In the News

Pennsylvania's future lies in its cities, mayors insist

Intelligencer Journal / Lancaster New Era Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Despite the challenges Pennsylvania cities face, they also have a promising future, the mayors of Lancaster, Lebanon and Reading said at a recent meeting covered by the Intelligencer Journal / Lancaster New Era.

The three Central Pennsylvania mayors, led by (Lancaster Mayor Rick) Gray, said the hollowing out that cities have experienced since the post-World War II baby boom is now shifting to the suburbs.

Younger people want to live where there are restaurants, night life and entertainment venues. Middle-age people with empty nests no longer want to keep up their home and half-acre lots. And even retirement centers are considering redevelopment projects in old city warehouses and factories, Gray maintained.

"The nuclear, 'Leave it to Beaver' family is no more," Gray pronounced, referring to changing demographics.

Original source: Intelligencer Journal / Lancaster New Era
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Self-serve wine kiosks coming to Walmart stores in PA

The Associated Press Wednesday, March 30, 2011

The Associated Press reports that 24 Walmart stores in Pennsylvania will be home to the vending machine-style wine kiosks that have been making their way into grocery stores throughout the state.

The kiosks are located at certain Wegmans, Fresh Grocer, Brown's Family ShopRite, Giant Eagle, Supervalu, Genuardi's, Acme, Giant Food, and other stores. The Liquor Control Board is working on getting about 100 such kiosks installed around the state, and (spokeswoman Stacey) Witalec said it's possible the project may be expanded beyond that.

Original source: The Associated Press
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Exports from PA businesses up 22 percent, federal data show

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Wednesday, March 30, 2011

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that Pennsylvania companies' exports increased 22 percent in 2010, a drastic improvement from an 18 percent drop in 2009.

Pennsylvania, which ranked 11th in the nation in terms of total state exports last year, had a greater percentage increase than the nation as a whole, which experienced a 16.6 percent increase after falling 14.6 percent during the recession in 2009.

Canada remained the No. 1 buyer of Pennsylvania exports at $10.2 billion, up 14.6 percent from $8.9 billion in 2009. China bought $2.67 billion worth of goods from businesses in the state, a 78 percent increase from $1.5 billion in 2009.

The chemical industry topped all industries in the state with $10.2 billion worth of exports, up 14 percent from 2009. Machinery, primary metal manufacturing, computers and electronic products, and transportation equipment rounded out the top five.

Original source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
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Cleaning up creek in south-central PA could make Chesapeake Bay cleaner

Farm and Dairy Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Farm and Dairy reports on an effort to reduce the amount of pollution from farmers' fields that ends up in a creek that flows toward the Chesapeake Bay.

�If what we are trying to do works here, we believe it can work in tributaries throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed,� said Matt Royer, director of the Lower Susquehanna Initiative for Penn State�s Ag and Environment Center.

The Conewago, which marks the county line between Dauphin and Lancaster counties, is not victimized only by agricultural runoff. While there are about 270 farms in the watershed, the creek also receives storm water runoff from development.

Original source: Farm and Dairy
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PA Peanut Power: Planters hits highway in peanut-shaped truck fueled by biodiesel

The New York Times Wednesday, March 02, 2011

The New York Times reports that a peanut-shaped truck built for Planters Peanuts, which was founded and headquartered in Wilkes-Barre for 36 years ending in 1961 and includes floorboards taken from a Lancaster barn, will tour the country, powered by peanut-based biodiesel.

The Nutmobile's unmodified diesel engine will run on up to 20 percent biodiesel fuel and return 10 to 15 miles per gallon, Mr. Riseborough said. Energy captured and converted by the wind turbine and solar panel drive an alternator that recharges batteries for the vehicle�s interior lighting and sound system.

"This form of advertising has really taken off," Joe Doyon, Turtle Transit's general manager, said in a telephone interview. "The advent of camera phones means that vehicles like the Nutmobile get photographed a lot."

Original source: New York Times
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Pennsylvania v. Maine: Who invented the whoopie pie?

The Wall Street Journal Wednesday, February 23, 2011

The Wall Street Journal reports on the ongoing debate over which state can rightfully claim to have invented the whoopie pie: Pennsylvania or Maine.

Here in Lancaster County, everyone has heard pretty much the same story, which may just be a rural legend: Amish mothers plopped leftover chocolate-cake batter into the oven, filled the result with icing and the whoopie was born. The practical pies were easily transportable for farmers in the field and children at school.

And the name? "The Amish moms used to put the whoopie pies in the children's lunches and when they found them they would yell 'Whoopie!'" says Deryl Stoltzfus, general manager at Hershey Farm Restaurant & Inn in Ronks, home to the annual whoopie-pie festival, in which 20,000 whoopies are made in 100 flavors on the big day, including one 240-pound pie.

Original source: The Wall Street Journal
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StartUp Visa Act would give immigrant entrepreneurs visas to stay in places like Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Wednesday, February 23, 2011

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports on upcoming legislation in Congress that would give green cards to immigrants poised to start new businesses and put Americans to work.

The StartUp Visa Act targets startup efforts across all sectors, but enthusiasm for the bill is especially acute in tech communities like Pittsburgh that see an outsize number of foreign-born students who want to stay and develop a company.

But these new visas -- a permanent resident card (or "green card") called an EB-6 -- aren't available to any immigrant with a good idea. To qualify, an entrepreneur would need to raise at least $250,000 from investors, and over two years create at least five full-time jobs in the United States, attract $1 million in additional investment or surpass revenue of $1 million.

Original source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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Lancaster's downtown revival provides possible inspiration and blueprint for York

York Daily Record Wednesday, February 23, 2011

In a two-part series, the York Daily Record examines the success of Lancaster's downtown makeover and how York might replicate it.

John Thiry, a commercial real estate agent with NAI Commercial Partners, said it used to be nearly impossible to persuade companies to want to build in Lancaster. "I couldn't drag people here," he said.

Today, office space occupancy rates are in the high 80s, and the city's downtown is a hot spot for "flippers," real estate buyers who pick up properties, renovate them and sell them at a profit.

Perhaps the city's most dramatic property turn-around culminated in 2009: the Watt & Shand department store building reopened as the Lancaster County Convention Center and Marriott Hotel, a lavish 90,000- square-foot hotel with a cavernous lobby, restaurant and spa.

Original source: York Daily Record
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Lancaster's appMobi unveils method for smart phone application developers to bypass app stores

IntoMobile Wednesday, February 16, 2011

IntoMobile reports that Lancaster tech firm appMobi has introduced new technology allowing developers of smart phone applications to decide how their apps will be distributed, rendering app stores unnecessary.

Developers could rely on powerful JavaScript APIs from the appMobi XDK, PhoneGap and Wholesale Applications Community (WAC) to make their apps. On the other end, mobile operators, handset manufacturers, major brands and large media providers can use the tools and infrastructure provided to go as far as build their own app stores.

Original source: IntoMobile
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PA's manufacturing sector driving economic rebound, says study

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Wednesday, February 16, 2011

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes about a study that says PA's manufacturing sector is driving the economic rebound..

"Manufacturing is driving the economic rebound," said Petra Mitchell, president of the nonprofit Catalyst Connection in South Oakland, an agency that helps companies grow and develop new products.

The state's manufacturers generated goods and services -- or gross state product -- of $131,147 per employee in 2010, compared to $97,222 last year for non-manufacturers, according to the study.

Original source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
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Coal is still king in PA, but alternative energy, deregulation are changing the landscape

The Philadelphia Inquirer Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Coal provides more than half of Pennsylvania's electricity, but the growth of alternative power sources and deregulation of electric utilities is altering the energy landscape, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

At play in the energy debate is geography. On one side: the state's still-thriving coal towns, largely in the southwest. On the other: former industrial regions, such as Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Allentown, that after decades of job loss see fresh economic opportunity. At a former U.S. Steel site in Bucks County, for example, a wind-turbine manufacturer employs 265.

But deregulation of the electricity market makes the battle relevant to all Pennsylvanians. It has given them more choice over who supplies their electricity, and how much of it -- if any -- they want to come from alternative sources such as solar and wind power.

Original source: The Philadelphia Inquirer
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Hanover's Utz to acquire Louisiana potato chip company

Potato Business Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Potato Business reports that south-central Pennsylvania snack company Utz will acquire the Louisiana firm that makes Zapp's Potato Chips.

Zappe Endeavors LLC, the maker of Zapp's potato chips, has agreed to be acquired by Utz Quality Foods Inc., the largest independently held snack food company in the U.S.

Last Thursday Zappe President Rod Olson said that an internal document obtained by The Advocate was intended to notify employees, buyers and vendors and said the deal is "friendly, not hostile."

Olson said he would not discuss the particulars of the deal, which is expected to close in the first quarter.

Original source: Potato Business
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PA intellectual property attorneys embrace high-tech devices

The Legal Intelligencer Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Pennsylvania's intellectual property lawyers are ahead of their colleagues in adopting devices like iPads and Kindles, The Legal Intelligencer reports.

In mid-November, The Legal Intelligencer ran a story headlined "Pennsylvania Firms Not Early Adopters of Tech Trends," in which several midsized general practice firms said they still prefer BlackBerry devices to alternatives like Apple's iPhone and see little practical use in devices like Amazon's Kindle eReader or Apple's iPad tablet computer.

Almost immediately after that story ran, we received feedback from lawyers who said they use these devices for work on a regular basis.

Invariably, they were intellectual property attorneys.

Original source: The Legal Intelligencer
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PA is No. 3 in U.S. for number of solar projects, says gov't survey

EarthTechling Wednesday, December 01, 2010

A recent government survey shows that Pennsylvania is one of the top states for generating solar power, EarthTechling reports.

The EPA highlighted new data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory�s (NREL�s) latest open photovoltaic survey, which ranks Pennsylvania third nationally in the number of solar projects operating today and fourth in installed capacity. According to NREL, the state now has 2,434 projects that account for 38.5 megawatts of generating capacity�enough to power about 5,800 homes�second only to California and New Jersey.

Original source: EarthTechling
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Business owners predict upcoming renaissance in Parkesburg

Daily Local News Wednesday, December 01, 2010

The Daily Local News reports that new businesses are arriving in Parkesburg, a small town in western Chester County, signaling better economic times and a new commercial corridor.

Salon Boninu and RMON Tech, a computer repair shop, have opened up across the street. Between those two shops, the bank building, Rocco and Anna�s Ristorante Italiano, a popular Italian restaurant that�s been a mainstay in Parkesburg, and a bakery that�s opening soon, �we have formed the nucleus of a new commercial corridor,� real-estate developer Brad Sinrod said.

The other major effort pointing toward a revitalization: The borough is forming a Main Street Revitalization Committee it hopes will bring the same sort of process that Kennett Square, West Chester, Oxford and Phoenixville have used to revitalize their business districts.

Original source: Daily Local News
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