Pennsylvania
Cyber incident costs Pennsylvania contractors after months without license verification
CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) — Stress is mounting for Pennsylvania home improvement contractors as a database used to verify their licenses remains down.
It comes after a cyber incident disrupted the state attorney general’s (AG) office website in August.
The attack knocked out the AG’s office website and communications among members. Later that month, the AG’s office said it was caused by an outsider who was encrypting files and forcing the office to pay to regain access. Officials say no payment was ever made.
Through August and September, officials say services were restored. However, the contractors’ registration verification site is still down.
Four months later, local contractors say the outage is leaving them without work and hurting the home improvement industry.
Tod Reynolds with 1d Remedy says he is down $80,000 in sales compared to the same quarter last year. He believes that’s because of the cyber attack on the AG’s website in August.
And with no cyber recovery in sight, Reynold’s is now calling for accountability.
“It’s like my hands are tied no matter what I do,” he said.
Reynolds said the system outage has disrupted not only the license verification process but also customers’ ability to find him online.
READ MORE | State budget issues leave Pennsylvania homeowners in limbo for contractor verification
“I received an email from Google requesting that I update my verification, which includes any licenses, certifications you have to have in order to become Google guaranteed,” he said. “I’ve lost that verification – verified status, or the guaranteed status. So I start slipping in the ranks,” said Reynolds.
Reynolds says he went to the website to renew his expired license, only to find a page directing him to call the home improvement contractor help line.
However, as Reynolds showed CBS 21, an automated voicemail answers the phone. It’s a similar message to what’s on the website.
“I’m not sure what the problem is, but I feel like I would hope that they would take that seriously and say, ‘Hey, let’s get this fixed and resolved not only for the business owners, but also for consumer protection’,” he said.
The website says paper applications are being accepted, but they aren’t being processed until the site is fixed.
The AG’s office wrote a statement in response (full statement below).
Contractors with registrations that expired since Aug. 8 are able to perform home improvement services, but must renew once the system is fully restored.
That means Reynolds can continue his work, but he says it also means unlicensed contractors can potentially manipulate customers.
“It kind of becomes frustrating, but also concerning,” he said. “I want people to know that I am, you know, ethical as a business owner, and I do follow the state regulations.”
The website says that from the day it is fully restored, there will be a 30-day grace period for contractors who are applying for or renewing their licenses.
But only time will tell when that day will come.
‘This kind of signifies to me that the contractor license is not that important to them. Because if it (were), it wouldn’t be down this long,” Reynolds said.
He said most of the business he is getting now is through referrals.
The AG’s office says it is still working to restore the website. There is no timeline as to when the registration website is expected to be restored.
Full statement from the AG’s office here:
In mid-August, a cyber incident disabled our public platform for consumers to access registration status for home improvement contractors. We have since gained internal access to limited registration information that allows us to share that information with the public. Consumers wishing to obtain registration status for a home improvement contractor, can call our hotline at 717-772-2425 (during business hours) and speak with a live person who will assist to provide the information available. Efforts are ongoing to restore online access to this database. Unfortunately, the part of the home improvement contractor database which allows us to process registrations is still not operational. However, we are accepting paper applications and have issued several hundred temporary registration numbers to contractors. Contractors with registrations that expired since Aug. 8 are able to perform home improvement services, but must renew once the system is fully restored. Registration under HICPA is not an endorsement, recommendation or approval by the Office of Attorney General of the contractor’s competency or skill.
DOYLESTOWN BOROUGH, PA — A major downtown street will be repaved under a resurfacing contract awarded this week by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).
Borough officials, who have lobbied for years to have East and West State Street resurfaced, announced the news on Wednesday via its Facebook page.
When the project happens later this year, the work will be fully paid for under a major $8.3 million project bid award by PennDOT to repave 16 miles of state highways in Bucks County.
This marks the first time that State Street will be resurfaced since the 1990s, said borough officials, who credited an organized lobbying effort by local leadership and the community for pushing the project forward.
In its Facebook posting, the borough thanked State Sen. Steve Santarsiero, State Rep. Tim Brennan, Borough Council, Mayor Noni West, residents and business owners who brought the street’s condition to PennDOT’s attention.
State Street runs through the heart of the borough and serves as a heavily used business, tourism, and residential corridor for the town. It is home to the County Theater, a popular local and regional tourist attraction, the historic Doylestown Inn, and many other businesses.
More detailed timing and work plans are expected once the state finalizes its construction schedule.
One person is dead, and two others were taken to the hospital after a crash involving multiple vehicles in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, Tuesday afternoon, police said.
The crash happened around 4:45 p.m. at East Bristol Road and Brownsville roads, police said.
Police said a person driving a Toyota RAV4 was involved in a domestic-related incident in Lower Southampton Township before the crash.
The person driving the Toyota RAV4 was traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed, crossed into oncoming traffic and struck another vehicle while attempting to pass a Hyundai Kona, according to police.
The Toyota then became airborne, struck a Honda SUV and a Ford pickup truck and rolled over. The driver of the Toyota died in the crash, police said.
The driver of the Hyundai Kona left the road and came to a rest after striking a fence on Bristol Road, according to police.
It’s unclear if any drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash, police said.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Bensalem police.
Pennsylvania
Digital News Publishers Launch Pennsylvania Independent News Association (PiNA) to Advocate for Local News Organizations – Saucon Source
The publishers of two dozen local news brands across Pennsylvania today announced the official formation of the Pennsylvania Independent News Association (PiNA).
The new Harrisburg-based organization is dedicated to bringing together digital-first local news organizations to strengthen the independent press, modernize laws and policies, and ensure the long-term sustainability of community news.
“The news industry is in a period of profound transformation, and digital news publishers need a seat at the table,” said Tom Sofield, PiNA’s president and publisher of LevittownNow.com.
PiNA’s mission is to provide these publishers with a collective voice, advocating for policies that reflect the modern reality of news consumers, local businesses and civic organizations.
An immediate focus for the new association is the reform of Pennsylvania’s outdated public notice laws, which currently prohibit digital outlets from publishing legal notices. PiNA seeks the right for qualified and established digital outlets to compete against incumbent print outlets and for local municipalities to choose the publication and medium that’s best for their communities. PiNA’s proposed amendment draws from similar legislation in Virginia that was signed into law in 2024.
“PiNA publishers have long been ready to compromise and find policy solutions that work for all Pennsylvanians,” said PiNA secretary and treasurer Davis Shaver, publisher of LebTown. “When lawmakers and local government organizations say they want the ability to self-publish notices, it’s a result of legacy newspapers treating the print monopoly over public notices as a profit center.”
PiNA’s position is that independent outlets can provide the third-party affidavits of publication required to demonstrate compliance with public notice mandates–an essential role of the notice process that would not be possible if agencies were allowed to publish on their own websites.
“We understand why self-publication is desirable, but it’s not the only way to provide urgently needed financial relief for the onerous print newspaper tax on public notices,” said Shaver. “We’re tired of waiting for legacy newspapers to disrupt themselves. Enough is enough, let’s move on.”
PiNA has already engaged with state legislators from across the Commonwealth. PiNA leadership said that the group has been encouraged to learn that its position has widespread support. In particular, PiNA commends Representative Robert Freeman (D-136) for his leadership on this issue.
PiNA represents a group of serious-minded news organizations and leaders. Its membership spans the Commonwealth, from the most rural area to the suburbs and to the neighborhoods of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. PiNA member outlets are read by millions of Pennsylvanians monthly.
“We are coming together to advocate for our staffs, our readers and common-sense policies–like public notice reform–that support a free and modern press,” said Sofield. “By combining our strengths, we can ensure that every community in Pennsylvania has access to reliable local news.”
The association will work to bring collaboration among the locally-owned Pennsylvania small businesses to share ideas and solutions for growth, technology and sustainable revenue models.
“We believe in the power of local news to build stronger communities and improve lives,” said Sofield. “By forming PiNA, we’re creating a base for independent publishers to thrive together.”
PiNA is focused on ensuring that high-quality, trustworthy local news is a permanent fixture in Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. The founding members of PiNA include Burb Media, EYT Media Group, Fideri News Network, Lazerpro, Lebanon Publishing Company, NCPA Media LLC and Street Light Media Group. The first associate members include West Hills Gazette and Saucon Source.
Member Outlets: AroundAmbler.com, CentralBucksNews.com, explore814.com, exploreClarion.com, exploreJeffersonPA.com, exploreVenango.com, GlensideLocal.com, HorshamNow.com, LebTown.com, LevittownNow.com, MediaPANow.com, MoreThanTheCurve.com, NewHopeFreePress.com, NewtownPANow.com, NorthCentralPA.com, NorthPennNow.com, PerkValleyNow.com, PhillyDaily.com, SauconSource.com, StateCollege.com, WestHillsGazette.com, WillowGroveNow.com, and WissNow.com.
About PiNA
The Pennsylvania Independent News Association (PiNA) is a trade association representing digital-first local news publishers. PiNA works to promote the health and sustainability of independent news outlets through advocacy, collaboration and innovation.
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