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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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.

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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 […]

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Engineering firm opens MD, western PA offices

A Harrisburg-area engineering firm has added two new offices, including its first-ever location in Maryland. HRG has opened offices in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and Hagerstown, Maryland, hoping to make greater inroads in both areas. The additions bring the firm, based in Swatara Township, Dauphin County, to a dozen offices, with 10 in Pennsylvania and one each […]

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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 […]

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Deal brings Gannett Fleming a bigger piece of Texas

Everything is bigger in Texas, including spending on roads, bridges, pipes and other infrastructure. “It’s the place to be in our world,” said Bob Scaer, CEO of engineering firm Gannett Fleming. “And you can’t penetrate that by hiring a person to start growing. The only way in is acquisition.” For Camp Hill-based Gannett Fleming, that acquisition […]

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Small housing group aims for bigger impact

About a dozen years ago, several members of East Chestnut Street Mennonite Church in Lancaster banded together to start a nonprofit focused on creating affordable housing, with a focus on people experiencing homelessness. Their first project was the purchase and conversion of a single-family home at 639 E. Chestnut St. Over the next decade, the […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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. […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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entrepreneurship

Food

Penn State Health

Dara Royer has been named chief marketing and communications officer of Penn State Health effective June 29. She succeeds Sean Young, who retired in fall 2025. Royer worked most recently as chief marketing officer of Syracuse University in New York. She also has held leadership roles with global nonprofit Mercy Corps and ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. She […]

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PNC economist sees tests for consumer, corporate resilience

It will be no surprise if the Federal Reserve keeps interest rates flat after it ends a two-day meeting today. There is nothing flat about the rest of the economy, with oil prices spiking and U.S. tariffs still above their historical average. The risks, however, are primarily to the downside, according to Jay Hawkins, senior […]

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Capital-area vape shop prevails in state tax case

A Pennsylvania court has rebuffed state efforts to tax tobacco products made and sold by a Harrisburg-area vape shop In a 13-page ruling last week, a seven-judge panel of Commonwealth Court acknowledged that East Coast Vapor LLC appeared to be exploiting a loophole in state law. But the remedy is to change the law, not side with […]

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Flex, retail, office leases inked

Bel Fuse Inc. leased 8,426 square feet of flex space at 1410-1422 Sixth Ave. in York from 6th Avenue LP. David L. Bode of ROCK Commercial Real Estate represented the landlord. Courtney Brooke Rosenkrantz of Cushman & Wakefield represented the tenant. ei studio LLC leased 5,294 square feet of retail space at 3985 Columbia Ave. […]

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Questions cloud TMI restart plans

Facing a roadblock in its quest to restart and reconnect a nuclear generator on Three Mile Island by next year, the plant’s Baltimore-based owner thinks it has a way around the obstacles. Critics are saying, “not so fast.” They argue the company’s solution would allow it to bypass others waiting for their chance to connect to […]

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Incoming HU leader optimistic despite financial, enrollment challenges

Christopher Reber interviewed for other leadership roles in higher education. But he could not turn down the offer from an institution close to his hometown of York. He accepted a job this month as president of Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, an institution that has struggled financially but that Reber believes holds lots of potential. […]

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F&M Trust

Chad Carroll has been named president of F&M Trust in addition to his current job as COO. The president role had been held by CEO Craig Best, who will remain chief executive of the Chambersburg-based bank. Carroll joined F&M Trust in 2023 as COO following a stint as chief administrative officer and consumer banking director […]

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PA regulators notch win in long-running feud with title lender

State banking regulators have scored a victory in their long-running quest to penalize an out-of-state lender for charging allegedly excessive interest rates. In a 17-page ruling this week, a three-judge panel of Commonwealth Court refused to intervene in regulatory proceedings that could result in a $52.7 million civil penalty for the lender, Carrollton, Texas-based TitleMax. Efforts […]

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RKL Private Wealth

Laurie Peer plans to retire at the end of this year from her role as president of RKL Private Wealth, the wealth management division of Lancaster-based professional services firm RKL LLP. She will be succeeded as president by David Morais, effective Sept. 1. Tom Reardon will become the division’s executive vice president at the same time. […]

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Flex, office/retail spaces sold in Harrisburg

Dillsburg Roofing Siding and Windows LLC paid $850,000 for approximately 9,055 square feet of flex space spanning several buildings at 8011 Paxton St. in Harrisburg, according to county deed records. Larry Kostelac of Campbell Commercial Partners represented the seller, Landpro Equipment LLC. Laura Martin of SVN Latus represented the buyer. Huang Investments LLC paid $560,000 […]

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Site Design Concepts Inc.

Thomas Englerth II has been named president of Site Design Concepts Inc., a York-based civil engineering and land surveying firm with an office in Lancaster. He succeeds Brad Peters, who founded the firm and led it for 30 years. Peters plans to retain his role as CEO, with a focus on strategic oversight and staff mentorship. […]

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Health insurer bucks decline in ACA market

High premiums have squeezed enrollment this year in health insurance plans sold in Pennsylvania under the Affordable Care Act, a federal law designed to make individual health plans easier to afford. The decline has been attributed primarily to the expiration of enhanced federal tax credits that lowered premiums for thousands of people. Other federal credits remain […]

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York manufacturer sold amid demand for its nuclear industry products

A major defense contractor has agreed to buy Precision Components Group LLC, a storied York manufacturer with a foot in the nuclear power industry. Indeed, Precision’s nuclear business is part of the attraction for the buyer, Lynchburg, Virginia-based BWX Technologies Inc., or BWXT, which supplies nuclear components and fuel to the U.S. Navy and commercial reactors. Precision’s products […]

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Mid Penn Bank

Daniel Devine has joined Mid Penn Bank as senior vice president and senior cash management operations and product manager. Devine will lead operations for the bank’s cash management team and support product initiatives from the bank’s administrative office in Harrisburg. He reports to COO Dana Stewart. He worked most recently as senior vice president and […]

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Apartment conversion on tap for York city

After converting a former bakery into apartments, a pair of developers are moving on to their next residential conversion in York city. Kinsley Properties and Royal Square are collaborating on a roughly $5.1 million project to transform what was once a refrigerated warehouse into 20 affordable one-bedroom apartments. The project also calls for about 750 square feet of street-level […]

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Judge OKs sale of bankrupt dairy business

In an order signed last week, a federal judge approved the bankruptcy sale of Harrisburg Dairies. A New Jersey-based company called Patanjali Dairy USA LLC is paying $4.95 million for the Harrisburg Dairies real estate at 2001 Herr St. in the capital city, the company’s equipment and machinery, and rights to use the Harrisburg Dairies name, according to […]

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Lender wants sheriff’s sale for shuttered music venue in Harrisburg

A Las Vegas lender is pursuing a sheriff’s sale of the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center alleging that the partnership that owns the music venue has made only sporadic payments on a $3.72 million loan it took out in 2019. The partnership, 1110 HBG LLC, repaid nearly $400,000 between 2019 and 2021 but nothing since, according to a foreclosure […]

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Renovations to give new life to former Bethlehem Steel warehouse

Funk Construction kicked off construction yesterday at the site of a former Bethlehem Steel factory complex in Lebanon. The Lebanon-based contractor is partnering with developer common craft to renovate a former warehouse at 121 Schneider Drive in the city. The project will result in a 30,000-square-foot building dubbed Lebanon Steel Works, offering affordable space for local artists, craftspeople and […]

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State opens portal for reporting data breaches

Pennsylvania’s attorney general has set up an online portal where companies in Pennsylvania will be required to report data breaches under amendments enacted this year to the state’s breach notification laws. Signed into law in June, the amendments require companies to report breaches that affect at least 500 Pennsylvanians starting Sept. 26. In preparation for […]

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$450M project taking shape on former state hospital grounds

The grounds of the former Harrisburg State Hospital are heading for a makeover. The Pennsylvania Department of General Services yesterday unveiled plans to build a $450 million laboratory complex on the 30-acre property, which has been mostly vacant since 2006. The project includes a new $325 million, 300,000 square-foot joint lab to be shared among […]

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In York speech, Trump pledges ‘pro-American overhaul’ to boost manufacturing

In a roughly 50-minute speech yesterday afternoon at a York factory, former President Donald Trump argued that, if elected for another term, he would usher in a U.S. manufacturing boom driven by higher tariffs, lower taxes, better trade deals and a reduction in energy costs. “Together, we will reclaim our nation’s destiny as the No. […]

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York-area manufacturer resolves harassment claims

York County manufacturer AMZ Manufacturing has struck a deal settling federal allegations that it failed to take adequate action after two women complained about sexual harassment at one of its plants. The charges, filed last year, alleged violations of Title VII, the federal law barring discrimination based on race, color, sex, national origin or religion. According to the […]

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House OKs expansion to prevailing-wage law

A controversial effort to tweak Pennsylvania’s prevailing-wage law has cleared a key hurdle. The Democratic-controlled state House this week passed a bill containing the tweaks on a vote of 125 to 77, sending it to an uncertain future in the GOP-controlled Senate. What are the tweaks: The legislation, House Bill 2153, would apply prevailing wages […]

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Grant swells funding for $75M Codorus Greenway project

Federal funds are boosting plans to transform the banks of the Codorus Creek in York. The York County Economic Alliance has landed a $15 million infrastructure grant to help pay for the transformation plan, known as the Codorus Greenway project. “It’s certainly a big chunk, and it definitely helps propel the project,” said Kevin Schreiber, CEO of […]

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Health-equity proposal spurs questions from state lawmakers

Insurers could soon be facing a new requirement if they want to sell policies through Pennsylvania’s subsidized health insurance marketplace, known as Pennie. The operator of the marketplace is proposing a regulation that would require insurers to become accredited in health equity. The Pennsylvania Health Insurance Exchange Authority argues that health equity is a “well-recognized […]

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Panel OKs rules for professional licensing of ex-convicts

A state review panel signed off June 20 on rules designed to make it easier for people with criminal records to earn professional licenses. The approval is one of the final steps needed before the rules take effect. The Department of State, which oversees professional licensing in Pennsylvania, first proposed the rules in 2022. They […]

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Revamp of Harrisburg’s former federal office building snags affordable-housing funds

A state agency is showering about $7.4 million on Central Pennsylvania developers and nonprofits aiming to alleviate the shortage of affordable housing and combat homelessness. The grants announced this month by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency range in size locally from less than $50,000 to an award of $500,000, which is being given to a construction company […]

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Accenture, a major state contractor, opens Harrisburg office

Accenture, which has landed some big-ticket state contracts, has opened an office in downtown Harrisburg at 20 N. Second St. The international professional services firm is leasing about 3,100 square feet on two floors of the building, which is also home to lobbying and communications firm Bravo Group. Accenture, which also has an office in Philadelphia, […]

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House panel OKs controversial swipe-fee legislation

In a party-line vote, a House panel approved legislation on June 12 to exempt Pennsylvania sales taxes from so-called swipe fees — the fees assessed to process transactions involving credit cards. Fourteen Democrats on the committee voted for the legislation, House Bill 2394, while 11 Republicans were opposed. The exemption would mean that on a $1 […]

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Banks, retailers spar over swipe-fee legislation

Pennsylvania banks and credit unions are pushing back on proposed state legislation that would exempt the sales-tax portion of retail purchases from so-called swipe or interchange fees — the fees charged by financial services companies for processing credit card payments. The fees are typically 1% to 3% of a transaction. Under the exemption, on a […]

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Panel to reconsider rules for licensing ex-convicts

State officials are taking another crack at finalizing proposed rules that would make it easier for Pennsylvania residents with criminal records to earn professional licenses in fields ranging from accounting and nursing to cosmetology and real estate. The Department of State, which oversees professional licensure, issued a revised version of the rules this month after an earlier draft […]

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Proposed tweaks to prevailing wage spur debate

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

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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 […]

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Tax proposal raises specter of combined reporting

In a regulatory proposal published this month, Pennsylvania tax collectors are offering up a revised definition of business income, a move that sounds innocuous on its face. But observers question whether the new definition would do more than just clarify which corporate profits are subject to state taxation. The proposed changes, the observers say, could […]

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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, […]

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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 […]

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Legal

PA court rules in Covid-era insurance case

Insurers do not have to cover lost revenue for businesses that were forced to shut down during the early weeks of the Covid-19 pandemic. That’s according to a ruling handed down yesterday by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in a class-action lawsuit originally filed in Allegheny County court by a dental practice. The decision resolves conflicts between lower […]

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Lenders balk at bankrupt winery’s reorganization plan

The bankruptcy sale of Spring Gate Winery is facing some headwinds. In legal filings this month, two lenders came out against the reorganization plan filed by the Harrisburg-area winery’s parent company, Schoffstall Farm LLC. At issue is the distribution of the proceeds from a sale of the winery, should a buyer be found. One lender, Horizon Farm Credit, is objecting to […]

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Harrisburg seeks dismissal of apartment owner’s bankruptcy case

The city of Harrisburg is asking a federal court to dismiss the bankruptcy case of Uptown Partners LP, the Maryland-based owner of the Governor’s Square apartment complex in uptown Harrisburg In a filing last month, the city argues that the deteriorating apartment complex is “unlikely” to find a buyer and that state court would be a […]

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Employment provision under scrutiny in PA

Noncompete clauses were the focus when federal regulators moved to outlaw most of them earlier this year. But there are other employment provisions that can have the same “functional effect” as noncompetes, according to the Federal Trade Commission. And one subtype of those provisions is coming under scrutiny in Pennsylvania. They are provisions that require […]

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Mixed ruling allows York County winery to reopen

The legal roller coaster continues for a York County winery fighting with neighbors over its ability to continue operating. In a ruling last week, a York County judge allowed Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery to reopen this past weekend while the fight plays out in a state appeals court. It is the second time the winery has […]

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Apartment owner claims Harrisburg hampering bankruptcy sale

Harrisburg officials are allegedly hindering the sale of a beleaguered apartment complex in the city’s uptown neighborhood, according to claims raised in federal bankruptcy court by the complex’s owner, Uptown Partners LP. At issue is a list of roughly 600 crucial code violations at the affordable-housing complex, known as Governor’s Square City officials have not shared […]

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York County winery facing new orders to close

A York County winery overlooking the Susquehanna River is being forced to close for the second time this year following new rulings in a long-running legal dispute with neighbors who argue the winery violates restrictive covenants governing use of the property. Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery must cease operations by July 18, according to an order […]

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Harrisburg law firm hires first-ever finance chief

McNees, a regional law firm based in Harrisburg, has named Sara Reohr as its CFO, a new leadership role for the firm. A CPA by training, Reohr was previously a vice president and division controller for Select Medical, a Mechanicsburg-based rehab chain. At McNees, Reohr will oversee strategic financial initiatives. “As a growing and evolving firm, […]

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Court order allows winery to reopen amid land-use dispute

Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery is poised to reopen this weekend following a court order rescinding an earlier ruling that closed the 50-acre winery and event venue overlooking the Susquehanna River in Lower Windsor Township, York County. The winery shut down June 9 after it lost a six-year land-use battle with neighbors who claim the business violated restrictive […]

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Land-use fight shutters York County winery

Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery, a winery and event venue overlooking the Susquehanna River in Lower Windsor Township, York County, was forced to close as of June 9 as the result of a court order in a six-year-old legal battle between winery owner Jim Miller and neighboring homeowners Matthew Balsavage and Amanda Perko. In a […]

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Feds sue PHEAA over loan-servicing practices

In a lawsuit filed May 31, a federal consumer watchdog is alleging that the Harrisburg-based Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency misled student borrowers into thinking they still owed money after their student loans were discharged through bankruptcy. The crux of the lawsuit is a distinction between two types of student loans — those that can […]

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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

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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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

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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, […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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: […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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. […]

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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, […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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. […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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