PA in the WSJ

A hodge podge this week.

PA Politicians

John Murtha reappears this week in “Democrats Reach Critical State,” by David Rogers (4/02). The sentence in question reads: “Defense Secretary Robert Gates’s candor on the problems in Iraq has won the respect of war critics such as Rep. John Murtha (D., Pa.)"


In “Pelosi Places Big Bet on Trade,” by Neil King Jr., and Greg Hitt (4/04), we find mention of another Pennsylvania representative:

It isn’t just Democrats who are seeking a change. Rep. Phil English of Pennsylvania is part of a bloc of Republicans that wants to rewrite many of the country’s trade and regulatory laws to make it easier for companies to fend off foreign competition. He supports the spirit of the Rangel proposals, but isn’t sure they go far enough.

PA Businesses

The city gets a whole article, “Philadelphia Sales Job: Retaining Graduates Has Been a Tall Order,” by Dean Treftz (4/02). It highlights efforts to keep graduates, especially those hard to capture 20-somethings who came here from elsewhere for college, including the Campus Philly public-private partnership, www.campusphilly.org. One strategy is to encourage internships so students can see that there are desirable jobs in the area. In the past few years the group has established 5,000 internships at 1,500 companies. The good news is that in the fall of 2005 65% of students said they wanted to stay in the area, up 50% in 2002.

A blast from the past in “Wrigley Is in a Sticky Spot.” (4/04)

Five years ago, Wrigley was set to acquire Hershey in a $12.5 billion deal that would have seen it trump the combined forces of Nestle and Cadbury. But amid opposition from politicians in Pennsylvania, Hershey’s base, the charitable trust that controls the maker of Reese’s Peanut Butter cups and Jolly Ranchers called off the sale.

Friday (4/06) starts off a weekend that many celebrate with peeps and chocolate bunnies with an article on Splenda and Equal. “How Sweet It Isn’t” by Avery Johnson. Splenda is made by McNeil Nutritionals, of Ft. Washington, PA.

In brief: Hershey (4/05)

Other PA

An interesting article on the way diversity and changing weight norms are affecting business. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Pittsburgh is having to find people of various ethnic groups and more women to be models for gas masks and other safety devices. In the past most of those who tested the devices came from around Pittsburgh but the population is more homogenous that the country’s population. For more info see “Changing Faces: Respirator Tests Gets an Adjustment,” by Jane Zhang (4/04).

Uh oh, in “States Want Higher Emissions Bar,” by John J. Fialka (4/04) we read that Pennsylvania is among the states hoping to get waivers for stricter emissions rules.

Fans of the Eddie Izzard / Minnie Driver series on FX, “The Riches” will have noted the pivotal plot point that alpacas played in last Monday’s episode. We learn more in “Backyard Bonanza: Tax Breaks Spur Alpaca Market,” by Ianthe Jeanne Dugan (4/05). Pennsylvania is not immune to the allure of the alpaca. The article notes that an accountant near Hershey got a $110,000 loan “backed by a Pennsylvania economic-development program” to buy alpacas. Good to know our tax dollars are going to such a good cause [sarcasm]

Other Interesting Tidbits

For those who need the feed the beast, “News Outlets for Political Junkies,” by Pui-Wing Tam and Vauhini Vara (4/04) offers up info on the YouTube political commercials collection and yahoo’s election portal.