The Greater Philadelphia Area
Montgomery County launched a pilot bike share program for its trail system.
The initial two docking stations and rental locations are located in Lower Perkiomen Valley
Park in Oaks, and at the head of the Pennypack Trail, just off Huntingdon Pike in Lower Moreland. There are a total of 12 bikes in the county program – six at each location. They are
available for use by the hour or the day through Zagster’s mobile app or via text.
PHILADELPHIA — United States Attorney Zane David Memeger and City of Philadelphia Chief Inspector Amy Kurland announced that Derek Willis, 50, and his wife, Danita Willis, 36, owners of Laser Cartridge Plus Inc. (LCP), were sentenced to prison time and were ordered to pay full restitution to the City for their participation in a scheme that defrauded the City of more than $1.3 million.
Derek Willis, 49, and Danita Willis, 35, of Russellville, Ark., pleaded guilty to five counts of mail fraud, obstruction of justice and perjury for knowingly making false statements to a federal grand jury on April 29, 2014.
Beginning June 4, 2016, Danita Willis will serve 12 months and one day in prison, which will be followed by 36 months of supervised release. She is required to pay a $700 special assessment. After her release, Derek Willis will serve 36 months in prison, which will be followed by 36 months supervised release. He is required to pay a $900 special assessment. Both will pay full restitution of $1,368,091.19 to the City.
“This case highlights the City’s need for more effective oversight and the importance of the public’s participation in rooting out corruption, fraud and abuse. Like this one, most of our cases originate from tips and complaints from the general public,” said Inspector General Kurland. “This sentence serves as a powerful reminder that the OIG will not tolerate the theft of City dollars that are sorely needed for City services. We will do whatever we can to prevent similar wrongdoing in the future.”
The investigation began in September 2011 when a City employee reported patterns of suspicious purchases to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG).
The Willises owned Laser Cartridge Plus, Inc. (LCP), a business located in Russellville, Arkansas. They were contacted by Calvin Duncan who, at the time, worked as a mailroom clerk in the Philadelphia Water Department. As part of his responsibilities, Duncan was responsible for mail deliveries and purchasing supplies, including printer ink and toner cartridges, for the PWD’s administrative offices.
Duncan submitted requests for approval to purchase printer ink and toner cartridges, falsely claiming that the cartridges were for PWD employees. After receiving the cartridges from vendors – at the City’s expense – Duncan sold them to LCP at prices significantly lower than those usually charged by ink and toner cartridge vendors. The Willises knew that the cartridges were stolen.
The scam resulted in the City paying about $1,368,000 on purchase orders and shipping costs for ink and toner cartridges that were never used by the City. The Willises paid Duncan, who pleaded guilty in 2013, about $545,400, which was not due him.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the City of Philadelphia Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tomika N. Stevens.
Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced that Lux Products Corporation, an innovative HVAC controls company formerly based in New Jersey, has relocated its headquarters to the Philadelphia Navy Yard. The company’s employees settled into their new Philadelphia location as of April 1st.
“Lux Products joins the increasing number of companies choosing to start, stay and grow in Philadelphia and we could not be more excited to welcome their team to our city,” said Mayor Nutter. “With our unemployment rate back to pre-recession levels and more jobs created in the city last year than any time since 2000, Philadelphia’s economy is on the rise.”
Lux is a privately held company based in the U.S. with a sales, marketing, logistics, customer service and technical support center in Philadelphia, PA and distribution center in Laredo, Texas. Lux is the second largest retail brand of thermostats, having sold more than 10 million thermostats, and regularly winning a “Best Buy” rating from well-regarded consumer magazines.
“The Navy Yard is an exciting blend of past, present and future,” notes Rob Munin, newly appointed President of Lux Products. “For Lux it is the perfect location for us to plant our flag and look forward; the Navy Yard campus mirrors our own commitment to smart energy innovation and sustainability, we’re very excited for what this means for our brands and our customers.”
The Philadelphia Navy Yard is home to a growing number of companies with approximately 11,000 people now working at the former military base. The Navy Yard offers a unique urban location mixed with historic buildings and modern architecture, renovated and built for today’s high performance technologies and LEED® certifications all along Philadelphia’s waterfront.
“The Navy Yard is the perfect place for Lux Products’ new headquarters,” said John Grady, President of PIDC, which manages the Navy Yard. “We are delighted to welcome them to Philadelphia. By relocating to The Navy Yard, Lux Products joins the many sustainability focused companies on the campus and gains the space to continue to innovate and grow.”
According to the latest preliminary employment information released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for February 2015, there are more jobs in Philadelphia than for any February since 2001. In addition, Philadelphia added more jobs last year than any year since 2000.
“In the last few months we have welcomed HOK, Hill International, Integrichain, American Bible Society, and now Lux Products to Philadelphia,” said Alan Greenberger, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development. “These decisions and investments are a vote of confidence in our city and a signal to the marketplace that Philadelphia is a great choice for companies looking to grow, attract talent, and be part of a dynamic, innovative economy. I want to thank all of our partners for their continued efforts to create jobs and bring new companies to Philadelphia.”