Stephanie Ritenbaugh stories, Page 9
Pittsburgh region’s unemployment rate flat at 4%
The Pittsburgh region’s unemployment rate held steady in December at 4%, as more people are both looking for work and finding it, according to data released Tuesday by the state Department of Labor & Industry. It was the second consecutive month that the jobless rate in the seven-county area was...
Philips plans to cut another 6,000 jobs globally; local impact unclear
Dutch health technology company Philips said it will lay off another 6,000 workers globally. The company, which has several locations Western Pennsylvania, said the move is an effort to restore profitability and improve product safety following a recall of respiratory devices, according to Reuters. Half of the job cuts will...
Architecture of shuttered Westinghouse lab in Churchill to get closer look at webinar
An aerial view of the former George Westinghouse Research and Technology Park in Churchill reveals a nod to the company’s early ties to the railroad industry. The corporate campus was designed to look like a locomotive. But workers at the now-empty Churchill site, which opened on 150 acres in the...
As pandemic tax credits fade, prepare for shrinking tax refunds
The clock has started ticking for people to file their tax returns but this year, there’s one thing to brace for — smaller refunds. That’s because many of the benefits put in place to help people weather the pandemic — such as boosting the child tax credit and earned income...
Pennsylvania gambling revenue hit another record high in 2022
Pennsylvania’s legalized gambling industry raked in another record haul in 2022 with revenue nearly half a billion dollars higher than the previous year. In 2022, the combined revenue of slot machine, table games, sports wagering, iGaming, video gaming terminals and fantasy contests totaled $5.21 billion compared to $4.73 billion in...
Water technology company Evoqua to be acquired in $7.5 billion deal
Pittsburgh-based water technology company Evoqua is being acquired by a Washington, D.C., company in a deal valued at about $7.5 billion. Evoqua’s technology has been used in the life sciences, microelectronics, power and food and beverage sectors. It also has been used in the remediation of pollutants including “forever chemicals”...
Those huge, stone Wabash piers on the Mon are up for sale
Someone out there can own an unusual piece of Pittsburgh history — not to mention an unusual piece of real estate. The Wabash piers, those hulking stone towers standing about 45 feet above the Monongahela River, Downtown, are up for sale. “The fascinating thing about these piers — they were...
BNY Mellon plans to lay off around 1,500 workers
Bank of New York Mellon is planning to lay off 3% of its workforce, or about 1,500 jobs. The New York-based financial firm that employs thousands in the Pittsburgh region, did not specify where those jobs would be located or what categories would be impacted. “We continue to optimize our...
Gas vs. electric? It’s not just as simple as a stove
Chris Galarza remembers working as a chef in restaurants where the thermometer in his pocket easily would reach 135 degrees. Sometimes, it would get so hot in the kitchen, as the gas burners fired away, that it made the staff nauseous. Gas stoves are not only common but often preferred...
Pittsburgh ‘angel investment’ group delivers $300K to software company
An Oakland business incubator closed its initial investment — over $300,000 — in one of its first cohort of companies through its ‘angel investment’ program. Idea Foundry’s program, IF Ventures, said the company that received the infusion was one of five presented to a group of investors in September. Idea...
UPMC to raise its minimum wage to $18 an hour
Health care giant UPMC announced it is raising minimum wage for entry-level positions to $18 an hour by 2025 for workers in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Williamsport. Starting wages at UPMC’s other sites in Western Pennsylvania, western Maryland and southwest New York will reach $18 an hour by 2026. “This is...
PennDOT gets $171M in grants to expand electric vehicle network
PennDOT is receiving $171.5 million in grants to expand its electric vehicle infrastructure. As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, PennDOT will receive the federal funds for electric vehicle charging infrastructure over the next five years. For the first round of funding, PennDOT has advanced appropriations of $25.4 million for...
Heinz Endowments names new president after national search
The Heinz Endowments named Chris DeCardy as its president following a national search after Grant Oliphant stepped down in February 2022. DeCardy, 56, is currently a consultant serving foundations and nonprofit organizations. He will move to Pittsburgh from Menlo Park, Calif., where he lives with his family. The Heinz family...
Workers at refugee organization Hello Neighbor in Pittsburgh seek to unionize
Workers at the Larimer-based nonprofit Hello Neighbor are seeking voluntary union recognition from the organization. The workers presented their CEO with the request on Jan. 3. Hello Neighbor provides social services for refugees and immigrants around Pittsburgh. The bargaining unit consists of 21 workers in development and marketing, education and...
Highmark Health Plan names president
Tom Doran has been named Highmark Health Plan president, taking the reins of the country’s fourth-largest Blue Cross Blue Shield affiliate with about 6.8 million members. Doran is not new to the Pittsburgh-headquartered health insurer. Most recently, he served as the health plan’s chief operating officer when former health plan...
Pa. gas drilling report criticizes industry for failing to report abandoned gas wells
The Department of Environmental Protection rebuked the conventional oil and gas drilling industry for not complying with state regulations, saying that operators with 11 or more wells failing to report key data “seems to be an industry-wide rule rather than the exception.” “Over the past five years, DEP’s OOGM (Office...
Post-Gazette owner to buy City Paper from Butler Eagle
A subsidiary of Block Communications, Inc., which owns the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, is buying the Pittsburgh City Paper from the publisher of the Butler Eagle. The Butler Eagle’s publisher, Eagle Media, acquired the alternative weekly paper in March 2016 from Steel City Media. All employees of the City Paper will be...
Ringing in the new year means staying on the clock for many workers
It’s a night of high expectations for people who want their celebrations to be memorable. But, for those providing service, New Year’s Eve can be a nonstop, thankless grind. The host of servers, bartenders, drivers and others behind the scenes generally make the party possible for revelers. Alcohol flows in...
Buy Now, Pay Later options heat up during holiday season
Whether you’re shopping for tech deals on Amazon or indie crafts on Etsy, you probably noticed there are more options at checkout than just using a credit card. More retailers are using “Buy Now, Pay Later” platforms such as Klarna, Affirm, Afterpay and Paypal to spread out payments in installments....
U.S. Steel, United Steelworkers ratify contract
U.S. Steel and the United Steelworkers have ratified a four-year contract on behalf of about 11,000 members. The contract, which was tentatively struck on Nov. 8, covers 13 local unions at U.S. Steel’s domestic flat-rolled facilities, iron ore mining facilities and tubular operations, including the Mon Valley Works in Allegheny...
Pa. gambling revenue jumps 4.59% in November
Gambling revenue was up across the state in November. The funds generated from all forms of gaming and fantasy contests was more than $452.3 million, an increase of 4.59% compared to November 2021, according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. The board oversees 16 casinos, as well as online casino...
Medical marijuana company to lay off workers at McKeesport growing facility
Trulieve, a medical marijuana company with locations throughout Pennsylvania, is laying off an unspecified number of people at its growing facility in McKeesport. The company said in a statement the cuts are the “result of greater efficiencies throughout our supply chain and retail operations in the state.” “Where possible, we...
Western Pa. Fios customers could lose some channels amid renegotiation with Cox Media
Verizon Fios customers could see a change in their programming. The internet and TV service’s contract with Cox Media Group ends at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, meaning Western Pennsylvania customers could lose WPXI NBC and PCNC (Pittsburgh Cable News Channel). “We are working hard to negotiate with them to reach a...
A holiday gift? Reopening Fern Hollow Bridge will clear some headaches for businesses, customers
For almost a year, driving around parts of Pittsburgh’s East End has been pretty tricky. With the Jan. 28 collapse of Fern Hollow Bridge, an important artery connecting the Squirrel Hill and Regent Square neighborhoods and points beyond, traffic jams and detours — and the stress that comes along with...
A holiday gift? Reopening Fern Hollow Bridge will clear some headaches for businesses, customers
For almost a year, driving around parts of Pittsburgh’s East End has been pretty tricky. With the Jan. 28 collapse of Fern Hollow Bridge, an important artery connecting the Squirrel Hill and Regent Square neighborhoods and points beyond, traffic jams and detours — and the stress that comes along with...
