If you know of local business openings or closings, please notify us here.

PREVIOUS OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS

· Air Products and Chemicals Inc.’s chosen warehouse developer, Prologis Inc., will have to wait until July 13 for a final decision by Upper Macungie Township’s zoning hearing board on 2.61 million square feet of warehouses. 

· Chubby’s of Southside Easton has added Krispy Krunchy Chicken to its offerings and name.

· Curaleaf Holdings Inc., which operates in the U.S. and Europe, will open a medical-marijuana dispensary at 1801 Airport Road, Hanover Township.

· Habitat for Humanity, which has “ReStores” that sell new and lightly used furniture, has leased 30,000 square feet at the South Mall.

· Nat Hyman’s bid to convert an old warehouse at 938 Washington St. in Allentown into 48 apartments did not win zoning hearing board approval this week after neighbors said more housing would make an on-street parking shortage worse.

· Members 1st Federal Credit Union opened a new branch this week at 5605 Hamilton Blvd, Trexlertown. It’s one of five planned for the Lehigh Valley. 

· A Turkish restaurant has relocated from one downtown to another, taking its fresh ingredients and cozy atmosphere from Nazareth to 200 Main St., Tatamy.

· The Tennessee Titans have chosen Allentown-based Shift4 Payments to handle payments at Nissan Stadium.

· Wells Fargo Bank held ribbon-cutting at its downtown Allentown branch at 740 Hamilton St.

· The Wiz Kidz outlet at the Madison Farms residential/retail development in Bethlehem Township will hold a grand reopening and ribbon-cutting at noon on July 15.

· Bad Biscuit Company, which offered breakfast with scratch-made biscuits, freshly baked pastry and local, small-batch artisan coffee, said it will cease operations at 16 Columbia Ave. in Reading after its July 1 hours.

· FastBridge Fiber has announced it will build an all-fiber cable network that will offer ultra-fast internet in the Reading area.

· Hamid Chaudhry has said he no longer plans to move forward with pursuing a food truck park he previously proposed on the site of the former Sheetz convenience store and gas station in Exeter Township at 6600 Perkiomen Ave. (Route 422 East). 

· The Maxatawny Township Planning Commission has OK’d a proposal for a Mavis Discount Tire store in the Kutztown Road shopping center that features a Giant supermarket.

· Valentino’s Italian restaurant has gotten Maxatawny Township’s approval to remain open when the state transportation department takes one-third of its parking lot to build a traffic roundabout at the intersection of Route 222 and Long Lane.

· Pocono Mountain Harley-Davidson, under new ownership, will hold a “Grand Re-Opening Bash” July 9 and July 10 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

· Sauce West End plans to open in a former Rita’s Italian Ice, just off Route 209 across from the Tractor Supply store in Brodheadsville.

· The Surgery Center of Pottsville, which offered medical procedure services for 16 years in Cressona Mall. will close June 28.

· Wells Fargo has closed its branch office in Langhorne, near the intersection with Maple Avenue.

· The latest PrimoHoagies location in New Jersey held a grand opening at 1930 State Route 57, Hackettstown.

· A new Tractor Supply Co. store in Warren County will have its grand opening in the former Toys ‘R’ Us store in Pohatcong Plaza on July 9.

· Hunter Pocono Peterbilt plans to move Pocono Township operations to Stroudsburg.

· Coal Winery and Kitchen at 81 Broad St., Bethlehem, has closed as its owner searches for a new location for the business, according to its Facebook page. 

· Lowhill Township supervisors approved a 312,120-square-foot commercial warehouse and distribution center on a 43.4-acre tract on the west side of Route 100, south of the Kernsville Road intersection.

· The Mint Gastropub at 1223 W. Broad St., Bethlehem, announced that it has temporarily closed to undergo a merger with a “well-known restaurant group” from Bethlehem.

· The Slatington Farmers Market opened its 28,000-square-foot showroom, which includes space for 53 vendors, as well as a 4,000-square-foot event space.

· St. Luke’s University Health Network opened a new pediatric inpatient unit next to the eight-bed pediatric intensive care unit at St. Luke’s University Hospital – Bethlehem.

· 25th Asian House opened at the location of the former Tin Tin Chinese restaurant in the 25th Street Shopping Center in Palmer Township.

· The Chick-Fil-A in Broadcasting Square shopping center in Spring Township was razed to make way for a new, expanded facility for the popular chicken sandwich restaurant.

· Plans for drive-thru locations of a Chipotle and a Starbucks at the intersection of Ivy League Drive and Kutztown Road were rejected by Maxatawny Township planners.

· Cumru Township plannes reviewed preliminary plans for NorthPoint-Morgantown Commerce Center, a 738,720-square-foot warehouse to be built on 75.2 acres at Morgantown Road (State Route 10) and Freemansville Road.

· Kutztown University has plans to expand its historic Poplar House to 13,161 square feet with an addition around its side and back, but keep the 129-year-old structure intact.

· A wine store and beverage outlet could be coming to a new two-unit building along the commercial strip of Blakeslee Boulevard Drive East in Lehighton, Carbon County.

· ChristianaCare, a Delaware health care organization, has announced it will buy the former Jennersville Hospital in West Grove, Chester County.

· Garden of Health Inc. celebrated the opening of the food bank’s new warehouse at 201 Church Road, North Wales, in Montgomery County.

· Silverline Trailers Inc. opened its first location in Pennsylvania and in the Northeast at 223 Porter Road, Pottstown, where it sells utility, cargo, dump, equipment and car hauler trailers. 

· A new smoothie and bowl restaurant, Sips & Berries, opened at 285 Maple Ave., Harleysville, in Montgomery County.

· Terrain on the Parkway offers 160 new 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments at 1625 Lehigh Parkway East in Allentown. 

· Lehigh Valley native Don Wenner is moving his real estate investment and finance firm DLP Capital from Bethlehem to Allentown at 835 W. Hamilton St.

· While Wells Fargo has been the leader in closing banks lately, it will hold a ribbon-cutting for its new downtown Allentown office at 740 Hamilton St. on June 30.

· If you’re in the market for sterling silver jewelry, minerals and semi-precious gemstones, C& I Minerals is now operating at the South Mall at 3300 Lehigh St. in Allentown.

· The Allentown-based utility company PPL Corp. bought a major Rhode Island utility.

· Ownership at Martellucci’s Pizzeria in Bethlehem has changed, but Paul and Donna Hlavinka and their family are running the pizza place at 1419 Easton Ave., just as it has been operated for 49 years. 

· Dr. Jacob Kasprenski’s new Kasprenski Family Eye Care opened at 1088 Howertown Road, Catasauqua.

· Josie’s New York Deli in downtown Easton closed early in the COVID-19 pandemic, but a June 13 Historic District Commission meeting approved a request for a new sign at its building at 14 Centre Square. 

· Zekraft cafe has opened its second location in the Easton Silk Mill in Easton. The first Zekraft restaurant was opened in Bethlehem. The restaurants’ menus change frequently, with a focus on local ingredients. 

· Manta Massage at 319 Main St., Emmaus, will hold its grand opening on July 10 starting at 11 a.m. 

· The former Iron Lakes Country Club, constructed in the late 1950s and early 1960s, will operate at 3625 Shankweiler Road in North Whitehall Township under its new name, The Club at Twin Lakes. 

· Prologis, a titan in the logistics industry, will own and operate three warehouses proposed in Upper Macungie Township at the former Air Products headquarters campus at 7201 Hamilton Blvd. 

· Lehigh Valley Health Network ceremonially opened its first Carbon County hospital — a $78 million, 100,578-square-foot facility at 2128 Blakeslee Boulevard Drive East in Mahoning Township.

· Pocono Township commissioners voted to accept Swiftwater Solar’s preliminary final plan for the $111 million, 80-megawatt field on a private 644-acre site on top of Bear Mountain that would include about 200,000 solar panels.

· Firetree Ltd. wants to expand its in-patient rehab operation at the former Sands Ford auto dealership at 440 N Claude A Lord Blvd. (Route 61), Pottsville.

· A Dunkin’ in Schuylkill County located at 400 Terry Rich Blvd., St. Clair, has become just the fourth location of the donut and coffee chain to go entirely digital. 

· The Conservatory music school in Bucks County will close after 34 years, and school officials say the COVID-19 pandemic is the cause. The nonprofit, located at 4059 Skyron Drive, Doylestown, will close June 30.

· A Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen and Arby’s will be built on the site of the former Ahart’s Market on Route 22 in Phillipsburg, New Jersey.

· Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce offices and the Unity Bank Center for Business & Entrepreneurship will be located at 119 Main St., Flemington. 

· Honeygrow opens Quakertown location, next to Chipotle on Route 309, on June 3.

· Dunkin’ reopens remodeled restaurant at 1174 MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township

· Muse Modern Med Spa at 325 Fifth St. in Whitehall Township  will hold a grand opening June 4.

· Around Again, a consignment store, opened at 154 S. Main St., Phillipsburg

· Steak and Steel Hibachi, a restaurant in the works at 44 W. Walnut St., Bethlehem, still plans on opening late this summer. 

· Take It Outdoors Recreation Hub has moved to a spot along the Schuylkill River Trail at Riverfront Park in Pottstown, Montgomery County

· Pedego Electric Bikes has a new outlet in Lambertville, N.J. at 13 N. Union St.

· Amanda Vachris has opened a new Keller Williams Real Estate office at 15 St. John St. in Schuylkill Haven.

· Easton’s new West Ward Market will open Wednesday and be open on Wednesday’s through the summer from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The market, created by the Greater Easton Development Partnership, will sell fresh produce on 12th Street, next to Paxinosa Elementary School.

· Ciao Sandwich Shoppe is adding a second location, this time on College Hill in Easton. Ciao plans to open at 325 Cattell St. in late summer. Ciao already operates in downtown Easton at 12 N. Third St

· Ma’s Crepes and Cakes will hold a grand opening and ribbon-cutting June 16 at 46 W. Broadway, Jim Thorpe. The celebration starts at 5 p.m., with the ribbon cutting at 5:45 p.m. 

· Bethlehem’s Back Door Bakeshop will reopen as a wholesale operation at 7 E. Church St. in the city’s historic district. The business was open for nine years as a retail outlet at Broad and Center streets, before announcing in March that it would close the storefront April 3 and “go back to its origins as a wholesale business.”

·The Beef Baron on Catasauqua Road in Bethlehem is closed indefinitely for renovations

· The Brothers That Just Do Gutters are opening a new location in Allentown at 1302 N. 18th St.

· St. John Chrysostom Academy, an Orthodox school serving grades 1-9 starting this fall, held a grand opening at its St. Francis Center, Bethlehem, campus.

· Easton Commons, a shopping center anchored by Giant Foods at 2920 Easton Ave., Bethlehem Township, has a new name: The Shops at Bethlehem.

· Carbon County is getting a taste of Brazil at Uai Brasil BBQ at 315 Lehigh Ave. in Palmerton.

· The Keystone Pub in Bethlehem Township, at 3259 Easton Avenue, has reopened after a lengthy and expensive renovation. 

· The Trading Post Depot opened at 401 Northampton St., Easton. The rustic furniture store makes custom tables for dining rooms, desktops, conference centers and more.

· The Easton area has a new gym: Homemade Fitness at 444 Cedarville Road in Williams Township.

· Il Gaetano Ristorante opened at its 665 Columbus Ave., Phillipsburg, location. 

· Ciao! Sandwich Shoppe to open second location on College Hill in Easton, replacing The Kettle Room

· Rene and Grisellies Benique have opened Ezekiel 47 Cafe at 10 S. Fifth Ave., off Fifth and Penn avenues, in West Reading. 

· Alter Ego Salon and Day Spa in Emmaus is holding a grand opening Sunday, May 22, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a ribbon cutting at noon. 

· Origen Latin Fusion has opened at the site of the former Tomcat Cafe in Sinking Spring, Berks County. 

· Sellersville Senior Residences will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 24. The Bucks County affordable-housing community for adults 55 and older has 50 apartments, with eight allocated for people with behavioral health needs.

· The House and Barn in Emmaus has opened its Shed outdoor dining and cigar bar area. The House and Barn is at 1449 Chestnut St. in Emmaus.

· Realtor Amanda Vachris and the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon cutting at Vachris’s new Keller Williams Real Estate office at 15 St. John St., Schuylkill Haven, at 4 p.m. on May 24.

· Il Gaetano Ristorante will hold a grand opening on Friday, May 20, at 5:30 p.m. The 665 Columbus Ave., Phillipsburg.

· First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union will hold a grand opening at its new headquarters in Trexlertown, 6126 Hamilton Blvd., on May 18.

· Vinyl Press Signs & Graphics has relocated within Emmaus. The new site is 15 S. Second St., not far from the former Sixth Street location.

· Pedro’s Cafe in Emmaus to close

· SV Sports (formerly Schuylkill Valley Sports) to close Quakertown location

· Flemington DIY will host a Grand Re-Opening on May 14 at 26 Stangl Road, Flemington. The celebration will kick off at 10 a.m. 

· Elpedio’s Ristorante at Seipsville opened at 2912 Old Nazareth Road in Easton. The restaurant is open Wednesday through Sunday.

· Uai Brazil opened at 315 Lehigh Ave, Palmerton, offering both a seated or buffet option. 

· Colombian Mex Restaurant opened at 107 E Union Blvd in Bethlehem, offering traditional Colombian cuisine. 

· Precision Ink opened at 161 W Berwick St. in Easton. 

· King Wing opened a location in Bethlehem at 129 E. Third St., serving wings and sandwiches.  

View Original Source

If you know of local business openings or closings, please notify us here.

PREVIOUS OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS

· Air Products and Chemicals Inc.’s chosen warehouse developer, Prologis Inc., will have to wait until July 13 for a final decision by Upper Macungie Township’s zoning hearing board on 2.61 million square feet of warehouses. 

· Chubby’s of Southside Easton has added Krispy Krunchy Chicken to its offerings and name.

· Curaleaf Holdings Inc., which operates in the U.S. and Europe, will open a medical-marijuana dispensary at 1801 Airport Road, Hanover Township.

· Habitat for Humanity, which has “ReStores” that sell new and lightly used furniture, has leased 30,000 square feet at the South Mall.

· Nat Hyman’s bid to convert an old warehouse at 938 Washington St. in Allentown into 48 apartments did not win zoning hearing board approval this week after neighbors said more housing would make an on-street parking shortage worse.

· Members 1st Federal Credit Union opened a new branch this week at 5605 Hamilton Blvd, Trexlertown. It’s one of five planned for the Lehigh Valley. 

· A Turkish restaurant has relocated from one downtown to another, taking its fresh ingredients and cozy atmosphere from Nazareth to 200 Main St., Tatamy.

· The Tennessee Titans have chosen Allentown-based Shift4 Payments to handle payments at Nissan Stadium.

· Wells Fargo Bank held ribbon-cutting at its downtown Allentown branch at 740 Hamilton St.

· The Wiz Kidz outlet at the Madison Farms residential/retail development in Bethlehem Township will hold a grand reopening and ribbon-cutting at noon on July 15.

· Bad Biscuit Company, which offered breakfast with scratch-made biscuits, freshly baked pastry and local, small-batch artisan coffee, said it will cease operations at 16 Columbia Ave. in Reading after its July 1 hours.

· FastBridge Fiber has announced it will build an all-fiber cable network that will offer ultra-fast internet in the Reading area.

· Hamid Chaudhry has said he no longer plans to move forward with pursuing a food truck park he previously proposed on the site of the former Sheetz convenience store and gas station in Exeter Township at 6600 Perkiomen Ave. (Route 422 East). 

· The Maxatawny Township Planning Commission has OK’d a proposal for a Mavis Discount Tire store in the Kutztown Road shopping center that features a Giant supermarket.

· Valentino’s Italian restaurant has gotten Maxatawny Township’s approval to remain open when the state transportation department takes one-third of its parking lot to build a traffic roundabout at the intersection of Route 222 and Long Lane.

· Pocono Mountain Harley-Davidson, under new ownership, will hold a “Grand Re-Opening Bash” July 9 and July 10 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

· Sauce West End plans to open in a former Rita’s Italian Ice, just off Route 209 across from the Tractor Supply store in Brodheadsville.

· The Surgery Center of Pottsville, which offered medical procedure services for 16 years in Cressona Mall. will close June 28.

· Wells Fargo has closed its branch office in Langhorne, near the intersection with Maple Avenue.

· The latest PrimoHoagies location in New Jersey held a grand opening at 1930 State Route 57, Hackettstown.

· A new Tractor Supply Co. store in Warren County will have its grand opening in the former Toys ‘R’ Us store in Pohatcong Plaza on July 9.

· Hunter Pocono Peterbilt plans to move Pocono Township operations to Stroudsburg.

· Coal Winery and Kitchen at 81 Broad St., Bethlehem, has closed as its owner searches for a new location for the business, according to its Facebook page. 

· Lowhill Township supervisors approved a 312,120-square-foot commercial warehouse and distribution center on a 43.4-acre tract on the west side of Route 100, south of the Kernsville Road intersection.

· The Mint Gastropub at 1223 W. Broad St., Bethlehem, announced that it has temporarily closed to undergo a merger with a “well-known restaurant group” from Bethlehem.

· The Slatington Farmers Market opened its 28,000-square-foot showroom, which includes space for 53 vendors, as well as a 4,000-square-foot event space.

· St. Luke’s University Health Network opened a new pediatric inpatient unit next to the eight-bed pediatric intensive care unit at St. Luke’s University Hospital – Bethlehem.

· 25th Asian House opened at the location of the former Tin Tin Chinese restaurant in the 25th Street Shopping Center in Palmer Township.

· The Chick-Fil-A in Broadcasting Square shopping center in Spring Township was razed to make way for a new, expanded facility for the popular chicken sandwich restaurant.

· Plans for drive-thru locations of a Chipotle and a Starbucks at the intersection of Ivy League Drive and Kutztown Road were rejected by Maxatawny Township planners.

· Cumru Township plannes reviewed preliminary plans for NorthPoint-Morgantown Commerce Center, a 738,720-square-foot warehouse to be built on 75.2 acres at Morgantown Road (State Route 10) and Freemansville Road.

· Kutztown University has plans to expand its historic Poplar House to 13,161 square feet with an addition around its side and back, but keep the 129-year-old structure intact.

· A wine store and beverage outlet could be coming to a new two-unit building along the commercial strip of Blakeslee Boulevard Drive East in Lehighton, Carbon County.

· ChristianaCare, a Delaware health care organization, has announced it will buy the former Jennersville Hospital in West Grove, Chester County.

· Garden of Health Inc. celebrated the opening of the food bank’s new warehouse at 201 Church Road, North Wales, in Montgomery County.

· Silverline Trailers Inc. opened its first location in Pennsylvania and in the Northeast at 223 Porter Road, Pottstown, where it sells utility, cargo, dump, equipment and car hauler trailers. 

· A new smoothie and bowl restaurant, Sips & Berries, opened at 285 Maple Ave., Harleysville, in Montgomery County.

· Terrain on the Parkway offers 160 new 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments at 1625 Lehigh Parkway East in Allentown. 

· Lehigh Valley native Don Wenner is moving his real estate investment and finance firm DLP Capital from Bethlehem to Allentown at 835 W. Hamilton St.

· While Wells Fargo has been the leader in closing banks lately, it will hold a ribbon-cutting for its new downtown Allentown office at 740 Hamilton St. on June 30.

· If you’re in the market for sterling silver jewelry, minerals and semi-precious gemstones, C& I Minerals is now operating at the South Mall at 3300 Lehigh St. in Allentown.

· The Allentown-based utility company PPL Corp. bought a major Rhode Island utility.

· Ownership at Martellucci’s Pizzeria in Bethlehem has changed, but Paul and Donna Hlavinka and their family are running the pizza place at 1419 Easton Ave., just as it has been operated for 49 years. 

· Dr. Jacob Kasprenski’s new Kasprenski Family Eye Care opened at 1088 Howertown Road, Catasauqua.

· Josie’s New York Deli in downtown Easton closed early in the COVID-19 pandemic, but a June 13 Historic District Commission meeting approved a request for a new sign at its building at 14 Centre Square. 

· Zekraft cafe has opened its second location in the Easton Silk Mill in Easton. The first Zekraft restaurant was opened in Bethlehem. The restaurants’ menus change frequently, with a focus on local ingredients. 

· Manta Massage at 319 Main St., Emmaus, will hold its grand opening on July 10 starting at 11 a.m. 

· The former Iron Lakes Country Club, constructed in the late 1950s and early 1960s, will operate at 3625 Shankweiler Road in North Whitehall Township under its new name, The Club at Twin Lakes. 

· Prologis, a titan in the logistics industry, will own and operate three warehouses proposed in Upper Macungie Township at the former Air Products headquarters campus at 7201 Hamilton Blvd. 

· Lehigh Valley Health Network ceremonially opened its first Carbon County hospital — a $78 million, 100,578-square-foot facility at 2128 Blakeslee Boulevard Drive East in Mahoning Township.

· Pocono Township commissioners voted to accept Swiftwater Solar’s preliminary final plan for the $111 million, 80-megawatt field on a private 644-acre site on top of Bear Mountain that would include about 200,000 solar panels.

· Firetree Ltd. wants to expand its in-patient rehab operation at the former Sands Ford auto dealership at 440 N Claude A Lord Blvd. (Route 61), Pottsville.

· A Dunkin’ in Schuylkill County located at 400 Terry Rich Blvd., St. Clair, has become just the fourth location of the donut and coffee chain to go entirely digital. 

· The Conservatory music school in Bucks County will close after 34 years, and school officials say the COVID-19 pandemic is the cause. The nonprofit, located at 4059 Skyron Drive, Doylestown, will close June 30.

· A Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen and Arby’s will be built on the site of the former Ahart’s Market on Route 22 in Phillipsburg, New Jersey.

· Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce offices and the Unity Bank Center for Business & Entrepreneurship will be located at 119 Main St., Flemington. 

· Honeygrow opens Quakertown location, next to Chipotle on Route 309, on June 3.

· Dunkin’ reopens remodeled restaurant at 1174 MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township

· Muse Modern Med Spa at 325 Fifth St. in Whitehall Township  will hold a grand opening June 4.

· Around Again, a consignment store, opened at 154 S. Main St., Phillipsburg

· Steak and Steel Hibachi, a restaurant in the works at 44 W. Walnut St., Bethlehem, still plans on opening late this summer. 

· Take It Outdoors Recreation Hub has moved to a spot along the Schuylkill River Trail at Riverfront Park in Pottstown, Montgomery County

· Pedego Electric Bikes has a new outlet in Lambertville, N.J. at 13 N. Union St.

· Amanda Vachris has opened a new Keller Williams Real Estate office at 15 St. John St. in Schuylkill Haven.

· Easton’s new West Ward Market will open Wednesday and be open on Wednesday’s through the summer from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The market, created by the Greater Easton Development Partnership, will sell fresh produce on 12th Street, next to Paxinosa Elementary School.

· Ciao Sandwich Shoppe is adding a second location, this time on College Hill in Easton. Ciao plans to open at 325 Cattell St. in late summer. Ciao already operates in downtown Easton at 12 N. Third St

· Ma’s Crepes and Cakes will hold a grand opening and ribbon-cutting June 16 at 46 W. Broadway, Jim Thorpe. The celebration starts at 5 p.m., with the ribbon cutting at 5:45 p.m. 

· Bethlehem’s Back Door Bakeshop will reopen as a wholesale operation at 7 E. Church St. in the city’s historic district. The business was open for nine years as a retail outlet at Broad and Center streets, before announcing in March that it would close the storefront April 3 and “go back to its origins as a wholesale business.”

·The Beef Baron on Catasauqua Road in Bethlehem is closed indefinitely for renovations

· The Brothers That Just Do Gutters are opening a new location in Allentown at 1302 N. 18th St.

· St. John Chrysostom Academy, an Orthodox school serving grades 1-9 starting this fall, held a grand opening at its St. Francis Center, Bethlehem, campus.

· Easton Commons, a shopping center anchored by Giant Foods at 2920 Easton Ave., Bethlehem Township, has a new name: The Shops at Bethlehem.

· Carbon County is getting a taste of Brazil at Uai Brasil BBQ at 315 Lehigh Ave. in Palmerton.

· The Keystone Pub in Bethlehem Township, at 3259 Easton Avenue, has reopened after a lengthy and expensive renovation. 

· The Trading Post Depot opened at 401 Northampton St., Easton. The rustic furniture store makes custom tables for dining rooms, desktops, conference centers and more.

· The Easton area has a new gym: Homemade Fitness at 444 Cedarville Road in Williams Township.

· Il Gaetano Ristorante opened at its 665 Columbus Ave., Phillipsburg, location. 

· Ciao! Sandwich Shoppe to open second location on College Hill in Easton, replacing The Kettle Room

· Rene and Grisellies Benique have opened Ezekiel 47 Cafe at 10 S. Fifth Ave., off Fifth and Penn avenues, in West Reading. 

· Alter Ego Salon and Day Spa in Emmaus is holding a grand opening Sunday, May 22, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a ribbon cutting at noon. 

· Origen Latin Fusion has opened at the site of the former Tomcat Cafe in Sinking Spring, Berks County. 

· Sellersville Senior Residences will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 24. The Bucks County affordable-housing community for adults 55 and older has 50 apartments, with eight allocated for people with behavioral health needs.

· The House and Barn in Emmaus has opened its Shed outdoor dining and cigar bar area. The House and Barn is at 1449 Chestnut St. in Emmaus.

· Realtor Amanda Vachris and the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon cutting at Vachris’s new Keller Williams Real Estate office at 15 St. John St., Schuylkill Haven, at 4 p.m. on May 24.

· Il Gaetano Ristorante will hold a grand opening on Friday, May 20, at 5:30 p.m. The 665 Columbus Ave., Phillipsburg.

· First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union will hold a grand opening at its new headquarters in Trexlertown, 6126 Hamilton Blvd., on May 18.

· Vinyl Press Signs & Graphics has relocated within Emmaus. The new site is 15 S. Second St., not far from the former Sixth Street location.

· Pedro’s Cafe in Emmaus to close

· SV Sports (formerly Schuylkill Valley Sports) to close Quakertown location

· Flemington DIY will host a Grand Re-Opening on May 14 at 26 Stangl Road, Flemington. The celebration will kick off at 10 a.m. 

· Elpedio’s Ristorante at Seipsville opened at 2912 Old Nazareth Road in Easton. The restaurant is open Wednesday through Sunday.

· Uai Brazil opened at 315 Lehigh Ave, Palmerton, offering both a seated or buffet option. 

· Colombian Mex Restaurant opened at 107 E Union Blvd in Bethlehem, offering traditional Colombian cuisine. 

· Precision Ink opened at 161 W Berwick St. in Easton. 

· King Wing opened a location in Bethlehem at 129 E. Third St., serving wings and sandwiches.  

View Original Source

If you know of local business openings or closings, please notify us here.

PREVIOUS OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS

· Hunter Pocono Peterbilt plans to move Pocono Township operations to Stroudsburg

· Coal Winery and Kitchen at 81 Broad St., Bethlehem, has closed as its owner searches for a new location for the business, according to its Facebook page. 

· Lowhill Township supervisors approved a 312,120-square-foot commercial warehouse and distribution center on a 43.4-acre tract on the west side of Route 100, south of the Kernsville Road intersection.

· The Mint Gastropub at 1223 W. Broad St., Bethlehem, announced that it has temporarily closed to undergo a merger with a “well-known restaurant group” from Bethlehem.

· The Slatington Farmers Market opened its 28,000-square-foot showroom, which includes space for 53 vendors, as well as a 4,000-square-foot event space.

· St. Luke’s University Health Network opened a new pediatric inpatient unit next to the eight-bed pediatric intensive care unit at St. Luke’s University Hospital – Bethlehem.

· 25th Asian House opened at the location of the former Tin Tin Chinese restaurant in the 25th Street Shopping Center in Palmer Township.

· The Chick-Fil-A in Broadcasting Square shopping center in Spring Township was razed to make way for a new, expanded facility for the popular chicken sandwich restaurant.

· Plans for drive-thru locations of a Chipotle and a Starbucks at the intersection of Ivy League Drive and Kutztown Road were rejected by Maxatawny Township planners.

· Cumru Township plannes reviewed preliminary plans for NorthPoint-Morgantown Commerce Center, a 738,720-square-foot warehouse to be built on 75.2 acres at Morgantown Road (State Route 10) and Freemansville Road.

· Kutztown University has plans to expand its historic Poplar House to 13,161 square feet with an addition around its side and back, but keep the 129-year-old structure intact.

· A wine store and beverage outlet could be coming to a new two-unit building along the commercial strip of Blakeslee Boulevard Drive East in Lehighton, Carbon County.

· ChristianaCare, a Delaware health care organization, has announced it will buy the former Jennersville Hospital in West Grove, Chester County.

· Garden of Health Inc. celebrated the opening of the food bank’s new warehouse at 201 Church Road, North Wales, in Montgomery County.

· Silverline Trailers Inc. opened its first location in Pennsylvania and in the Northeast at 223 Porter Road, Pottstown, where it sells utility, cargo, dump, equipment and car hauler trailers. 

· A new smoothie and bowl restaurant, Sips & Berries, opened at 285 Maple Ave., Harleysville, in Montgomery County.

· Terrain on the Parkway offers 160 new 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments at 1625 Lehigh Parkway East in Allentown. 

· Lehigh Valley native Don Wenner is moving his real estate investment and finance firm DLP Capital from Bethlehem to Allentown at 835 W. Hamilton St.

· While Wells Fargo has been the leader in closing banks lately, it will hold a ribbon-cutting for its new downtown Allentown office at 740 Hamilton St. on June 30.

· If you’re in the market for sterling silver jewelry, minerals and semi-precious gemstones, C& I Minerals is now operating at the South Mall at 3300 Lehigh St. in Allentown.

· The Allentown-based utility company PPL Corp. bought a major Rhode Island utility.

· Ownership at Martellucci’s Pizzeria in Bethlehem has changed, but Paul and Donna Hlavinka and their family are running the pizza place at 1419 Easton Ave., just as it has been operated for 49 years. 

· Dr. Jacob Kasprenski’s new Kasprenski Family Eye Care opened at 1088 Howertown Road, Catasauqua.

· Josie’s New York Deli in downtown Easton closed early in the COVID-19 pandemic, but a June 13 Historic District Commission meeting approved a request for a new sign at its building at 14 Centre Square. 

· Zekraft cafe has opened its second location in the Easton Silk Mill in Easton. The first Zekraft restaurant was opened in Bethlehem. The restaurants’ menus change frequently, with a focus on local ingredients. 

· Manta Massage at 319 Main St., Emmaus, will hold its grand opening on July 10 starting at 11 a.m. 

· The former Iron Lakes Country Club, constructed in the late 1950s and early 1960s, will operate at 3625 Shankweiler Road in North Whitehall Township under its new name, The Club at Twin Lakes. 

· Prologis, a titan in the logistics industry, will own and operate three warehouses proposed in Upper Macungie Township at the former Air Products headquarters campus at 7201 Hamilton Blvd. 

· Lehigh Valley Health Network ceremonially opened its first Carbon County hospital — a $78 million, 100,578-square-foot facility at 2128 Blakeslee Boulevard Drive East in Mahoning Township.

· Pocono Township commissioners voted to accept Swiftwater Solar’s preliminary final plan for the $111 million, 80-megawatt field on a private 644-acre site on top of Bear Mountain that would include about 200,000 solar panels.

· Firetree Ltd. wants to expand its in-patient rehab operation at the former Sands Ford auto dealership at 440 N Claude A Lord Blvd. (Route 61), Pottsville.

· A Dunkin’ in Schuylkill County located at 400 Terry Rich Blvd., St. Clair, has become just the fourth location of the donut and coffee chain to go entirely digital. 

· The Conservatory music school in Bucks County will close after 34 years, and school officials say the COVID-19 pandemic is the cause. The nonprofit, located at 4059 Skyron Drive, Doylestown, will close June 30.

· A Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen and Arby’s will be built on the site of the former Ahart’s Market on Route 22 in Phillipsburg, New Jersey.

· Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce offices and the Unity Bank Center for Business & Entrepreneurship will be located at 119 Main St., Flemington. 

· Honeygrow opens Quakertown location, next to Chipotle on Route 309, on June 3.

· Dunkin’ reopens remodeled restaurant at 1174 MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township

· Muse Modern Med Spa at 325 Fifth St. in Whitehall Township  will hold a grand opening June 4.

· Around Again, a consignment store, opened at 154 S. Main St., Phillipsburg

· Steak and Steel Hibachi, a restaurant in the works at 44 W. Walnut St., Bethlehem, still plans on opening late this summer. 

· Take It Outdoors Recreation Hub has moved to a spot along the Schuylkill River Trail at Riverfront Park in Pottstown, Montgomery County

· Pedego Electric Bikes has a new outlet in Lambertville, N.J. at 13 N. Union St.

· Amanda Vachris has opened a new Keller Williams Real Estate office at 15 St. John St. in Schuylkill Haven.

· Easton’s new West Ward Market will open Wednesday and be open on Wednesday’s through the summer from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The market, created by the Greater Easton Development Partnership, will sell fresh produce on 12th Street, next to Paxinosa Elementary School.

· Ciao Sandwich Shoppe is adding a second location, this time on College Hill in Easton. Ciao plans to open at 325 Cattell St. in late summer. Ciao already operates in downtown Easton at 12 N. Third St

· Ma’s Crepes and Cakes will hold a grand opening and ribbon-cutting June 16 at 46 W. Broadway, Jim Thorpe. The celebration starts at 5 p.m., with the ribbon cutting at 5:45 p.m. 

· Bethlehem’s Back Door Bakeshop will reopen as a wholesale operation at 7 E. Church St. in the city’s historic district. The business was open for nine years as a retail outlet at Broad and Center streets, before announcing in March that it would close the storefront April 3 and “go back to its origins as a wholesale business.”

·The Beef Baron on Catasauqua Road in Bethlehem is closed indefinitely for renovations

· The Brothers That Just Do Gutters are opening a new location in Allentown at 1302 N. 18th St.

· St. John Chrysostom Academy, an Orthodox school serving grades 1-9 starting this fall, held a grand opening at its St. Francis Center, Bethlehem, campus.

· Easton Commons, a shopping center anchored by Giant Foods at 2920 Easton Ave., Bethlehem Township, has a new name: The Shops at Bethlehem.

· Carbon County is getting a taste of Brazil at Uai Brasil BBQ at 315 Lehigh Ave. in Palmerton.

· The Keystone Pub in Bethlehem Township, at 3259 Easton Avenue, has reopened after a lengthy and expensive renovation. 

· The Trading Post Depot opened at 401 Northampton St., Easton. The rustic furniture store makes custom tables for dining rooms, desktops, conference centers and more.

· The Easton area has a new gym: Homemade Fitness at 444 Cedarville Road in Williams Township.

· Il Gaetano Ristorante opened at its 665 Columbus Ave., Phillipsburg, location. 

· Ciao! Sandwich Shoppe to open second location on College Hill in Easton, replacing The Kettle Room

· Rene and Grisellies Benique have opened Ezekiel 47 Cafe at 10 S. Fifth Ave., off Fifth and Penn avenues, in West Reading. 

· Alter Ego Salon and Day Spa in Emmaus is holding a grand opening Sunday, May 22, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a ribbon cutting at noon. 

· Origen Latin Fusion has opened at the site of the former Tomcat Cafe in Sinking Spring, Berks County. 

· Sellersville Senior Residences will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 24. The Bucks County affordable-housing community for adults 55 and older has 50 apartments, with eight allocated for people with behavioral health needs.

· The House and Barn in Emmaus has opened its Shed outdoor dining and cigar bar area. The House and Barn is at 1449 Chestnut St. in Emmaus.

· Realtor Amanda Vachris and the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon cutting at Vachris’s new Keller Williams Real Estate office at 15 St. John St., Schuylkill Haven, at 4 p.m. on May 24.

· Il Gaetano Ristorante will hold a grand opening on Friday, May 20, at 5:30 p.m. The 665 Columbus Ave., Phillipsburg.

· First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union will hold a grand opening at its new headquarters in Trexlertown, 6126 Hamilton Blvd., on May 18.

· Vinyl Press Signs & Graphics has relocated within Emmaus. The new site is 15 S. Second St., not far from the former Sixth Street location.

· Pedro’s Cafe in Emmaus to close

· SV Sports (formerly Schuylkill Valley Sports) to close Quakertown location

· Flemington DIY will host a Grand Re-Opening on May 14 at 26 Stangl Road, Flemington. The celebration will kick off at 10 a.m. 

· Elpedio’s Ristorante at Seipsville opened at 2912 Old Nazareth Road in Easton. The restaurant is open Wednesday through Sunday.

· Uai Brazil opened at 315 Lehigh Ave, Palmerton, offering both a seated or buffet option. 

· Colombian Mex Restaurant opened at 107 E Union Blvd in Bethlehem, offering traditional Colombian cuisine. 

· Precision Ink opened at 161 W Berwick St. in Easton. 

· King Wing opened a location in Bethlehem at 129 E. Third St., serving wings and sandwiches.  

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In a significant succession in the Reliance Industries (RIL) empire, Akash M. Ambani, Non-executive Director and son of Mukesh Ambani, has taken over as the Chairman of the board of directors of Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd, the digital and telecom arm of RIL.

The elevation of Akash follows the resignation of Mukesh Ambani as Director of the company with effect from June 27.

However, Mukesh Ambani will continue to be the Chairman of Jio Platforms Ltd, the flagship company that owns all Jio digital services brands including Reliance Jio Infocomm.

Akash has been closely involved with the disruptive and inclusive growth path charted by the digital services and consumer retail propositions of Reliance group and is now leading thea creation of the ‘convergence dividend’ for over 500 million consumers, digitally and with high-inclusivity across geographies and income levels. Reliance Jio Infocomm, India’s largest 4G and mobile broadband digital service provider, is a subsidiary of Jio Platforms.

Akash was integrally involved in the global investments by tech majors and investors in 2020, which in many ways catapulted Jio onto the global investor map. He is expected to continue to operate on the cutting-edges of innovation and technology to encourage an ecosystem that will further digital solutioning and make the power of data and technology more accessible to all, including those who are still at the margin.

According to RIL officials, Akash personally led the key acquisitions made by Jio in the digital space in the last few years and has also been keenly involved with development of new technologies and capabilities including AI-ML and blockchain.

Meanwhile, Reliance Jio board also approved the appointment of Pankaj Mohan Pawar as Managing Director of the company for a period of five years commencing from June 27. It also approved the appointment of Raminder Singh Gujral and K.V. Chowdary, as Additional Directors of the company, designated as Independent Directors for a period of 5 years.

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BY DOUG AND POLLY WHITE
Special correspondents

QUESTION: Many prospective customers expect to be able to negotiate the price down before signing a contract. Should we negotiate price?

ANSWER: The answer depends on you and the circumstances in your industry. In some industries, customers expect to be able to negotiate. For example, most people who walk into an automobile dealership expect to pay less than the sticker price. Similarly, very few college students pay full price. Almost everyone receives a scholarship of one kind or another. In these two situations and many others, competitors deal with this reality by building negotiating room into their pricing structure.

Car dealerships expect to negotiate, so the sticker price allows them room to offer discounts and still make a profit. Colleges and universities plan to offer discounts as well. In many cases, the average student pays less than half of the stated cost of tuition and fees. Yet, the schools manage to keep their doors open.

One way of dealing with customers who expect a discount is to build negotiating room into your price structure. A benefit to handling the issue in this way is that not everyone will attempt to negotiate. Some people will pay the higher asking price, which will increase your profit. Conversely, you may not wish to negotiate with some customers. Perhaps you know that serving some customers is more expensive. In those situations, you can reduce the amount you discount.

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There are some downsides to this approach. Some people may be scared off by your higher asking price and not even bother to negotiate. Additionally, some customers simply do not like to negotiate. They will make a decision based on the best asking price they find. If you have built too much headroom into your pricing structure, you’ll miss out on this business. Of course, some business owners don’t enjoy negotiating and choose not to do so.

In some industries, this has led to a preemptive strategy sometimes called the “no dicker sticker.” In other words, business owners let prospective customers know up front that their asking price is firm and they will not negotiate. Goochland County-based CarMax is well-known for following this approach in the pre-owned vehicle industry. This avoids all of the disadvantages of negotiating price, but has some drawbacks of its own.

If most in your industry negotiate price and you don’t, you’ll establish the target. Unless you have a much lower cost structure than your competitors, they’ll always be able to price slightly below you. Therefore, you’ll need to differentiate your product or service so that customers are willing to pay your higher price.

In some industries, refusing to negotiate can result in adverse selection. That is, if not all customers are created equal, having one fixed price can result in you ending up with more less attractive customers and fewer attractive customers.

Consider colleges and universities. Academically stronger students are more desirable than their academically weaker peers. If a college were to offer its average price across the board, the academically stronger students would go to other schools that offered them more scholarship money. The academically weaker students would find the average price to be better than what they could get elsewhere and would attend. Adverse selection would mean that schools who have only one fixed price end up with fewer academically strong students and more academically weak students — adverse selection.

If some customers are more attractive than others, adverse selection will force most competitors to differentiate price by customer. In other industries, the choice of whether to negotiate price is up to the business owner. You can try both strategies to determine what works best for you.

Doug and Polly White have a large ownership stake in Gather, a company that designs, builds and operates collaborative workspaces. Polly’s focus is on human resources, people management and human systems. Doug’s areas of expertise are business strategy, operations and finance.

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TwelveStone expands local infusion clinic

Three years after opening an infusion center off of Shallowford Road in Chattanooga, TwelveStone Health Partners has relocated and expanded its local clinic and pharmacy to East Brainerd in a suite at 1206 Pointe Centre Drive.

The new infusion center has six more rooms than the facility it replaces to accommodate its growing appeal, according to an announcement from company CEO Shane Reeves.

Reeves, a state senator and fourth-generation pharmacist, started TwelveStone after selling his family’s pharmacy in 2015. The business, which has five other locations in Tennessee and other locations in Georgia and Virginia, seeks to bridge the gap between home and hospital for infusion treatments to keep patients from being readmitted to the hospital.

Patients of TwelveStone receive care in a private treatment room with free Wi-Fi, snacks and drinks. The centers are staffed with certified clinicians who partner with the patient’s care team to assess and recommend care plans. Reeves has grown the business serving patients in hospice care, nursing homes, assisted living and group homes or in their own home by delivering a variety of medications packaged and delivered via mail.

The name TwelveStone Health Partners comes from the story of Joshua, who led the Israelites into the Promised Land. After the river was parted for them and they reached the other side, 12 stones, representing the tribes of Israel, were taken from the river and stacked as a monument to God.

“TwelveStone stands in the deep part of the river guiding each patient, with God’s power, to make a bold crossing to health, peace and victory,” Reeves said. “We are serious about honoring God and helping people across the river.”

 

Settlement may cancel loans at some colleges

The Biden administration has agreed to cancel $6 billion in student loans for about 200,000 former students who say they were defrauded by their colleges, according to a proposed settlement in a Trump-era lawsuit.

The agreement filed in San Francisco federal court would automatically cancel federal student debt for students who were enrolled at one of more than 150 colleges and later applied for debt cancellation because of alleged misconduct by the schools.

Almost all the schools involved are for-profit colleges. The list includes DeVry University, the University of Phoenix and other chains still in operation, along with many that have folded in recent years, including ITT Technical Institute which operated a college site at the Eastgate Town Center before shutting down in 2016.

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement that the settlement would resolve the claims “in a manner that is fair and equitable for all parties.”

The deal has yet to be approved by a federal judge. A hearing on the proposal is scheduled for July 28.

 

Toyota recalls EVs for wheel problem

Toyota is recalling 2,700 bZ4X crossover vehicles globally for wheel bolts that could become loose, in a major setback for the Japanese automaker’s ambitions to roll out electric cars.

Toyota Motor Corp. said Friday the cause is still under investigation, but the whole wheel could come off, risking a crash.

“Until the remedy is available, no one should drive these vehicles,” the company said in a statement.

Among the vehicles subject to the latest recall, about 2,200 were destined for Europe, 270 for North America, 112 for Japan, and 60 for the rest of Asia, according to Toyota. They were produced between March and June.

The bZ4X, which went on sale about two months ago, is a key model in Toyota’s plans to strengthen its electric lineup.

Toyota is planning to have 30 EV models by 2030, selling 3.5 million electric vehicles globally that year.

— Compiled by Dave Flessner

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American Airline is ending service to Long Island MacArthur Airport on Sept. 7  after the Labor Holiday weekend.

Islip is one of three routes that will be counted because of staffing shortages.  Additional cancelled routes include Ithaca, NY, and Toledo, Ohio.

The announcement comes after thousands of cancelled flights in the airline industry.

“We’re extremely grateful for the care and service our team members provided to our customers in Islip, Ithaca and Toledo, and are working closely with them during this time,” the airlines said in a statement to media outlets.

American Airlines is one of four airlines currently flying in and out of Long island MacArthur Airport. Additional airlines includes Southwest, Frontier and, most recently, Breeze.

As the industry grapples with staffing shortages, demand for travel services is increasing. More than 2.2 million travelers a day on average have gone through security checkpoints at U.S. airports. That’s up 22% from a year ago although still down 13% from the same period before the pandemic.

There is some concern in the industry about ticket sales after Labor Day, when airlines become more dependent on business and international travel, both of which remain depressed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Arizona is doing a lot of things well. Our economy is growing and diversifying at one of the fastest rates in the nation. We recovered jobs lost during the pandemic before almost any other state, and unemployment has fallen to its lowest rate in nearly 50 years. 

Businesses and new residents are moving here in droves to take advantage of the pro-growth policies we’ve adopted to make Arizona one of the most competitive and attractive places in the country to invest, expand and create jobs.

With the economic development pipeline full and showing no signs of slowing, we have reason to be optimistic. But we can’t be overconfident. Mother Nature is humbling us.

Our growth can only be sustained so long as we have a water supply that can support it. 

At a hearing last week of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton testified to the several substantive steps her agency has taken to mitigate the effects of the ongoing drought.

But she made plain that more must be done. “In the Colorado River basin more conservation and demand management are needed in addition to the actions already underway. Between 2- and 4-million-acre feet of additional conservation is needed just to protect critical levels in 2023,” she said. 

The state Legislature and Gov. Doug Ducey have met earlier calls to respond.

For example, the governor and Legislature came together in 2019 to adopt the Drought Contingency Plan, which allowed Arizona to join with the other Colorado River Lower Basin states to conserve additional Colorado River water.

Late last year, the Arizona Department of Water Resources and its counterparts in Nevada and Southern California entered a memorandum of understanding dubbed the 500+ Plan, in which the agencies agreed to keep an additional 500,000 acre-feet of water in Lake Mead through 2023, enough water to serve 1.5 million households per year.

Last year’s budget package included more than $200 million in water infrastructure funds, including $160 million for a new Drought Mitigation Revolving Fund.

But as the recent hearings made clear, there will be less Colorado River water in our future. There is an immediate and critical need for action to finance and secure reliable water supplies for Arizona’s rural, urban, and tribal water users, the economy, and the environment – now and into the future.

An inspiring example 

We’re not the only high-growth economy in an arid desert environment confronting the challenge of water security. As I learned from a recent trip to Israel as part of a delegation led by Gov. Doug Ducey, Israeli water technology and that country’s success making the once unimaginable possible has much to teach Arizona.

The five-day trip included a visit to a desalination plant, which can turn salty water from the Mediterranean Sea into potable water in a matter of hours. I had a glass, and the taste was indistinguishable from any other drinking water source.

The opportunity to see how Israel has made desalination a reality to secure the country’s water future was fascinating and inspiring, and I am confident that the future of Arizona’s water security has arrived.

A crucial point in history

Arizonans strongly support the governor’s conservation and augmentation plan. They know action can’t wait. According to a recent poll by Data Orbital, 86% of Arizonans say they are either very or somewhat concerned about Arizona’s water supply, with nearly the same percentage saying they believe “substantial investments in water conservation right now are key to Arizona’s economic well-being for the next five years.” More than 90% of respondents said it is important for the state Legislature to address the state’s water issues.

If the Legislature doesn’t act, it invites greater federal intervention into Arizona water policy.

As Commissioner Touton testified, “It is in our authorities to act unilaterally to protect the system – and we will protect the system. But today we are pursuing a path of partnership. We are working with the states and tribes in having this discussion. I have the faith and confidence of a century’s track record in reaching a consensus solution. But faith alone is not enough. We need to see the work. We need to see the action.”   

We are in the legislative session’s waning days. The Legislature in 2022 has already accomplished much to solidify Arizona’s competitive standing, but there remains an urgent task – investing in Arizona’s water future and creating the structure to protect that investment. 

Arizonans want the Legislature to secure the state’s water future this year and set Arizona on a course for success for generations to come. It’s time, as Arizona Department of Water Resources Director Tom Buschatzke said in reaction to the Senate hearing, to “do whatever it takes.” It’s time to act.

Danny Seiden is the president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry

View Original Source

BY DOUG AND POLLY WHITE
Special correspondents

QUESTION: I’m looking for ways to get my company to do things faster, less expensively, with higher quality. How can I achieve all of these goals at once?

ANSWER: Making improvements in cost, quality, and timeliness all at once is like hitting the trifecta in business. It may seem improbable that you could accomplish them all, but you can. We suggest starting with a cycle time reduction program. Below are the steps to follow:

• The first step in cycle time reduction is to document your processes. It isn’t sexy and many entrepreneurs resist this step, but without writing down how you currently do things, it is difficult to identify opportunities to improve. Documenting your processes gives you a starting point, a base from which to improve.

Eliminate unnecessary steps:

• After documenting processes, companies often find that they can rework or eliminate portions of their process. One company had a quality control step in the middle of a process. However, inspectors almost never found instances of poor quality at that point in the process. Eliminating this QC step saved time, and reduced cost without hurting quality.

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• The largest contributor to speeding up processes comes from greatly reducing waiting time. Whether it is product working its way through a factory, paperwork moving through a back office or an email sitting unopened in an inbox, things being processed tend to spend a lot of time waiting. Wait time adds no value and should be squeezed out.

• Companies often find that processes which have historically been done one after the other (in series) can be done at the same time (in parallel). This saves time. For example, pit crews have found that instead of changing tires in series, they can change multiple tires at once.

• Automating selected steps in a process can reduce time and cost while improving quality. In some cases, you can design special tools to make the process quicker. Alternatively, dedicated tools can make the job faster. For example, a company that operates injection-molding machines found that they could change the molds more quickly if the needed wrenches were stored on the same pallet with the molds. This saved the mechanic from having to rummage through his/her toolbox to find the right wrench, which a coworker had all too often borrowed. Of course, they had to buy a few new wrenches, but that cost was small compared to the savings.

There are many benefits of reducing cycle time. The most obvious benefit is quicker turnaround and shorter lead times. Perhaps more importantly, you can also improve quality. Cycle time reduction almost always results in simplified processes with fewer steps. In most cases, a process that has fewer steps will yield fewer mistakes. Simpler processes produce fewer errors.

In the same way, you can reduce cost. Simpler processes with fewer steps cost less. You can also reduce waste. Better quality means less scrap and rework. Further, shorter lead times also result in the need to hold less inventory (both work-in-process and finished goods). This means that obsolescence is reduced.

Cycle time reduction can enable your company to hit the trifecta: improve quality, lower cost, and reduce time. Further, it creates a virtuous cycle, each improvement is likely to spawn multiple benefits. The good news is that almost every company is a good candidate for cycle time reduction.

Doug and Polly White have a large ownership stake in Gather, a company that designs, builds and operates collaborative workspaces. Polly’s focus is on human resources, people management and human systems. Doug’s areas of expertise are business strategy, operations and finance.

View Original Source

New measures, powered by meaningful dollars and focused leadership, may make childcare more accessible on Long Island.

Linda Armyn

This effort could prompt more parents into the workforce, helping employers to ease their staffing burden, while also boosting the region’s economy. It is expected, too, to translate to better pay and more jobs in the childcare sector, a low-paying field.

The money is coming: New York State has announced significant funding for childcare subsidies for families and providers, which could allow more workers into a labor market competing for talent.

Childcare and workforce development are ‘two very large priorities” for the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council, said Linda Armyn, who was tapped in April to co-chair the organization.

Increasingly, businesses and elected officials see the importance of childcare and workforce development. And that recognition will help parents feel comfortable about where their children are, fostering productivity at work, Armyn said.

These priorities are getting attention from regional leaders in a lingering-pandemic economy that has triggered a hybrid workplace. It is a time when employers continue to struggle to attract and retain talent in a landscape where parents are seasoned navigators of a new formula where sometimes work, school and family comingle especially during episodes of quarantine.

At the same time, the childcare sector, like many industries, continues to grapple with the economic impact of COVID and escalating costs. But in childcare, the pressures are deeper, triggering the low pay.

Jennifer Rojas

The field “is labor intensive and requires a specific adult to child ratio,” said Jennifer Rojas, the executive director of Child Care Council of Suffolk, who spoke at the organization’s annual meeting at Long Island Association headquarters last week.

And there are other costs:  Overhead, required square footage, regulations about sinks and bathrooms and windows, and more.

“So once you pay for the fixed costs, what is left to pay the staff is usually insufficient,” she said.  “Because it is a model based almost solely on parent fees – and parents cannot afford to pay more – the workforce ends up with low salaries.”

Flexibility, productivity

Meanwhile, many workplaces are now comfortable with a hybrid workplace that can fuel productivity, with some time spent in the office, and some at home. For those with jobs where one doesn’t always have to be on site, it can mean being home to put children on and off the school bus.

In the past several years, “we’ve learned a lot of lessons,” Armyn said.  Employers “are becoming more flexible.”

But with childcare costing as much as $17,000 a year per child on Long Island, every bit of support from the community helps. At these rates, it’s no wonder some parents, especially with more than one child, are opting out of the workforce. For these households, staying home and minding the kids may make the most economic sense.

In many families, it is the women who step off the career ladder, but as Armyn said, “a lot of men stay home to watch their children in families where the woman is the higher earner,” she said. “It affects both men and women.”

When costs prove too prohibitive, some turn to less reliable childcare, Armyn said. Here, if a babysitter unexpectedly can’t come to work, it can create a distraction for the parent and the employer.

Larry Levy

Those employers with childcare onsite or nearby gain an edge when competing for talent, said Larry Levy, vice president of Economic Development and Professional Studies at Hofstra University.

“It’s still an employees’ market,” Levy said. Employers “are going to have to consider childcare as a benefit that can make or break a hire.”

And, he said, a commercial landlord with a childcare center on site can tell prospective tenants that “it’s worth coming here as an employer.”

New progress

This year New York State is distributing $2 billion in childcare subsidies for families and providers to help families and the economy.Beginning Aug. 1, for example, and using the poverty line as a basis, subsidy levels will increase from 200% to 300%, or $83,250 for a family of four, Rojas said.

“It will really help thousands of families,” Armyn said.

Because it opens up access to childcare, Rojas aims to “publicize this widely so we can reach all of the families who need it.”

The state will also invest $343 million in stabilization grants, helping to offset the challenges wrought by COVID-19, including forced closures during the shutdown, a pressure from which some centers haven’t recovered. This funding will also help enhance wages, as Rojas pointed out, “75% of which must go directly to the workforce.”

All of those dollars are expected to bring a meaningful benefit to Long Island.

Matt Cohen

“Every dollar spent yields an economic return of nearly $2,” said Matt Cohen, LIA president and CEO and the newly elected president of the Child Care Council of Suffolk’s board of directors.

And Farmingdale State College now has a childcare training program.“It’s something new on Long Island,” Armyn said. “It’s at a state school, where tuition is more affordable.”

“All of these things may sound small,” she added. “But together it becomes a big deal.”

Looking forward

A board member of the YMCA of Long Island, Armyn said that some school districts partner with Y’s, as well other childcare providers, for pre-K programs. “That will continue to improve things,” she said.

But there is more to be done, including on a policy level.

“For those families who cannot afford to have one parent stay home – or are a one-parent household – they may have to find more unstable child care arrangements that are affordable,” Rojas said.

“Some will have to turn down a small increase in salary because it will make then ineligible for child care assistance,” she added.

“A $1 hour raise could cost a parent $15,000 a year because of the loss of subsidy. There is no incentive to do better and move up,” she pointed out.

Rojas is a member of the governor’s Child Care Task Force.

“We put forward an ambitious plan to move us closer to a universal child care system where no family pays more than 10% of their annual income on child care, and those under 400% of poverty do not pay more than 7%,” she said. “We proposed a system that pays for the actual cost of providing quality child care, and ensures that the workforce is appropriately compensated.”

That legislation did not pass, but leaders in the region say they are not giving up.

“The state has caught up with what we have known for a long time – our economy will be stronger if we can ensure all families have access to safe, affordable childcare, delivered by well-trained and equitably compensated professionals, to nurture our children, empower parents to realize their earnings potential and provide businesses in all sectors the employees they need to accelerate the entire economy,” Cohen said.

Levy is looking to the future when there is a dedicated educational component “to make sure children are not only looked after but learning.”

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