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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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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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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Court rejects expanded view of prevailing-wage law

A state court has reversed a decision that could have added millions of dollars in costs to construction projects financed with bonds issued by municipal authorities. The ruling last week by Commonwealth Court revolved around interpretations of the state’s prevailing-wage law, which sets a minimum wage for workers on projects funded by public money.The case arose […]

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Regional construction firm changes hands

When Seth Hughes first stepped onto a construction site as a teenager, he didn’t think about owning a construction company someday. But as his career advanced, it started to emerge as a goal, Hughes said.The goal is now a reality. Hughes has purchased Mechanicsburg-based Mowery Construction from its previous owner, David Cross. The pair began laying the groundwork […]

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Deal adds IT talent for West Shore Home

Home remodeler West Shore Home has long described itself as a technology-enabled company. The Mechanicsburg-based firm now owns a technology company. West Shore Home said yesterday it has purchased Design Center Inc., a firm based in St. Paul, Minnesota. Terms of the deal were not disclosed but it adds 23 employees to West Shore Home, which has been […]

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West Shore construction firm on the move

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

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New owners plan facelift for former Coakley’s

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

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Brewery on tap for mixed-use project

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

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Regional projects land $50M-plus in state funds

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

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York taps new developer for vacant industrial tract

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

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Another massive warehouse complex eyed for I-83 corridor

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

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New venture aims to streamline project subcontracting

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

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Vehicle-parts manufacturer moving operations to York area

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

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Lawsuit challenges revised PA building standards

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

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entrepreneurship

Food

Saxton & Stump

Sara Arndt has been promoted to senior vice president of success and operations at Saxton & Stump, a Lancaster-based law firm. She had been vice president of success and operations. Arndt will continue to partner with firm leadership and practice group leaders as the firm advances a multi-year transformation strategy focused on artificial intelligence, technology […]

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Community Progress Council

Lisa Ritt has been named director of facilities at Community Progress Council, a York-based nonprofit. Ritt will lead strategic planning and day-to-day management of CPC’s more than 20 locations throughout York County. She brings more than 20 years of experience in facilities management across commercial and multi-site environments. She has held leadership roles overseeing facilities […]

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Data center standards squeeze through House panel

State lawmakers moved yesterday to give some teeth to standards that Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed last month for data centers, including conditions on a lucrative tax break enjoyed by the facilities. The House Finance Committee narrowly approved legislation giving developers speedier state permit reviews in return for meeting minimum standards for protecting the environment, benefiting […]

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Penn-Mar Human Services

Audra Hurd has been named chief technology officer for Penn-Mar Human Services. It is a new position for the nonprofit, which provides services and support to about 400 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in southern Pennsylvania and northern Maryland. Hurd, who has more than 20 years of nonprofit tech experience, worked most recently as […]

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Clock ticks on state budget, gaming regulation

Thanks to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, state lawmakers now face two deadlines: one to pass a budget and one to figure out whether and how to regulate and tax skill games. Skill games — slot-like devices said to require some element of skill in order to win — have been operating in legal limbo for […]

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YWCA Lancaster

Stacie Blake is resigning from her role as CEO of YWCA Lancaster effective in December. The nonprofit has formed a search committee, led by board members Dr. Gretchel Hathaway and Karen King, to find Blake’s successor. Blake has led YWCA Lancaster since September 2019. Under her leadership, the nonprofit launched the Center for Racial and Gender Equity […]

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Pennsylvania Chamber Insurance

Mark Weber has been named president of Pennsylvania Chamber Insurance, a for-profit brokerage subsidiary of the Harrisburg-based Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry The position had been vacant for several years, according to a chamber spokesperson. The company, known as PCI, was led most recently by a pair of COOs who are no longer with the […]

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Kreider Farms

Tom Beachler, president of Kreider Farms, is retiring this month after a career of more than 45 years at the Penn Township, Lancaster County-based dairy and egg producer. The company has not yet named a successor. But Beachler’s son, Ben, was named COO of Kreider Farms last year, according to a company spokesperson. Tom Beachler joined […]

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Nonprofit plans residential conversion at former medical office

A real estate affiliate of Lancaster-based housing nonprofit Community Basics Inc. paid $1.5 million for a former medical office building at 3045 Marietta Ave. in East Hempfield Township, Lancaster County, according to county deed records. The nonprofit aims to convert the roughly 15,710-square-foot building into 16 affordable units for people with disabilities experiencing homelessness. David […]

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Lancaster-area startup brings better data to racquet sports

When John Weinlader was learning to swing a golf club, simulators generated plenty of information that helped him hone his approach and figure out if he was making progress. Tennis, not so much. “I had no way of knowing if I was improving,” Weinlader said. After he and his brother sold their two Lancaster-area companies […]

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WellSpan Health

Wasif Jamal has been named chief information officer of WellSpan Health, a regional health system based in York. He succeeds Hal Baker, who retired. Jamal brings more than 15 years of experience to his role at WellSpan, which has been pioneering a raft of healthcare technologies over the years. He worked most recently as global […]

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State grants fund regional housing projects

Harrisburg nonprofit Wildheart is gearing up to break ground next month on a $3.3 million mixed-use project that will bring nine affordable apartments to Allison Hill, one of the state capital’s poorest neighborhoods. The nonprofit is laying plans for a similar project nearby — and just landed $200,000 in state grants as a kickstart. Wildheart is one […]

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Office, warehouse, commercial space leased

Serhant Capital Hill PA LLC leased approximately 3,600 square feet of office space at 4231 Trindle Road in Camp Hill. The lease marks the national residential brokerage firm’s first office in Central Pennsylvania. Campbell Commercial Partners represented the landlord. Mesha’s Ethnic Wear leased 3,200 square feet of warehouse space at 1591 S. 19th St. in […]

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Apartments on tap for West York Borough

York-area developers are nearing the finish line on approvals for building a 60-unit apartment building in West York Borough. The project recently won key zoning variances and could wrap up the land development process by the end of this summer, according to one of the developers, Jordan Ilyes, who has worked on other multifamily projects […]

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Visual production company relocates after selling Harrisburg office

Visual production firm GK Visual sold its Midtown Harrisburg headquarters last month and moved into space owned by marketing and communications agency JPL in Swatara Township, Dauphin County. GK’s six employees began working remotely during the Covid-19 pandemic and have continued to do so, reducing its need for space, said company co-owner and executive producer Nate Kresge. […]

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Saxton & Stump

Teresa Marino has joined Saxton & Stump as a shareholder and co-chair of the firm’s newly launched Pennsylvania family law practice. Marino brings nearly 20 years of experience in family law, advising clients in matters including divorce, equitable distribution, child and spousal support, child custody, and prenuptial agreements. She is particularly experienced in high-conflict and […]

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Boyer & Ritter

Emily Consoletti has been named talent development coordinator at Boyer & Ritter. Jessica Brautigam has joined the Camp Hill-based accounting firm as a senior accountant on its internal finance team. Consoletti joined Boyer & Ritter in 2021 and will partner with practice groups to enhance training and development opportunities, lead firmwide learning initiatives and support […]

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Paid-leave bill clears Senate hurdle

Legislation to create a paid family and medical leave program in Pennsylvania sailed through a Senate committee yesterday. The Senate Labor & Industry Committee approved the legislation on a vote of 9 to 2, overriding strenuous objections from the business community. The bill is sponsored by state Sen. Devlin Robinson, an Allegheny County Republican. The […]

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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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Licensing rules for ex-convicts hit snag

State officials may be taking another swing at drafting rules designed to make it easier for people with criminal records to earn professional licenses in Pennsylvania. That’s because a regulatory review panel gave the latest version a thumbs down at a meeting last week. Members of the Independent Regulatory Review Commission were concerned about some […]

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Law firm, lobbying firm team up in capital

A Harrisburg lobbying firm has formed a business affiliation with a Philadelphia-area law firm. Under the arrangement, lobbying shop The DT Firm and law firm Lamb McErlane will refer clients to each other, said Joel Frank, chairman and managing partner of Lamb McErlane. While many law firms have created in-house lobbying divisions over the last few years, Lamb McErlane […]

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Panel OKs reforms to water, sewer system sales

In a series of bipartisan votes yesterday, a state House panel approved a package of four bills designed to tweak the process for selling public water and sewer systems to private companies. The tweaks would amend a state law known as Act 12, which paved the way for greater consolidation of local water and sewer systems. Advocates […]

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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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House panel OKs bills on wage, workplace discrimination

A state House panel has passed bills on party-line votes that would strengthen protections against workplace discrimination. One bill would lower the threshold for state anti-discrimination enforcement to businesses with as few as two employees, down from the current threshold of four. Another bill would tweak provisions covering gender-based wage discrimination. It would, for example, […]

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Legal

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

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

Ben Ried and John B. Zonarich entertained merger proposals from other law firms. But none seemed as right as the union they unveiled yesterday between their respective Harrisburg firms, Mette Evans & Woodside and SkarlatosZonarich LLC. “There were other opportunities,” Zonarich said in an interview with biznewsPA. “But there were no other opportunities like this.” […]

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Court backs heftier fines for defrauding consumers

In a case that drew national attention, Pennsylvania’s highest court backed a married couple seeking a bigger award after winning a lawsuit against an insurer they accused of engaging in fraud and negligence when it sold them a life insurance policy. In 2020, an Allegheny County jury found the insurer, Ameriprise Financial, liable for $120,570 […]

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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

Feds target hiring practices at Sheetz

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is suing Sheetz, arguing that the company’s use of criminal background checks in hiring is discriminatory. The agency noted that Sheetz was not motivated by race in making hiring decisions. However, the agency claims that the convenience-store chain’s hiring practices disproportionately screened out job applicants who are Black, Native American, […]

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PA health systems sue insurer over value-based contract

A network of healthcare providers in western Pennsylvania is suing Aetna over what the providers allege is unfair treatment under the terms of a value-based contract. The contract took effect in 2023 and is supposed to reward the network, Bridges Health Partners, for reducing the cost of care while improving the health of people enrolled in Aetna’s Medicare […]

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Law firm, lobbying firm team up in capital

A Harrisburg lobbying firm has formed a business affiliation with a Philadelphia-area law firm. Under the arrangement, lobbying shop The DT

Insurers sue local contractors over recycling-plant fire

On March 8, 2022, a fire ripped through a Penn Waste recycling facility in Manchester Township, York County, knocking it out of commission. Now, three Penn Waste insurers are suing local contractors involved in building the facility and installing its sprinkler system. The insurers, which include Connecticut-based XL Insurance, are seeking to recover $26 million in damages from […]

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Another delay in sale of Harrisburg apartments

It could be another four weeks before a bankruptcy court decides the fate of the beleaguered Governor’s Square apartment complex in uptown Harrisburg. The court had been scheduled to hold a hearing April 2 on a proposed sale of the 222-unit complex But the hearing has now been moved to April 30 at the request of the […]

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House panel OKs bills on wage, workplace discrimination

A state House panel has passed bills on party-line votes that would strengthen protections against workplace discrimination. One bill would

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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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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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

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 and […]

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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 […]

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Regional construction firm changes hands

When Seth Hughes first stepped onto a construction site as a teenager, he didn’t think about owning a construction company

Borough lands state funding for proposed innovation park

State officials are giving an $8.4 million boost to plans for an innovation park in Columbia. The Lancaster County borough is collecting a grant of nearly $3.4 million and a loan of just over $5 million to help cover the costs of developing the McGinness Innovation Park on the site of a former airport in the […]

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Former Harrisburg hospital for sale, eyed for apartments

A piece of Harrisburg history is on the market — and potentially headed for a makeover. Penn Center Harrisburg, the former Polyclinic Hospital campus, is being listed at an asking price of $22 million — and with a sketch plan showing the office property as an apartment complex. “I think that the office need in Harrisburg is low,” […]

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