This week’s biggest Winners & Losers

Harrisburg could be the beneficiary of a new high-speed rail line that seeks to connect Los Angeles to New York City – if a proposal from AmeriStarRail comes to life. The privately funded effort would offer a coast-to-coast trip in less than 72 hours on existing rail infrastructure – with a planned stop in Harrisburg – and has been pitched to Amtrak and the Trump administration ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

A prayer was answered in an area of Pennsylvania known as “God’s Country.” Gov. Josh Shapiro visited the White Pine Country Store, Cafe & Lodge in Germania to announce a DCED grant that would help replace storage tanks beneath its lone gas pump. The loss of the rural gas pump made headlines after locals said it was vital for the ATV trail in the area. Now, the riders can continue on whatever terrain they choose.

A Harrisburg food company known for its “Soul Dust” seasoning and sauces earned a No. 2 ranking on RangeMe’s Top 50 Emerging Brands of 2025, per Central Penn Business Journal. Nicobi Foods co-founder and COO Nicole Linton said the honor was a proud moment for the company, adding that the recognition “reminds us that buyers are looking for brands that are both bold and authentic.”

The steady drumbeat of bad news for higher ed is getting louder. Facing an estimated $60 million budget hole, Temple University is laying off 50 employees – part of a larger effort to reduce staff levels. Meanwhile, even after taking drastic measures to shore up its finances – including eliminating half its staff – Reading’s Albright College, which, like many smaller colleges, struggles with declining enrollment, is reportedly on existentially rocky financial terrain.

The Philly band Low Cut Connie’s show scheduled in the Wilkes-Barre area for July 25 was canceled “for political reasons.” Singer Adam Weiner – who released a protest song titled “Livin in the USA” in May and canceled the band’s March performance at the Kennedy Center – said organizers didn’t want the free concert to be “polarizing.” Luzerne County manager Romilda Crocamo confirmed the change, saying they want a place “free of politics and propaganda.”

Businesses may loathe making change, but they may be forced to keep stashes of pennies and dimes on hand, thanks to a bill introduced by Pennsylvania’s Sen. John Fetterman and his North Dakota GOP counterpart, Sen. Kevin Cramer. Echoing a policy already in effect in Philadelphia, the federal bill would require in-person businesses to accept cash and bar surcharges on cash payments – measures Fetterman has said prevent discrimination against lower-income and unbanked people.