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.”

(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.

(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.

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
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.

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.

(North Sewickley, Pa.) Pa State Police in Gibsonia are reporting that they were dispatched to a two vehicle accident on the Pennsylvania Turnpike west bound at mile marker 17 in North Sewickley Twp. on Friday June 18, 2021 at 8:10 AM.

Troopers report via release that upon arriving on the scene they were told by Heidi Marshall of Tartentum that while she was operating her 2016 Lincoln MKZ in the right lane west bound on the turnpike another vehicle, described as being black and possibly a Mazda or Nissan was traveling in the left lane and as it passed her they side swiped her vehicle. Marshall told troopers the other unit continued west bound without stopping.

Pa. State Police are asking anyone with info to call them at 724-443-5907

Former Pennsylvania governor and First ever Department of Homeland Secretary Tom Ridge is said to be improving after being taken to a hospital via ambulance for a stroke that he buffered in his Bethesda Maryland home on June 16, 2021 . Ridge had to have surgery to remove a blot clot. His condition has been upgraded to stable.

AAA: Western PA Gas Prices Lower as National Average Decreases
Gas prices in Western Pennsylvania are one cent lower this week at $3.248 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                 $3.248
Average price during the week of June 14, 2021                                      $3.251
Average price during the week of June 22, 2020                                      $2.440

The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:      

$3.156      Altoona
$3.256      Beaver
$3.253      Bradford
$3.241      Brookville
$3.248      Butler
$3.260      Clarion
$3.235      DuBois
$3.250      Erie
$3.253      Greensburg
$3.259      Indiana
$3.261      Jeannette
$3.254      Kittanning
$3.259      Latrobe
$3.245      Meadville
$3.270      Mercer
$3.227      New Castle
$3.258      New Kensington
$3.259      Oil City
$3.249      Pittsburgh
$3.242      Sharon
$3.279      Uniontown
$3.259      Warren
$3.232      Washington

Trend Analysis:

Increasing gasoline stock levels have helped to keep gas prices mostly stable across the country. On the week, 40 state gas price averages held steady or saw fluctuation of only one to two cents. This helped the national average decrease by a penny since last Monday, down to $3.07 today.

According to Energy Information Administration (EIA) data, total gasoline stocks sit at 242.9 million barrels, which is a 9 million barrel surplus compared to the same week in June 2019. Stock levels have increased in line with refinery utilization rates, which are at the highest rate since January 2020. Demand is also trending higher. In EIA’s latest report, demand increased by nearly 1 million barrels per day to 9.3 million barrels per day.

Despite the latest increase in demand, many motorists are not seeing significant pump price jumps due to increasing stock levels, which have significantly built over the last four weeks. During this same period, the national gas price average has only increased four cents.

Last week, the price of crude oil increased to $72 per barrel, but decreased by $2 per barrel at Friday’s close. If crude prices trend at this or a lower price point for a sustained period, that would help to minimize jumps at the pump through the end of this month.

Today’s national gas price average is more expensive on the month (+3 cents) and the year (+95 cents).

Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at GasPrices.AAA.com.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 73 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members.  News releases are available at news.eastcentral.aaa.com.  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.