Jobless rate dips; still highest
The unemployment rate in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metro area slid three-tenths of a percentage point in April to 9.4 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis. For the 37th straight month, the local metro area continues to have the highest jobless rate in the state.
PPL raising rate 13.9 percent
PPL Electric Utilities said last week the default rate it will levy on customers will increase 13.9 percent, from 7.2 cents per kilowatt-hour to 8.2 cents. Under the new rate, the monthly bill for a customer using 1,000 kwh of electricity will jump about $7 to $125.
Sallie Mae to split
Sallie Mae plans to split into two separate, publicly traded companies, The Associated Press reported. The student loan giant also named John Remondi as its CEO. The company said there will be limited impact to the size of the company's workforce.
Bank buy OK'd
Penns Woods Bancorp Inc. shareholders approved the company's pending acquisition of Luzerne Bank at its shareholders meeting last week, a $44.5 million cash and stock deal.
Martz moves to online ticketing
Starting Monday, Martz Trailways tickets can be purchased online and printed at home - eliminating a trip to the terminal to get them or shipping charges.
Contract expires for uniform maker
The Northampton County factory that makes uniforms for every Major Baseball League player is caught up in a labor dispute with its employees on a three-year contract that expired last week, The Morning Call of Allentown reported. The union hasn't authorized a strike, but it's not ruling that out.
Wal-Mart fined for dumping
Wal-Mart Stores will pay $81 million after pleading guilty to criminal charges the company dumped hazardous waste across California, The Associated Press reported. The plea agreements announced last week end a nearly decade-old investigation related to negligently dumping pollutants from its stores into sanitation drains across the state.