Three teens charged in arson fire at historic Mill Race Inn – Bucks Round-Up – April 17, 2026
Three teens charged in arson fire at historic Mill Race Inn
Charges were filed in Bucks County’s juvenile court against three boys between fourteen and fifteen years old by Northampton Township Police in connection with the fire that damaged the abandoned Mill Race Inn, on March 15. The building began as a grist mill in 1787 and evolved into a popular restaurant, abandoned in 1999, and more recently a blighted area slated for redevelopment. The addition on the back of the main building appears to be the specific site of the fire that destroyed the dilapidated addition. A fence now surrounds the charred site on Buck Road.
PECO backs off on rate hikes
Following a huge backlash from customers and state lawmakers, PECO withdrew its proposed plan to raise electric rates 12.5 percent and natural gas rates by 11.4 percent, yesterday. PECO is a subsidiary of Exelon Corp., which had filed a proposal with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) on March 30. In a statement Thursday, the utility company cited the outcry from customers, plus a bipartisan response from state lawmakers including Governor Josh Shapiro (D). Under the proposal, average households would have seen their monthly utility bills increase by $20.08 for electricity and $14.52 for natural gas. PECO said their action “reflects a deliberate effort to prioritize customer affordability while continuing to deliver safe and reliable service.” The withdrawal was met with praise from Bucks County Democratic and Republican lawmakers in the Pennsylvania House and Senate. State Senator Frank Farry (R-Langhorne) reacted saying the legislators know an improved, reliable grid is vital to the success of the community, but a rate increase presently is unacceptable. The rate increase request reportedly came after PECO indicated a $814 million profit last year.
7-Eleven’s parent company announced nationwide store closings
When convenience store giant 7-Eleven announced the closure of 645 stores in North America by February 28, 2027, it also said it plans to build 550 new stores through 2027. The future of 7-Eleven in specific states is uncertain and specific locations, as in Bucks County, have not been identified, but the company noted the closures will affect underperforming locations. The plan is part of a restructuring to focus on larger stores and food offerings. Last year, the company reported “food-forward” stores are driving average sales per store day about eighteen percent higher than the company’s system average. 7-Eleven is currently a Japanese-owned company founded in the U.S. in 1927. The Japanese entity Seven-Eleven Japan took over the company in 2005. It is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the Japanese retail giant Seven & I Holdings.
Pat Wandling is a veteran journalist, formerly of The Bucks County Courier, and was a mainstay on WBCB for over 20 years.
