Business News

Black Friday is almost upon us, when retailers kick off the holiday season with offers meant to get customers in the shopping mood. A number of stores that were closed on Thanksgiving, including Walmart and Target, reopen early Friday as the holiday shopping season begins in earnest.

The state Public Utility Commission announced a proposed settlement that also requires the Allentown-based utility company to absorb about $16 million in costs associated with corrective actions. It still requires approval by PUC commissioners.

Emmaus is among many Lehigh Valley communities to host Small Business Saturday events, to encourage residents to support locally-owned businesses.

Pennsylvania saw a nearly 50% increase in Hispanic-owned businesses between 2012 and 2019, according to Census data. Non-Hispanic businesses increased by 9.3%, which means Latinos are creating businesses at a higher rate than their non-Hispanic peers.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

A 95,750-square-foot, 144-bed behavioral hospital planned for Hanover Township in Northampton County expected to create more than 300 jobs was among two development projects reviewed by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission on Thursday night.

A new robotics center is now open at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital in Center Valley. The Fleming Center for Robotics in Rehabilitation opened Thursday thanks to a significant gift from the Fleming Foundation.

The mysterious and sometimes sacred symbols are meant to bring good fortune and wins to players and fans.

Passengers will soon be able to fly from Lehigh Valley International Airport to all three of Orlando's main airports.

Mack Trucks threatened to replace any employees who don't return to work if the latest offer wasn't accepted. Points of dispute included job security, labor demands and retirement safety nets.

True Motion — a German-engineered running shoe — is available for the first time in the United States through an Allentown-area startup, with Keystone Running Store as the first official retailer.

Aldi moved to a new location from its former space on Easton Avenue in Bethlehem Township. It's now targeted for a collision repair shop, and some officials raised concerns about servicing electric vehicles there.

North Whitehall Planning Commission discussed a proposal to construct a 547,500-square-foot, 50-foot-high warehouse about a half mile north of Orefield Middle School.

Developer Abraham Atiyeh claims Palmer Township has discriminated against him. He says he's the one responsible for mailers sent to township residences seeking to identify others who have a beef with the township.

Determining it does not conform with FutureLV, the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission on Thursday night voted against a 547,500-square-foot warehouse project in North Whitehall Township.

A development project to create more than 400 apartments at the vacant Dixie Cup factory in Wilson Borough took another step toward fruition at the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission meeting on Thursday night.

Tourism is an integral part of the Lehigh Valley’s economic engine, officials said Thursday, accounting for millions of visitors each year and equating to billions in economic impact.

Lehigh Valley International Airport had its best four-month start to the year since 2004 in terms of total passengers passing through, officials said Thursday. Air cargo volumes, meanwhile, declined year-over-year.

North Whitehall supervisors will host a conditional use hearing on Wednesday, June 5, for a revised plan of the controversial Rising Sun subdivision.

Gas prices are up about 10 cents a gallon in Pennsylvania from this time last year, and up 11 cents in the Lehigh Valley region, according to AAA.

A proposal to develop the old Dixie Cup factory in Wilson Borough into 405 apartments advanced after review by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission's Comprehensive Planning Committee.

Officials are expecting new facilities to bring hundreds of thousands of new visitors to Center City Allentown each year. The science center at 815 Hamilton St. opens this week.