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The brutal, unrelenting cold that lasted for several days over the Christmas holiday froze off a sizable portion of Appalachia’s ample gas production, cutting off supply to power plants when they needed it most. Gas transmission pipelines said the gas they were promised simply didn’t show up. On the electric grid that connects Pennsylvania to 12 other states, at one point almost 25% of the capacity on the system either didn’t start up or broke while operating, leaving coal and petroleum-fired units to pick up the slack. PJM, a Valley Forge-based grid operator, is still analyzing what happened during the...

In the story of how the modern world was constructed, Toyota stands out as the mastermind of a monumental advance in industrial efficiency. The Japanese automaker pioneered so-called Just In Time manufacturing, in which parts are delivered to factories right as they are required, minimizing the need to stockpile them. Over the last half-century, this approach has captivated global business in industries far beyond autos. From fashion to food processing to pharmaceuticals, companies have embraced Just In Time to stay nimble, allowing them to adapt to changing market demands, while cutting costs. But the tumultuous events of the past year...

A new 162,000-square-foot meat processing plant opened Oct. 21 in Camp Hill, Pa. The factory, off Lisburn Road, is owned by Ahold USA, which operates grocery store chains Giant, Martin’s and Stop & Shop, and is managed by Vantage Foods. The plant will cut and package beef and pork products for distribution to Giant’s stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland and surrounding states, said Tracey Pawelski, Ahold’s vice president of external communications. No animals will be slaughtered at the factory. The carcasses will be brought in from the company’s current suppliers, including Pennsylvania-based brands such as Hatfield and Berks as well as...

RICHMOND, Va. -- House Republicans announced on the floor Friday that they plan to invite the two women accusing Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax of sexual assault to speak with them. Del. Rob Bell (R-District 58) said on the floor that the Court of Justice Committee will be scheduling a meeting and plan to invite Dr. Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson to testify. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax will also be invited to speak. It didn't take long for one of the accusers to respond and accept the invitation. Meredith Watson is gratified that the Virginia General Assembly has announced their intention...

An upcoming memoir from Sen. John McCain has taken on new meaning since he first decided to write it. “The Restless Wave: Good Times, Just Causes, Great Fights, and Other Appreciations” is scheduled to come out in April, Simon & Schuster told The Associated Press on Friday. The publisher quietly signed up the book in February, without any formal announcement. In July, McCain disclosed he had been diagnosed with brain cancer and last month he said the prognosis was “very poor.”

Fewer than five months into 2011, New Zealand and Japan have been slammed by powerful earthquakes that in Japan’s case also led to a killer tsunami and potentially deadly damage to a nuclear power plant. Turmoil has erupted in the Middle East with seemingly solid regimes falling and civil war breaking out, while the United States and Europe have experienced unusually cold winters. There has been “slow steaming” on the world’s shipping lanes, all-freighter flights have been reduced or eliminated, and the shortage of qualified truck drivers is back, partly in reaction to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s new...

SOME CHRYSLER SUPPLIERS THREATEN TO HALT DELIVERY…Chrysler LLC says “quite a few” of its suppliers, including a big oil company and a utility, have demanded cash on delivery for parts and services, and some have threatened to stop shipping parts, says the Associated Press. Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.) says Chrysler told him that its suppliers may demand cash up front as early as Monday. CEO Tom LaSorda and CFO Ron Kolka tell AP that Chrysler has resisted such demands because it can’t afford to accelerate payments. The halt of parts from even one key supplier could stop Chrysler’s auto production,...