By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — American consumers faced a third straight monthly surge in prices in June, the latest evidence that a rapid reopening of the economy is fueling pent-up spending for goods and services that in many cases remain in short supply. Tuesday’s report from the Labor Department showed that consumer prices in June rose 0.9% from May and 5.4% over the past year — the sharpest 12-month inflation spike since June 2008.  Excluding volatile oil and gas prices, so-called core inflation rose 4.5% in the past year, the largest increase since November 1991.

(Brighton Twp., Pa.) Pa State Police in Beaver are reporting that they were dispatched to the scene of a one vehicle accident Monday, July 12, 2021 at 7:37 PM on Interstate 376 east bound in Brighton Twp.

The responding Trooper reported that 28-year-old Nithya Rajendran of Beachwood Ohio was traveling eastbound on the I-376 when she lost control of the 2019 Nissan Altima that she was driving on the wet roadway. Her vehicle crossed over the left lane and struck the guide wire causing disabling damage to the vehicle. Rajendran was not injured in the accident and the vehicle was towed from the scene.

(Pittsburgh, Pa.) Pa State Police at the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh are reporting via release that they have filed Defiant Trespass charges against 43-year-old Michelle Viviano of Sewickley for an incident that occurred at the Rivers Casino early Saturday morning, July 10, 2021, around 12:50 AM.
Troopers said via release that Viviano entered the Casino knowing that she was not licensed or privileged to do so, entered or remained in place as to which notice of trespass was given by actual communication to the defendant.

(Photo Courtesy of Heritage Valley Health System)

Moon Township, PA, (July 13, 2021) – Heritage Valley OB/GYN Associates of Sewickley welcomes Wenjun Zong, M.D., Ph.D. to the practice. He joins Rebecca Welch, M.D., FACOG and Tara Degnan, PA-C at OB/GYN Associates of Sewickley, which is located on the first floor of Heritage Valley Sewickley hospital, 720 Blackburn Road, Sewickley, PA. 

Before joining Heritage Valley OB/GYN Associates of Sewickley, Dr. Zong earned his medical degree and completed an obstetrics and gynecology residency at Chongqing Medical University in China. He also completed a fellowship in gynecologic oncology and earned a Ph.D. in molecular oncology and biology at West China Medical University. Dr. Zong additionally had senior specialist training in gynecologic endoscopies in France. He finished a U.S. OB/GYN residency in New York. Dr. Zong was a research faculty member in urogynecology at the University of Pittsburgh. 

Dr. Zong is accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment, call 412-749-8317.

HARRISBURG – As policymakers prepare to undertake redrawing U.S. Congressional districts, Pennsylvania House Republican Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin), State Government Committee Chairman Seth Grove (R-York) and Rep. Wendi Thomas (R-Bucks) announced a series of hearings will be held, and a website has been launched, to garner public feedback.

“Engaging in redistricting is one of the most important processes the legislature will undertake. From the beginning, at both the state and federal levels, the House Republican Caucus has said we are committed to a fair, open and legal process to draw new district lines to preserve our ideal of ‘one person, one vote’,” Benninghoff said. “The coming slate of hearings, the publicly accessible website and the ability for Pennsylvanians to submit their own maps and communities of interest clearly makes this effort the most transparent Congressional redistricting in Pennsylvania history. The work that will be put into this by the House State Government Committee shows our caucus’ commitment to a process-oriented approach that is reflective of the people’s voice.”

To give Pennsylvanians the opportunity to deliver their input on the reapportionment process, www.PaRedistricting.com has been launched. In addition to receiving public comments, the site will also be a source for information on the upcoming hearings and archives on hearings once they are held. In the near future, the site will allow the public to submit proposed Congressional district maps.

“Government should be transparent and that starts with how district maps are drawn,” Grove said. “At a time when public trust in government is low, it is vital that the voices of the people are heard. In that vein, the Congressional Reapportionment process being undertaken by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives will be the most transparent in Pennsylvania history.”

The hearings will begin on Thursday, July 22, at the Capitol in Harrisburg with an overview of reapportionment from 9-11 a.m., followed by a hearing to receive stakeholder input from 1-3 p.m. Further hearings will be held in August, September and October in all regions of the Commonwealth. Additional details will be released closer to the dates of the hearings.

“The people of the Commonwealth, for the first time, will be able to give their input on how the seats are drawn,” Thomas said.  “They will be able to make their suggestions in person at a series of hearings or online. In these divisive political times when many people have lost faith in their political systems, it’s critical that we open the system as much as possible.”

Every ten years, information collected through the U.S. Census determines the number of U.S. Representatives each state is entitled based on population. Once in receipt of that data, states are responsible for redrawing the geographic area of their congressional districts to ensure equal and fair representation, and the physical manifestation of the constitutional principle, “one person, one vote.” This process is commonly referred to as redistricting.

(File Photo)

(Scott Twp., Pa.) 38-year-old Corey Brewer of Pittsburgh is facing sexual assault and unlawful restraint charges after employees at a Scott Twp. Wal-mart found a note indicating that a woman was being assaulted and held against her will. They turned the note over to police who rescued the woman after she left a note at a second location.
The note at the Walmart stated that the woman had been sexually and physically assaulted and was being held against her will. She said Brewer had a knife and that whoever reads this should call 911.
A second note from the same woman asking for help was found in the women’s bathroom at Fallingwater Museum in Mill Run, Pa..

Police went to their home, after being told they were on vacation in New York after checking on the woman’s first note, for a second time with a SWAT team, and arrested Brewer and saved the woman, who had been held since May 1. She told authorities that Brewer threatened to kill her and her family if she left.

(Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Curtis Walsh)

(Beaver Falls, PA) Police are looking for a white van that was in the area of Harmony Dwellings as of 10:10 pm after a multiple-person shooting took place tonight in Beaver Falls. Two medi-vac helicopters were called to the scene to transport two individuals. Ambulances, police, and fire departments from multiple county first responders are also on scene. Multiple people were reportedly shot and the number of shooters or if anyone has been detained has not been confirmed. The coroner was reportedly called to the scene.

With the dog days of summer rolling in with the All-Star break in tow, Matt Drzik takes a look at some of the more commonly used “buzzwords” in common parlance, and whether they are being used properly or otherwise.

6:30 to 9:00 on Beaver County Radio.