Feds approve plan for gas pipelineSHAMOKIN DAM — Federal officials have signed off on a plan to build a 34-mile pipeline through five central Pennsylvania counties that will carry natural gas to a power plant being built along the Susquehanna River.Federal energy regulators approved the Sunbury Pipeline Project on Friday.The pipeline would service the power plant being built in Shamokin Dam, about 40 miles north of Harrisburg, and will travel through Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Union and Snyder counties.UGI Energy Services Inc. spokesman Kenneth Robinson says they are pleased with the approval. Construction should begin after state environmental regulators issue the necessary permits.The utility says they plan to complete the pipeline in November and have gas available early next year.The more than 1,100-megawatt power plant is scheduled to be completed in early 2018.

Atlantic City avoids default on its debtATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Financially strapped Atlantic City scraped together enough money to make a $1.8 million bond payment Monday morning, narrowly avoiding becoming the first New Jersey municipality to default on its debt in 78 years.Mayor Don Guardian likened the city’s desperate state to rummaging around the sofa cushions in search of stray cash and said the payment was made at 10 a.m.