Subscribe to our newsletters!

The Latest News

Banking & Finance

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.

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.

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 […]

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.

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 […]

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

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 […]

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.

High court rules in dispute over PA wage law

Pennsylvania’s top court has backed a lower court’s decision in a closely watched case involving application of the state’s prevailing wage law. The case hinged on conflicting views of the law, which sets a minimum wage for workers on publicly funded projects. What’s the issue: Whether prevailing wages should be paid on a private-sector project […]

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

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.

Plan unveiled for suburban Harrisburg mall

A Maryland developer has revealed its vision for what will replace the Harrisburg Mall, a longtime suburban destination destined for the wrecking ball. Baltimore-based St. John Properties is proposing a roughly 550,000 square-foot development — dubbed Swatara Exchange — that includes a mix of retail and commercial buildings, with a smidgen of office space. While the plan calls for […]

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

Kinsley, Royal Square partner on $7M apartment project

Kinsley Properties and Royal Square Development & Construction have formed a joint venture to convert a vacant office building in downtown York into a 43-unit apartment. The 38,000 square-foot building is the former Fox Bakery at 204 N. George St., not far from WellSpan Park. Construction on the $7 million project began this week and is expected to wrap […]

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

Fast-growing remodeler opens Texas office

Two years after christening a brand-new headquarters in Cumberland County, West Shore Home has opened its third corporate office. This one is an 82,000 square facility in the Dallas suburb of Irving, Texas, that includes office space for more than 120 employees. “West Shore Home is growing at an explosive rate and this is the next step in our goal […]

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

Court ruling could expand contractors’ liability

Contractors typically face some liability for issues that arise after they finish their work for a property owner. A Supreme Court ruling this week potentially expands that liability. In a split opinion, justices ruled that a contractor could be held liable for allegedly defective work even if the property owner knew there was a problem. Under […]

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

Land-use fights flare across Central PA

The ground may be cold but battles over land use in Central Pennsylvania are heating up. Residents and developers are clashing on several fronts across the region. Not surprisingly, proposed warehouses are among the sharpest points of contention. Large-scale solar projects have triggered outcries, as well. But disputes also have arisen over housing, most notably in […]

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

Flagger Force sells stake to investment firm

With spending on bridges and highways expected to ramp up, a Florida-based investment firm has bought into Flagger Force, a Hummelstown-based company whose crews can be found directing traffic around work sites. Blue Sea Capital said yesterday it had invested in Flagger Force as part of a strategic partnership to support the company’s growth. Terms of the deal […]

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

Two Kinsley brothers die in avalanche during ski trip

York County has lost two of its most prominent business and philanthropic leaders. Brothers Jonathan and Timothy Kinsley died Monday while on a skiing trip in British Columbia. Jonathan, 59, was an executive with York-based Kinsley Enterprises, which oversees the Kinsley family’s business assets, including Kinsley Construction. Timothy, 57, was president of Kinsley Properties, a real estate development […]

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

Low-interest loan bolsters Lancaster apartment project

Construction on $15 million affordable-housing project in Lancaster city is pulling closer to the starting bell. The developer, a Lancaster-based real estate investment fund called OZFund Inc., has landed a low-interest $1.8 million loan to help cover the costs of stormwater remediation and a “green roof” for the project, which is slated for 800 S. Queen St. […]

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

Longtime CEO to retire from regional engineering firm

Robert Grubic is retiring as CEO of the engineering firm that has borne his name for just over four decades. As of the end of this year, the next CEO of Harrisburg-based Herbert Rowland & Grubic will be Jason Fralick, who has been its president since 2019.Grubic plans to remain chairman of the board at the employee-owned company.“HRG […]

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

Camp Hill firm forges ahead with $29M project

A mixed-use development is taking shape along Route 15 in Upper Allen Township, Cumberland County. Camp Hill developer Linlo Properties began site work in May for the project, dubbed The Mills at Shepherdstown Crossing.Once completed, it will bring 54 apartments, retail space, a Burger King and a Chick-fil-A to the intersection of Gettysburg Pike and South Market Street, which offers access to […]

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

entrepreneurship

Food

Shapiro toughens stance on data center projects

Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an executive order yesterday outlining strict requirements data centers must comply with before receiving state approval. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will only review permit applications if developers have made a legally binding commitment to meet the Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) requirements and have received approval from the local communities they […]

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

Toll evasion continues to plague turnpike

Despite new ways to crack down on drivers who dodge tolls, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission still struggles to collect what it’s owed, according to a report released Friday by the state’s independent auditor. At the same time, the commission has improved its ability to repay its own debt and boosted its credit rating, though it […]

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

Regional bank plans Ephrata-area branch

Mid Penn Bank is planning a new branch in the Ephrata area near where The Giant Co. is building a supermarket. The Millersburg-based lender is seeking regulatory permission to open a branch at 35 Hackman Road, a street address along the border between Clay and Ephrata townships off Route 322 northwest of Ephrata borough, according to state regulatory […]

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

Embattled York-area scrapyard tells court it is shutting down for good

J&K Salvage, the embattled York-area scrapyard, told a federal court this week that it’s permanently closing. The filing was made in the context of an environmental group’s lawsuit against the scrapyard, and it follows a sale of J&K’s property in June to an affiliate of York-area developer Inch & Co. After the sale, it wasn’t clear if the […]

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

Customers Bank

Patricia “Patti” Husic has joined Customers Bank as a business development officer for middle market banking in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, according to a bank spokesperson. Husic is a veteran Central Pennsylvania banker who led Harrisburg-based Centric Financial for more than 15 years and oversaw growth into southeastern Pennsylvania. Her tenure ended in 2023 when Centric was […]

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

York County winery, owner sue attorneys over court losses

The legal saga surrounding Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery in York County is entering a new phase. The winery and its owner, Jim Miller, are suing two law firms that represented them as they fought unsuccessfully against efforts to shut down the business. Miller initiated the first lawsuit in 2024 against CGA Law Firm. The York-based firm defended the […]

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

Heller pleads guilty in ATM fraud

At a court hearing yesterday in Philadelphia, Daryl Heller entered a guilty plea for his role in defrauding roughly 2,700 investors in an ATM network that he founded and operated through a Lancaster-based business. According to documents filed by the federal government, Heller admitted sole responsibility for the fraud, which used proceeds from new investors to […]

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

McNees Wallace & Nurick

Phillip Michael has joined McNees Wallace & Nurick‘s litigation group in the Harrisburg-based law firm’s Lancaster office. Michael will focus on commercial and civil litigation, representing businesses and individuals in contract and business ownership disputes, real estate and employment matters, municipal and civil rights claims, and higher education matters. He joins McNees from a Lancaster-based […]

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

Herculite Products

Gwen Conley has joined Herculite Products as an innovation engineer at the company. She worked most recently as a junior materials research engineer at Greenleaf Corp., where she contributed to research and development projects aimed at improving existing products and processes in the metal-cutting industry. Conley has a bachelor’s degree in physics with a minor […]

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

Cops, bankers unite in push for new protections against senior financial abuse

An unusual coalition of financial institutions, law enforcement agencies and prosecutors in Pennsylvania is urging state lawmakers to pass legislation this fall to stop a growing problem: scammers who target and financially exploit senior citizens. In a letter last month, the Pennsylvania Bankers Association, the Pennsylvania Association of Community Bankers, the CrossState Credit Union Association, the Pennsylvania Chiefs of […]

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

York, Lancaster firms land state loans

Companies in Lancaster and York counties are among the businesses that will be getting low-interest loans through the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA). Who’s in Lancaster: 637 N Plum St. LLC. The partnership secured a $200,000 loan, administered through the EDC Finance Corp., for 15 years at a 5% fixed interest rate. The loan will […]

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

Cumberland Valley tourism destinations garner grants to lure visitors

The Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation (CAEDC), through the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau, will be awarding more than $1.1 million in tourism grants to a number of entities to help encourage visitors to come to the region. Army Heritage Center Foundation, $32,433: The grant will help cover the cost of an electric tram to shuttle […]

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

GreatLife Golf

GreatLIFE Golf is expanding. The company, based at 52 Gettysburg Pike in Upper Allen Township, Cumberland County, has bought River Run Golf Club in Berlin, Maryland, which is near Ocean City, Maryland. GreatLIFE Golf says it now has 21 facilities that it owns or leases. The company intends to improve the tees, fairways and greens, […]

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

West Shore Home

West Shore Home, the Mechanicsburg-based home remodeling company has hired Brian Nabet as chief technology officer (CTO). Nabet has more than 25 years of experience in technology leadership, spanning manufacturing, financial services and defense. He most recently spent seven years at Armstrong World Industries, where he was chief information officer and ran the company’s artificial […]

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

Data center plans on hold in South Hanover Township

The attorney for HCI DP Land Acquisition, also known as Hanover Co., notified a suburban Harrisburg township on July 31 that the company would “indefinitely extend” the time for a zoning challenge and special exception application submitted in June on behalf of a data center project. In a separate July 31 notice to residents in […]

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

Lancaster landowner, landscaper loses agricultural-based zoning case

In January 2021, a Lancaster County business owner purchased a 27-acre property zoned for agricultural uses in East Drumore Township, which is in the Quarryville area of the county. Almost immediately, township officials noticed that landscaping trucks were being parked at the property. After an investigation that included observing the comings and goings of trucks […]

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

Distributor of classic auto parts expands operations

Harrisburg-based CJ Pony Parts has acquired auto restoration-focused brands from Holley Performance Products, including the Scott Drake and Brothers Trucks brands. The transaction expands CJ Pony Parts’ product portfolio in the classic vehicle aftermarket and further establishes it in the multi-brand restoration platform, the company says in a news release. CJ Pony Parts will integrate […]

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

Inch & Co. expands operations with deal in Huntingdon County

York County-based Inch & Co. recently bought D.C. Goodman & Sons, a 112-year-old trades contracting company in the Huntingdon County region. All current D.C. Goodman & Sons employees are being retained, and the company’s name and Huntingdon base of operations will continue, Inch says in a news release. Inch is hiring additional staff to grow, […]

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

Pharma giant plowing millions into Lancaster County campus

Life sciences heavyweight GSK is investing up to $800 million into its Marietta-area campus with plans to boost capacity and produce cutting-edge vaccines targeting illnesses like pneumonia and meningitis. The project, described as the British company’s largest-ever investment in U.S. manufacturing, entails construction of a new 300,000 square-foot facility and refurbishment of an existing building, along with […]

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

State testing $10M program to boost housing supply

State officials yesterday unveiled a pilot grant program designed to fund mixed-use projects with a residential component. State officials see the $10 million program as a first step in addressing the shortage of affordable housing in Pennsylvania, a shortage that is drawing attention at every level of government. Funding is available for preparing sites for […]

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

House OKs tax credits for new power generation

Companies that build or expand power plants in Pennsylvania stand to benefit from millions of dollars in tax credits under legislation approved in the state House. However, the companies would have to navigate complicated criteria to claim the credits, including requirements capping carbon emissions and setting minimum thresholds for capital spending. The legislation updates a […]

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

PA revenue chief, state senator clash over tax-records request

A Pennsylvania state senator is escalating his dispute with the state revenue department over tax records related to an economic development zone in the Lehigh Valley. For the last few months, Sen. Jarrett Coleman has been seeking tax records related to a state-sanctioned improvement zone in downtown Allentown and questioning whether taxpayers are getting their […]

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

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 […]

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

$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 […]

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

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. […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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, […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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, […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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.

Marketing

Real Estate

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.

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

Harsco Headquarters sold to local developer

As it gears up for a move to Philadelphia, Harsco has unloaded its longtime Wormleysburg headquarters this year for $4.3 million. However, the roughly 42,000 square-foot building will remain a corporate headquarters. A partnership that includes Lemoyne-based Rhodes Development Group bought the building and plans to move there, along with two of its operating divisions, according to Larry Kluger, president […]

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

York-area office building sold for nearly $6M

Seeking a more modern office environment for its York-area staff, a Lancaster-based residential real estate firm is moving down the street. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Homesale Realty bought an office building at 2600 Eastern Blvd. in Springettsbury Township and plans to move its staff there in mid to late September, according to Rod Messick, the firm’s CEO.Homesale Realty plans […]

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: