PA in the WSJ

This is a list of articles regarding Pennsylvania in this week's Wall Street Journal. Chances are I missed something, but these are the articles that caught my eye.

It should be noted that I routinely do not read the editorials in the WSJ. So any discussions of the state, its elected officials, businesses, or citizens, in editorials will not be mentioned here.


PA Politicians

Not a politician but possibly a former campaign worker. I noted in “Fannie, Freddie’s right to lobby lawmakers is questioned,” by Jessica Holzer that a woman named Amy Bonitatibus is a Fannie Mae spokeswoman. Those watching the 2006 6th congressional district race may remember that Lois Murphy’s spokeswoman had the same name. I didn’t try to get verification that it is the same person but what are the odds there are two women with that name in the spokesperson field?

PA Businesses

Mellon gets a mention in “The return of ‘good bank – bad bank’,” by Dan Fitzpatrick (8/08). Example:

The best-known use of the good bank – bad bank structure in the U.s. was by Mellon Bank Corp., of Pittsburgh, which in 1988 created a new bank to house $1.4 billion in troubled loans.

American Eagle is mention in “Teen retail earns poor marks,” by Amy Kaufman, Nicholas Casey, and Jennifer Saranow (8/08)

Paul D. Ridder, CFO of Tasty Baking, Co. is quoted in “Food giants race to pass rising costs to shoppers,” by Scott Kilman (8/08)

“Hanesbrands will close two distribution centers in Pennsylvania (8/07)

“Regional retailer Boscov’s files for Chapter 11,” by Rachel Dodes (8/05)

Brief mentions: Quigley Corp of Doylestown (8/07)

Other PA

From “All aboard: too many for Amtrak,” by Christopher Conkey (8/08):

On a recent Wednesday afternoon train, travelers boarding at Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station toward Washington discovered passengers were already crammed together between cars.

I used to see this on trains to DC years ago but in the past few years everyone has had a seat on every DC train I’ve been on.

From “U.S. minorities surge in metropolitan areas,” by Conor Dougherty (8/07):

Scranton, Pa., had an increase of 17% in its Hispanic population, and Hagerstown, Md., in northwestern Maryland near the Pennsylvania border, had an increase of about 14%.

The article also says the increase is due to births not immigration.

“Seven Philadelphia workers suspended after girl’s death,” (8/05)

Rob Gebhadtsbauer, an actuary in University Park, PA, and a former trustee with the United Methodist Church is quoted in “When 401(k) investing goes bad,” by Jennifer Levitz (8/04). The church, like some other institutions, is going back to a traditional pension plan after employees ended up with less money after uninformed 401(k) planning choices.

Other Interesting Tidbits

In the “maybe it’s legal but it makes my head explode” category:

At time when scores of companies are freezing pension for their workers, some are quietly converting their pension plans into resources to finance their executives’ retirement benefits and pay.

From “Companies tap pension plans to fund executive benefits,” by Ellen E. Schultz and Theo Francis (8/04)