(Beaver, Pa.) A State Trooper who is facing charges stemming from an incident that occurred in Rochester is scheduled to be in court today.

According to a criminal complaint Trooper Trask Alexander is charged with trying to withdraw a traffic citation issued to one of his friends that was issued by another state trooper after a traffic stop that happened in Rochester.

When the woman was pulled over by the other Trooper she allegedly told the Trooper that she and her boyfriend are friends of Trooper Alexander. The complaint states that the female then sent a photo of the citation to Alexander.

The District Court found inconsistencies, including a signature that didn’t match on a withdrawal form that Alexander then allegedly sent to the district court.

Alexander is suspended without pay pending the results of an internal investigation and what happens in court.

Lancaster, PA – This week, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding will travel the commonwealth to visit 11 urban farms and ag operations in the cities of Reading, Lancaster, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia. At these and many more urban agriculture sites across the commonwealth, Pennsylvanians are coming together to tackle both local and global challenges like climate change, food insecurity, and poor health associated with a lack of access to nutritious foods.

“Food production in our urban spaces – from rooftops or vacant lots, to vertical or indoor farming – plays a critical role in advancing food and nutritional security, while also working to effectively dismantle the hold of systemic discrimination that has created cases of the ‘haves and have-nots’  for low-income communities whose residents are predominantly Black and people of color,” said Redding. “This week, we’ll meet the people who have recognized need in their communities and leapt into action to grow food and opportunities, to nourish people and neighborhoods, and cultivate resilience for the future.”

Over the past two years, the Wolf Administration has invested $1 million in urban agriculture through the Pennsylvania Farm Bill’s Urban Agriculture Infrastructure Program. That $1 million investment has leveraged an additional $1 million in local investments through matching dollars. In total, 70 projects have been funded in 16 counties across the state. (2019-20 funded, 2020-21 funded)

“Lack of access to food, especially nutritious food, is much more than an inconvenience: it is detrimental to the health and well-being of families, and to entire communities,” said First Lady Frances Wolf. “Urban agriculture and infrastructure projects – like the ones we are highlighting during Urban Ag Week – are crucial in attacking the root of this very issue. They are thoughtful in addressing food access and insecurity, and they can ensure a healthier future for generations to come.”

This week’s tours are during Pennsylvania’s fourth annual Urban Agriculture Week. The designation of Urban Agriculture Week in PA began in 2018 in recognition of the invaluable contributions of urban agriculture to their communities, one year before Governor Tom Wolf signed into law the Pennsylvania Farm Bill which created the Urban Agriculture Infrastructure Grant Program which invests $500,000 annually into projects that address urban food insecurity and increase access to fresh, nutritious foods for communities affected by apartheid.

Joining Redding at various stops along the way will be First Lady Wolf, members of the legislature including House and Senate Agriculture Committee members, and leaders and commissioners from the Governor’s Commissions for Women, Latino Affairs, LGBTQ Affairs, African American Affairs, and Asian Pacific American Affairs.

“We often think of large farms in rural areas when we are talking about agriculture, but through the creativity and ingenuity of Pennsylvania farmers, our cities are becoming productive and profitable locations for high quality fruits, vegetables and value-added food products,” said state Senator Judy Schwank, Democratic chair of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. “Urban Ag has huge potential in the commonwealth, and I believe it can help mitigate food insecurity and have a positive impact on climate by reducing the distance food travels to reach our tables. It’s exciting to see our cities becoming virtual garden spots and I hope we continue to help them grow.”

Tour dates and locations include:

• Monday, July 19: Goggle Works in Reading along with Treasures of Hope Foundation and DECA City Farms in Lancaster
• Tuesday, July 20: Garden Dreams, Hilltop Urban Farm, Freeman Family Farm, and Sankofa Village Community Garden in Pittsburgh
• Thursday, July 22: Pinwheel Group, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Philadelphia Orchard Project, and the Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Association Coalition’s Growing Home Gardens in Philadelphia

“No matter who you are or where you live, if there’s food on your table thank a farmer,” said state Representative Eddie Day Pashinski, Democratic chair of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. “Pennsylvania Urban Ag Week is a time to highlight the diverse growers and producers providing quality locally grown food in our urban areas. It’s also a chance to emphasize how the Historic Pa Farm Bill and Pa Department of Agriculture have awarded $1 million to support our urban farmers in just the past two years – including our very own Earth Conservancy’s Community Garden in Ashley, PA.”

To learn more about the Urban Agriculture Infrastructure Program that’s growing and nourishing Pennsylvania’s cities, visit agriculture.pa.gov/pafarmbill.

By DOUGLASS K. DANIEL Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Two more Texas lawmakers who left their state to hobble efforts to pass new voting restrictions have tested positive for the coronavirus, raising to five the number of infected people in the delegation. State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer of San Antonio said in a statement Sunday that he had tested positive and was quarantining. A person familiar with the delegation tells The Associated Press that the number of infected members has risen to five. The person was not authorized to discuss the matter and requested anonymity.

By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer
TOKYO (AP) — Toyota won’t be airing any Olympic-themed advertisements on Japanese television during the Tokyo Games despite being one of the IOC’s top corporate sponsors. The extraordinary decision by the country’s top automaker underlines how polarizing the Games have become in Japan as COVID-19 infections rise ahead of Friday’s opening ceremony. Being a corporate sponsor for the Olympics is usually all about using the games as a platform to enhance the brand. But being linked with a pandemic-era Games may be viewed by some as a potential marketing problem. Toyota signed on as a worldwide Olympic sponsor in 2015 in an eight-year deal reportedly worth nearly $1 billion.

(Photo courtesy of Pa. Media Services)

(Philadelphia, Pa.) Governor Tom Wolf thanked members of Pennsylvania-Task Force 1 (PA-TF1), who returned to Philadelphia after spending two weeks assisting with search and rescue efforts at the site of the recent deadly building collapse in Surfside, Florida.

“I want to thank the men and women of PA-TF1 for assisting at the site of terrible tragedy. This was a dangerous mission but they understood the risks and worked long hours at the site of the building collapse to provide critical emergency services. Pennsylvania is proud and grateful for their service, and I was pleased to be able to welcome them home.”

PA-TF 1 is one of 28 teams that are part of the National Urban Search and Rescue Response System and is a federal resource that can quickly be mobilized to deploy to incidents anywhere in the country. The team is sponsored by the Philadelphia Fire Department.

(File Photo)

(Pittsburgh, Pa.) Pa State Police at the Rivers Casino are reporting that they have filed charges of defiant trespass against 45-year-old Lisa Pifer of Coraopolis for an incident that occurred on Thursday, July 15, 2021, around 9:46 PM at the Rivers Casino.
Troopers report via release that Pifer entered the casino after knowing that she had previously been told by Troopers that she was banned from the casino.

Microsoft Exchange email hack was caused by China, US says
By ERIC TUCKER Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is blaming China for a hack of Microsoft Exchange email server software that compromised tens of thousands of computers around the world earlier this year. The administration and allied nations on Monday also disclosed a broad range of other cyberthreats from Beijing, including ransomware attacks from government-affiliated hackers that have targeted companies with demands for millions of dollars. A senior administration official says China’s Ministry of State Security has been using criminal contract hackers, who have engaged in cyber extortion schemes and operations for their own profit. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson previously said attribution of cyberattacks should be based on evidence and not “groundless accusations.”

Dangerous conditions complicate wildfire fight in western US
Associated Press undefined
BLY, Ore. (AP) — Erratic winds and dry lightning are among the dangers for crews battling the nation’s largest wildfire. The Bootleg Fire is racing through parched Oregon forests just north of the California state line. It’s already burned an area about the size of Los Angeles. Meteorologists predict critically dangerous fire weather through at least Monday, including lightning that could ignite new fires. Thousands of people are under evacuation orders. Nationwide, about 70 large fires are burning. One fire spreading south of Lake Tahoe jumped a highway, prompting the closure of the Pacific Crest Trail and the cancellation of an extreme bike ride known as the “Death Ride.”

Fetterman leads fundraising in Pennsylvania’s US Senate race
By MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democrat John Fetterman is showing his early fundraising prowess in the crowded stakes for Pennsylvania’s open U.S. Senate seat ahead of next year’s election. Fetterman reported $2.5 million raised in the three months ending June 30. That left him with $3 million in his campaign account, far more than any candidate, Republican or Democrat, has reported. Thursday was the Federal Election Commission deadline to file the quarterly report. Fetterman is the state’s lieutenant governor. Leading the Republican money chase is Jeff Bartos, the Montgomery County real estate investor whose campaign said he had just under $1.9 million in his account as of June 30.

(Clay Township, Pa.) Pa State Police in Butler are reporting via release that they are investigating a murder suicide that happened on Saturday .

Troopers say via release that officers were dispatched to the West Sunbury Cemetery in Clay Township early Saturday Afternoon for reports of a suicidal male. Upon arrival, officers found a person dead by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The release identified the deceased man 46-year-old Charles Smith, 46, of Evans City.

Through an investigation, it was determined that Smith shot and killed 39-year-old Terry Bolan of Evans City in Forward Twp. prior to fleeing to the cemetery and taking his own life. It not clear what led to this incident and Troopers continue to investigate.