Subscribe to our newsletters!

The Latest News

Banking & Finance

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.

Facing insolvency, Welkowitz estate floats deal to settle debts

The estate of late Lancaster County developer Richard Welkowitz is hoping to make a deal to settle its debts, according to a filing in Lancaster County court. The proposed deal would funnel money to the estate’s secured and unsecured creditors and it would allow the estate to avoid a potential tax hit, according to the […]

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

Former PeoplesBank exec tapped to lead Lancaster credit union

Everence Federal Credit Union, a Lancaster-based credit union, has named Kristen Heisey as its new president and CEO effective June 27. Heisey worked most recently as a senior vice president overseeing marketing, communications, data analytics, client experience and product innovation at York-based PeoplesBank, which she joined in 2018. She worked before that in leadership roles […]

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

Harrisburg-area firm agrees to sale

Ritter Insurance Marketing, a Harrisburg-area firm that provides products and services to independent insurance agencies, has been sold. Dallas-based Integrity Marketing Group said May 18 it has agreed to buy Ritter, which employs about 280 people in Susquehanna Township and at satellite offices around the U.S.Terms of the deal were not disclosed. But Craig Ritter, an owner […]

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

Industry vet to guide bank’s capital-area expansion

Mansfield-based First Citizens Community Bank has hired a veteran business lender to lead its expansion into the capital region. Dragan Dodik, who has worked for several other banks in the Harrisburg area, has joined First Citizens as a senior lender and market leader.He recently played a similar role for Mifflintown-based Pennian Bank, which went on […]

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

CPA giant snaps up Harrisburg’s Andculture

Harrisburg-based Andculture is poised to become part of Chicago-based accounting and advisory firm RSM US LLP. RSM said Thursday it has reached an agreement to buy Andculture, which specializes in marketing strategy, design and technology, Terms of the deal were not disclosed. But it is expected to close June 1, according to a press release. RSM was […]

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

Local banking leader named to top job at PA chamber

Pennsylvania’s statewide business chamber has tapped a local banking executive as its next leader. Luke Bernstein, an executive at Shippensburg-based Orrstown Financial Services, is poised to become the next president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry. As of June 15, he will be taking over for Gene Barr, who announced his retirement last fall after […]

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

Fledgling venture fund makes first investments

After raising roughly $10 million, a startup venture fund in York has disclosed an inaugural round of investments. Martin Fedorko, left, and Alexa Born founded White Rose Ventures in 2020 (photo/submitted). White Rose Ventures has plowed $1.73 million into companies in Lancaster, Harrisburg and YorkThe firm also unveiled a nonprofit, Braided River Collective, designed to support entrepreneurs around […]

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

Investor wants new board members for PeoplesBank parent

The war of words over a regional bank is morphing into a war over board seats. An activist investor is nominating three members to the board of Codorus Valley Bancorp, a trio of executives the investor believes would better represent the interests of shareholders.The investor, Abbott Cooper of New York hedge fund Driver Management, has been pushing since last summer […]

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

Lancaster bank plans mobile branches in upper Dauphin

Bank of Bird-in-Hand is seeking permission from state regulators to bring one of its mobile branches – dubbed Gelt buses – into upper Dauphin County. The buses are designed to serve the Amish and other members of the Plain community.

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

A look back at M&A in Central PA

The past year has been a busy one for mergers and acquisitions in Central Pennsylvania. Take a closer look at the action in this month-by-month recap for 2021. Unless otherwise indicated, the deal terms were not disclosed. January: U-GRO Learning Centres, a Derry Township-based preschool chain, was purchased by Michigan-based Learning Care Group, one of […]

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

Venture firm takes root in York

Martin Fedorko did not cross the finish line the first time he tried to create a venture fund in York County. But he came away with valuable lessons he is applying to his latest effort: White Rose Ventures Most importantly, he learned that York County’s would-be investors are indeed interested in backing local companies. They […]

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

West Shore firm partners with Wells Fargo to distribute new credit-application tech

For nearly two decades, Cumberland County tech company Versatile Credit has been making it easier for businesses to offer in-store credit. Its latest device, called Snap Sign, makes it as easy as pointing a mobile phone at a plastic sign. The signs are a secure, contactless alternative to in-store kiosks, tablets or paper applications that […]

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 […]

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.

Another massive warehouse complex eyed for I-83 corridor

The warehouse project is still a long way from approval. But concepts floated by Missouri-based NorthPoint Development show roughly 1.5 million to 2 million square feet of warehouse space in multiple buildings, according to Tim James, manager of Manchester Township, where the project is being considered.

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

New venture aims to streamline project subcontracting

Shortages of labor and materials are giving companies headaches. Michael Bistline is hoping to bring some targeted relief through a new venture launched this month by his Harrisburg-area business, Phillips Workplace Interiors. The venture is called Condivx and it aims to serve as a one-stop shop for general contractors looking for subcontractors at a time […]

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

Vehicle-parts manufacturer moving operations to York area

Mobile Climate Control, which already has a distribution Center in York County, is consolidating all of its U.S. operations at a new facility in West Manchester Township.

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

Lawsuit challenges revised PA building standards

The Pennsylvania Builders Association doesn’t oppose standards that ensure buildings are accessible to people with disabilities. It opposes the most-recent revision process, which could raise construction costs for multifamily buildings going forward,

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

entrepreneurship

Food

Select Medical co-founder leads consortium in $3.9 billion buyout

Mechanicsburg-based rehab giant Select Medical Corp is going private in a buyout deal valued at $3.9 billion. The buyer is a consortium led by Select Medical co-founder and executive chairman Robert Ortenzio; Martin F. Jackson, Select Medical’s senior executive vice president of strategic finance and operations; and private equity firm Welsh Carson Anderson & Stowe. The buyout prices outstanding shares […]

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

Pennsylvania gets a slice of $100M Walmart settlement

Walmart has reached a $100 million settlement in a multistate complaint over compensation for delivery drivers in its eight-year-old Spark Driver Program. Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday was part of a bipartisan group of attorneys general and the Federal Trade Commission that pressed the complaint, according to a press release. The settlement, filed on Feb 26, resolved allegations […]

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

York-based community theater restructuring

Lyn Bergdoll, executive director of Creative York, will step up to lead The Belmont Theatre as the two nonprofit organizations enter into a managerial and administrative agreement to be run by Creative York. “We are excited about the opportunities this collaboration will have for both organizations,” shares Bergdoll. “Creative York artists have an opportunity to […]

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

Fulton Financial Corp.

Bernadette Taylor is retiring June 5 as chief human resources officer of Lancaster-based Fulton Financial Corp. Taylor joined Fulton in 1994 as corporate training director and was promoted to leadership positions in human resources, becoming chief HR officer in 2015. She will be succeeded by Karen Grafje, currently director of total rewards and HR solutions. Fulton, […]

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

Guv, fiscal office diverge on revenue projections

How much money will Pennsyvania collect if it switches to combined reporting, a form of taxation designed to bring in more taxes on corporate profits? It depends on who’s counting. The Independent Fiscal Office, a state budget watchdog, would bring in an additional $58 million in taxes during the fiscal year starting in July. In […]

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

Adams County mobile home community sold

Biglerville-based Ridge Rentals LLC paid just over $2.7 million for Calvary Heights, a 55-plus mobile-home community in Adams County, according to Lemoyne-based real estate firm RSR Realtors. Curt Trogner of RSR represented the seller, Abbottstown-based Park Acquisition LLC. A spokesperson for Ridge Rentals said the company plans no changes at Calvary Heights, which features 45 rental pads, as well […]

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

Harrisburg nonprofit eyes merger

Harrisburg-based nonprofit Keystone Human Services is exploring a merger with Mikayla’s Voice, a smaller charity based in Allentown. The two organizations announced their intention to merge this month and said they expect to make a formal announcement this spring. A Keystone exec declined to comment prior to the announcement. Mikayla’s Voice works with schools to create programs […]

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

Clarity in chaos: Finding economic signals that business leaders can trust

Column by Richard Randall Businesses are witnessing a lot of economic and political chaos lately. Between on-again, off-again tariffs and

With buyer in the wings, dairy biz files bankruptcy

Harrisburg Dairies Inc., which reportedly ceased operations last fall after losing a key contract, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last week and is in the process of selling its business. Indeed, the Harrisburg-based dairy processor and distributor has already entered into a sales agreement for its business and real estate, and the company hopes to […]

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

United Concordia Dental

Jake Lewis has been named vice president, government programs and strategy, for Harrisburg-based dental insurer United Concordia Dental. In this new role, he will oversee the strategic direction and execution of the company’s government relations and contracting efforts. Lewis worked most recently as the acting deputy assistant administrator for acquisition and business services at the […]

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

Lebanon County RV park sold as part of multisite deal

An RV park in northern Lebanon County has new owners. Twin Grove RV Resort & Cottages in Union Township was scooped up by Nashville, Tennessee-based Streamside Parks. The price for the 105-acre destination was $5 million in cash and $9 million in “other consideration,” according to county deed records. A Streamside spokesperson declined to comment on the financial […]

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

Lancaster water services firms merge

A pair of companies providing water-related services have become one. HQ Water Solutions, a Lancaster-based company that sells water testing services and treatment systems to residential and commercial clients, has acquired PA Water & Energy Solutions, a similar company based in Manheim Township, Lancaster County. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1984 by […]

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

Inventory error could ding earnings for grocery chain

In a regulatory filing, Weis Markets disclosed that it overstated some of its inventory and plans to restate its financials going back to 2022. As a result of the accounting miscue, the Sunbury-based grocery chain said investors could no longer rely on its financial reports covering fiscal years 2022, 2023, 2024 and the first three quarters of […]

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

Bank sheds admin building in sale-leaseback deal

With fewer employees reporting the office, Lancaster-based Fulton Financial Corp. sold its administrative services building in East Petersburg and is leasing back a little less than half of the space. The building at 1695 State St. in the Lancaster County borough spans about 100,000 square feet, according to Fulton spokesperson Steve Trapnell. It houses a range […]

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

McNees Wallace & Nurick

Dominique Hall has joined the Frederick, Maryland, office of Harrisburg-based McNees Wallace & Nurick as part of the law firm’s litigation group. Hall previously worked at a law firm Washington, D.C., where she focused on trial-level disputes for corporate and consumer protection cases. She has a law degree from Howard University School of Law and […]

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

Pennsylvania doesn’t need the next Silicon Valley. It needs an ecosystem that actually works.

Column by Jayamohan Ecosystems aren’t designed. They emerge. We learn this early in biology (thanks to my son who is

Pizza chain clears hurdle to opening in Lancaster area

Grotto Pizza is buying a liquor license for its new location at 1515 Lititz Pike in Manheim Township, Lancaster County, its first spot in Central Pennsylvania. The license — attached to a shuttered eatery in Lancaster city called Queen 6-Pak Restaurant — is currently in safekeeping, which allows a licensee to hold onto a license that is […]

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

Settlement reached in lawsuit over work at hospital tower

Regional contractors have settled a lawsuit over allegedly defective concrete used during construction of a new hospital tower in York. York-based Kinsley Construction initiated the lawsuit in York County court last spring, claiming that other contractors refused to pay the company after it provided concrete for the foundation of a surgical tower under construction at WellSpan York Hospital, the […]

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.

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 […]

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.

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 […]

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.

Legal

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 […]

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

High court to hear dispute over prevailing wage

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case involving application of prevailing wages to a $17.2 million build-to-lease project for a State Police barracks and training center in Luzerne County. Administrative rulings sought to apply prevailing wages to the project, based on the notion that the state’s 20-year lease for the property essentially […]

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

Dauphin County winery files bankruptcy, seeks buyer

A Dauphin County winery and related businesses have filed for bankruptcy as they look for a buyer for their operations. Spring Gate Winery parent company Schoffstall Farm LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May 14 after experiencing six-figure losses in 2021 and 2022, according to a petition before U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of […]

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

Bankrupty of Harrisburg apartment owner takes new turn

A new twist is complicating the bankruptcy case of Uptown Partners LP, the Maryland-based owner of Governor’s Square apartment complex in Uptown Harrisburg. The company managing the affordable-housing complex, Landex Management LLC, is asking the court to void its contract with Uptown Partners, arguing that the owner is not providing enough resources to manage the beleaguered property […]

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

High court rejects borough’s appeal over solar project

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court decided this week not to accept an appeal from Gratz Borough over a lower-court ruling that favored a company seeking to develop a solar farm in the northern Dauphin County municipality. The appeal followed a Commonwealth Court ruling last fall that the borough failed to properly advertise a meeting where it set stricter zoning standards […]

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

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

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

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.

Marketing

Real Estate

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.

Hanover plaza near proposed Wawa sells for $2.2M

Local shopping centers are continuing to attract interest from area buyers. The latest example is Penn Plaza, an 82,500 square-foot shopping center at 1019 Baltimore St. in Penn Township, York County, outside Hanover. The Trone Family Trust, based in Hanover, paid $2.2 million for the plaza, which counts an Ollie’s Bargain Outlet store and a Ninja Logic gym among […]

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

Hanover-area plaza goes for $28.75M

A Hanover-area mall is under new ownership. Plymouth Meeting-based real estate company Pennmark Management paid $28.75 million for Gateway Hanover, a 192,774 square-foot shopping center just north of the York County borough. It was developed starting in 2010.The seller was Hanover-based Conewago North Ridge Partners LP, according to Brad Rohrbaugh, retail director for York-based real estate firm Bennett Williams […]

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

Text marketing firm moves to Lancaster

Last fall, Lancaster-based private equity firm PennSpring Capital bought a majority stake in Mobiniti, a text marketing firm based in Wilkes-Barre. This week, a PennSpring entity paid $1.55 million for a building in Lancaster where it plans to relocate the operations of Mobiniti, which employs about 20 people.The move brings Mobiniti closer to PennSpring, which offers support to […]

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

Youth-focused nonprofit buys Front Street office

A Harrisburg-based, youth-focused nonprofit has purchased the longtime home of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association at 3899 N. Front St. Youth Advocate Programs Inc. paid $2.235 million for the 18,000 square-foot building in Susquehanna Township, according to Dauphin County deed records.The nonprofit — which provides community-based services to at-risk youth — plans to move around 80 staff members there […]

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: