(Harrisburg, PA) – In order to create a fairer environment for local businesses, state Reps. Sara Innamorato, D-Allegheny, and Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Phila., have introduced legislation that would close a loophole in a Pennsylvania sales tax law.

Currently, major online retailers, like Amazon, calculate taxes based on “location of fulfillment,” which is typically a warehouse. For example, wherever Amazon has a warehouse, the sales tax of that area is included. However, two counties where Amazon does not currently operate a warehouse—Philadelphia and Allegheny—are the only counties in Pennsylvania that levy a local sales tax on top of the statewide tax.

Because Amazon doesn’t operate warehouses in Philadelphia or Allegheny counties, they don’t have to collect or remit local sales tax for orders purchased in those counties. This denies those communities of important tax revenue and gives the company a pricing advantage over local businesses that do collect local sales taxes.

“This is a loophole that ultimately hurts our local businesses. As we recover from COVID-19 and the severe negative impacts it left on our economy, this is the perfect time to close this loophole and create a fairer system to collect state and local taxes, putting our small businesses on an equal playing field with large online retailers,” Innamorato said.

The legislation, H.B. 1656, would require online sales in Pennsylvania to be finalized at the address of the purchaser, rather than the address of a retailer’s warehouse. Kenyatta noted this bill would allow for fairer competition between online retailers and the local, physical stores located in the community.

“Large online retailers evading paying their share with impunity comes at the peril of our commonwealth’s most populous counties and is a detriment to companies in these counties that employ local workers, contribute to local taxes and ultimately fuel local economies,” Kenyatta said. “By eliminating this tax loophole, our legislation is among the best opportunities for our legislature to help pull Pennsylvania and its local businesses out of this economic crisis.”

 House Bill 1656 will soon be referred to committee for further action.

By MARK SHERMAN Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has ruled that a Pennsylvania public school wrongly suspended a cheerleader over a vulgar social media post. The court voted 8-1 Wednesday in favor of Brandi Levy, who was a 14-year-old high school freshman when she expressed her disappointment over not making the varsity cheerleading team on Snapchat with a string of curse words and a raised middle finger. Levy was not in school when she made her post but was suspended from cheerleading activities for a year anyway. The high court ruled the suspension violated Levy’s First Amendment rights. But the justices did not foreclose schools from disciplining students for what they say off campus.

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.

(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.

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.