This week’s biggest Winners & Losers

In the span of a week, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced that Chobani will be making a $1.2 billion investment in the Lehigh Valley, in what amounts to the largest-ever private sector investment in the state’s agriculture industry – and followed it up with news that Burlington will be investing $370 million to relocate its corporate headquarters to Philadelphia, creating more than 2,000 jobs over a five-year span. To top off his strong week, the governor secured endorsements from seven law enforcement unions as he seeks reelection in this year’s gubernatorial race.

The City of Harrisburg has settled with Liberty Biberty – er, Liberty Mutual – for more than $13 million, money which will go toward the reconstruction of the Broad Street Market’s fire-ravaged brick building. The building has gone unused and unrepaired since it was destroyed by a fire in 2023, so here’s hoping the settlement money will get it repaired sooner rather than later.

Finally, some good news for SEPTA. The financially beleaguered transit agency is getting $13.3 million in federal funding to replace its troubled, 50-year-old Silverliner IV cars with safer, modern versions. The need became evident last year, when the vintage Silverliners burst into flames five times, forcing thousands of trip cancellations and reroutings. But the new grant, funded by 2021’s infrastructure law, is a drop in the proverbial bucket of the estimated $2 billion SEPTA needs for a new, 234-car fleet.

We’re sticking to public transit in Dauphin County, where multiple Democrats just can’t seem to keep their cars from crashing. Following in the dubious tradition of six-term County Commissioner George Hartwick, who crashed county-owned vehicles an incredible five times – twice damaging the same county parking garage – we now have Rogette Harris, the former chair of the Dauphin County Democrats, who crashed her car for the third time in a year, this time damaging the 1792 mansion that houses the Pennsylvania Bar Association. While Hartwick ended up with a DUI, Harris blames her maladroit maneuvers on an unspecified “medical condition.”

We’re getting Grand Theft Auto-style heists even before GTA VI drops. A second individual has admitted to participating in a plot to use a drone to ferry contraband into the Allentown Federal Penitentiary. Now, Tiffany Walsh and Bryan Petry, both New York residents, face charges of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and attempting to operate an unlicensed aircraft. Petry pled guilty to the charges last month after the two were caught on prison property with the drone and an inventory of 15 cell phones, 12 chargers, a pack of syringes, 17 packs of loose tobacco, two packs of a loose green substance confirmed to be a controlled substance, three batteries for the drone, and a pair of night-vision goggles.

Rainy days are on the horizon in Pittsburgh and Lehigh County as both jurisdictions face bleak financial forecasts. Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor revealed this week that the Steel City is facing a $250 million budget deficit over the next five years, a situation that he said has been accentuated by “false projections” made by his predecessor. Meanwhile, in Lehigh County, County Executive Josh Siegel introduced a budget proposal calling for a 17% property tax increase to help the county address its own $4.7 million deficit.