IQ Fibers expects to lease a 45,000-square-foot-building at 1550 Lehigh Drive in West Easton, the company's first manufacturing site, where it will invest at least $5.4 million in the project.

Five City Center in downtown Allentown, a new 13-story building, was chosen as the setting for a program hosted by the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. on June 12 about how to attract and retain workers in a tight labor market.

Some manufacturers say job poaching – the practice of actively recruiting an employee from a direct competitor – has become more common.

The strong economy has been making it difficult for businesses that need qualified and skilled technical workers. And while some established workforce initiatives with a long-range focus are paying off, other efforts are underway to match workers’ skills with specific jobs in the shorter term, several observers said in recent interviews.

A Kansas-based provider of rail crew transportation services is laying off 84 van drivers in Pennsylvania, including many in Central Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley, after losing a contract with Virginia-based rail giant Norfolk Southern Corp.

Disabled workers are often overlooked for jobs, but sources say they can make some of the best employees.

Measles cases are on the rise. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that between Jan. 1 and May 10 of this year 839 cases of measles were confirmed in 23 states, including Pennsylvania.