Local stories category, Page 11
Pittsburgh company lands $79 million contract for NASA lunar deliveries
NASA on Friday announced a $79.5 million contract with a Pittsburgh-based company to deliver payloads of scientific and high-tech research equipment to the moon in 2021. Astrobotic Technology Inc., founded a decade ago out of Carnegie Mellon University and headquartered at 25th and Liberty in the Strip District, will deliver...
Pittsburgh region’s jobless rate drops to 3.8%, lowest since 1976
The seven-county Pittsburgh region’s 3.8% unemployment rate in April was the lowest jobless rate on record since 1976, the state said Tuesday. The jobless rate for the region — Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties — fell .1% from March to April, based on seasonal hiring factors....
Beer industry contributes $11.5B annually to Pennsylvania’s economy
In Pennsylvania, beer brings in the bucks. A recent economic impact study shows America’s beer industry contributes $11.5 billion annually to Pennsylvania’s economy and provides 77,197 jobs. Commissioned by the National Beer Wholesalers Association and the Beer Institute, the study shows that the jobs impacted by the beer industry in...
Steel industry leaders see brighter future, tout tariffs at Pittsburgh conference
The American steel industry is basking in the glow of a revival sparked by technological advances and a more level playing field created by tariffs President Trump imposed last year on imported products dumped in the domestic market, industry leaders said Tuesday at a conference in Pittsburgh. The current “golden...
Kennametal posts 10th consecutive year-over-year quarterly growth
Kennametal Inc. this week announced its net income rose to $70.1 million for the quarter ending March 31, up $17 million from the same quarter a year ago, even through sales fell by $10.7 million to $597.2 million. The Pittsburgh-based industrial toolmaker, which has a corporate campus in Unity, earned...
U.S. Steel announces $1B investment in Edgar Thomson, Clairton plants
U.S. Steel announced Thursday it will invest $1 billion to upgrade facilities at its Mon Valley Works. The investment includes a new endless casting and rolling facility at the Edgar Thomson Plant in Braddock and a cogeneration facility at the Clairton Plant. “This is a truly transformational investment for U.S....
Fulton Commons to bring kitchen incubator, coworking space, artist studios to North Side
An old North Side school building is getting a new life as a shared creative space. Botero Development is transforming Saint Joseph School in Manchester into a place that will offer food companies unlimited access to commercial kitchen equipment, reports Next Pittsburgh. Artist studios will give creatives some room to...
Delta reducing recline space to give travelers room to work
Kick back and enjoy your flight… well maybe don’t kick back too much. In the ongoing battle between reclining your seat versus leaving room for your fellow passengers, Delta Air Lines is giving some room back to travelers that like to work on their flights, rather than sleep. According to...
Bank of America raising its minimum wage to $20 per hour
A national bank that’s been making a push into the Pittsburgh market announced this week it will be raising its minimum wage to $20 per hour within two years. “We believe that to best serve our customers and clients, we need the best teams,” said Sheri Bronstein, chief human resources...
Firm denies report that Penguins co-owner Burkle could buy National Enquirer
A spokesman for an investment firm founded and headed by Ron Burkle is denying a report by the New York Times that the Penguins co-owner is negotiating a deal to purchase The National Enquirer tabloid. “I can confirm we are not in talks to buy the Enquirer,” Frank J. Quintero,...
U.S. Steel: Equipment damaged in Clairton Coke Works fire repairedVideo
Desulfurization equipment at the Clairton Coke Works facility is back online and operational after over three months of repairs, U.S. Steel announced Thursday. The equipment has been down since a Dec. 24 fire at the facility caused significant damage and hindered the plant’s ability to clean coke oven gas, a...
Whole Foods lowering prices in move to shake ‘Whole Paycheck’ nickname
In a move to keep up with Walmart and other large chains, as well its continuing effort to change their image as a high-cost grocer, Whole Foods is lowering prices on hundreds of items on Wednesday. The company announced that they are cutting prices on fresh produce and expanding weekly...
5 reasons why you’ll want Apple’s radical new credit cardVideo
The company that asked you to “Think Different” about computers and phones now wants to change the way you shop. Apple on Monday announced expansions to services such as TV and gaming but one of the biggest game changers may be its upcoming credit card. You can already buy things...
Ligonier chamber plans annual dinner, awards
“Renaissance Year in the Valley” will be the program topic for the Ligonier Valley Chamber of Commerce’s 69th annual dinner, set for March 28 at The Cedars at Antiochian Village, along Route 711 six miles north of Ligonier. This celebration of chamber members, neighbors and the local business community will...
The decline of the shopping mall: What malls are doing to stay open
Barbara Wilhelm and Sally Findley remember when Westmoreland Mall was packed, even on weekdays. Last week, they sat in the food court surrounded by partially filled tables. Some people waited in line at the nearby Sbarro pizzeria counter. “Oh, there’s no crowds now,” Wilhelm said. “You come to this mall...
Pittsburgh region unemployment rate the lowest in 40 years
Unemployment in the Pittsburgh region is at its lowest rate in more than four decades, according to the Pennsylvania Bureau of Labor and Industry. “The best we can say is, it’s the lowest on our records, which start in 1976,” said Lauren Riegel, an industry and business analyst for the...
Pitt hires new marketing firm for its 19 sports
In a move intended to help grow Pitt’s brand among its 19 sports in terms of what matters in big-time college athletics — corporate sponsorships and multimedia rights — the university’s athletic department signed a long-term deal Thursday with JMI Sports, a collegiate marketing firm. The new agreement is set...
Aerospace materials testing fuels Unity firm’s expansionVideo
Metal materials that could become part of a jet airplane have to be capable of enduring extremes of heat and pressure. Product Evaluation Systems in Unity is a growing part of an industry that makes sure those critical building blocks meet required standards of strength and durability. As PES marks...
Economist predicts recession will hold off until 2021
Presidential candidates in 2020 will likely not face an economic recession in the campaign, if a banking leader’s prediction proves true. “Our stance is a recession is perhaps two years away. The U.S. economic expansion continues to about 2021,” Daniel Crawford, managing director and chief investment officer of First National...
5 Charlotte Russe stores in Pittsburgh area among those closing
Charlotte Russe is closing all of its stores, including five in the Pittsburgh region. Liquidation sales started Thursday, according to a message posted on the retailer’s website. Local stores among those listed on the retailer’s website include mall-based locations at Westmoreland, Monroeville, Pittsburgh Mills, Robinson and Ross Park. The young...
#1 Cochran acquires former Kenny Ross dealerships in Butler County
Two Zelienople-area dealerships are again locally owned, as #1 Cochran announced its purchase of the Kenny Ross Chevrolet and Nissan stores on Perry Highway. The dealerships have been renamed #1 Cochran Chevrolet and #1 Cochran Nissan Cranberry. Both are on Perry Highway (Route 19) on the border of Zelienople and...
Southwestern Pa. banks among Forbes’ ‘World’s Best’
Four banks based in Southwestern Pennsylvania are included among the 60 U.S. financial institutions that made Forbes magazine’s 2019 list of the World’s Best Banks. For this inaugural listing, the magazine partnered with research firm Statista, which surveyed more than 40,000 customers in order to rate banks in 23 countries...
FBI seeks businesses that may have fallen victim to insurance scheme
The FBI is looking nationwide for businesses that may have fallen victim to an insurance and fraud scheme, according to a news release. In January, the American Labor Alliance and two of its executives were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of mail fraud, conspiracy to commit mail...
13 Pittsburgh-area Payless stores among those closing nationwide
About a dozen Payless ShoeSource stores in the Pittsburgh region are among the 2,300 closing nationwide. Payless officials announced the closures last week and locations — including Westmoreland, Ross Park, Robinson and Monroeville malls — have started liquidation sales, according to a notice on the company’s website. Merchandise is between...
Sheetz again makes Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For
A Pennsylvania company that’s open every day of the year has once again ranked as a great place to work. The Altoona-based Sheetz convenience store chain has ranked No. 85 on Fortune magazine’s list of 100 Best Places to Work for in America. That’s down a few notches from last...
