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State bankers team up to launch blockchain network

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Forty state bankers associations have convened to create a blockchain network to facilitate services like stablecoin payments in one of the largest collaborations between state bankers to date. The BankChain Alliance said in a recent announcement of its launch that it seeks to create an “industry-owned, industry-designed and industry-governed network” built on a shared blockchain platform with the aim of launching in 2027. Financial institutions of all sizes can opt into using the platform for banking services such as stablecoin payments, smart payment tools, tokenized deposits ...

State attorney general targets organized retail theft schemes

Local News

Since its creation in early 2024, a division within the Office of Attorney General has launched more than 170 investigations into organized retail theft, Attorney General David Sunday said Tuesday. Act 42, signed into law by Gov. Josh Shapiro in December 2023, added personnel in the attorney general’s office to combat organized retail theft and created stricter penalties for those convicted of participating in schemes involving at least $2,500 in stolen goods. “We’ve made more than 100 arrests, and we have served more than 222 search warrants and recovered millions of dollars in ...

Blair County Children, Youth & Families gets one-year state license

Local News

HOLLIDAYSBURG — Blair County’s Children, Youth & Families office is slated to receive a one-year operating license valid through October 2027, Commissioner Laura Burke said Thursday. The state Department of Human Services forwarded a notice to Burke about the decision which represents a ...

Pa. economy stays resilient, but workers feel strain

Local News

Signs of strain are emerging in Pennsylvania’s economy as job growth slows, unemployment and underemployment rise among minority workers and high household costs continue to squeeze family budgets despite recent gains in real wages, according to a new report from the Keystone Research Center ...

Former Altoona and Bedford County planner always saw bigger picture

Local News

Former Altoona and Bedford County Planning Director Larry Carter, who died Sunday, Aug. 30, at age 80, excelled at explaining the ramifications of public policies to citizens who were concerned about them, according to the man who succeeded Carter as city planning director. In the early ...