AGP Executive Report

Data Centers & Power Reliability: The Pennsylvania Utility Commission advanced a tentative order aimed at tightening how utilities handle grid emergencies as data centers expand, including proposals that could make new large users among the first cut during shortages. Broadband Expansion: Gov. Josh Shapiro announced more than $448 million in BEAD grants for high-speed internet, including $29 million for Centre and Mifflin counties, targeting affordability and reliability gaps in rural areas. Skill Games Deadline: With Pennsylvania’s skill games safe harbor set to expire Oct. 13, State Police say unlicensed machines could be seized and operators face prosecution, while lawmakers weigh licensing and fee proposals. Consumer Protection for Drug Access: A new report highlights how prior authorization and high out-of-pocket costs are blocking access to oral blood cancer drugs, with insurers rejecting most claims at first submission. Antitrust & Drug Pricing: Iowa is seeking court approval for a $1.38 million share of a $400 million multistate settlement with Sandoz over alleged generic drug price manipulation. Banking & Local Business: PNC is holding a free grand reopening for a renovated Cranberry Township branch, part of a broader Western Pennsylvania renovation push. Tourism Economy: Pennsylvania’s tourism industry grew by $6.4 billion and added 13,427 jobs under Gov. Shapiro, according to a new state report.

Pennsylvania Politics & Cost Pressures: A new race for the 124th Legislative District pits Rep. Jamie Barton against challenger Tina Burns, with both sides framing affordability, utilities, groceries, gas, and housing as top issues. Gaming Crackdown: Pennsylvania State Police reminded businesses that “skill games” devices must be removed by Oct. 13 after the state Supreme Court ruled they’re slot machines—noncompliance can trigger seizure, forfeiture, and criminal charges. Data Centers & Local Deals: Amazon says it will stop using NDAs in data-center arrangements and will invest $1B over five years in community programs and energy-efficiency upgrades, as moratoriums and backlash slow AI buildouts. Healthcare Access & Insurance: A Penn-led study found insurers rejected 84% of commercial and 65% of Medicare claims for oral blood cancer drugs at first submission, delaying access even when coverage is ultimately approved. Energy Resilience: The U.S. Army awarded conditional long-term land leases for power projects at six installations, including Pennsylvania’s Tobyhanna Army Depot, using battery storage and advanced generation options. Local Business Growth: Chicken Salad Chick announced continued Northeast expansion, including a new Allentown, Pa., location. Community Funding: First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania is inviting nonprofits to apply for fall grants totaling $96,100, with applications due Nov. 1.

School Choice: U.S. Treasury finalized rules for the new Federal Scholarship Tax Credit, letting donors get up to $1,700 (or $3,400 for married couples) back on taxes, but Pennsylvania still hasn’t confirmed whether it will opt in. Skill Games: With the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s 120-day stay expiring Oct. 13, lawmakers are still negotiating how to tax and regulate skill games after the court said they’re illegal outside licensed gaming venues. Energy Costs: The state PUC approved a smaller-than-requested settlement for UGI gas customers, raising typical monthly bills about $6.45 (5.7%) over two phases. Drug Pricing: AG Kwame Raoul is seeking court approval for a $400 million nationwide settlement with Sandoz over alleged generic-drug price-fixing and competition-limiting conduct. Climate & Power Plants: States and cities, including Pennsylvania’s governor, sued the Trump administration over EPA’s repeal of greenhouse-gas limits for coal and gas power plants. Public Media: WHYY completed its acquisition of Penn State’s WPSU stations, keeping the WPSU name while expanding sustainability for central and northern Pennsylvania. AI & Data Centers: CoreWeave CEO Brian Venturo says GPU demand will keep driving AI growth through 2027 despite power and regulatory hurdles. Local Business Fraud: Pennsylvania charged 11 small Philadelphia-area businesses and owners tied to nearly $1 million in WIC fraud.

Midterm Mood in Pennsylvania: An AP-NORC poll shows only 17% of U.S. adults approve of President Trump’s cost-of-living handling, with 65% blaming his policies for high prices—setting a tough backdrop for November. Early Voting Signals: New early-voting data finds Democrats gaining traction, including in Pennsylvania where 66% of ballot requests so far are from Democrats (up from 62% in 2024). Housing Without Displacement: A Pittsburgh case study in Hazelwood asks whether development can improve opportunity without pushing residents out, as a stalled Second Avenue project sits near the Hazelwood Green redevelopment. Local Business & Finance: Assurance Financial is expanding into Greensburg with a new mortgage team led by Greg Incardona; Howmet Aerospace set its Oct. 29 Q3 results webcast. Energy & Industry: CleanChoice Energy closed about $166M for two solar projects, including a Pennsylvania Kylertown site; Pantheon Electric hit 33% recycled copper to ease supply pressure from AI and electrification. Public Safety & Enforcement: Montgomery County charged 46 businesses over alleged illegal THC gummies and other products. Tech/Healthcare: Carnegie Mellon received a record $3B donation tied to a Miami campus, while Bucks County health care providers warn Medicaid and other benefit changes could hit vulnerable residents in 2027.

Drug Settlements: Wyoming AG Kautz is urging consumers to check eligibility and file claims by visiting aggenericdrugs.com for compensation tied to a multistate generic-drug antitrust settlement over alleged price-fixing (purchases between May 2009 and Dec. 2019). Public Health: Pennsylvania reported a fifth measles-associated death as the outbreak climbs to 943 cases across 39 counties, with officials noting the deceased were unvaccinated. Legal/Consumer Protection: Independence Blue Cross agreed to pay $22.5 million to settle a Medicare Advantage false-claims suit tied to risk-adjustment documentation. THC Crackdown: Montgomery County charged nearly 50 retailers with felony counts for selling illegal THC products, warning businesses to stop or face enforcement. Energy & Agriculture Costs: Farmers and other industries are bracing for harvest-season pressure as diesel prices hit record levels around $6.59 a gallon, squeezing margins. AI & Data Centers Policy: The U.S. Senate blocked a bill that would have pushed data-center electricity costs onto large users, setting up another fight over AI infrastructure costs. Higher Ed/Local Economy: Carnegie Mellon announced a $3 billion gift from Ken Griffin, including a new Miami campus, with major implications for Pittsburgh and the School of Computer Science.

Affordability Pressure: A new campaign highlights how soaring costs are squeezing Pennsylvania families, with organizers staging “Pennsylvania Feels the Squeeze” lemonade stands and pointing to lawmakers’ voting records as budgets get tighter. Local Budget Strain: In Steubenville, the finance director is urging a conservative approach as officials flag major upcoming needs, including a potential $1 million fire truck and planning/demolition costs. Skill Games Crackdown: Pennsylvania businesses are being told to remove “skill game” machines by Oct. 14 after the state Supreme Court ruled they function as slot machines, with enforcement and possible criminal charges looming. Energy Assistance Fight: A dispute is growing over who should pay for utility customer assistance programs as costs rise—consumer advocates want broader ratepayer coverage beyond residential customers. Data Center Backlash: Polling and political pressure are intensifying around data centers as Americans grow more negative and communities warn of higher energy costs and local impacts. Retail Expansion: Sheetz announced its first Indiana store location and hiring timeline, underscoring continued Midwest growth. Health & Finance Outreach: Visions Federal Credit Union is launching a Spanish-language financial education radionovela starting Oct. 1.

Data Centers Policy Push: Pennsylvania lawmakers advanced proposals aimed at data center deals, including a move to bar public agencies from using non-disclosure agreements and another to limit whether data centers can be treated as public utilities. Cyber & Privacy: Edelson Lechtzin LLP opened investigations tied to reported breaches at Bee, Bergvall & Co. and United Underwriters, signaling more class-action activity for Pennsylvania-area customers. Gaming Crackdown: Pa. Attorney General Dave Sunday urged businesses to remove illegal “skill games” devices by Oct. 14, warning of seizures and criminal prosecution after the state Supreme Court’s safe harbor expires. Manufacturing Expansion: Gov. Shapiro’s administration highlighted DrinkPAK’s $195M Philadelphia expansion in the Bellwether District, targeting at least 174 new jobs as construction progresses. Consumer Protection: A multistate settlement announced by Hawaii’s consumer protection office underscores tighter vendor-management expectations after a major Labcorp debt-collector breach. Local Business & Community: Harrisburg leaders unveiled a $64M downtown revitalization plan, while Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate in the northeast continued to trend down.

Geothermal Policy Push: InnerSpace Action named Drew Nelson executive director as it expands geothermal advocacy after legislative wins across six states, including Pennsylvania. Skill Games Crackdown: Pa. AG Dave Sunday urged businesses to remove skill games terminals by Oct. 14 or face seizure and possible criminal charges, following a Supreme Court ruling that the devices are slot machines under state law. Downtown Harrisburg Investment: Gov. Shapiro and Harrisburg leaders unveiled a $64M plan to revitalize downtown with new streetscape upgrades, storefront improvements, and expanded arts, recreation and riverfront activity. Workforce Impact From Deals: More than 100 employees are set to be laid off after a Pennsylvania company acquisition tied to restructuring and cost-cutting. AI + Data Center Momentum: A new coalition of OpenAI, Blackstone, QTS and unions is pushing for data center standards to head off state moratoriums, with Pennsylvania included in early campaign targets. Public Safety Tech in Pa.: OMNIQ announced two Pennsylvania municipal agreements to deploy its Q Shield safe-city platform for vehicle registration enforcement. Energy & Infrastructure: Exus Renewables North America acquired 715 MW of solar projects in Louisiana and Wisconsin, eyeing data-center power contracts. Business Moves: Axe Compute reported $184M in customer prepayments and $266M in new AI infrastructure contracts since its last earnings call.

Pennsylvania Politics & Ethics: A handful of Republican state reps tried to force a floor vote on a “gift ban” bill in Harrisburg, aiming to stop lawmakers from accepting cash gifts and other items worth more than $50—an effort critics say targets loopholes in current reporting rules. Fraud & Consumer Protection: Attorney General Tim Griffin kicked off his Fraud and Consumer Protection Summit with 800+ registrants, focusing on scams from crypto and robocalls to Medicaid fraud and AI deepfakes. Data Centers & Local Impact: A coalition of AI firms, private equity and unions is pushing data-center standards in seven states including Pennsylvania, arguing blanket moratoriums would hurt jobs and growth. Local Infrastructure: York wastewater upgrades—$13.7M now with $60M planned by 2030—aim to cut overflows and protect Codorus Creek. Business Leadership: L2 Brands named John Fryer CEO as the apparel maker looks to expand across collegiate, resort and corporate markets. Digital Access Law: A Pennsylvania Senate panel advanced an online age-verification bill for adult-content sites, drawing privacy and First Amendment concerns. Sports Business: With Eagles-Bears Monday Night Football, multiple betting and prediction-market promos are driving new-user offers across Pennsylvania.

Real Estate & Services: AllPittsburghHomes.com released its 2026 Comprehensive Agent Performance Index ranking Pittsburgh’s top teams, led by the Tarasa Hurley Team at River Point Realty, combining audited sales volume with verified Google reviews. Media & Awards: WHYY won five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards from 17 nominations, underscoring continued momentum for Pennsylvania’s public media outlet. Housing & Development: Philadelphia’s Logan Square office-to-apartment conversion at 2100 Arch St. is underway, with 116 units planned and delivery targeted for late 2027/early 2028. Immigration & Local Impact: A Chester County newlywed detained by ICE after his wedding was abruptly released after months at Moshannon Valley Processing Center, highlighting ongoing asylum-related detention pressures. Energy Costs: GasBuddy data shows E15 prices easing in Somerset County, with the week ending Sept. 19 hitting a low of $4.25 per gallon. Banking & Tech: Valley National Bancorp agreed to acquire Bluevine, aiming to expand its small-business digital platform and deposit base. Business Climate: Shapiro announced $109.3 million in RACP investments across 68 projects to spur jobs and infrastructure in Southcentral PA and the Lehigh Valley.

PennDOT Roadwork: The agency announced nighttime and daytime lane restrictions across Monroe, Hamilton, Eldred, Polk, and Tunkhannock townships, with work scheduled through Oct. 2, weather permitting. Energy & Grid Reliability: Pennsylvania utility regulators warned that data center growth could drive electricity shortages and blackouts in the Philadelphia region by 2030, urging PJM to act urgently to add supply. Corporate Restructuring: National Fuel Gas said its board expects to complete a plan to split into two publicly traded businesses—separating its upstream/gathering operations from its regulated utility and pipeline assets—after its CenterPoint Ohio deal closes Oct. 1. Healthcare Policy: The Trump administration canceled ACA Marketplace coverage for about 760,000 people, citing alleged fraud or “non-existence,” and also froze new ACA agent/broker registrations for 2027 open enrollment. Storm Impact: A nor’easter battered the Northeast with heavy rain, coastal flooding, power outages, and widespread travel disruption, including thousands of customers without electricity. Local Business & Jobs: Starbucks plans to close 250 stores across North America by end of week, raising concerns for staff about short-notice closures. Food Safety: FDA warned about recalled products tied to elevated lead and other contamination risks, including cinnamon and tuna recalls affecting multiple states.

Healthcare & Courts: A Berks County jury ordered a Reading gastroenterologist and his practice to pay $4.35 million after a missed bleeding ulcer led to the 2021 death of a 52-year-old patient, underscoring how diagnosis and follow-up can drive major malpractice exposure. Severe Weather & Business Disruption: A nor’easter brought deadly winds, flooding, and power outages across the Northeast, with tens of thousands without electricity and hundreds of flight cancellations—an immediate hit to regional operations and logistics. Cybersecurity & Data Privacy: Maryland joined a multistate coalition in a $2.3 million settlement with Labcorp tied to a 2019 breach involving a debt-collection vendor, highlighting ongoing vendor-risk pressure on healthcare companies. Public Safety & Local Government: Oxford police officers resigned ahead of the borough’s move into a regional police department in 2027, as costs and staffing uncertainty reshaped local public-safety planning. Food Safety: Maryland testing triggered a recall of ground cinnamon sold in six states due to elevated lead levels, with no illnesses reported but heightened risk for young children. Pennsylvania Politics: A new poll finds Pennsylvania voters split on whether Gov. Josh Shapiro should pursue a 2028 White House run.

Infrastructure Funding: Gov. Josh Shapiro and PennDOT announced $250 million for 79 Rapid Deployment Projects, with $775 million total Motor License Fund spending over 18 months to speed road repairs and paving across 44 counties. Energy & Grid: The U.S. Department of Energy committed nearly $19 billion to modernize the electricity grid for AI-driven data center demand, aiming to expand transmission and substations to avoid reliability problems. Weather Disruption: A powerful nor’easter battered the Northeast, knocking out power for more than 100,000 customers at peak and canceling 400+ flights, with flooding and dangerous surf warnings through the weekend. Agriculture Costs: Pennsylvania farmers are bracing for uncertainty as record diesel prices near $6.61 a gallon raise equipment operating costs sharply, squeezing margins for crop and beef operations. Retail & Labor: Starbucks plans to close 250 locations across North America, including at least one Pittsburgh store, as the company tries to reverse a sales slump. Food Safety: A New Jersey tuna recall covering nearly 333 pounds was expanded to distribution in Pennsylvania after high histamine toxin levels were found. Local Growth: Carroll Valley won a $500,000 state grant to extend sewer service, connecting 19 homes and enabling hookups for more than 70 properties.

Higher Ed & Construction: Penn is moving ahead with a $520 million overhaul of the David Rittenhouse Laboratory, replacing much of the aging 1950s building with the 325,000-square-foot Penn Discovery Commons in West Philadelphia. Local Governance & Data Centers: In Lehigh County, Palmerton Borough is weighing “due diligence” as a proposed data center in neighboring Lower Towamensing Township heads toward a curative amendment hearing; residents are organizing ahead of an Oct. 1 meeting. Economic Development & Jobs: Tandem Foods plans a $42 million expansion in O’Hara Township, adding a new cold-form bar production line and 83 jobs, with DCED support. Energy & Public Safety: Pennsylvania’s fuel market remains tight as E15 prices in Juniata County averaged $4.27 for the week ending Sept. 19, with one station reporting the low at $4.25. Food & Consumer Risk: FDA reports a recall of cinnamon products in multiple states due to elevated lead levels. Business Litigation Deadlines: Securities class-action deadlines are approaching for investors in Wise (Sept. 29), Pentair (Oct. 2), and several others including Bloom Energy, Rackspace Technology, and ARS Pharmaceuticals (Oct. 5).

Sports & Business Legacy: Bill Giles, the longtime Philadelphia Phillies executive who helped reshape the franchise into a major entertainment and business operation and is credited with conceiving the Phillie Phanatic, died Friday at 92 in Gladwyne. Retail Real Estate: Clearview Mall’s new owners, 4th Dimension Properties, are pushing to fill widespread vacancies with a direct outreach campaign to retailers and community feedback. Corporate Restructuring: Pep Boys will cut 169 jobs at its Bala Cynwyd headquarters in two phases after Mavis Tire’s $700M acquisition, citing corporate support-services reorganization. Workforce Development: Philly Youth Basketball is launching The Generator, a $50M, 40,000-square-foot workforce hub in Nicetown aimed at training 18-to-29-year-olds for skilled trades, healthcare, tech, and entrepreneurship, with a planned opening in early 2029. Energy & Grid Modernization: The U.S. Department of Energy announced $2B for smart electric-grid upgrades, including a Pennsylvania project tied to modernizing high-voltage transmission lines. Local Tech & Land Use: East Whiteland approved a new data-center ordinance after residents challenged a proposed 1.5M-square-foot facility, setting tighter rules for future projects. Consumer/Finance Outreach: Pennsylvania’s Department of Banking and Securities will host free October events for seniors on fraud and identity theft prevention, alongside its My Money online resource. Corporate Tech Leadership: Disney named Karandeep Anand as its first-ever chief technology officer, effective Oct. 2, to oversee enterprise tech and AI across the company.

Infrastructure & Construction: PennDOT says shoulder reconstruction starts Oct. 5 on the Route 30 (Lincoln Way) bridge replacement over Rocky Mountain Creek in Franklin County, with weekday lane shifts and flaggers; the $4.67M project runs through Nov. 2, 2028. Higher Ed & Workforce: Westmoreland County colleges awarded 2,111 degrees and certificates in 2023-24, led by registered nursing/registered nurse credentials. Health & Biotech: Penn Medicine is part of a late-stage mRNA cancer vaccine effort that Merck and Moderna say extended time before melanoma returns, with full results due next month. Transit: SEPTA’s “Accelerate” plan lays out a 2032 modernization push for Market-Frankford and Regional Rail, including more frequent service and accessibility upgrades. Gaming & Compliance: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board fined MGM Resorts International and CountR GmbH for licensing and control breaches. Local Business & Costs: Central Pennsylvania small businesses are feeling pressure as gas prices push above $4.50, raising delivery and commuting costs. Agriculture & Food Supply: Shapiro administration grants totaling about $130K will help York-area meat processors expand capacity and safety. Public Safety: Four people were arrested in Berks County skill-game machine burglaries.