Were those free furnace filters at the home show?

Posted on February 10, 2012 by sean adkins
Ok, the crowds weren’t huge, but I feel that those who did attend learned a lot.
Last week, Cathy Hirko, Buffy Andrews and I spoke at the York Builders Association Home Show. 
Our two presentations focused on how to get information into the newspaper or onto one of the company’s many digital platforms, real estate and health inspections. 
I know health inspections almost never falls into the real estate folder, but to topic seemed to grab the interest of those at the show. 
Anyhow, while I was speaking, I noticed a few men walking around with white furnace filters. Does anyone know if a vendor was handing those filters out to the public, free of charge?
If so, I wish I would have grabbed one. 
Posted in Jobs, Real estate, Sean Adkins, Week in Biz, Your money | Leave a comment

When summer nights are spent working

Posted on February 9, 2012 by ashley wislock

Lots of places are hiring for the seasonal summer positions right now, even though the temperature isn’t very summery.

The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire is the most recent local attraction to announce they’re hiring.

Things like this always take me back to my days selling souvenirs to tourists at Knoebels Amusement Resort  in Elysburg. I was 15 when I started and made a ton of friends while I spent summer nights selling hats, mugs, etc.

Ah, the memories.

Did you ever have a summer job? What memories do you have from it?

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This week in milkshake news

Posted on February 9, 2012 by ashley wislock

It’s been a big week for milkshakes.

First, Jack-in-the-Box introduced its newest milk-based creation: the bacon milkshake.

Yes, America’s favorite meat product is coming to a 1,000-calorie ice-cream treat. Kind of.

The milkshake doesn’t actually contain bacon, just “bacon-flavored syrup.” The 24-ounce size has 1,081 calories.

Now, McDonald’s said their famous Shamrock Shake will be sold in every one of the chain’s 14,000 stores for the first time this year.

I’ve never had the mint-flavored green concoction, but it’s gathered a strong following of people who wait until St. Patty’s Day each year to digest copious amounts of it (my brother-in-law is one of them).

Looks like Americans are going to be drinking a lot of milk-based products for awhile. The makers of Lactaid would be proud.

Are you excited for either of these milkshakes? Which would you prefer to try?

Posted in Ashley Wislock, Food, Week in Biz | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Need a quick bite to eat? Head to the gas station.

Posted on February 8, 2012 by ashley wislock

It used to be taboo: getting your meal at a gas station meant you were taking a dive into a greasy world devoid of any nutritional value whatsoever.

Not anymore.

Locally, stores like Rutter’s, Sheetz, 7-Eleven and Royal Farms, to name a few, have turned convenience stores into mini-restaurants, with enough food choices to satisfy any palate.

(I’m a frequent Sheetz-er, myself, though I’ve been known to hit up the other chains on occasion – and I’m really excited for the new mac-and-cheese at Rutter’s that Scott Hartman told us about on his visit to the newsroom)

The Los Angeles Times did a 2010 story about gas stations that serve things like homemade barbecue, BLTs and samosas.

Why the change?
Continue reading →

Posted in Ashley Wislock, Food companies, Restaurants, Retail, Rutter's | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Get ready for higher natural gas prices

Posted on February 7, 2012 by sean adkins

Soon, residents may open their natural gas bills with a groan.

As soon as this week, state legislators could approve a bill that would impose an impact fee on natural gas producers. Right now, Pennsylvania is the only state which doesn’t tax its natural gas production.

Eventually, that impact fee will trickle down to consumers who will have to pay the extra cost in the form of higher bills.

Continue reading →

Posted in Do it yourself, payment, Sean Adkins, Your money | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Some tips for social media and business cards

Posted on February 7, 2012 by ashley wislock

Social media has changed the way we communicate today – but it hasn’t changed one key element of business communication: the business card.

The business card is still the main way to make contacts and pass along your information quickly and easily.

But in this age of social media accounts and instantly accessible information, what should make it onto your card and what should stay in the world of the interwebs?

Barbara Pachter, president of the New Jersey-based consulting firm Pachter & Associates, has some tips.

Continue reading →

Posted in Ashley Wislock, Jobs, Office life, On the job | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Where’d that bank account come from? The joys of tax time, 1099s

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Lauren Boyer

Tax time has been like Christmas after Christmas for me.

This is me -- bringing home the bacon, so to speak ... OK. I tried. This photo really has no relation to this blog whatsoever. I just like the way my hair looks.

Not because I love filling out paperwork. (And I don’t really do that anyway. My parents do.)

It’s that wonderful (or not-so-wonderful) time of year when you figure out what you’re worth.

This is the first year I’ve been getting 1099s in my mailbox, and it’s been a pleasant surprise.

I’ve been learning about bank accounts I, in my absent-mindedness, forgot I had.

Right now, I work out of one checking account, where I have my wages direct deposited.

Then, when that gets what I deem to be too full, I call my dad, Stan the Man, and he finds me a good interest rate on a CD or money market account, where I can stow away that money, instead of “accidentally” spending it.

Stan the Man has me hoarding money all over town. I think I’m up to four different financial institutions.

Continue reading →

Posted in Banks, Jobs, Lauren Boyer, Taxes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The dollar coin saga continues

Posted on February 2, 2012 by ashley wislock

It just won’t go away.

After the reports that a billion dollars laying unused in the federal vault, the supercommittee decided not to pursue a dollar coin initiative and the government decided to scale back dollar coin production due to lack of public interest  – lawmakers are proposing getting rid of dollar bills in favor of coins.

Last week a new bill to get rid of bills in favor of coins was introduced in the Senate.

“Promoting the dollar coin is a smart investment for our country that saves taxpayer’s money,” Sen. Tom Harkin, D- Iowa, one of the bill’s sponsors (another is former presidential candidate John McCain, R-Ariz.), told the Wall Street Journal.

Wow.

Continue reading →

Posted in Ashley Wislock, payment, Your money | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Home Show visit

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Cathy Hirko

Sean Adkins, Buffy Andrews and myself will be speaking Thursday at the Home Show in York.
More details here.

Sean is our expert on real estate matters in York, I’ll be talking about all the different platforms where you can share you local news and Buffy will give a primer on what’s newsworthy.

We hope you come out and ask us plenty of questions.

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J.C. Penney to unveil new chain image – will you be there?

Posted on February 1, 2012 by ashley wislock

The logo transformation

Today is the day J.C. Penney attempts to reinvent itself.

The traditional, mall department store is trying to move away from the stuffy, upscale image that many department stores have an tap into the discount retailer market ruled by stores like Target and Wal-Mart.

The store will be overhauling its pricing structure, logo and, eventually, its store layouts. Basically, J.C. Penney is really stepping up its efforts to stay modern and fresh in a tough marketplace.

Continue reading →

Posted in Ashley Wislock, Retail, Shopping, Your money | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment