Business News

Spirit Halloween is trading its iconic orange and ghoulish mascot for St. Nick and Christmas cheer. Near the end of October and beginning November, some existing Spirit Halloween stores will shift to Spirit Christmas stores, including one in the Lehigh Valley.

PPL Electric Utilities this week filed its first distribution base rate request in a decade, seeking approval from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission for an 8.6% increase in annual revenue — about $356 million.

Garlic Fest is back, and this year promises more of everyone's favorite Allium in a wealth of savory and sweet dishes, drinks, and more, including a special preview night on Friday.

It's budget time in Easton again, and for another year, Mayor Sal Panto Jr. has confirmed that property taxes will remain stable.

DHL Supply Chain filed a WARN notice for a Northampton County warehouse. The location is expected to close early 2026, affecting 66 employees.

Barley Creek Brewing Company is planting roots in the Lehigh Valley, opening a taproom at the Promenade Saucon Valley. The Pocono-based brewing company expects to serve customers with "100% Pennsylvania products" this fall.

As a new round of scams make way through Pennsylvanians via phone call and text message, officials are warning residents to be cautious and instead report potential scams to the appropriate agencies.

Halloween Haunt at Dorney Park kicked off the fall season Friday. A park spokesman said several attractions have been upgraded to make them scarier and more engaging for park visitors.

Bethlehem-based developer David Ronca and Macada Partners have plans for the new three-story structure with 12 two-bedroom and six one-bedroom units at 1625 Glenwood St., near the city's border with Bethlehem Township.

Safe Harbor Easton has announced that because of the state funding impasse, services soon could be impacted, but the public can help through donations and spreading awareness.

More shoppers are using ‘buy now, pay later’ plans heading into Black Friday and the holiday season, as the ability to spread out payments looks attractive at a time when Americans still feel the lingering effect of inflation and already have record-high credit card debt. Experts say the short-term loans can lead consumers to overextend themselves and warn that those who use credit cards for the service face higher interest expenses.

In a release Monday, the PUC said prices would adjust December 1. That means all customers will see changes in the price-to-compare from competitive suppliers against the rate of the default utility.

The health network recognized Bill and Denise Spence for their philanthropy, inspired by their daughter's pregnancy experience. Bill Spence is retired CEO of PPL Corp.

A former Plainfield Township supervisor implored the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission to review a 1988 impact study before giving its approval to a zoning amendment request to expand the Grand Central landfill operated by Waste Management.

FirstEnergy sought to raise local customers' electric bills by more than 9%, but the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission blocked the higher rate.

Allentown officials were working to hire an architect and engineer before a Dec. 31 deadline on federal pandemic-relief funding.

Community Action Lehigh Valley celebrated its 60th anniversary of assisting low-income folks on Wednesday.

Sophie Vandecasteele is hoping to open Sophistiqué before Thanksgiving, with a soft opening set for Friday, Nov. 22, at 924 Walnut St.

Crayola celebrated its 10th annual "64 Seconds of Color Shopping Spree," pairing three local children with Marines to spring the store and collect as much merchandise as they could carry, with the company providing matching contributions to local Toys for Tots programs.

Sheetz will offer its holiday price slash on Unleaded 88 fuel this year. The deal will be available at five of six Lehigh Valley Sheetz gas stations, unlike the July 4 promo that was not offered anywhere this year.

A proposal to build a multi-story, 203,400-square-foot school in Allentown was advanced by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission's comprehensive planning committee on Tuesday.

The Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association held the ApprenticeshipPA Collaborative and Expo at Wind Creek Event Center. The program is designed to give people paid on-the-job training and employment in lieu of needing a college degree.