Breaking News

Business

Geisinger, Penn State Health hospitals receive high marks in Leapfrog safety ratings

From staff reports LEWISTOWN — Several hospitals in central Pennsylvania received top marks in the latest Hospital Safety Grades released by the Leapfrog Group, including Geisinger-Lewistown Hospital and four hospitals within Penn State Health. Geisinger Lewistown Hospital earned an “A” grade for spring 2026, marking its eighth consecutive top rating since spring 2022. “Earning an A rating is a powerful affirmation of our focus on patient safety and quality,” Sabrina Sumner, chief medical officer at Geisinger Lewistown Hospital, said in a statement. “This achievement ...

U.S. Senate panel to examine fertilizer costs, food prices

By Tom Joyce | The Center Square contributor (The Center Square) – The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee will hold a hearing on Tuesday afternoon looking at disruptions in the fertilizer industry and the impact rising costs are having on American farmers and food prices. Senators will examine how global conflicts, supply chain disruptions, fuel prices, and drought conditions are impacting fertilizer supplies and agricultural production during the hearing, titled “Perspectives on the Fertilizer Industry: Ensuring a Stable and Affordable Supply for American ...

The economy enters a late-cycle holding pattern

By Orphe Divounguy | The Center Square contributor (The Center Square) – The April jobs report looked fine. Payrolls rose, unemployment held at 4.3%, hours ticked up. Nothing broke. But look one layer down and the picture is different: the three-month average is just 48,000 jobs per month – just enough to keep the unemployment rate from rising. The labor force shrank. Involuntary part-time work jumped 445,000 – nearly half a million people who want full-time work and can't get it. This cycle's weakness isn't appearing in the unemployment rate. It's appearing in real wages, and ...

Four charged in Lemoyne spa trafficking probe

From staff reports LEMOYNE — A yearlong investigation into suspected human trafficking at two Lemoyne spas has resulted in charges against four individuals, with authorities saying the operation has ties to trafficking networks in New York and California. The investigation, led by the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office, focused on New QQ Spa on State Street and Azalea Spa on South 10th Street. Officials allege the businesses were used to traffic women for sexual services or operate as houses of prostitution. Charged are Ying Zhang, 58, of Lemoyne; Liling Xu, 62, of ...

Sunday urges payment companies to block vape sales

From staff reports HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday is leading a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general urging major credit card companies and payment processors to take stronger action against illegal online sales of vaping products. In letters sent to companies including American Express, Visa, Mastercard, PayPal and Capital One, Sunday and a coalition of 24 other attorneys general plus New York City called for immediate collaboration to block unlawful transactions tied to the sale of unauthorized e-cigarette products. Sunday said many vaping devices ...

Housing sets the stage, but the Fed, PCE are the main event

By Orphe Divounguy | The Center Square contributor (The Center Square) – This week begins with housing, but the real macro story comes later: the Federal Reserve chair’s press conference and the Personal Consumption Expenditures inflation report. The Case-Shiller home price index will likely confirm what Zillow’s data already showed: home-price growth has cooled. Because Case-Shiller is lagged by almost two months, it should mostly validate a slowdown that appeared earlier in Zillow’s more timely home value and market data. National home values are now mostly unchanged from ...