Subscribe to our newsletters!

The Latest News

Banking & Finance

Hearing raises new questions for beleaguered ATM network

Is it fraud or a failing business? That was one of the questions hanging over a court hearing held yesterday morning to consider contempt charges against Paramount Management Group, a Lancaster-based ATM network being sued by its investors. The investors want Paramount held in contempt for its alleged failure to abide by a court order issued earlier […]

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

$15M gift to speed growth of Lancaster-based lender

Earlier this year, leaders at Lancaster-based Finanta Credit Union put together a five-year growth plan. Thanks to a $15 million gift from a familiar benefactor, the plan is likely to move much faster. Finanta was one of 199 organizations nationwide to receive donations this year from MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and a growing philanthropic […]

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

Legal woes mount for Lancaster-based ATM operator

Claims against a Lancaster-based ATM network took on new forms during a roughly one-hour hearing held Friday afternoon in a Lancaster County courtroom. An attorney representing disgruntled investors in the network raised concerns about money flows involving the network’s operator, Paramount Management Group, and questioned whether the operator had inflated the number of ATMs it owned. […]

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

Studies see benefit in state-run retirement savings

State-backed retirement plans, which have been proliferating around the U.S., appear to boost savings among workers, according to a study released yesterday. Workers are 20% more likely to contribute to a retirement savings account if they work at a business in a state that has an auto IRA program, according to the study, undertaken by […]

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

F&M Trust leader sets retirement date

Tim Henry is planning to retire effective April 29 as president and CEO of Chambersburg-based Franklin Financial Services Corp., parent of F&M Trust. “It was time,” said Henry, who will turn 67 next year. The bank is in “great shape,” he added, making it a good time to step away. He also plans to leave his role […]

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

Mid Penn to buy flagging Philly-area bank

Mid Penn Bancorp is deepening its reach in southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey with the acquisition of a Bucks County bank that has been squeezed by high interest rates. Harrisburg-based Mid Penn has agreed to pay about $127 million for Bristol-based William Penn Bancorporation. The all-stock deal is slated to close in the first half of 2025, […]

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

State authority rolls $1M into new venture fund

A new venture fund in Central Pennsylvania is closer to its fundraising goal thanks to an investment this week from a state authority. The Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority has poured $1 million into the fund, Keystone Innovation Fund II, a joint venture between York-based White Rose Ventures and State College-based 1855 Capital. The fund is on track to close by […]

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

What led a York bank to sell

Traditions Bank earned record profits in 2020 and 2021. But when interest rates shot up between March 2022 and July 2023, the York-based bank ran into financial headwinds that called into question its ability to remain independent without cutting staff and trimming plans for growth. The resulting discussions among bank executives and directors led to the deal […]

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

Retirement clouds leadership succession at regional bank

An early retirement is throwing off leadership succession plans for one of the region’s largest banks. Craig Kauffman, who was in line to take the top job at Orrstown Financial Services next year, retired as of Sept. 30, according to a Sept. 25 securities filing from the bank. Kauffman, Orrstown’s COO, decided to retire due to personal reasons […]

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

Credit union to move Harrisburg branch to West Shore

PSECU is seeking permission to relocate its branch in Strawberry Square in downtown Harrisburg to a former FNB branch at 1249 Market St. in Lemoyne, according to a filing by the Department of Banking and Securities. The Harrisburg-based credit union picked the West Shore location, in part, because it is more accessible and convenient, said Adam Stewart, the credit […]

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

Community banks in northcentral PA to merge

Mifflinburg Bancorp and Northumberland Bancorp, a pair of small community banks in northcentral Pennsylvania. said yesterday they are combining in a merger of equals valued at $34.2 million. The all-stock deal is expected to close in the first half of 2025. Mifflinburg Bancorp has assets of about $568.5 million and operates seven branches in Mifflinburg, Lewisburg, Millheim, Milton, […]

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

Fulton edges past PNC for market-share lead

A seven-county swath of Central Pennsylvania has a new No. 1 when it comes to bank deposits. Lancaster-based Fulton Bank has eclipsed longtime leader PNC Bank for the top share of deposits in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties, according to the latest data from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. As of June 30, Fulton had […]

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

Nonprofit lender lands $40M in tax credits to back projects

Community First Fund has been awarded $40 million in new market tax credits, which it can use to support economic-development projects around the region. The credits are awarded annually by the U.S. Treasury on a competitive basis. Based in Lancaster, Community First was awarded $30 million in new market tax credits last year. Those credits are […]

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

Virtual-assistant biz makes third acquisition this year

The virtual-assistant business has been a source of real-world growth for Zirtual, a portfolio company of Lancaster-based investment firm PennSpring Capital. Zirtual closed Friday on the acquisition of Double, a virtual-assistant business based in Brooklyn, New York. It’s the third deal this year for Zirtual since it was acquired by PennSpring in December. People hire virtual assistants to help […]

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

Deal boosts insurance arm for regional bank

Mid Penn Bancorp has snapped up a Dillsburg-area employee benefits firm as it seeks growth for its insurance unit. The Mid Penn unit, which does business as MPB Insurance and Risk Management, started in June 2020, primarily in property and casualty products, according to Rory Ritrievi, chair, president and CEO of the Harrisburg-based bank. The acquisition of Commonwealth […]

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

Chase plans Carlisle Pike branch

Chase Bank, the retail banking arm of financial services giant JPMorgan Chase, is seeking permission to open a branch on the edge of Hampden Commons, a shopping plaza along Carlisle Pike in Hampden Township, Cumberland County. The bank is leasing a former M&T Bank branch at 5528 Carlisle Pike, according to Brad Rohrbaugh, retail director for York-based Bennett Williams […]

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

Regional bank to cut six branches post-merger

Orrstown Financial Services is planning to shed six branches as it seeks to wring cost savings from its recent merger of equals with PeoplesBank parent Codorus Valley Bancorp. The closures, expected to take place in the fourth quarter, will result in a one-time pre-tax charge of $534,000 but yield annual pre-tax savings of about $1.7 million, according to a […]

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

Lanco wealth advisory bought by Texas firm

Another local financial advisory has landed in the arms of a larger business. Rodgers & Associates Wealth Advisers, based in Manheim Township, Lancaster County, has been acquired by Bluespring Wealth Partners, an Austin, Texas-based firm that has scooped up more than two dozen wealth management firms since it was founded five years ago. Rodgers & Associates […]

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

Harrisburg greenlights residential rehab project

Harrisburg city council this week unanimously approved acompany’s plans to convert a long-vacant building at 100 N. 13th St. into 12 apartments in a renovation project valued at $900,000, according to city records. Erected in 1922, the roughly 11,580-square-foot building is a former publishing company office that has been vacant for decades, according to Jarred […]

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

Townhomes coming to former hospital site

Miami-based homebuilding giant Lennar is ramping up construction of new townhomes on the site of a former Lancaster city hospital. Lennar plans to build 53 townhomes behind a former UPMC/St. Joseph’s hospital on College Avenue in the city’s West End neighborhood. Dubbed The Towns at West End, the townhome community will feature three-story units starting at 1,872 square […]

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

Data center plans roil Dauphin County township

For nearly two years, officials and residents in South Hanover Township, Dauphin County, have been debating ground rules for data centers, large buildings full of computer equipment used in artificial intelligence and related applications. Now, with the ordinance still in draft form, the township is being asked to consider plans for a pair of data centers […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

‘More and more invigorated’: Local exec reflects on new book, ongoing mission

Bob Whalen felt like he was pitching a pipe dream when he first began describing employee ownership to companies he was hoping to fold into HB Global, a Mechanicsburg-based HVAC contractor that has been employee-owned since 2010. But over more than a decade, the pipe dream has turned 30 employee-owners into millionaires and allowed hundreds […]

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

State loan backs $17.2M office project in Lancaster County

Nearly four months after they started construction on a shared headquarters near Mount Joy, two Lancaster County companies landed a low-interest state loan to cover a portion of the nearly $17.2 million price tag. State officials said yesterday they approved a $2.25 million loan to Strickler Investments LLC, a real estate affiliate of solar installer Paradise Energy […]

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

Carlisle redevelopment project gets more state aid

Pennsylvania is earmarking additional funding for the cleanup of a former industrial site in Carlisle slated for a mixed-use redevelopment. The state has awarded $750,000 toward environmental remediation on the site of the former Frog Switch & Manufacturing plant at 600 E. High St. in the borough. The company closed in July 2023 after more than a […]

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

York developer unveils $4.6M hotel project

Another boutique hotel is coming to downtown York. Royal Square Development and Construction is unveiling plans for Mural Arts Hotel, a 20-room venue occupying a prominent, five-story building at 1 S. George St. on York’s Continental Square. It’s the first hotel project for York-based Royal Square, which has focused previously on retail and multifamily developments in […]

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

Self-storage coming to former furniture store on West Shore

People used to swing by the former N.B. Liebman store on the Carlisle Pike in search of stuff that they wanted to fit inside their homes. They will soon be able to use the building to store stuff that doesn’t fit. An investor group led by developer Drew Bobincheck paid about $6.7 million for the […]

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

Shapiro seeks conditions on lucrative tax break for data centers

Following up on a promise he made earlier this year, Gov. Josh Shapiro yesterday unveiled the details of a fast track for data centers seeking state permits. In return for a speedier review, developers would have to meet minimum standards for protecting the environment, benefiting communities and creating jobs. The governor’s pitch includes a stick […]

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

As sales fall, flooring firm files bankruptcy

A Harrisburg-area flooring supplier is heading for liquidation. Frontier Surfaces filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in mid-April after seeing its revenue cut by two-thirds in 2025, according to legal filings. It’s unclear what triggered the filing. Efforts to reach company founder and owner Scott Appel and his bankruptcy attorney were not successful. But the flooring industry, […]

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

Court backs prevailing wages in build-to-lease deal

Pennsylvania’s top court reversed a lower court ruling in a case involving prevailing wages, a form of minimum pay applied to government-funded construction projects Commonwealth Court ruled in 2023 that prevailing wages should not apply to the construction of a building leased to the Pennsylvania State Police. But the decision was overturned this week by […]

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

Township OKs apartments at suburban York mall

Local officials signed off last week on a 98-unit apartment building slated to rise on a parking lot at the York Galleria shopping mall in suburban York. At a meeting Thursday night, supervisors in Springettsbury Township approved subdivision and land development plans for the four-story building, dubbed Signature Flats at Galleria. “We were pleased with […]

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

Mixed-use makeover of former Dentsply campus nets state grant

Projects in Lancaster and York are among a handful that snagged a share of state funding from a $10 million pilot program designed to encourage mixed-use developments with housing components around the state. The Redevelopment Authority of the City of York landed nearly $1.6 million toward the rehabilitation of a sprawling campus along the Codorus Creek that […]

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

Apartment conversion on tap for York city

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

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

Digital marketing firm unveils $10.7M rehab plans for riverfront mansion

Digital marketing agency WebFx unveiled plans yesterday for renovating and expanding into a historic mansion along the Harrisburg riverfront. The Harrisburg-based company plans to spend $10.7 million on the project, which is unfolding inside the former Tracy Mansion at 1829 N. Front St. in the capital city. Based a block away at 1705 N. Front St., WebFx […]

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

Self-storage proposed for vacant Harrisburg office

A former office building at 1171 S. Cameron St. in Harrisburg could soon become a self-storage facility. Building owner Storage Five Harrisburg LLC has filed land development plans calling for conversion of the roughly 118,000-square-foot building into a self-storage facility with about 950 units. The construction work is expected to cost about $6.7 million, according to a resolution […]

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

Can microgrants help fuel Harrisburg rebirth?

Plenty of people are willing to debate what it will take to rejuvenate downtown Harrisburg. Others may want to pick up a hammer or paint brush and make a concrete contribution to the revitalization effort that has been gathering steam over the last year. City and regional leaders hope to inspire the latter group through […]

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

PNC economist sees tests for consumer, corporate resilience

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

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

Caution greets tariff whiplash in wake of court ruling

As tariffs went up throughout 2025, sales went down for JLS Automation, a York County company that assembles automated packaging lines for the food industry. The company is expecting a rebound in 2026. But the comeback faces renewed uncertainty after a Supreme Court ruling Friday that struck down the bulk of President Donald Trump’s tariff regime. […]

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

Leaders race to craft plans for closing Penn State campuses

As classes continue this year on Penn State‘s branch campus in York County, students aren’t the only ones with homework. Economic development leaders are racing to craft options for reusing the campus after it closes in May 2027. “Whether it’s Penn State or the community, the longer that the campus sits there with no active use, […]

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

Forecaster sees tailwinds, headwinds buffeting US economy

The economic outlook for 2026 depends on a range of variables ranging from tariffs to the strength of the boom in artificial intelligence, according to Curtis Dubay, chief economist in the economic policy division at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “If we could ever get tariffs down, we get a better immigration system, we could really […]

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

PA population growth slows as immigration tumbles

Pennsylvania’s population grew a negligible 0.1% for the year ending July 1 as international immigration plummeted, according to initial estimates released yesterday by the U.S. Census. The data is the first from Census to show the impact of the Trump administration’s tightened approach to border security. Nearly 27,000 people came to the Keystone state from other […]

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

Data center boom could squeeze labor supply, raise costs

Data centers need a lot of electricity. But they also need electricians — and pipefitters and steelworkers and HVAC specialists and general laborers, among others — to get them up and humming. Thus, the boom in data center construction is likely to squeeze the supply of labor in areas like Lancaster, where data center projects […]

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

Apparel distributor shuttering York County warehouse

A specialty clothing distributor is shuttering a warehouse and laying off 128 workers in northern York County just over a year after taking over the building from its former owner. In a notice to state and local officials, Illinois-based S&S Activewear said it plans to close its distribution center at 600 Industrial Drive in Fairview Township by […]

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

Distributor clears path to employee ownership

There were times it seemed too complicated to pull off. But after five years, the owners of Lancaster-area logistics business Founders Market & Co. found a way to start selling company shares to their employees. The owners — Scott Martino, Matt Stargel and Alex Thompson — began contemplating some form of employee ownership after they took […]

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

New visa policy could have local impact

Confusion is giving way to a bit of clarity as employers wrap their heads around a new Trump administration policy enacting steep fees on visas allowing foreign-born workers to hold jobs in the U.S. When the policy was announced on Friday, employers worried they might have to pay to bring current visa holders back into the […]

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

Regional jobless rates tick up

As uncertainty over tariffs froze customer orders in the spring, JLS Automation in York County laid off 10% of its workforce. Business began to come back over the summer, JLS president and CEO Craig Souser said in an early August interview. The York-area company, which employs about 130 people, assembles automated packaging lines for food companies. “It’s […]

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

GOP lawmaker sets sights on ‘reasonable’ wage hike

A higher minimum wage could be moving to the front burner in Harrisburg thanks to a Republican state senator who is hoping for action on the issue this fall. It is not a new issue for the lawmaker, state Sen. Dan Laughlin of Erie County. He has backed increases in the past. But with economic […]

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

Higher water, sewer rates sought

The York Water Co., which serves more than 212,000 people in Adams, Franklin, Lancaster and York counties, is asking state regulators for permission to raise rates for water and sewer service. Under the proposal, residential water customers would pay an additional $14.16 per month, while sewer service would go up by an average of $35.85 […]

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

Effort underway to boost downtown Harrisburg

State lawmakers, city officials and the Capital Region Economic Development Corp. are launching a joint effort to revive downtown Harrisburg, which has yet to recover fully from the Covid-19 pandemic. The partners plan to assemble a steering committee that will begin work “immediately” on a downtown revitalization plan. “Everyone agrees that we need to provide some […]

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

Chamber plan ‘a starting point for collective action’

Pennsylvania’s economy has been shaken by the rise of manufacturing in China and a shift in the U.S. population to the South and Southwest. But there are still levers the state can pull to boost its fortunes, and that’s where the focus is for Luke Bernstein, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business […]

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

Economic uncertainty weighs on regional M&A

Regional dealmakers came to life in the second half of 2024 as interest rates came down. Nonetheless, the volume of mergers and acquisitions in Central and southeastern Pennsylvania fell last year for the third year in a row, according to an annual report by professional services firm RKL LLP. This year began on an active note, according […]

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

Shapiro, lawmakers ramp up push for energy plan

State lawmakers yesterday began to put some legislative meat on the bones of an energy plan unveiled in January by Gov. Josh Shapiro. The lawmakers issued a series of memos seeking sponsors for elements of the six-point plan, which is designed to lower prices, speed up construction of new power sources and encourage environmentally friendly forms […]

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

Tariff uncertainty rattles factory sector

When tariffs took effect last week, leaders at JLS Automation decided to hold off a few days on importing a piece of equipment due in from Canada. It was not the threat of the tariffs as much as it was the potential for congestion at the border as shippers tried to avoid the extra charges, said Craig […]

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

Supply deal bolsters wood-to-gas startup

As it finalizes plans for its first refinery, a Pennsylvania startup aiming to make vehicle gasoline from wood has forged a key agreement with a regional fuel supplier. Tioga County-based Woodland Biomass Innovations has signed a memorandum of understanding with Shipley Energy committing the York-based distributor to buy and distribute up to 100% of Woodland’s output for five years. […]

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

AI meets executive coaching

As leadership coach Chad Harvey came to grips with the potential for AI to change everything, he started learning as much as he could about the technology. Then he started using it to build tools. “Not just your standard chatbot-type things but really investing in the technology in ways that meaningfully enhanced the work that […]

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

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 […]

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

Lancaster beverage startup plots recovery after production setback

Dr. Jordan Balencic raised nearly $1.7 million for ERApeutics LLC, a Lancaster-based beverage startup he co-founded in 2018 with his wife, Tessa. But after a costly series of production setbacks, exacerbated by the post-pandemic supply chain squeeze of the early 2020s, he didn’t think he could raise more. Nonetheless, he was not ready to pack it […]

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

Collaborative seeks coordinated system to bolster innovation, entrepreneurship in PA

Keystone Innovation Collaborative, a York-based nonprofit that aims to sweep away barriers frustrating entrepreneurship in Pennsylvania, held a launch event last week at its new home, a former coworking space overlooking Continental Square in downtown York. The nonprofit’s general goal is to make it easier for entrepreneurs statewide to find the capital, connections and other resources they […]

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

Beyond bankruptcy: Cookie entrepreneurs pin hopes on protein, ice cream, ecommerce

In fall 2024, Doug and Sara Taylor traveled to Philadelphia to open the first of two stores in the city for their Lancaster-based cookie company, Taylor Chip. The stores were opening 18 months later than expected, and the Taylors had taken on seven–figure debt to keep things moving. But they were hopeful it would all work […]

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

West Shore Home launches in New England

Mechanicsburg-based home improvement contractor West Shore Home is moving into New England with the opening of its first branch in the region. The office in the Boston suburb of Franklin, Massachusetts, will cover an area encompassing most of Massachusetts as well as parts of Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Founded in 2006, West Shore […]

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

Recycling biz expands York-area operations

Over the last several years, Utah-based waste collector recyclops has been sending plastic to a small plant in York city that converts the waste into a building material. In September, recyclops launched its own operation in the region. “We just needed more space to move our elbows,” said recyclops founder and CEO Ryan Smith. Where is this […]

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

York-area entrepreneurs plan indoor climbing gym

A small retail building near the York Galleria mall in Springettsbury Township, York County, is heading for a makeover. Entrepreneurs Hale and Kate Milano are converting the property at 1955 Whiteford Road/1201 Memory Lane into one of the region’s first dedicated indoor rock-climbing facilities. It’ll be called Off Grid Climbing & Fitness. Avid climbers, the Milanos […]

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

Startups supporting seniors, caregivers draw spotlight

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

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

Plastics recycler cleans up at York ballpark

Fans at WellSpan Park this summer found new places to pitch their plastic spoons, water bottles and other plastic items. The home of the York Revolution baseball team set up bins to collect plastics under a partnership with CRDC Materials, a Costa Rica-based plastics recycler with an operation in York city. CRDC takes the plastic to its plant, shreds […]

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

Lititz yogurt maker closes seven-figure seed round

Painterland Sisters, an organic yogurt maker based in Lititz, just raked in a seven-figure sum from a bevy of investors, according to company spokesperson Chloe Schwartz. Schwartz declined to share the precise amount raised in the seed funding round, which was disclosed yesterday. But the money will provide working capital to support innovation and operations for […]

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

West Shore startup lands venture funding

Mark Small and Brad Curran quit their day jobs in 2022 so they could devote more time to their Mechanicsburg-based startup, which is developing cutting-edge strength-training equipment. The company, Poseidon Strength, closed its first sale in May 2024 and has now landed its first financing outside of friends and family. York-based venture capital firm White Rose Ventures has […]

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

Spring Grove firm tees up software for national sales

After nearly a decade of fine tuning, a Spring Grove software company believes its main product is ready for prime time. CFA Solutions debuted an early version of the software — designed to root out errors in the manufacturing process — in 2017. The company spent the last few years testing it with local manufacturers. But […]

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

York winemaker partners with Harrisburg-area distiller

The expanded opportunity to sell canned cocktails in Pennsylvania has lured another player into the market. Carl Helrich, owner of York County-based Allegro Wine Co. LLC, has become a minority partner in Spring Gate Spirits LLC, a Harrisburg-area distillery founded by entrepreneur Martin Schoffstall. Helrich has been named president of the distiller, and its operations are moving […]

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

Urban greenhouse firm tied to York project among winners in new PA grant program

Local farms and businesses — including a Harrisburg-area company involved in an urban greenhouse in York — landed thousands of dollars in state grants from a new program designed to spur innovation in agriculture. The grants were unveiled yesterday by state officials during a press conference at a Lancaster County farm. Why is this happening: […]

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

Startup aims to bring soccer back to Harrisburg

Professional soccer is returning to Harrisburg’s City Island. A startup called Capital City Sports Group is launching a team called the Capital City Islanders that will compete this spring in a division of the United Premier Soccer League, a semiprofessional development league. The idea was born from conversations among people who missed seeing outdoor pro soccer in […]

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

Regional lawn-care company sold

Green Image Lawn Care, a regional lawn-care company with offices in York and Lancaster counties, has been acquired by LawnPRO Partners, a platform backed by HCI Equity Partners, a private equity firm based in Washington, D.C. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Green Image is led by Luke Zimmerman and Ryan Freed, who are continuing to […]

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

Flagger Force

Josh Sargent has been named COO of Flagger Force. He is expected to help the Hummelstown-based company strengthen operational consistency, support field employees and enhance the client experience. The COO duties were previously handled by Flagger Force president and CEO Mike Doner, according to a company spokesperson. Sargent has nearly three decades of leadership experience […]

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

Defense contractor with ‘storied history’ in Lancaster sold

A Lancaster defense business with its origins in World War II is under new ownership. The business is Ampwave Defense, formerly known as Photonis Defense. The business was spun out last year by its former parent company, Exosens, a French defense contractor formerly known as Photonis Group. Ampwave’s new ownership is affiliated with a Los Angeles-based family investment firm […]

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

Benchmark, JV partner buy Lehigh Valley building

A joint venture between Lancaster-based Benchmark Real Estate and New York-based Regal Ventures acquired an Easton-area industrial building occupied by an expanding manufacturer of ergonomic workspace products for offices, stores and other commercial environments. The purchase price for the roughly 85,000-square-foot building at 100 Kuebler Road in Forks Township, Northampton County, was $7 million, according to deed records. […]

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

Specialty distributor sells Elizabethtown-area warehouse after downsizing

Palmyra-based specialty distributor DAS Companies Inc. has sold an Elizabethtown-area warehouse where it laid off workers at the end of 2024. A real estate partnership linked to Chicago-based investment firm Industrial Outdoor Ventures paid $15.1 million for the 86,000-square-foot warehouse on a 17.5-acre tract at 48 Industrial Road in West Donegal Township, Lancaster County, according to county deed records. […]

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

Millions in state grants land on local projects

After a hiatus of about 20 months, Pennsylvania is back in the RACP business. That would be the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, a grant initiative that regularly hands money to high-profile community and economic development projects around the state. State officials disclosed the latest round of grants yesterday. The last RACP announcements came in November 2024. […]

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

Harrisburg greenlights residential rehab project

Harrisburg city council this week unanimously approved acompany’s plans to convert a long-vacant building at 100 N. 13th St. into

Housing nonprofit buys 51-unit complex in Lancaster County

HDC MidAtlantic, a nonprofit housing developer based in Lancaster, paid nearly $3.9 million for Nathan Village in a bid to preserve the affordable housing status of the 51-unit senior apartment community in Upper Leacock Township, Lancaster County. The affordable rental complex at 47 Laura Lee Blvd. was previously owned by a partnership called N.L. Associates, according […]

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

Defense contractor builds on York-area footprint

A defense contractor with two plants in the York area has added a third. San Diego-based Kratos Defense & Security Solutions said yesterday it opened a 167,000-square-foot factory on the former York International campus at 631 S. Richland Ave. in Spring Garden Township. Kratos did not disclose its total investment in the plant, which will support the company’s […]

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

Feds OK fuel purchases for Crane nuclear plant

Federal regulators have cleared energy company Constellation to buy fuel for the Crane Clean Energy Center, the mothballed nuclear reactor on Three Mile Island in Dauphin County. The Baltimore-based company aims to restart the reactor next year and sell power to Microsoft, which needs electricity for its data centers. Why does it matter: The approval to buy and […]

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

18 Dollar General stores sold

A real estate investment firm has acquired a portfolio of 18 Dollar General stores in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Realty Income Corp. paid $22.7 million for the stores, which include locations in Fawn Grove, Greencastle, Jersey Shore and Tioga, according to CBRE. Agents from CBRE represented both Realty Income and the seller, Miller Bros. Construction Inc., a contractor based in […]

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

McGrew Management Co.

Joseph Muth has been named CFO of McGrew Management Co., a holding company for trucking and equipment sales businesses based in North Codorus Township, York County. He joins McGrew in a new role for the company following a growth spurt, including the 2018 formation of subsidiary Crownstone Equipment, a regional chain of Bobcat equipment dealerships. Muth worked […]

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

Pennsylvania Data Center Partners

Grant Denham has been named chief of staff at Pennsylvania Data Center Partners, a Harrisburg-based data center developer, in a newly created role. Denham will help guide acquisition, development and capital markets strategy as the company advances data center development across Pennsylvania and other U.S. markets. He will coordinate cross-functional workstreams to advance site entitlements, […]

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

Lawmakers topple barrier to Penn State campus sales

Soon after Penn State announced last year that it would close seven branch campuses across Pennsylvania, questions swirled about what was next for the properties. A question also arose about Penn State’s freedom to divest the campuses, at least to something besides another school. While the larger question of “what’s next” remains unsettled, state lawmakers answered the narrower […]

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

Barley Snyder

Evdoxia “Xia” Madonis has joined Barley Snyder as an associate in the Lancaster-based law firm’s business practice group. Madonis advises clients on corporate and business matters including complex transactions, corporate governance, regulatory compliance and contract drafting and negotiation. She joins Barley after practicing at an AmLaw 100 firm in New York City, where she worked […]

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

Land, former church sold in Harrisburg area

Rock City Building Support Inc. paid $1.15 million for a 36,000-square-foot building at 951 S. 13th St. and a parking lot at 100 S. 13th St. in Harrisburg, the former home of From the Heart Church Ministries, according to county deed records. Dustin Isbert of RSR Realtors represented the buyer. Chuck Heller and Adam Boussatta […]

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

Supply deal bolsters wood-to-gas startup

As it finalizes plans for its first refinery, a Pennsylvania startup aiming to make vehicle gasoline from wood has forged

The cost of consensus

Column by Brandon Rogers There is a curious point in every leader’s journey when the room slowly becomes louder than

Lender breaks ground on Lanco branch

Belco Community Credit Union broke ground this month on a branch in East Hempfield Township, Lancaster County. Slated to open next spring, the branch will be Belco’s 13th overall and fourth in the Lancaster area. The branch is at 237 Centerville Road, near pet products retailer That Fish Place That Pet Place. Belco paid $1.35 million […]

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

Millions in state grants land on local projects

After a hiatus of about 20 months, Pennsylvania is back in the RACP business. That would be the Redevelopment Assistance

Lawmakers topple barrier to Penn State campus sales

Soon after Penn State announced last year that it would close seven branch campuses across Pennsylvania, questions swirled about what was next

Township hits pause on data centers

At a meeting this week, supervisors in a York County township passed an ordinance saying they will not accept any applications from data center developers for the next 180 days. The moratorium in Conewago Township comes amid speculation about potential data center development in the municipality, as well as efforts to draft rules to fill […]

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

Court upholds rejection of West Shore warehouse expansion

Officials in Silver Spring Township were justified in denying plans to expand a warehouse on a former IBM campus between Carlisle and Mechanicsburg, a state appeals court ruled this week. The owner of the roughly 478,000-square-foot warehouse at 180 Kost Road, just off Carlisle Pike, wanted to tack on another 210,000 square feet. But the request was […]

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

Data center plans roil Dauphin County township

For nearly two years, officials and residents in South Hanover Township, Dauphin County, have been debating ground rules for data

Can microgrants help fuel Harrisburg rebirth?

Plenty of people are willing to debate what it will take to rejuvenate downtown Harrisburg. Others may want to pick

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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

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 […]

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

House OKs bill offering tax credits for health plan costs

The state House gave near-unanimous approval yesterday to a measure that would award tax credits to small businesses that help their employees buy individual health insurance. A small-business lobbyist expressed support for the bill as it moved through a committee vote earlier this month, noting that incremental change is better than no change when it comes […]

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

Lawmakers set to vote on paid family leave

A Pennsylvania Senate panel is slated to vote this morning on legislation creating a statewide paid family and medical leave program. The move comes nearly three months after the state House narrowly passed a similar program, albeit with some differences. What’s the difference: One of the biggest is who pays for the program — whether […]

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

Mandate for tax-collection software advances in PA House

The state House approved legislation yesterday that would require special tax-collection software at businesses that are behind on sales taxes. The measure, which passed on a bipartisan vote of 153 to 48, would allow tax collectors to require the use of automated tax-payment software by businesses that are behind by at least $5,000 on sales […]

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

House panel OKs small-biz tax credits for health plan costs

A state House panel yesterday passed legislation authorizing tax credits for small businesses that help their employees pay for health insurance. The legislation, which was adopted on a party-line vote, is designed to offset higher costs faced by people buying insurance through the Affordable Care Act. How would it work: Under House Bill 2550, businesses with […]

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

Agency shelves controversial tax proposal

Pennsylvania’s tax collectors have dropped a controversial proposal designed to clarify the corporate income they believe should be taxed. Put forward in spring 2024, the proposed rule aimed to settle long-running sources of friction between the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue and corporate taxpayers by defining just what kinds of business income are subject to taxation […]

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

Case over property tax appeals divides high court

Pennsylvania’s top court split over a landmark decision allowing school districts to appeal property valuations based on the amount of fresh tax revenue the appeals might generate. The appeals are most likely to affect higher-value commercial, industrial and multifamily properties. But as long as school districts pick properties based on a policy designed solely on […]

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

Carlisle redevelopment project gets more state aid

Pennsylvania is earmarking additional funding for the cleanup of a former industrial site in Carlisle slated for a mixed-use redevelopment.

Shapiro seeks conditions on lucrative tax break for data centers

Following up on a promise he made earlier this year, Gov. Josh Shapiro yesterday unveiled the details of a fast

Doc drops retaliation case against UPMC

A lawsuit brought against UPMC by a cardiologist who alleged he was fired after reporting alleged conflicts of interest involving the health system’s president and CEO has been dismissed. The dismissal follows a resolution of the matter, though the details are unclear. A UPMC spokesperson said no money or other compensation was paid to the cardiologist, Dr. […]

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

Carlisle-area cannabis biz sold to workers

Nearly a decade after co-founding one of Pennsylvania’s first medical marijuana businesses, Mark Toigo has handed the keys to employees. Toigo and Jaime Toigo, his wife and co-owner, have sold 100% of Organic Remedies to its 450-plus workers through an employee stock ownership plan, or ESOP. The company had been courted by growing multistate cannabis operators, but […]

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

State authority wrestles with fraud in ACA marketplace

A wave of fraud has been hitting Pennsylvania’s Obamacare marketplace amid an upsurge in suspicious activity in marketplaces nationwide. The state’s market overseer, the Pennsylvania Health Insurance Exchange Authority, has tightened controls over the last few months in an effort to block fraudulent insurance enrollments. State lawmakers also are looking to clamp down, with one measure […]

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

Ruling clarifies ban on doctor self-referrals in work comp

In 1993, state lawmakers passed workers’ comp reforms barring doctors from referring injured workers to a menu of services in which the doctors have a financial stake. What’s on the menu has been the subject of a lengthy legal dispute settled last week by Pennsylvania’s highest court. In a 5-2 ruling, the state Supreme Court […]

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

House OKs bill offering tax credits for health plan costs

The state House gave near-unanimous approval yesterday to a measure that would award tax credits to small businesses that help their employees buy individual health

UPMC denies retaliation, says local doc fired for cause

Healthcare giant UPMC is firing back at a prominent Central Pennsylvania doctor who claims he was fired after complaining about an alleged conflict of interest involving the health system’s CEO and offensive text messages exchanged between other colleagues. The Pittsburgh-based health system said it fired the physician, Dr. Hemal Gada, for cause “based on deficient clinical performance […]

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

House panel OKs small-biz tax credits for health plan costs

A state House panel yesterday passed legislation authorizing tax credits for small businesses that help their employees pay for health insurance. The legislation, which was

Health insurer bucks decline in ACA market

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

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

Enrollment drops in ACA plans in Pennsylvania

Fewer state residents are enrolling in health plans sold under the Affordable Care Act in Pennsylvania. As of April 9, enrollment in the plans stood at 462,751, down nearly 5% from 486,577 at the end of the open enrollment period on Jan. 31, according to a spokesperson for Pennie, aka the Pennsylvania Health Insurance Exchange Authority. The authority […]

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

Suit claims health system fired local doc for complaining about offensive texts, alleged CEO conflict

The former head of UPMC‘s heart institute in Harrisburg is suing the health system, claiming he was fired last year after raising concerns about an alleged conflict of interest involving the system’s CEO. The fired executive, Dr. Hemal Gada, also alleges his termination followed his complaints about allegedly racist text messages sent by other leaders at the UPMC […]

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

Regional health system chief sets retirement plans

After more than seven years on the job, Roxanna Gapstur is planning to retire from her role as president and CEO of WellSpan Health, a regional health system operating a dozen hospitals. Gapstur has not set a date but plans to step down once a leadership transition is complete. WellSpan has hired executive search firm Korn Ferry to […]

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

Western PA health system joins WellSpan-led network for Medicare

Penn Highlands Healthcare, a health system based in DuBois, is joining a regional network formed by WellSpan Health to improve medical care and lower costs for people on Medicare, a network known as an accountable care organization, or ACO. ACOs work to better coordinate treatment for Medicare patients. If they can deliver higher quality care at a […]

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

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

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

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

WellSpan mini hospital poised to open

WellSpan Heath is preparing to admit the first patients to Newberry Hospital, the first of three mini hospitals being developed by the regional health system. Located next to the Newberry Commons shopping center in Newberry Township, York County, the small-format hospital is set to open in early March, according to WellSpan leaders, who offered a behind-the-scenes look […]

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

Officials urge enrollment in ACA health coverage ahead of deadline

At a press conference in Lancaster yesterday, state and local officials urged eligible Pennsylvania residents to enroll in health insurance through the Affordable Care Act before a deadline coming at the end of January. At the same time, officials acknowledged that thousands of state residents are facing higher premiums thanks to the expiration of enhanced […]

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

Co-founder pitches deal to take rehab chain private

Robert Ortenzio is looking to put the rehab company he cofounded with his late father back into private hands. Ortenzio proposed this week to buy out shareholders in Select Medical Corp., which is based in Mechanicsburg but operates healthcare facilities around the U.S. In a letter to the company’s board, Ortenzio described himself as “uniquely positioned” […]

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

Uncertainty surrounds shopping for health plans

Projections suggest that rising costs will dissuade Pennsylvania residents from buying health insurance through the state’s Obamacare exchange, known as Pennie. Those forecasts will now face a real-world test. Pennie’s open enrollment period starts tomorrow, Nov. 1, for people who want coverage in place for 2026. Enrollment through Pennie has been growing over the last […]

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

Penn State hails ‘transformative’ $50M gift to children’s hospital

A New York state business leader and philanthropist has bestowed $50 million on Penn State Health Children’s Hospital in what is being described as a “transformative” gift. But the gift, announced yesterday, is about more than just money. The 156-bed hospital in Derry Township, Dauphin County, is joining a new alliance of children’s hospitals named […]

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

Doc drops retaliation case against UPMC

A lawsuit brought against UPMC by a cardiologist who alleged he was fired after reporting alleged conflicts of interest involving the health

Court upholds rejection of West Shore warehouse expansion

Officials in Silver Spring Township were justified in denying plans to expand a warehouse on a former IBM campus between Carlisle and

Feds allege engineer parlayed inside scoop on TMI restart into stock gains

Federal authorities charged a former Constellation engineer with using inside knowledge of plans to restart an idled nuclear reactor on Three Mile Island to trade on the company’s stock. The alleged insider trading scheme earned the engineer, Casey Muggleston of Wilmington, Delaware, about $1.4 million, according to a complaint filed this week by the U.S. Securities and […]

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

Ruling clarifies ban on doctor self-referrals in work comp

In 1993, state lawmakers passed workers’ comp reforms barring doctors from referring injured workers to a menu of services in

Guilty plea lodged in broadband subsidy fraud

The owner of a Lititz-area wireless company pleaded guilty yesterday to defrauding a federal program that subsidized broadband internet access during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Krandon Wenger allegedly claimed falsely that hundreds of his company’s customers lived on tribal lands, enabling it to collect […]

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

Case over property tax appeals divides high court

Pennsylvania’s top court split over a landmark decision allowing school districts to appeal property valuations based on the amount of

Court orders regulators to reconsider sewer merger

A decision by state regulators to block a utility deal involving Mechanicsburg-based Pennsylvania American Water is headed for a do-over. In a ruling last week, Commonwealth Court vacated the decision and asked regulators to take another look at the deal. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission relied on outdated legal precedents when it nixed Pennsylvania American’s roughly […]

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

Court backs prevailing wages in build-to-lease deal

Pennsylvania’s top court reversed a lower court ruling in a case involving prevailing wages, a form of minimum pay applied

West Shore broker sues to end state’s real estate office requirement

Should licensed real estate agents in Pennsylvania be required to keep a physical office? A lawsuit from Kevin Gaughen, a real estate agent based in Lemoyne, argues that they should not. Backed by a Virginia-based public interest law firm called the Institute for Justice, Gaughen filed a lawsuit this week in Commonwealth Court in hopes of […]

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

Fight over York County winery continues

The neighbors who have spent nearly a decade seeking to shut down a York County winery are not buying the venue’s last-ditch plea to end a court order keeping it closed. Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery is asking a York County judge to lift the order following a vote in March by neighbors in its section of Lauxmont Farms […]

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

Deal expands York-based law firm

York-based CGA Law Firm has acquired the Red Lion-area practice of Eveler & DeArment, a three-attorney firm with expertise in business and real estate law, estate planning and administration, and family law. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The new additions to CGA are attorneys Andrea Eveler Stanley, Claudia DeArment and Kristine Eveler, and paralegals […]

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

Winery bottled up by court order launches bid to reopen

A York County winery is uncorking a new legal push to resume operations. Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery was forced to close last year after it was sued by neighbors claiming its business violated restrictions imposed on their section of the upscale Lauxmont Farms subdivision in Lower Windsor Township. Now, the winery is asking a York […]

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

Court rules state university is exempt from stormwater fee

In a highly anticipated ruling, a divided state Supreme Court last week said West Chester University does not have to pay a stormwater management fee imposed by West Chester borough. The fee is a tax, the court ruled, and state entities are exempt from taxes. The 33-page ruling caps about eight years of litigation over the fee, […]

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

Court ruling tackles issues raised by state consumer protection law

In a ruling last week, the state’s highest court waded into questions about what kind of notice people need to give when canceling contracts with home improvement companies. At issue was a perceived conflict between two of the state’s cornerstone consumer protection laws: the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law and the Home Improvement […]

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

Capital-area vape shop prevails in state tax case

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

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

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

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

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

Court rejects city tree ordinance in ‘extremely rare’ case

Public notices for a proposed amendment to Lancaster’s shade tree ordinance did not adequately explain what the amendment would change, a state appeals court said yesterday in striking down the measure. The ruling from Commonwealth Court upholds a 2024 decision from a Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas judge, who also found fault with the […]

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

Regional bank, property investor clash over building loan

Fulton Bank is embroiled in a legal dispute with a Washington, D.C., real estate investor who has been hit hard by the weakened office market in the U.S. capital. Lancaster-based Fulton sued the investor, David Schaeffer, in February over an alleged default on a $4.7 million loan associated with an office building about half a mile […]

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

Metal fabricator adds space as demand takes off

When Brian Greenplate acquired Precision Cut Industries Inc. in 2004 the company had 25 employees and annual revenue of about $3 million Yearly sales for the contract metal fabricator have grown to about $50 million, and they are expected to jump again this year thanks to demand from customers in energy, commercial construction and data centers, […]

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

Court OKs sale of SpiriTrust campuses, apartments

A federal bankruptcy judge signed off last week on the bankruptcy sale of SpiriTrust Lutheran, a York-based nonprofit that operates senior living communities and apartments in three counties. Under the deal approved in court, Butler County-based Concordia Lutheran Ministries is paying $51 million for SpiriTrust assets and assuming roughly $7 million in debt tied to three affordable apartment […]

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

Top job turning over at Lancaster manufacturer

After leading Armstrong World Industries Inc. for nearly a decade, president and CEO Vic Grizzle is moving into a new role as a precursor to his eventual retirement. Effective April 1, Grizzle is slated to become executive chair of the building products manufacturer based in Manor Township, Lancaster County. He is being succeeded as president and […]

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

Lancaster company tacks on another specialty manufacturer

Building products manufacturer Armstrong World Industries Inc. is continuing a buying spree that began nearly a decade ago. The company, based in Manor Township, Lancaster County, said this week it purchased Parallel Architectural Products, its 14th acquisition since 2016. Based in Englewood, Colorado, Parallel employs about 25 people and makes extruded aluminum products used on building exteriors. An Armstrong […]

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

Manufacturer hands off asbestos liabilities

Lancaster County boiler maker Burnham Holdings Inc. has shaken off its liability for asbestos claims through what is an increasingly common type of transaction. Under the deal, Burnham sold subsidiaries housing the liabilities to affiliates of a firm that specializes in managing them, a Florida-based firm called Financial Asset Recovery Analytics LLC. The transaction will have no […]

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

Carlisle-area steel fabricator sold

Ritner Steel, a steel fabricator based in Middlesex Township, Cumberland County, has been acquired by Cranbrook Partners & Co., a Troy, Michigan-based investment firm that aims to grow the companies in its portfolio. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Cranbrook executives did not reply to emailed questions about the deal, which closed on Dec. 8. […]

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

Local hatmakers struggle to survive despite decades of adaptation

One of the region’s oldest hat factories is closing, and a second could follow. The family owners of F&M Hat Company Inc. in Denver, Lancaster County, have been winding down the 113-year-old business over the last year, according to fourth-generation co-owner and president Ash Fichthorn. He called the decision “bittersweet.” But, he added, “We’re at peace […]

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

Lawsuits follow CEO’s exit from Lanco flooring maker

When Brian Carson moved on this year from Lancaster County-based flooring manufacturer AHF Products, a press release described his six-year tenure as “highly successful.” The former CEO’s departure is proving highly litigious. Carson, AHF Products, the company’s current private equity owners and its former owner are embroiled in a series of lawsuits filed in the wake […]

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

Lanco fabricator changing hands

Structural fabricator Dutchland Inc. is undergoing a change in ownership three years after the Lancaster County company landed in the arms of private equity. In late 2022, Dutchland was acquired by Lexington, Kentucky-based MiddleGround Capital and folded into Lindsay Precast, now based in Gainesville, Florida. MiddleGround has now agreed to sell both companies to investment firm TJC, formerly known as The Jordan Co. […]

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

Mount Joy packaging maker sold

After more than 40 years in business, the sibling co-founders of a Mount Joy packaging company decided to hand over the reins. Founded in 1983, Phoenix/Packaging has been acquired by Elkhart, Indiana-based Welch Packaging Group Inc. Welch was not the only buyer interested in Phoenix, according to John Davidson, a co-founder and vice president of marketing for Phoenix, […]

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

York county firm strikes deal for Ohio paper plant

Spring Grove-based papermaker Pixelle Specialty Solutions LLC has found a buyer for an Ohio plant it closed over the summer. Pixelle has agreed to sell the plant in Chillicothe, Ohio, to U.S. Medical Glove Co., an Illinois-based company that makes medical gloves. In a news release, Pixelle said it expects $5.5 million in net proceeds from the sale […]

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

Delays plague federal funding for factory services centers

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

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

Capital-area firm sheds another Florida unit

Harrisburg-based manufacturer MITER Brands is continuing to retool its operations following a $3.1 billion acquisition last year. The company said this week it divested a brand known as NewSouth Window Solutions, a Florida-based retailer selling windows built for hurricane-prone regions of the Southeast. MITER sold the business to Window Nation, a Fulton, Maryland-based company specializing in residential sales and […]

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

New chief to run paper company in turnaround mode

A Spring Grove paper maker is tapping a new CEO as it works to turn around its finances. Pixelle Specialty Solutions has named Julie Schertell as its CEO. She succeeds Ross Bushnell, who led the company for two years but is leaving for undisclosed opportunities. He is staying on through September as an adviser to Pixelle’s board. The […]

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

Capital-area company consolidating Florida operations

A Harrisburg-based manufacturer of windows and doors is closing two plants in Florida but opening another one as it looks to focus on its best-selling products. MITER Brands is shutting down Miami-area plants in Hialeah and Medley that employ about 440 people, according to a company spokesperson. It is relocating production of high-demand products to other […]

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

Lanco flooring maker closing Kentucky plant

Flooring manufacturer AHF Products is closing a factory in Somerset, Kentucky, and moving production to other facilities. The decision follows an internal review finding that consolidating production is the best way to match the company’s factory capacity with the current and projected demand for its products, according to a company release. The Kentucky plant employs […]

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

Lebanon lumber business files bankruptcy amid sales slump

After announcing layoffs last month and trying unsuccessfully to find a buyer for its operations, a Lebanon County lumber company filed for bankruptcy this month. Based in South Annville Township, Weaber Inc. saw annual sales climb above $100 million in the late 2010s, according to the company’s bankruptcy filing. But sales plunged over the last two […]

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

Firm consolidating in former TE/AMP plant

When electrical components manufacturer SESCO outgrew its Mont Alto plant in the mid-2010s, the company leased a second facility in Waynesboro. The company has operated in both buildings for a decade, according to SESCO founder, owner and president David Souders. But now, SESCO’s 87 employees are poised for a reunion. The company is buying a former TE Connectivity plant […]

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

Digital marketing firm unveils $10.7M rehab plans for riverfront mansion

Digital marketing agency WebFx unveiled plans yesterday for renovating and expanding into a historic mansion along the Harrisburg riverfront. The Harrisburg-based company

Longtime employee buys Camp Hill marketing/production agency

Travis Snyder has gone from employee to owner of Triscari Productions Inc., a Camp Hill-area marketing company doing business as Triscari Video | Web | Marketing. Snyder became the company’s owner in December, taking over for its late founder, Sebastian Triscari. Triscari, who launched the company in 1983, died in April 2025. In an interview, Snyder […]

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

West Shore Home inks $50M deal for Beaver Stadium naming rights

Over the last few years, Mechanicsburg-based West Shore Home has been striving to build a national brand in the historically fractured home improvement business. The company took a major step yesterday toward raising its profile: A 15-year, $50 million deal with Penn State University to stamp the West Shore Home name on Beaver Stadium. The venue is […]

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

Merger unites Lancaster marketing firms

Two Lancaster-based digital marketing agencies have come together as one. But for now, they are continuing to operate under their existing names. The firms are YDOP and WTM Digital, which offer similar services but for different clients. YDOP, which trademarked the term “near-user marketing,” works primarily with companies around ther U.S. seeking locally focused digital marketing. WTM Digital, […]

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

Harrisburg marketing firm files bankruptcy

Merit Marketing, a Harrisburg-based advertising and marketing firm, filed last month for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, setting it on a path to liquidation. “The economic times are such the company is unable to survive and operate profitably,” Merit owner Adam Vasquez wrote in an email to biznewsPA. Vasquez has owned the company since 2015, when the […]

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.

Regional marketing firm changes hands

Fourteen years after launching her own marketing agency, Julie Lando-Cross has sold it to one of her first employees, Lissa Taylor, the agency’s COO and creative director.

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

Lancaster nonprofit buys apartments in bid to expand supply of affordable digs

As part of an effort to create and preserve affordable housing in Lancaster County, a startup nonprofit has acquired Stonecreek Court, a 60-unit apartment complex in Ephrata Township. It is the first acquisition for the nonprofit, Lancaster Housing Works, which is backed by a $10 million commitment from the Lancaster-based High Foundation. The apartment complex was […]

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

York nonprofit to consolidate operations in new building

York-based human services agency Community Progress Council plans to pay $2 million for the current home of the York County Economic Alliance in York, where the nonprofit aims to centralize services. The nonprofit, known as CPC, currently has its main office and operates early childhood education programs at a former elementary school at 226 E. College Ave. […]

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

NJ operator mulls bid for senior living campuses in Central PA

A second suitor is eyeing a bid for the assets of SpiriTrust Lutheran, a York-based nonprofit senior living provider that filed for bankruptcy in November amid rising costs and declining revenue. The potential bidder is Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey, which has been managing SpiriTrust’s campuses under an agreement inked in February 2024, according to court […]

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

Bankrupt senior living provider eyes $41M asset sale

The assets of SpiriTrust Lutheran are heading to the auction block after the regional senior housing provider filed for bankruptcy protection in November. The York-based nonprofit has reached a tentative agreement to sell its senior living campuses and apartments to Concordia Lutheran Ministries, a senior living provider based in Butler County. SpiriTrust operates six retirement campuses and three […]

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

Pioneering tiny home development in Lancaster County sold

Entrepreneur Abby Shank began developing a tiny home community near Elizabethtown in 2017 at the dawn of what became one of the hottest trends in residential real estate. Nearly a decade later, the 73-home Tiny Estates LLC community in Mount Joy Township has a new owner. A New Jersey-based partnership called Tiny Estates Lancaster LLC paid $6.1 million last […]

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

Camp Hill fund buys York-area warehouse

A York-area warehouse with several tenants changed hands this week at a price of $13.2 million. The seller was an affiliate of Stewart Properties, part of the York-based Stewart Companies group. The buyer was Opes Capital, a Camp Hill-based real estate investment fund that formed at the beginning of 2025. The off-market deal was facilitated by Michael Curran, president and […]

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

York firm scoops up West Shore apartments

One of the West Shore’s largest apartment complexes has changed hands. York-based property manager The Apartment Gallery has acquired The Overlook, a 288-unit complex at 150 Erford Ave. in East Pennsboro Township, Cumberland County. “Multifamily is always a stable investment opportunity, especially in high barrier- to-entry markets like Central Pennsylvania with good workforce fundamentals,” said Mike Maxwell, […]

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

Money sought for high-profile Harrisburg-area projects

Developers are applying for state funds to upgrade some of the capital region’s largest underused buildings. They include an idled steel mill in Steelton and two vacant office towers in downtown Harrisburg — former state offices at 333 Market St. and the former federal building at 228 Walnut St. The state funds would come through […]

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

City residents receptive to data center rules

Lancaster city residents voiced cautious optimism about proposed rules regulating data centers within the borders of one of the region’s most populous municipalities. But they worried the new zoning regime would be too late to govern data center proposals already on the table for the city. “I’m very happy to see the direction we’re heading […]

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

Sheriff’s sale looms again for former Harrisburg Catholic school

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

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

Housing market shifting as sales slow

After years with sellers in charge, the local residential real estate market is slowly regaining its balance, a shift underscored by recent data on home sales. The numbers for August show steady growth in the number of homes on the market and a slowing pace of price increases. “This is probably the best balance we’ve […]

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

Former Heller offices sold to wealth advisory

A partnership affiliated with Daryl Heller, the business owner charged with defrauding investors in an ATM network, has unloaded office space in downtown Lancaster. In a court-approved transaction, Premier Prince Street LLC sold just over 16,000 square feet of office space at 415 N. Prince St. for $2.8 million, according to York-based ROCK Commercial Real Estate. ROCK agent Patten […]

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

Plans sought for Penn State York after campus closes

Leaders in York County are kicking off a seven-month process that they hope ends with a master plan for reusing the Penn State York campus, which is scheduled to close in less than two years. This week, the York County Economic Alliance issued a request for proposals from consultants interested in assessing the campus and crafting the […]

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

Harrisburg-area golf course sold to data center developer

A suburban Harrisburg golf course is preparing to swap drivers for data. The Dauphin County General Authority voted yesterday to sell the Dauphin Highlands Golf Course for $45.6 million to a Texas company planning a data center on the 228-acre property in Swatara Township and Steelton. But there’s time for a few more rounds of golf. The […]

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

Firm consolidating in former TE/AMP plant

When electrical components manufacturer SESCO outgrew its Mont Alto plant in the mid-2010s, the company leased a second facility in Waynesboro. The

Firms snag Rite Aid real estate in Central PA

Local and national firms are poised to pick up some of Rite Aid‘s real estate in Cumberland and York counties following an auction held last week as part of the pharmacy chain’s bankruptcy. Two of the properties changing hands are industrial space on the West Shore. Which ones: One is a 78,200-square-foot industrial space at 451 […]

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

York-area plaza fetches $16.4M

A Singapore-based real estate investor has scooped up a shopping center in Dover Township, York County. United Hampshire US REIT said it paid about $16.4 million for the roughly 61,000-square-foot Dover Marketplace, which is anchored by a GIANT grocery store. It’s at the corner of Carlisle and Palomino roads, south of Dover Borough. The plaza is the investor’s […]

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

A landowner’s pivot to data

A regional developer toiled for nearly a decade to bring a mix of uses to an 84-acre tract in Fairview Township, York County. Now, the company, Fairview Crossroads LLC, is hoping to plant a data center on the site, which is off Lewisberry Road, west of Interstate 83 and south of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. “It’s been […]

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

Dunkin’ franchisee buys former bank office

Machines will soon be dispensing coffee instead of cash at a former Fulton Bank branch in eastern York County. A Dunkin’ franchisee paid $975,000 for the shuttered Fulton branch at 599 W. Market St. in Hellam Township, York County, according to county deed records. The franchisee, GN Realty Hallam LLC, plans to convert the branch into a Dunkin’ donut shop […]

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

Township, garden center feud over events

Hueter’s Greenhouses LLC and Springettsbury Township, York County are locked in litigation over events held at the garden center, which is at 3465 Deininger Road near Rocky Ridge Park. Since at least 2023, Hueter’s has been hosting spring and fall festivals featuring vendors, food trucks and live music, as well as events for holidays like Mother’s […]

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

Lawmakers hit controversial pricing method with bans, probes

So-called surveillance pricing is drawing scrutiny in Pennsylvania and around the U.S. State lawmakers have introduced bills to ban the practice, and a New Jersey Congressman is demanding answers about it from 25 retailers, including Carlisle-based grocery chain The Giant Co. What is it: Surveillance pricing refers to the use of personal customer data to set […]

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

Regional appliance retailer opening branch in York area

Business in York County has been growing for Lancaster County-based L.H. Brubaker Appliances & Water Treatment. The company is now planning its first retail branch there. L.H. Brubaker expects to open this fall in leased space at the West Manchester Town Center in West Manchester Township, according to company owner and president Donnie Frank. “There’s not […]

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

Turkey Hill affiliate buying western PA c-stores

Cumberland Farms, a regional convenience store chain that shares a corporate parent with Turkey Hill Minit Markets, has agreed to acquire Coen Markets, one of the oldest convenience store chains in the Pittsburgh area. Terms of the transaction, expected to close this year, were not disclosed. Founded in 1923 and based in Canonsburg, Coen operates 54 stores […]

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

Restatement trims profits for regional grocery chain

Grocery chain Weis Markets shaved millions of dollars off its profits over the last several years due to an inventory error that the company attributed to “misconduct” by a former non-executive employee The Sunbury-based company did not disclose the nature of the misconduct or whether it would lead to any legal action. But in its annual report […]

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

Pennsylvania gets a slice of $100M Walmart settlement

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

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

Inventory error could ding earnings for grocery chain

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

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

Giant in deal to buy Bedford County grocery stores

Carlisle-based The Giant Co. said yesterday it agreed to buy Everett Foodliner and Saxton Market, a pair of Bedford County grocery stores owned by brothers Bob and Joe Appleby. Giant is buying the real estate and related grocery and fuel business assets for what will become its first stores in the county. Terms of the transaction, expected to close […]

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

Giant closing ecommerce fulfillment centers in Lancaster, other PA locations

Carlisle-based grocery chain The Giant Co. is closing ecommerce fulfillment centers in Lancaster and four other places in Pennsylvania as it changes its approach to delivering groceries ordered online, a service known as Giant Direct. Giant is dropping its centralized model in favor of a store-based approach, according to company spokesperson Ashley Flower. Giant employees […]

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

Chicago restaurateur taking former Iron Hill spots

Life could be returning to Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant locations in Hershey and Lancaster following the regional chain’s sudden bankruptcy in October. Chicago-based Ciao Hospitality Group is taking over leases at the two locations and plans to reopen them within a few months, according to Ciao CEO Jeff Crivello. What to name the venues is still up in […]

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

Regional home improvement biz sold

Renewal by Andersen of Central PA, an independently owned retail affiliate of Minnesota-based door and window manufacturer Andersen Corp., has been acquired by another Andersen affiliate, St. Louis-based The Birner Group. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The Central PA Andersen affiliate was owned by Joe Zisman, who is retiring after five decades in the industry, […]

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

Weis picks up scrips from 11 Rite Aid stores

Weis Markets has won court approval to take over prescriptions for customers at 11 Rite Aid stores in Pennsylvania and New York, according to a spokesperson for the Sunbury-based grocery chain. The stores include Rite Aid locations in Dover and Hanover, as well as Altoona, Brodheadsville, Fogelsville, Honesdale, Montoursville, Mountain Top, Wellsboro and Williamsport, Weis spokesperson […]

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

Weis wants part of Rite Aid pharmacy biz

Weis Markets, whose pharmacy business has been growing by double digits, is making a play for pieces of Rite Aid. Legal filings in the Rite Aid bankruptcy case reveal that Sunbury-based Weis is among those bidding for the pharmacy chain’s assets. A Weis spokesperson declined to comment, and legal filings offer no details. But Weis joins […]

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

Rite Aid files bankruptcy, preps for sale

Rite Aid said yesterday it is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in two years. While the pharmacy chain emerged as a smaller, leaner company after its last trip through bankruptcy court, it is bracing this time for a sale. “While we have continued to face financial challenges, intensified by the rapidly evolving […]

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

Discount retailer to reopen across region

Big Lots is coming back to Central Pennsylvania. The retail brand’s new owner, North Carolina-based Variety Wholesalers, plans to reopen more than two dozen former Big Lots in Pennsylvania over the next two months, including locations in Cumberland, Lebanon, Lancaster and York counties. Variety is reopening three Big Lots on May 1 in Dunmore, Eynon and […]

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

CEO departs Mechanicsburg-based donut chain

Four years after taking the helm at Duck Donuts, Betsy Hamm has resigned. Hamm had led the Mechanicsburg-based donut shop franchisor as CEO since it sold a majority stake in April 2021 to NewSpring Capital, a private equity firm based in Radnor. “Duck Donuts appreciates Hamm’s leadership she provided throughout her years with the company,” said a company […]

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

Ollie’s loads up on stores from bankrupt rival

OIlie’s Bargain Outlet Holdings is grabbing another clutch of former Big Lots stores in a bankruptcy auction. Pending court approval and price adjustments from landlords, the Harrisburg-based discount retailer will pay $188,838 for seven Big Lots leases, according to court filings. Two of the locations are in Florida and two are in Missouri, with one each […]

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

AI meets executive coaching

As leadership coach Chad Harvey came to grips with the potential for AI to change everything, he started learning as

Saxton & Stump establishes new AI role within the firm

As more organizations explore the practical implementation of machine learning and artificial intelligence models to solve real-world business problems, law firms are taking note. Phil Saunders, the CEO of Relativity, a legal data intelligence company, noted in an interview with Law360 that, “AI has become a defining part of how legal tasks get done.” Regional […]

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

Capital-area farmland sold. Data centers could follow.

A company that develops data centers is doubling down on the Harrisburg area. Last summer, Dallas-based Provident Realty Advisors agreed to pay $45.6 million for the Dauphin Highlands Golf Course, a 228-acre property west of Route 283 in Swatara Township and Steelton where Provident is expected to build data centers. In late January, the company paid $50 million […]

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

Can regulators prevent sticker shock over data centers?

State regulators are crafting guidelines designed to address one of the chief risks of the data center construction boom — that Pennsylvania residents and businesses get stuck with a hefty tab for building out the substations and power lines that feed electricity to the centers. The guidelines, proposed by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, are currently […]

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

Local law firm hit by data breach

A data breach struck a Lancaster law firm this fall, exposing personal information on about 2,200 people, according to a notice filed with the Maine Attorney General’s office. Law firm BCGL LLC discovered the breach in October after identifying suspicious activity in its network, according to the notice, which the firm filed this month. The firm said it […]

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

Lancaster, developer forge deal over data center standards, community benefits

At a press conference yesterday, Lancaster Mayor Danene Sorace unveiled an agreement between the city and Chirisa Technology Parks, the Virginia-based company spearheading development of data centers on the site of former printing plants in the city. The 32-page community benefits agreement requires Chirisa to meet standards in areas such as noise, power and water usage for […]

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

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

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

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

Harrisburg-area golf course sold to data center developer

A suburban Harrisburg golf course is preparing to swap drivers for data. The Dauphin County General Authority voted yesterday to sell the

Data center plans provoke debate over impact, process

At a meeting last night, developers shared more details on their plans for a $15 billion data center complex near Carlisle. Residents shared a barrage of doubts. Over two hours, they questioned how much water and electricity the centers would use. They questioned how the developers picked the 700-acre tract of farmland in Middlesex Township where […]

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

Costs seen mounting for data center tax exemption

In 2022, Pennsylvania waived sales taxes for computer equipment purchased for use in data centers, provided the centers met certain requirements. Following a slew of announcements about new data center projects around the state, the price tag for that exemption may be going up. The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue is revisiting its forecasts on the […]

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

Data center boom redefining industrial real estate

A few years ago, the phrase “industrial real estate” likely conjured an image of massive warehouses spreading across the open fields of Central Pennsylvania. Now, the phrase might just as easily bring up images of data centers — buildings packed with computer servers composing your emails and delivering answers to your ChatGPT queries. The announcement of more […]

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

Developer details data center plans

One of the companies behind a $6 billion data center project in Lancaster is filling in some of the blanks surrounding the project. Early reports indicated data centers would be constructed at two former printing plants, at 216 Greenfield Road and 1375 Harrisburg Pike. The developers are Virginia-based Chirisa Technology Parks and New York-based Machine Investment Group, […]

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

Where’s the data? Firms mum on York County data center plans

It’s been a week since New Jersey-based investment firm Energy Capital Partners announced it was planning a $5 billion data center in southern York County. But the precise location remains unknown, even to the manager of Peach Bottom Township, where the data center is widely expected to be built. “Your guess is as good as mine,” township […]

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

Demo approved, sites confirmed for Lancaster data centers

The dust is still settling on the flurry of announcements for massive data and energy projects proposed this week for Pennsylvania. Actual dust could soon start flying on one of those projects — a $6 billion data center investment in Lancaster. The city has issued demolition permits for the first phase of the project, according […]

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

Big tech showering billions on local data, energy projects

Major tech companies yesterday disclosed billions of dollars in new investment in Central Pennsylvania, though some key details remain to be filled in. Data center giant CoreWeave said it plans to sink $6 billion into developing a data center in Lancaster in partnership with a company that recently acquired two former printing plants in the city. A […]

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

Amazon bringing more data centers to PA amid growing concerns over cost

The data center boom made a big bang yesterday in Pennsylvania. Tech giant Amazon said it plans to invest at least $20 billion to build data centers in Pennsylvania, starting with a pair of locations in eastern Pennsylvania. The Shapiro administration described the company’s move as the largest private-sector investment in state history. “This is not just […]

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

Authority tees up potential golf course sale amid data center demand

A suburban Harrisburg golf course is the latest plot of land in the region to draw attention from developers of data centers, power-hungry computing facilities that are vital to the growth of artificial intelligence. Would-be buyers with data centers in mind have shown an appetite for the Dauphin Highlands Golf Course, according to Jeanette Krebs, […]

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

Heller-linked IT firm sells unit to California company

A California tech firm has acquired portions of a Lancaster-based IT company co-founded by Daryl Heller, the business owner at the center of a legal vortex. The Lancaster company is AVAIL Technology Solutions, which traces its roots to a venture called Premier Management Group. Premier was founded in 1990 by Heller and entrepreneur Bob Horst. But the […]

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

What great leaders notice first

Column by Brandon Rogers The longer someone leads, the less impressed they become with raw talent alone. Experience has a

Dauphin County CASA

Beth Siegfried has been named executive director of Dauphin County CASA, a Harrisburg-based nonprofit that provides volunteer advocates for children in foster care. She succeeds Kim St.Clair, who had been acting executive director and continues as program supervisor. Siegfried has more than two decades of experience in communications, advocacy and nonprofit leadership. She worked most […]

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

Prominent Harrisburg law firm relocating to West Shore

For nearly six decades, McNees Wallace & Nurick has occupied a prime piece of Harrisburg real estate — a nine-story office building overlooking the Susquehanna River. But sometime in 2027, the law firm expects to cross the river into somewhat smaller digs in East Pennsboro Township, Cumberland County. McNees has inked a 20-year lease for a roughly […]

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

United Concordia Dental

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

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

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

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

Beyond bankruptcy: Cookie entrepreneurs pin hopes on protein, ice cream, ecommerce

In fall 2024, Doug and Sara Taylor traveled to Philadelphia to open the first of two stores in the city

Foundation leader steps up as grantmaking capacity swells

Over the last three years, Robin Stauffer has overseen a dramatic growth in resources at one of Lancaster’s County’s largest charities. Effective Jan. 1, she has a new role to match. Stauffer, the longtime executive director of the High Foundation, has been named its president and CEO. “For more than two decades, Robin has led High […]

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

Regional bank agrees to $354M sale

Camp Hill-based LinkBancorp opened in 2018 following a round of consolidation that took out several banks in Central Pennsylvania. Now, with bank mergers again on the upswing, LinkBancorp is on the sell side. Alexandria, Virginia-based Burke & Herbert Financial Services Corp. has agreed to buy the bank in an all-stock deal valued at $354.2 million. The transaction, expected […]

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

Leadership resolutions for the New Year

Column by Richard Randall As 2025 comes to an end, leaders will naturally be thinking about how to position their

Pennian Bank

Suzy Teter has joined Pennian Bank as an assistant vice president and relationship banker based in the bank’s Lemoyne office. Teter, who lives in Duncannon worked most recently serving as a financial center manager for Mid Penn Bank. “Suzy’s commitment to serving as a trusted resource to businesses and organizations, as well her dedication to […]

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

New chief to run paper company in turnaround mode

A Spring Grove paper maker is tapping a new CEO as it works to turn around its finances. Pixelle Specialty

Winery loses appeal in fight to stay open

A state court rejected an appeal from a York County winery fighting orders that it shut down. The decision last week by Superior Court of Pennsylvania forestalls one of the last legal avenues available to Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery in its long-running battle with neighbors who want the venue to cease operations. The neighbors — Amanda […]

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

Museum complex slated for $55M upgrade

The State Museum of Pennsylvania is getting a facelift. State officials yesterday unveiled plans for a $55 million makeover of the 62-year-old museum complex on state Capitol grounds. The goal is to modernize exhibits, displays and storage areas, while creating an environment matching the expectations of 21st-century visitors. Planned changes include creation of a large-scale […]

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

State House advances controversial tax policy

State lawmakers are plowing ahead once again with tax changes that have long drawn the ire of business lobbyists but never made it into law. The changes would subject more corporate profits to taxes in Pennsylvania by curtailing the ability of companies to report those profits in other states. Two committees in the Democratic-controlled state […]

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

Barley Snyder

Alice Solomon has joined the Malvern office of Lancaster-based law firm Barley Snyder. With a background in environmental, energy and land use law, she is a member of the firm’s real estate and litigation practice groups. Before joining Barley Snyder, Solomon worked at an environmental law firm based in the Philadelphia suburbs. She has a […]

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

Consumer advocates want do-over for price-spiking power auction

Consumer advocates in Illinois, Maryland and New Jersey are asking federal regulators to rerun an auction that is sparking a hike in electricity prices set to take effect in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest — including Pennsylvania — starting June 1. At issue is the auction process used by regional power grid operator PJM to set the price of electricity […]

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

Elizabethtown beverage brand, distributor sold

T.J. Foltz founded Humankind Beverage in 2011 with a goal of funneling profits from sales of bottled water into a charity bringing clean water to poverty-stricken areas of the world. He’s hoping to make a lot more sales now that the Elizabethtown-based brand — and its regional distribution arm — have been acquired. The buyer is Odeko, a […]

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

West Shore warehouse complex moves forward

Developers have acquired land off the Carlisle Pike in Cumberland County where they plan to build three warehouses. The warehouses will span nearly 2 million square feet under plans approved in 2023 under the previous owner of the property, part of Hempt Farms in Silver Spring Township. The developers — a joint venture between New York-based Rockefeller […]

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

The Latest News

Banking & Finance

Construction

Economy

entrepreneurship

Food

Government

Health Care

Legal