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Brokerage buys capital-area advisory firm

A Harrisburg-area financial advisory has joined the wave of consolidation washing over the industry. Comprehensive Financial Associates, based in Susquehanna Township, has been acquired by insurance and benefits brokerage AssuredPartners, according to a press release from Wise Rhino Group, the M&A firm that advised Comprehensive Financial. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. But it also includes […]

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Lancaster advisory firm sold

Amid a wave of consolidation in the financial planning sector, Lancaster-based Domani Wealth has been purchased by a larger firm based in Illinois. The acquisition is the fourth this year for the firm, Savant Wealth Management, which is based in Rockford, west of Chicago. Terms of the deal were not disclosed but Domani will keep its existing leadership, […]

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Mid Penn filing blames Citi for nonprofit’s loss

New York-based Citibank should be held liable for any losses suffered by a Harrisburg-based nonprofit that claims it was the victim of fraud, according to a legal filing by Mid Penn Bank. The nonprofit, the Center for Independent Living of Central PA, sued Mid Penn over the loss in February. Fraudsters allegedly managed to access two of the nonprofit’s accounts at […]

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Nonprofit sues bank after alleged account fraud

Fraudsters drained nearly $250,000 from bank accounts of the Center for Independent Living of Central PA, and the Harrisburg-based nonprofit wants its bank, Mid Penn Bank, to refund the money, according to a lawsuit filed last week in Dauphin County court. The Harrisburg-based bank allegedly failed to enforce “commercially reasonable” security controls on the accounts and thus […]

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PA Court OKs tax refund over location issue

In a case that could have far-reaching implications for corporate taxpayers, the state’s highest court has awarded a $2.1 million tax refund to a Pennsylvania-based arm of Johnson & Johnson. Reached last week, the decision hinged on what sounds like a simple question: Whether the company owed taxes in Pennsylvania based on services produced in this […]

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Camp Hill bank to merge with Delmarva peer

Camp Hill-based LinkBancorp has struck a deal that will extend its footprint into Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia. The bank said yesterday it has agreed to a “merger of equals” with Partners Bancorp, a Salisbury, Maryland-based bank with a long history in the Delmarva region. The all-stock deal is valued at $167.8 million, according to a press […]

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PennSpring scoops up STEM camp operator

A Lancaster-based private equity firm is taking a third shot at the youth-enrichment market, a space where it has found success in the past. PennSpring Capital has acquired Emagination Tech Camps, which has been rebranded as Emagination STEM Camps, according to Lou Castelli, PennSpring’s managing partner. The previous owner was a private investor who bought the company during […]

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Suit aims to stop Centric merger

A shareholder of Centric Financial is seeking to block the Harrisburg-area bank’s planned merger into a western Pennsylvania bank. In a class-action lawsuit filed this month in Cumberland County court, shareholder Charles Reinhardt claims the $144 million deal undervalues Centric, which is based in Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County. The lawsuit also takes aim at other terms of […]

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State College bank launches in capital region

A State College bank is making its first play in the capital region, where it hopes to drum up home and business loans. Centre 1st Bank has hired Bob Rader, a longtime capital-area banker, to head up a new loan office at 1017 Mumma Road in Wormleysburg. Rader, who lives in Mechanicsburg, is president of the […]

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Banks seek more time, info on Welkowitz deal

Local banks are telling a Lancaster County court that they need more time and information to assess a deal that would settle debts from the estate of the late developer Richard Welkowitz. The estate has proposed selling off its stake in ventures that own more than 5,000 ATMs for $13.8 million to a Lancaster-based private equity firm, Heller […]

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Lancaster wealth advisory merges with Maryland firm

Tim Decker initially turned to Greenspring Advisors as part of the succession planning for staff and clients of his Lancaster-based wealth management firm, ISI Financial Group. Greenspring, a larger firm based in Towson, Maryland, would take over if something happened to him, Decker said.But he decided not to wait, in part due to the challenges of hiring in today’s […]

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Facing insolvency, Welkowitz estate floats deal to settle debts

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

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Former PeoplesBank exec tapped to lead Lancaster credit union

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

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Harrisburg-area firm agrees to sale

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

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Industry vet to guide bank’s capital-area expansion

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

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CPA giant snaps up Harrisburg’s Andculture

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

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Local banking leader named to top job at PA chamber

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

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Fledgling venture fund makes first investments

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

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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State grants fund regional housing projects

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

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Apartments on tap for West York Borough

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

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‘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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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, […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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Apartment conversion on tap for York city

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

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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PNC economist sees tests for consumer, corporate resilience

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

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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. […]

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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, […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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. […]

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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 […]

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Lancaster-area startup brings better data to racquet sports

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

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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: […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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The LGBT Center of Central PA

Amber Roadcap has been named executive director of The LGBT Center of Central PA. Roadcap worked most recently in a marketing role at Malvern Health. She began her career as a crisis intervention counselor at Geisinger Holy Spirit Hospital. Roadcap previously volunteered at the LGBT Center, which is moving this year to a permanent home at […]

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Appell Center for the Performing Arts

Six new board members have been named to the board of directors for the Appell Center for the Performing Arts in York. They are: Suzanne Becker, Traditions Bank Mark Holman, retired from Susquehanna Township School District Juliet Kinsley, Ellis Lee Marketing & Graphic Design Eric Menzer, York Professional Baseball Christine Nentwig, CGA Law Firm Brian […]

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York County Community Foundation

Michele Mummert has been named vice president of grants and community engagement at the York County Community Foundation. She will lead the foundation’s grants department and set the strategic direction of its grantmaking. Mummert worked most recently at WellSpan Health as senior director of community health and engagement. She earned a bachelor’s degree in organizational […]

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The Foundation for Enhancing Communities

Jennifer Doyle has been named president and CEO of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities, one of the capital region’s largest philanthropies. Doyle succeeds Janice Black, who retired this year after leading the foundation for nearly three decades. Doyle had been serving as interim president and CEO of the Harrisburg-based foundation, known as TFEC, which has about $130 […]

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Carlisle apartment complexes change hands

A Philadelphia-area apartment owner has scooped up a pair of Carlisle-area complexes alongside nine other properties around the state. The Carlisle-area properties — the 93-unit Hanover Manor and 80-unit Carlwynne Manor — are the two smallest properties taken in the deal, which includes more than 3,400 units overall, The other properties are in Allentown, Reading, […]

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Mid Penn Bank

Paul Spotts has been promoted to chief credit officer of Mid Penn Bank, a subsidiary of Harrisburg-based Mid Penn Bancorp. Spotts, who joined the bank in 2021, worked most recently as chief credit administration officer. Spotts earned a bachelor’s degree from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and has more than 30 years of experience in […]

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UPMC

Dr. Kerstin Bettermann has been named chief of neurology for UPMC Neurological Institute and hospital services in central and north central Pennsylvania. She will have clinical oversight of eight UPMC Neurological Institute locations serving Annville, Carlisle, Harrisburg, Hershey, Lancaster, Mechanicsburg, Spring Grove and Williamsport. Bettermann was most recently a professor of neurology and chief of […]

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McNees

Zachary Wyatte has joined the corporate and tax group at Harrisburg law firm McNees. He most recently practiced law with a large law firm in Texas. Wyatte earned a bachelor’s degree in logistics and intermodal transportation from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, a master’s degree in homeland security from American Military University and a law […]

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York-area manufacturer resolves harassment claims

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

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Harrisburg U adjusts teaching staff to save costs

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology recently eliminated three faculty positions and is making other changes to its teaching staff as it seeks to bolster its finances after missing a May installment payment on its bond debt. The changes follow a report this month by consulting firm rpk Group advising Harrisburg U to reduce spending on instructional personnel, attract more donations […]

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New overtime rules poised to take effect amid legal challenges

Barring any last-minute legal complications, employers may be paying overtime to more workers starting Monday. July 1 is the date a federal rule lifting the salary threshold for overtime eligibility is scheduled to take effect. Issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, the rule bumps the threshold to $43,888 per year, up from the current […]

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Harrisburg law firm hires first-ever finance chief

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

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Saxton & Stump

Robert Pontz has joined Lancaster-based law firm Saxton & Stump as chair of the bankruptcy and financial restructuring group. Pontz also is now a shareholder of the firm and a member of its business/corporate and banking/financial services groups. Pontz, who has more than three decades of legal experience, was most recently a partner at Lancaster-based Brubaker […]

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Data breach at Geisinger vendor affects 1M patients

Danville-based Geisinger health system this week disclosed a data breach that could affect more than a million of its patients. In its disclosure, Geisinger said it learned on Nov. 29 that a vendor’s former employee had accessed patient information two days after being fired. The vendor, Microsoft subsidiary Nuance Communications, cut off the ex-employee’s access to Geisinger records, notified […]

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House OKs expansion to prevailing-wage law

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

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Harristown undertaking $750K reno project

An affiliate of the nonprofit developer Harristown Enterprises is carving up a pair of vacant rowhomes at 104 and 106 Walnut St. in Harrisburg into four apartment units, ranging in size from 910 square feet to 1,690 square feet. The Harristown affiliate, Charming on Walnut LLC, bought the two Depression-era buildings in December 2023 in a […]

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Grant swells funding for $75M Codorus Greenway project

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

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Ratings agency warns on Spring Grove manufacturer

Spring Grove-based paper maker Pixelle Specialty Solutions recently unveiled steps to bolster its finances. But they do not appear to be enough to satisfy a ratings agency concerned about the company’s liquidity. S&P Global initially downgraded the company following the refinancing. The agency then restored the original rating but added a negative outlook, warning that “continued operational weakness could pressure […]

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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. […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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Clock ticks on state budget, gaming regulation

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

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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. […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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” […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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, […]

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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 […]

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Capital-area vape shop prevails in state tax case

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

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

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

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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Lancaster-area startup brings better data to racquet sports

When John Weinlader was learning to swing a golf club, simulators generated plenty of information that helped him hone his

Data center demand drives growth for Lancaster firm

The hunger for cooling products is heating up, and a Lancaster-based specialty manufacturer is vying to meet the need. Advanced Cooling Technologies plans to add 50,000 square feet of space to support high-volume production of cold plates used in liquid cooling, a newer technology rapidly being adopted by data center developers. The expansion is the first […]

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Co-founders of manufacturing company tap uncommon exit strategy

After several would-be buyers took a pass on their manufacturing business, Tim Horning and Greg Kimble found an option that appealed to them far more than closing up and walking away from the company they built over a quarter century. Horning and Kimble decided to sell Signature Vacuum Furnaces to its roughly 15 employees. “It just seemed […]

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Flooring maker axes production line at Lancaster plant

Flooring manufacturer AHF Products plans to cease production of sheet vinyl at its plant in Lancaster effective June 28 Based in West Hempfield Township, Lancaster County, AHF will continue operating the Lancaster plant but shift focus to its other chief product, luxury vinyl tile, which is in greater demand. A company spokesperson did not disclose how many […]

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Package maker closing plant, laying off workers amid business decline

Prompted by dwindling volume, a packaging company is closing a plant in Cumberland County and laying off 83 workers effective July 6, according to a notice sent to state and local officials. Nearly half of the workers are line operators, with the rest including forklift operators, production managers and quality control inspectors, among others, according […]

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Layoffs triggered by end of vitamin production at York-area plant

More than a decade after expanding production of gummy vitamins at its factory in York County, a New Jersey-based consumer products company is shutting it down. As a result, Church & Dwight Co. Inc. expects to lay off up to 195 people at the plant, which is in West Manchester Township just north of Route 30. Why […]

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York manufacturer sold amid demand for its nuclear industry products

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

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York-area saw manufacturer sold

A Canadian company has acquired Oleson Saw Technology, a saw-blade manufacturer in Manchester Township, York County. The buyer, Comact, provides equipment and services for wood-processing industries. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Comact plans to maintain the business, which employs about 35 people and makes blades used in sawmills, according to Comact spokesperson Anne-Marie […]

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Growth-minded Ohio firm buys York-area chain manufacturer

York County manufacturer Campbell Chain & Fittings has been acquired by Hillman Solutions Corp., a Cincinnati-based company looking to expand its industrial and commercial chain business. Campbell had been owned by Apex Tool Group LLC, which has been struggling to manage its debt in the face of weak revenue in some tool categories, according to S&P Global Ratings. Terms of the […]

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State funds cover solar installs at local manufacturers

Three businesses in Central Pennsylvania are installing solar systems thanks to grants from a state program designed to cut carbon emissions from factories and other industrial concerns. The grants are some of the first authorized under the program, dubbed Reducing Industrial Sector Emissions in Pennsylvania, or RISE PA. Engle Printing & Publishing Co. Inc. is receiving $493,114 […]

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Production boost planned at York-area snack plant

Say hello to Hello Panda. Snack manufacturer Meiji America plans to invest $65 million into its York-area Stauffer’s plant in an effort to boost production of Hello Panda cookies, one of the company’s signature products. Meiji America currently feeds U.S. demand for the cookies from a West Coast plant. But the company wants to bring production capacity to the […]

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Lancaster firm sells stake to investment giant

One of the largest investment firms in the U.S. is buying into a Lancaster County company at the leading edge of trends in energy efficiency. New York-based Blackstone is planning to acquire a majority stake in Advanced Cooling Technologies Inc., whose portfolio includes products that help keep data centers from overheating. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, […]

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Company to up yogurt processing at Shippensburg plant

A global dairy processor plans to pour nearly $133 million into expansion of a plant in western Cumberland County. Green Bay, Wisconsin-based Schreiber Foods aims to boost yogurt processing at the Shippensburg plant and add at least 47 jobs, according to the Shapiro administration, which is backing the project with a $1 million grant. State […]

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State funds expand school-to-work programs

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry is awarding grants of more than $4.1 million to support 17 projects that help students graduate with a clear career path. The grant dollars support partnerships among school districts, career and technical centers, employers, workforce boards and training providers. Regionally, grants were awarded to: Harrisburg Area School District ($250,000) – to […]

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Armstrong World snaps up specialty fabricator

Building products manufacturer Armstrong World Industries Inc. said yesterday that it acquired a Chicago-based company called Eventscape Inc., which specializes in designing, making and installing complex architectural features. Terms of the transaction — which continues a multiyear string of deals for Armstrong — were not disclosed. Based in Toronto and New York City, Eventscape employs 150 […]

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Is a sale in the works for Steelton plant?

Executives at Cleveland-Cliffs said this week they have buyers for some of their idled plants, a group of assets that includes a massive factory in Steelton. On a conference call with stock analysts, company execs said they expect to generate $425 million from selling the idle plants — and that the Ohio-based steelmaker already closed on one deal […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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, […]

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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 […]

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CPA giant snaps up Harrisburg’s Andculture

Harrisburg-based Andculture is poised to become part of Chicago-based accounting and advisory firm RSM US LLP. RSM said Thursday it has

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.

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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. […]

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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

Hanover bank buildings sold

A pair of former bank buildings on Carlisle Street in downtown Hanover were sold in separate transactions expected to bring new life to both. According to county deed records, the Hanover Area Historical Society paid $550,000 for the building at 25 Carlisle St. The classical early 20th-century building was a branch for the former Bank of Hanover, which […]

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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 […]

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Developer buys scrapyard at center of environmental dispute

A York-area scrapyard at the center of an environmental dispute is under new ownership. An affiliate of York-based developer Inch & Co. has acquired the property of J&K Salvage, a metal recycling operation shut down by a state order in March following a fire. The affiliate, Codorus Creek Renewal LLC, paid $2.7 million for J&K parcels at 1099 and […]

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Seed distributor pays $10M for Lanco industrial property

King’s AgriSeeds, a seed distributor based in East Lampeter Township, Lancaster County, is moving to new quarters after a real estate affiliate of the company paid $10 million for a nearly 100,000-square-foot warehouse in Upper Leacock Township. Scott Bradbury, senior vice president of Lancaster-based brokerage U.S. Commercial Realty, facilitated the sale. The warehouse is at 43 Graybill […]

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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

Harrisburg-area golf course could change hands ahead of schedule

The Dauphin County General Authority has tweaked the agreement governing the pending $45.6 million sale of the Dauphin Highlands Golf Course to Dallas-based data center developer Provident Realty Advisors. In a vote yesterday, the authority — which owns the 228-acre course in Swatara Township and Steelton — amended the agreement to allow the sale to close earlier than the original date […]

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Appearing closed, Wolf company warehouse on the market

A warehouse used by a prominent York-based building products supplier is on the market. Formerly emblazoned with the name of Wolf Distributing Co., the nearly 340,000-square-foot building at 3400 W. Market St. in West Manchester Township is listed for sale or lease by real estate firm CBRE. No prices or rates are listed. But a brochure indicates the potential […]

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Sheriff’s sale looms for suburban Harrisburg hotel

A Harrisburg-area hotel is heading for a sheriff’s sale in June after allegedly defaulting on its debt. The owners of Holiday Inn Harrisburg East in Swatara Township, Dauphin County, a New Jersey-based partnership called Shri Sai Middletown LLC, owe nearly $11.3 million, according to a foreclosure notice filed last fall by its lender, Oregon-based Standard Insurance Co., […]

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Planners narrow options for reusing Penn State York campus

After months of research and community engagement, the York County Economic Alliance is narrowing the list of options for reusing the campus of Penn State York after its scheduled closure in May 2027. The three leading contenders include a healthcare/higher education hub, a conference/hospitality hub and a vo-tech/workforce development hub, YCEA chief strategy officer Silas […]

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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 […]

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Local warehouses sold as part of multistate $575M deal

Warehouses in Cumberland and Franklin counties are changing hands as part of a larger $575 million deal involving a string of 25 warehouses stretching from Connecticut to Florida. The buyer is Radnor-based EQT Real Estate, an active player in the regional market for warehouse space. The seller is Mapletree Investments, a Singapore-based real estate investment firm managing […]

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Rock Lititz lands corporate HQ for Nashville campus

Rock Lititz’s Nashville business has snagged an audio equipment manufacturer as the latest tenant for its Rock Nashville campus. Sennheiser, based in Germany, has tapped the Tennessee campus as the site of its Americas headquarters, which is currently in Old Lyme, Connecticut. The move, representing an investment of $2.5 million, will add at least 25 jobs to […]

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Bank sheds admin building in sale-leaseback deal

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

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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 […]

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Carlisle-area warehouse fetches nearly $142M

One of the biggest warehouses in Cumberland County has changed hands. An arm of California-based investment firm PCCP LLC paid $141.6 million for a 1.2 million-square-foot building at 3419 Ritner Road off Interstate 81 in West Pennsboro Township, according to real estate firm JLL, which represented the seller, an affiliate of Radnor-based Exeter Property Group. Exeter paid $85 million for […]

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Area mobile home parks fetch millions of dollars

A trio of Lancaster County mobile home parks changed hands over the past month in deals totaling more than $20 million. A Florida-based investor called Nebula Realty Trust sold parks in Earl and Penn townships for a combined $14.55 million, while a Conestoga-based partnership sold a Providence Township park for nearly $6.9 million, according to county deed […]

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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

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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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, […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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

PA sites on short list for deep-pocketed startup

Pennsylvania is one of three states where a prominent data-center startup is looking to site facilities, according to a LinkedIn post earlier this week from Sarah Friar, CFO of OpenAI, one of the companies backing the startup. The Stargate Project — also backed SoftBank, computer company Oracle and investment firm MGX — iburst out of the gate last month with […]

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Sale of York fiber company finalized

The sale of United Fiber & Data, a York-based fiber optic company co-founded by former members of the rock band Live, has been finalized. The deal had been held up by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, which had some questions about the transaction. But in a Jan. 10 letter, the agency signed off on the company’s sale […]

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Developer eyes multibillion-dollar data center campus near Carlisle

Central Pennsylvania is home to big buildings that store stuff. A Virginia-based company is eyeing construction of big buildings that store data, reflecting a national race to boost data center capacity. PowerHouse Data Centers, an arm of Virginia-based American Real Estate Partners, has been discussing a potential multibillion-dollar data center development on a 700-acre tract in […]

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Pharma giant plowing millions into Lancaster County campus

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

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Video-display installer sells stake to Lancaster firm

Like many entrepreneurs ready to take their startups to the next level, Josh Dominguez knew he needed more capital. He found a source in PennSpring Capital, a Lancaster-based investment firm. PennSpring said yesterday it has acquired a majority stake in Dominguez’s company, Refresh LED. Based in Hampden Township, Cumberland County, the company designs, installs and services LED […]

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$37.5M sale of York fiber optic company on hold

State utility regulators are putting an indefinite hold on the proposed sale of York-based United Fiber & Data, a deal valued at about $37.5 million, according to filings with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. The PUC said it needs more time to complete its review of the deal, according to a Sept. 18 letter from the […]

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State opens portal for reporting data breaches

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

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Lancaster software startup merges with industry peer

In a union billed as a merger of complementary technologies, Lancaster-based software startup AutoOps has joined with Boston-based Steer, which develops and sells customer relationship management software to auto repair shops. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but Steer plans to retain the leaders, employees and office of AutoOps, which makes software for scheduling auto repairs, according […]

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Capital-area startup banks on demand for data centers

Andy Kochanowski was looking for a business to buy when he came across a listing on BizBuySell that caught his eye. It was for a data center in Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County, operated by Elevated MSP LLC, an IT services company in Lemoyne. Elevated was looking to exit the business in order to focus on its […]

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Data breach at Geisinger vendor affects 1M patients

Danville-based Geisinger health system this week disclosed a data breach that could affect more than a million of its patients. In

PennSpring-backed firm scoops up virtual paralegal service

Zirtual, a portfolio company of Lancaster-based investment firm PennSpring Capital, is branching out. The virtual-assistant service has acquired Del.Trust, a company that offers virtual paralegal services to attorneys and law firms nationwide. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Del.Trust founder Jaclyn Foster is joining Zirtual as president of its newly established paralegal services division. “She is […]

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York fiber company co-founded by rock stars unloads assets

United Fiber & Data, a York-based fiber optics firm that once promised to bring jobs and data centers to eastern Pennsylvania, is selling “substantially all” of its assets to a New York-based company. Those assets include the signature project of United Fiber & Data, or UFD, a company founded in 2012 by former members of […]

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PE firm backs spinoff from York IT company

John Dolmetsch believed wireless connectivity would become a staple of modern life. He just didn’t expect it would happen so quickly. “Literally, it’s an explosion,” said Dolmetsch, who in 1992 co-founded York-based IT firm Business Information Group, aka BIG, with his brother, Scott. In a bid to take advantage of that growth, John Dolmetsch partnered this […]

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Lanco financial firm merges with Denver peer

The slowdown in home lending has challenged banks and mortgage brokers over the last year. But it has created opportunities for the firms that offer them advice and technology to improve their operations. It is those opportunities that helped spur a merger for Teraverde, a financial software and consulting company based in East Hempfield Township Lancaster […]

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For Lititz VR firm, sale is path to scale

After striking a deal with ViacomCBS, now Paramount, Lititz-based MajorMega created a virtual-reality game based on popular cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants and the undersea world of Bikini Bottom. The two-person arcade game debuted at a convention in Orlando, Florida, said Michael Bridgman, a co-founder of the gaming company. “It was really well-received and we got […]

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Firm with Lanco ties forges $270M deal

A Massachusetts-based company has agreed to pay $270 million in cash for a London-based firm that sells anti-counterfeiting products and services. The firm is OpSec Security, which has operations at two locations in the Greenfield business park in East Lampeter Township, Lancaster County. OpSec had been on a path to go public this year by merging […]

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Edtech startup hires revenue chief

TEAMology, an education technology startup based in Chambersburg, has hired Gretchen Thompson as its first-ever chief revenue officer, where she will lead sales, business development, strategic partnerships and marketing initiatives. Thompson has held sales, marketing and leadership positions for a number of education-related startups, including ClassLink, Qwizdom and Vizzle. She worked most recently for Baltimore-based Allovue, which developed finance software […]

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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 […]

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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

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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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