Bucks consumer protection chief steps down – Bucks Round-Up – March 31, 2026
Bucks consumer protection chief steps down
Mike Bannon, the director of the Bucks County Office of Consumer Protection/Weights and Measures, announced his departure last week from the office he held for 24 years. Bannon served under several Bucks County boards of commissioners and was known as a hands-on administrator who often engaged with the media to educate and protect consumers. He praised his team for their dedicated work on behalf of the county’s consumers, recounting the office’s success in achieving fairness and interceding on behalf of consumers in need of help. Bannon announced his departure to friends on social media, calling his work with people and businesses extremely rewarding and it was an honor to serve Bucks County.
Wrightstown could require sewer line repairs before selling
Wrightstown Township supervisors are considering a proposed ordinance that would require homeowners in the Jane Chapman East and Matthew’s Ridge systems to inspect lateral sewer lines before selling their property and ensure that any defects that allow groundwater intrusion would be repaired prior to transfer. The goal of the proposal reviewed last week by the supervisors would be reduction of excess water infiltration in two local sewer systems. Other “unlawful connections” that can strain the sewer system and drive-up operating costs also are included in the proposed ordinance: roof, driveway and yard drains, and sump pumps. Township supervisors plan to hold a public meeting to explain the requirements before advertising an ordinance for adoption. Also, the township is making plans for $200,000 improvements to sewer plants — one that serves Matthew’s Ridge development and another that serves Chapman’s Corner.
Aging Turnpike bridge to be replaced
It will take $600 million, at least, to replace the 70-year-old Delaware River Bridge, a national freight and passenger transportation network and a key connection for I-95, connecting Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The project will be funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s 2025 Bridge Investment Program. Pennsylvania senators Dave McCormick (R) and John Fetterman (D), in a joint statement, said the project is one of the most consequential infrastructure commitments in Pennsylvania. The heavily trafficked, four-lane span carries an approximate 67,000 vehicles daily. It is considered well-maintained, but not sufficient for I-95 corridor trucks that account for sixteen percent of the total traffic. A six-lane bridge, 135-feet high, is in the plan. Both the turnpike authorities of Pennsylvania and New Jersey agree that the old bridge cannot be rehabilitated or updated to meet modern traffic or federal preservation standards. Field investigations are continuing through 2026 and the final design phase is anticipated in 2029, with completion estimated to happen in the early 2030s.
Global food giant Sysco acquires Restaurant Depot in multi-billion deal
Sysco Corp., a global food service company, will acquire Jetro Restaurant Depot, a wholesale outlet store in Middletown Township, as part of a $29.1 billion acquisition. The deal brings Restaurant Depot’s warehouse-style store on East Lincoln Highway into Sysco’s portfolio, and the combination is expected to produce approximately $250 million annually within the first three years. Restaurant Depot, a large supplier for nonprofits, small businesses, and independent restaurants, opened in 2013 in Middletown, owns 166 large format warehouses in 35 states, and generates approximately $16 billion in revenue annually, according to company data. Company officials said Restaurant Depot also intends to continue opening new warehouses nationwide. The acquisition is designed to bridge the gap between traditional food service delivery services and the “cash-and-carry” warehouse store model, according to the companies. Sysco and Restaurant Depot saw a combined net revenue of nearly $100 billion last year.
Pat Wandling is a veteran journalist, formerly of the Bucks County Courier, and was a mainstay on WBCB for over 20 years.
