Columbia Cross Roads
Walk into a coffee shop in Williamsport or a boutique along Fourth Street, and the cash register still clicks the way it always has. But look a little closer at the tablet beside it, and something new is creeping in. A handful of Lycoming County businesses—independent cafés, a few online-first retailers, and a smattering of local service shops—have started accepting Bitcoin, Ethereum, and stablecoins alongside the usual tap-to-pay cards. It's a slow shift, not a revolution, but it reflects a bigger change in how people around North Central Pennsylvania handle money—and it's prompting plenty of questions from local shoppers and owners alike about where the trend goes next. That second part matters more than it might seem. As folks get comfortable moving digital currency for everyday purchases, many of them carry that same comfort over to how they relax. One of the fastest-growing corners of mobile entertainment is crypto-based gaming, and anyone curious about how it works can start with this guide , which ranks and reviews the best mobile crypto casinos for 2026. It walks through the practical questions a newcomer actually asks: how responsive sites stack up against progressive web apps and native downloads, how deposits and withdrawals
One Pennsylvania mill lets you eat breakfast while a 24-foot water wheel turns on the other side of the glass. I love that detail. It makes pancakes feel like a field trip. That mill is not the only one still at work. Across the state, old wheels keep scooping creek water and spinning heavy stones.
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County’s Lake Erie Regional Grape Program has announced the 2026 Survey of Unsold Grapes. The Lake Erie Regional Grape Program surveyed growers in 2025 to find out how many grapes were not sold after harvest. This data was used to show the economic impact of the current market conditions on grape growers in Pennsylvania and New York. Data was collected, analyzed, and can be found in this article: 2025 Unsold Grapes Survey Results.
Pennsylvania homeowners paid thousands of dollars to improve their properties, only to face unfinished projects and costly damage, according to a new state lawsuit. One bathroom renovation reportedly ended with a ceiling collapsing in another room. The complaints have now led to legal action against JC Home & Construction Management, LLC, and its owner, Julian...
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — Pennsylvania’s Outdoor Business Alliance and Office of Outdoor Recreation awarded $45,000 in PA Trout Tank grants to 21 businesses across 19 counties. Among the recipients is Jefferson County’s Twisted Antler Seed Company, which received funding through the program designed to support Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation industry. The PA Trout Tank program […]
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters . HARRISBURG — Faced with stark evidence that residents who shop for electricity suppliers pay higher bills and face more frequent shut-offs, Pennsylvania regulators approved a significant policy change sought by the state’s largest electric company. In a 3-2 vote in late October, the Public Utility Commission agreed to allow FirstEnergy Pennsylvania to limit suppliers’ access to its “purchase of receivables” program based on the prices they charge. But the commission rejected the utility’s attempt to prevent customers from being enrolled in new supplier contracts they have not actively chosen, instead ordering a statewide review of the issue. The split decision indicates regulators are open to new guardrails on retail suppliers — but only up to a point. A landmark state law passed in 1996 gave Pennsylvanians the ability to choose which company to buy their supply of electricity from: They can stay on the “default service” offered by their utility, or sign up with a different type of company — a retail electricity supplier. Under state law, utilities
State leaders are looking for feedback on the newly formed plan on how goods move throughout the state. It’s called the Draft 2050 Freight Movement Plan, and it’s a comprehensive look at infrastructure investments that are helping move freight in Pennsylvania. The plan is required to be done...
In the next legislative session, Democrats in Pennsylvania will not necessarily have to compromise with Republicans to pass laws. Voters handed both chambers in the General Assembly and the governor’s office to Democratic candidates. The results were part of a nationwide “blue wave” that ousted GOP lawmakers on the...
Senior homeowners in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Illinois and New York can cut their property tax bills if household income stays under a cap, and those caps run from $48,110 in Pennsylvania to $112,000 for Massachusetts couples. The biggest single payout among the four is Massachusetts’ senior circuit breaker credit, which maxes out at $2,820 for tax […]
Genesee & Wyoming Inc. announced today their plan to divide into three separate holding companies effective January 1, 2027, pending regulatory approval. All three will remain under the ownership of Brookfield and GIC. will include G&W operations in New England, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, including Berkshire & Eastern Railroad....
NATIONAL REPORT — Tobacco legislation and regulation is constantly under review at the local, state and federal levels. In this monthly roundup, Convenience Store News highlights the latest proposals and approved changes happening across the United States. COLORADO. Fort Collins — The Larimer County Department of Health and Environment...
The settlement amount includes $7.68 million in administrative penalties and $142,785 in fines Walmart paid during the initial stages of an investigation by the state Department of Labor and Industry. It is the largest such settlement in the commonwealth’s history, the statement said.
(WTAJ) — A price increase in natural gas has been approved and customers of the company can expect to see the change immediately. National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation requested a price hike, which the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission approved for $10.4 million annually after an extensive 9-month regulatory review. The increase averages $2.94 monthly for […]
Pennie’s annual Open Enrollment Period is here. Open Enrollment began on Nov. 1 for 2027 health coverage. Open Enrollment is the annual opportunity for Pennsylvanians who need health coverage to shop and enroll in a health plan at pennie.com. Uninsured Pennsylvanians are encouraged to find quality health coverage by enrolling through Pennie.
HARRISBURG — Faced with stark evidence that residents who shop for electricity suppliers pay higher bills and face more frequent shut-offs, Pennsylvania regulators approved a significant policy change sought by the state’s largest electric company. In a 3-2 vote in late October, the Public Utility Commission agreed to...
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — The Draft 2050 Freight Movement Plan (FMP), a strategic plan for moving goods throughout Pennsylvania, has opened for public comment and review. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) said the plan provides information on Pennsylvania’s freight infrastructure and PennDOT’s efforts to improve the safe and efficient movement of freight statewide. The […]
(The Center Square) – Pennsylvania’s longstanding role as a leader in energy production is entering a new chapter with the arrival of a company that is turning air into fuel. AIRCO, formerly Air Company, recently relocated from Brooklyn, N.Y. to Bucks County, Pa., to start a new hub for research, development, engineering, and manufacturing of advanced fuel technologies. Its proprietary AIRMADE technologies convert carbon dioxide into synthetic fuels – including diesel and jet fuel – which the company says could have implications for national security and global fuel supply. Although the facility will produce some fuel, its primary focus is manufacturing its MAD (Mobile, Adaptable, and Dynamic) Fuel Systems, which are designed to produce fuel near the point of use, potentially reducing dependence on vulnerable fuel supply lines. “For over a century, fuel has been produced in centralized refineries and shipped around the world. We’re changing that,” said Gregory Constantine, co-founder and CEO of AIRCO , at a ribbon-cutting event on Oct. 28. “This facility enables us to manufacture autonomous systems that produce fuel anywhere, on demand. It’s a fundamental shift from fuel as a commodity to fuel as infrastructure.” Constantine said they plan to mass manufacture modular e-fuel production
As combines start to wind down, it will soon be time to look ahead to next year. And that means negotiating farmland rents. USDA data shows farmland cash rents went up across the board this year. Ohio has the highest average farmland cash rental rate in the region at $188 an acre, followed by Michigan at $157 an acre.
HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania municipalities would face new limits on annual property tax increases under legislation introduced Nov. 5 by state Rep. Zachary Mako, who cited Uwchlan Township’s sharp 2026 tax increase as evidence that homeowners need protection from sudden increases in local tax rates. House Bill 2889...
