1,000-Game Winner Magee Not Finished In Philly At 80

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jefferson University coach Herb Magee is ready to return for another season on the bench.  He has 1,123 victories at the Division II school. Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski is the only college basketball coach in all divisions with more wins at 1,170. Magee turned 80 this week. Jimmy Reilly is Magee’s long-time assistant coach and he has already been approved as the program’s successor but there’s no timeline on when he will retire.  Magee ended his playing career at Philadelphia Textile as the school’s career leading scorer with 2,235 points.

Vandalism Strikes At Local Business In New Beaver

(New Beaver, PA) – Pennsylvania State Police have reported via release that on June 23rd, 2021 at approximately 1:12 a.m., they responded to a business alarm at Ferrante Upholstering at 3384 State Route 18 in New Beaver. Upon entering the scene, State Police discovered one of the outside panes of glass on the west face of the business was shattered by unknown reasons, causing approximately $300.00 worth of damage. If anyone has any information or could provide surveilance footage regarding this incident, or any similar incidents in the area, please contact Pennsylvania State Police – New Castle at 724-598-2211 and reference the following incident number: PA21-854537.

Pa. Senator Vogel’s Bill Modifying Milk Date Requirement for Sales Headed to Governor

A measure introduced by Senator Elder Vogel (R-47) updating “sell by” and “best by” date labeling for pasteurized milk received final legislative approval today with Senate concurrence on a minor amendment by the House of Representatives.

Senate Bill 434 now goes to the Governor’s desk for enactment into law.

Currently, Pennsylvania regulation requires milk to be labeled for sale within 17 days of pasteurization.  Only two other states have similar “fixed code” dates for milk regulations, thus putting Pennsylvania-produced milk at a competitive disadvantage in the retail sale of milk.

Senate Bill 434 would allow milk processors to apply for Department of Agriculture approval to exceed the 17-day limitation by moving to a science-based “open code” format.  The legislation establishes testing requirements and standards, including dairy laboratory criteria, bacterial testing of samples and continued periodic testing, which must be met for milk processors to receive Department approval.

“Consumers rank freshness, as determined by the date code indicated, as the most important attribute when purchasing milk,” said Senator Vogel, who serves as Chairman of the Senate Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee. “The current 17-day requirement is not realistic when it comes down to milk’s actual shelf life. In addition, it makes it impossible for processors to bid to provide milk to those who want to sell through national food suppliers and wholesalers.  Those suppliers typically require a longer “sell by” date interval, which prevents Pennsylvania farmers from receiving these contracts. It is important that we level the playing field to enable our dairy farmers to compete in the marketplace.”

Pa Rep (15th) Josh Kail Applauds Passage of Election Reform Bill

(Harrisburg, Pa.) A Republican rewrite of election law is now in the hands of the state Senate after a tense debate in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives yesterday. The bill that passed would mandate voter IDs, alter registration and ballot counting deadlines and give conservatives the auditing procedures they have demanded. It got out of the state House on a 110 to 91 vote Tuesday despite Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s veto threat. 15th District Rep Josh Kail said via release “In order for the public to regain trust in the election system, changes were needed.” “This bill addresses the glaring issues. All 67 counties will operate the same way, which is important to ensure election integrity.”

Kail went on to say that “Counties need time to prepare for an upcoming election.” “If counties are able to carry out elections with no hiccups, everyone is better off for it.”

The Bill would change the registration deadline from 15 days to 30 days before an election. Mail-in ballots would have to be requested 15 days before the vote. Drop boxes for mail-in ballots would be limited to seven days before an election.

The Jury Now Has The Case In Sheldon Jeter Jr.’s Murder Trialr

(Beaver, Pa.) The Jury has received the case in the Sheldon Jeter Jr. trial and went into deliberations yesterday afternoon after closing arguments were presented earlier in the day.
During closing arguments Prosecutors said multiple times that all roads lead to Sheldon Jeter killing his childhood friend and room mate Tyric Pugh and leaving his body on Kiehl Street in Aliquippa on May 15, 2020.

The Prosecution told the jury that Jeter was the last person seen with Pugh. Surveillance video shows Jeter’s car in the area around the time of the murder and gunshot residue was found in his car and the murder weapon that was found under Jeter’s mattress.

The Prosecution also said that Jeter’s gun was capable of firing seven bullets, and four of the rounds at the scene matched some of the ammunition found in Jeter’s room.

The defense argued, no forensic evidence and no eyewitnesses were presented in this case, and Jeter was targeted from the beginning.

Stay tuned to Beaver County Radio and beaver county radio dot com as we will report the information as soon as a verdict is reached.

NWS Confirms a Tornado in Cranberry During Tuesday’s Severe Storms

People ran for cover in the Cranberry Area in Butler County on Tuesday as strong storms heavy rain,  and severe winds swept through the area. Numerous social media posts said a tornado hit in the Seven Fields area after a Tornado Warning was issued by the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh. Those posts were correct as the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh confirmed that there was an EF0 tornado in Cranberry around the Butler and Allegheny counties border.

GOP Voting Law Bill Clears state House Amid Wolf Veto Threat

GOP voting law bill clears state House amid Wolf veto threat
By MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A Republican rewrite of election law is now in the hands of the state Senate after a tense debate in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. The bill that passed Tuesday would mandate voter IDs, alter registration and ballot counting deadlines and give conservatives the auditing procedures they have demanded. It got out of the state House on a 110 to 91 vote Tuesday despite Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s veto threat. It would change the registration deadline from 15 days to 30 days before an election. Mail-in ballots would have to be requested 15 days before the vote. Drop boxes for mail-in ballots would be limited to seven days before an election.

Pirates rally for 6-3 win over skidding White Sox

Pirates rally for 6-3 win over skidding White Sox
By JOHN PERROTTO Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pinch-hitter Erik Gonzalez’s two-run single highlighted a four-run rally in the seventh inning as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the skidding Chicago White Sox 6-3. A three-run homer by pinch-hitter Yasmani Grandal in the top of the seventh put the White Sox ahead 3-2 after they were held scoreless on two hits through six innings. But the Pirates answered in the bottom half against rookie reliever Garrett Crochet, who was charged with four runs without getting an out. Gonzalez’s hit put Pittsburgh ahead 5-3 and helped extend Chicago’s losing streak to five games, the longest of the season for the AL Central leaders. Adam Frazier homered for the Pirates, and Bryan Reynolds had two hits and two RBIs.

New Coalition Aims to Change “Whitewashed” Narrative of Appalachia

Keystone State News Connection

June 23, 2021

Emily Scott

PHILADELPHIA – The Appalachian region has long dealt with environmental pollution and economic disinvestment, and a new coalition wants to ensure its Black residents have a seat at the table as these issues are addressed by the Biden administration.

The Black Appalachian Coalition, or BLAC, is a four-state collaboration of organizers who say they aim to disrupt the narrative that the region is only white and rural. Bishop Marcia Dinkins, executive director of Ohio Interfaith Power and Light, said it’s time to reframe the story of Appalachia.

“And if we don’t go back and take back that which is ours, meaning the land, meaning the story, meaning our Black identity,” she said, “what we’ll continue to find ourselves sitting in is a whitewashed narrative that has romanticized Appalachia to be rooted in whiteness, and continually building policies that only reach out to white people.”

According to the Appalachian Regional Commission’s mapping of the area based on 2010 Census data, there are 2.5 million Black residents of the Appalachian states. However, Frank X Walker, a Kentucky-native poet and educator who coined the term “Affrilachian” to describe African Americans in Appalachia, said even that is a limited view of the region.

“Even the cities where our relatives have moved outside of the ARC definition of Appalachia and settled in these contiguous cities around the official region – like Lexington, where I live, Charlotte, North Carolina; Philadelphia, Cincinnati,” he said, “all those cities have large populations of African American students, and workers, and children and families, and doctors and lawyers.”

One issue the group said should be addressed in Black Appalachian communities is health-care access. Mustafa Santiago Ali, vice president for environmental justice, climate and community revitalization at the National Wildlife Federation, said health-care access during COVID-19 has been troubling, as some clinics and hospitals closed in the region. Ali said people who worked in coal mines for decades already faced breathing difficulties before COVID, making them more vulnerable.

“So, when we think about both the past and the present, then it helps us to better understand why we have to make investments in health care,” he said. “And if we truly understand the opportunities that exist around health care, then we also understand that there are economic opportunities of reopening clinics and making sure we are hiring Black folks to participate.”

Dinkins said BLAC will collaborate with local NAACP chapters, and plans to release a report addressing economic disparities of the region’s Black residents.

Watchdog: Nursing Home Deaths Up 32% In 2020 Amid Pandemic

Watchdog: Nursing home deaths up 32% in 2020 amid pandemic
By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — A government watchdog says that deaths among Medicare patients in nursing homes soared by 32% last year amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Department of Health and Human Services inspector general found two devastating spikes eight months apart in the most comprehensive look yet at COVID-19’s toll among its most vulnerable victims. Investigators say there were more than 169,000 additional deaths last year among Medicare recipients in nursing homes. Also, cases and deaths among Asian patients tracked the more severe impacts seen among Blacks and Latinos. Indeed, Asian Medicare enrollees in nursing homes saw the highest increase in death rates, with 27% dying in 2020.