International Business News - PA http://www.ibtimes.com All articles are copyrighted by IBTimes.com 400 100 http://www.ibtimes.com/ http://www.ibtimes.com/images/top_logo_ibt2_3.gif Gambling at Pennsylvania's slot-machine casinos increased last month despite rising unemployment and economic turbulence that prompted one Pocono Mountains vacation spot to give up pursuit of a mini-slots license. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081010/economic-worries-sap-pool-of-pa-casino-hopefuls.htm Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:11:28 EDT PPL Corp. says it has asked federal regulators for permission to build and operate a new nuclear plant in northeastern Pennsylvania. The Allentown-based utility says the Bell Bend nuclear plant would be built near the company's existing two-unit Susquehanna nuclear power plant outside Berwick. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081010/ppl-corp-applies-to-build-pa-nuclear-plant.htm Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:25:36 EDT Drugmaker Cephalon has pleaded guilty in Philadelphia to a criminal misdemeanor as part of a $425 million settlement over the off-label sales of three drugs. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081010/cephalon-pleads-to-crime-in-off-label-drug-sales.htm Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:15:49 EDT Electric utility PPL Corp. is set to begin converting methane gas from the Cumberland County Landfill into electricity. The project received approval from the state Department of Environmental Protection this week and is supposed to be up and running by the end of the year. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081010/pa-approves-ppls-landfill-to-energy-project.htm Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:37:14 EDT The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office says ongoing negotiations over Countrywide Financial's subprime mortgages could lead to cash payments or other relief for thousands of customers in the state. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081009/pa-ag-says-settlement-over-subprime-mortages-near.htm Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:02:41 EDT The prospect of expanding subsidized health coverage to thousands of uninsured Pennsylvanians before the end of the year died Wednesday, as Gov. Ed Rendell and Senate Republicans failed to reach a compromise on the plan's price tag. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081009/no-compromise-on-pa-health-coverage-expansion.htm Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:18:10 EDT A heavily lobbied bill to cut electricity prices and encourage energy conservation easily passed the state Legislature on Wednesday as lawmakers rushed to ease the pain of disappearing rate caps for a growing number of Pennsylvanians. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081009/pa-legislature-oks-electricity-conservation-bill.htm Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:57:28 EDT It appears unlikely that Pennsylvania utilities and state lawmakers will reach an agreement this year on legislation to cut billions of dollars off the electric bills for millions of customers. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081008/efforts-to-win-pa-utility-rate-cuts-stall.htm Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:02:29 EDT Democratic registration has surged by 13 percent and Republican ranks have shrunk by 1 percent as a record 8.6 million people in battleground Pennsylvania registered to vote in the presidential election. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081007/record-pa-voter-registration-pads-democrats-edge.htm Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:03:35 EDT The deteriorating economy and rising costs for such big-ticket items as health care and prisons is leading the state government on a path to a massive deficit that will require a tax increase to erase, two senior Pennsylvania legislators said Monday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081006/top-state-lawmakers-predict-massive-pa-deficit.htm Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:27:34 EDT Three House Republicans from Pennsylvania were among those who switched course Friday and voted for legislation providing $700 billion in relief to ailing financial institutions--even though they opposed a similar measure earlier this week. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081003/12-pa-house-members-support-700b-bailout-plan.htm Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:50:08 EDT Pennsylvania state government is facing its biggest first-quarter shortfall in at least two decades, which could force Gov. Ed Rendell and legislators to dip into reserves, cut programs or raise taxes--or do all three. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081003/darkening-pa-revenue-picture-prompts-worries.htm Fri, 03 Oct 2008 10:43:14 EDT Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey said Wednesday he plans to vote in favor of a $700 billion plan aimed at rescuing the ailing financial industry. The Democratic senator said he wants businesses to be able to get the credit they need to keep the economy rolling. He also said he's concerned about the thousands of Pennsylvanians who are unemployed; the state's unemployment rate climbed in August to a five-year high of 5.8 percent. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081001/pa-senator-casey-says-hell-vote-for-bailout.htm Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:10:29 EDT Equitable Resources Inc. is moving its headquarters to downtown Pittsburgh from the city's North Shore. The energy company said it leased 257,000 square feet at the former Dominion Tower for its executive offices and headquarters of its expanding production and mainstream business units. Naming rights for the 32-story building have not been determined. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081001/equitable-moving-hq-to-downtown-pittsburgh.htm Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:47:06 EDT The partnership that offered $12.8 billion to lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike for 75 years said it was walking away from the deal, citing inaction by the state Legislature. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081001/bidders-drop-12-8b-offer-to-lease-pa-turnpike.htm Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:55:45 EDT Pennsylvania needs more inspectors and greater wastewater treatment capacity to better handle the strong interest in drilling on Marcellus Shale, a mostly untapped reservoir of natural gas that holds huge potential, a top state environmental official said Tuesday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080930/pa-trying-to-keep-up-with-gas-drilling-rush.htm Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:15:57 EDT Pennsylvania's sewer and water systems could get a substantial infusion of cash for repairs and upgrades if voters approve a Nov. 4 referendum on $400 million in new borrowing. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080929/pa-voters-to-decide-on-400m-in-water-sewer-debt.htm Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:57:19 EDT Philadelphia officials cannot enact gun laws tougher than Pennsylvania's law, a state appeals court ruled Friday in throwing out city ordinances that included limiting gun purchases to one a month and banning assault weapons. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080926/pa-court-throws-out-lawsuit-over-philly-gun-laws.htm Fri, 26 Sep 2008 16:57:47 EDT Joe Biden has been sending mixed signals about his position on coal. Last week, he told a woman in Ohio that he and Barack Obama don't support clean coal and flatly said, "No coal plants here in America." http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080925/joe-biden-sending-mixed-signals-on-coal-position.htm Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:22:57 EDT Political figures, labor unions, major business groups, billionaires and the candidates themselves all helped make the races for Pennsylvania's three row offices a multimillion-dollar affair this summer. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080925/pols-execs-and-unions-pump-cash-in-pa-campaigns.htm Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:28:17 EDT