there. That was the ruling last week from a three-judge panel of Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court, which upheld a 2022 decision by Dauphin […]

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

Shapiro order aims to boost small-biz contracting

Under an executive order signed yesterday by Gov. Josh Shapiro, the state plans to marshal government and private-sector resources to help small, diverse businesses win a bigger share of state spending. The order builds on efforts by Shapiro’s predecessor, former Gov. Tom Wolf, to diversify the ranks of state contractors. The efforts have made progress but […]

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

Shapiro licensing plan includes money-back guarantee

Tired of waiting for that professional license? If it takes too long, Gov. Josh Shapiro wants to give you your money back, a pledge outlined in an executive order he signed on Jan. 31. First, state agencies have to figure out what is “too long.” The order directs state agencies to catalog all the licenses, certificates and […]

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

Legal

PA’s top court to weigh coverage of CBD oil in workers’ comp

The state’s top court has agreed to hear a case that turns on whether employers must pay for CBD oil and other over-the-counter products under Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation program. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court will consider several questions, including whether workers’ comp law requires employers and their insurers to reimburse injured workers who buy CBD oil and […]

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

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, […]

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

Harrisburg law firms merge: ‘No other opportunities like this’

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.” […]

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

Court backs heftier fines for defrauding consumers

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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, […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

Another delay in sale of Harrisburg apartments

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 […]

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

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

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 […]

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

Lawsuit stakes claim to Live tour proceeds

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

Marketing

Real Estate

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, […]

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

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.

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.

Realty startup focuses on second-chance renters

Chris Dreisbach believes in second chances. He has made the most of his after succumbing to substance-use disorder and landing in jail in his native Lehigh Valley. The path to recovery led Dreisbach to a halfway house in Lancaster County, where he has since built a life, several businesses and a reputation as someone passionate […]

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

Dentsply’s York campus sold, with rehab on tap

A York city authority has purchased the former Dentsply Sirona campus and plans to turn it over to a developer expected to bring new life to the 17.3 acre site between West College Avenue and the Codorus Creek The $4.25 million sale, which closed in late December, is the culmination of more than a year of talks […]

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

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.

Highs donate real estate biz to family foundation

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 […]

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

Inch appeals decision that nixed industrial development

An affiliate of real estate developer Inch & Co. is challenging a decision that reversed the zoning on a parcel of land it owns near Route 30 and Pennsylvania Avenue in Manchester Township, York County. Township officials rezoned the property in 2021 for industrial development. But after fierce public outcry and a challenge from the owner […]

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

PA STARTUP TAPS INTO THE POWER OF HOME INSPECTIONS

Home inspectors gather reams of information as they poke around houses that are about to change hands. In some cases, the information prompts buyers to back out of a deal or demand concessions, such as a new roof or a lower price. But in many cases, the information is simply dumped into a binder or […]

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

Developer weighs new project in Lancaster area

High Real Estate Group LLC is taking the first step toward building a mixed-use development next to the suburban headquarters of Armstrong World Industries in Manor Township, Lancaster County. High has struck an agreement with Armstrong World to buy 476 acres south and west of the manufacturer’s campus, which sits off Columbia Avenue west of Lancaster city. Terms of […]

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

October sale sought for beleaguered Harrisburg apartments

The bankrupt owners of an uptown Harrisburg apartment complex want to hire a firm that specializes in real estate liquidation to sell the property in an auction. In a motion filed in bankruptcy court, apartment owners Uptown Partners LP are seeking court approval to hire Hilco Real Estate LLC to oversee a sale of the complex, known as Governor’s Square. […]

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

Agency mulls deal for shuttered factory

A subsidiary of the Cumberland Area Economic Development Corp. is exploring an acquisition of a recently shuttered Carlisle factory. The subsidiary, called the Real Estate Collaborative LLC, has signed a letter of intent to buy the plant formerly operated by The Frog, Switch & Manufacturing Co. at 600 E. High St. in the Cumberland County borough. But first, […]

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

Podcast: The local real estate market

Rising interest rates. A push back to the office. The boom in ecommerce and warehousing. Plenty of factors are influencing the real estate market nationally. But what is the market like locally? John Birkeland of Rock Commercial Real Estate, Jason Phillips of Coldwell Banker Realty and Shanna Terroso, CEO of the Realtors Association of York […]

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

York city apartment plans advance

At a meeting June 6, York city council approved plans for a 140-unit apartment building in part of an area known as the Northwest Triangle, a zone that has long been targeted for redevelopment. The plans were pitched by Statewide Partners LLC, a regional developer with offices in Harrisburg and York. “We think that this project is the […]

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

Rite Aid sells HQ to Philly-area developers

Philadelphia-area developers have purchased the former Rite Aid headquarters in Cumberland County and plan to redevelop the site. Affiliates of Jenkintown-based Goodman Properties and Malvern-based E. Kahn Development paid $4.735 million for the roughly 205,000 square-foot complex, according to county deed records. The developers are still working out their plans for the site, which is at 30 Hunter Lane in East […]

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

Harrisburg federal building sold again

The Harrisburg federal building has changed hands after all. Global Ocean Investments, which bought the 11-story building about a year ago for $10.01 million, has sold it for $13.13 million, according to Dauphin County deed records. The buyer is 1422 Route 179 Florida Realty LLC., whose leader affirmed plans to convert the office tower at 228 Walnut St. […]

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

Drayer HQ sold to home-care provider

A Lancaster-area home-care company has purchased the corporate headquarters of Drayer Physical Therapy Institute in Swatara Township, Dauphin County. Druk Homecare Services, a home-care provider based in East Hempfield Township, paid $1.7 million for the 20,812 square-foot office building at 8205 Presidents Drive, according to county deed records. Druk plans to relocate to the second floor of the […]

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

York-area golf course sold

Inch & Co., a York-based construction and real estate company, has purchased Regents’ Glen Country Club in Spring Garden Township, York County. According to county deed records, Inch affiliate RG Golf Course LLC paid nearly $2.3 million for the property, which includes the course, the clubhouse and an event venue called Box Hill Mansion. The seller was The Greens at Regents […]

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

Technology

Other Categories

"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."

The Latest News

Banking & Finance

Construction

Economy

entrepreneurship

Food

Government

Health Care

Legal

Manufacturing

Marketing

Real Estate

Retail

Technology

Other Categories

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

NEWS THAT MATTERS IN YOUR INBOX: