Category: News

Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Opens Entry for Multiple Limited-Release Lotteries for 28 Rare Whiskeys

Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Opens Entry for
Multiple Limited-Release Lotteries for 28 Rare Whiskeys

Harrisburg – The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB), through five separate Limited-Release Lotteries, will award lottery registrants the opportunity to purchase 213 bottles of 28 rare whiskeys.

Pennsylvania residents and licensees will have until 5:00 PM Friday, April 30, to opt in to one or more of the lotteries and drawings by visiting the Limited-Release Lottery web page at FWGS.com.

Five separate lotteries, each with multiple drawings, will be conducted for these limited-release whiskeys. Participants may opt in to one, several, or all lotteries. For the first four lotteries, if a participant wins a bottle in a drawing, they will be removed from subsequent drawings in that lottery, and purchase is limited to one bottle per participant per lottery. For the lottery featuring various other bourbons, participants may enter and win in multiple drawings, and purchase is limited to one bottle per drawing.

Lotteries and drawings will be held in the following order.

Van Winkle 2020

For the Van Winkle 2020 lottery, there are six drawings.

  • Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Straight Bourbon 23 Year Old 95.6 Proof 2020, $399.99 – 1 bottle for individual consumers
  • Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Straight Bourbon 20 Year Old 90.4 Proof 2020, $249.99 – 1 bottle for individual consumers
  • Van Winkle Family Reserve Straight Rye Whiskey 13 Year Old 95.6 Proof 2020, $159.99 each – 1 bottle for individual consumers, 1 bottle for licensees
  • Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Straight Bourbon 15 Year Old 107 Proof 2020, $149.99 each – 7 bottles for individual consumers, 2 bottles for licensees
  • Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade Straight Bourbon 10 Year Old 107 Proof 2020, $89.99 each – 11 bottles for individual consumers, 3 bottles for licensees
  • Van Winkle Special Reserve Straight Bourbon 12 Year Old 90.4 Proof 2020, $99.99 each – 12 bottles for individual consumers, 3 bottles for licensees

Van Winkle 2019

For the Van Winkle 2019 lottery, there are six drawings.

  • Van Winkle Family Reserve Straight Rye Whiskey 13 Year Old 95.6 Proof 2019, $159.99 each – 3 bottles for individual consumers, 1 bottle for licensees
  • Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Straight Bourbon 23 Year Old 95.6 Proof 2019, $399.99 each – 4 bottles for individual consumers, 1 bottle for licensees
  • Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Straight Bourbon 20 Year Old 90.4 Proof 2019, $249.99 each – 10 bottles for individual consumers, 3 bottles for licensees
  • Van Winkle Special Reserve Straight Bourbon 12 Year Old 90.4 Proof 2019, $99.99 each – 10 bottles for individual consumers, 3 bottles for licensees
  • Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Straight Bourbon 15 Year Old 107 Proof 2019, $149.99 each – 12 bottles for individual consumers, 3 bottles for licensees
  • Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade Straight Bourbon 10 Year Old 107 Proof 2019, $89.99 each – 14 bottles for individual consumers, 4 bottles for licensees

Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2020

For the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2020 lottery, there are five drawings.

  • Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey 18 Year Old 90 Proof Bottled Summer 2020, $109.99 each – 2 bottles for individual consumers, 1 bottle for licensees
  • William Larue Weller Straight Bourbon Barrel Proof (134.5 Proof) 2020, $109.99 each – 5 bottles for individual consumers, 1 bottle for licensees
  • Eagle Rare Straight Bourbon 17 Year Old 101 Proof Bottled Summer 2020, $109.99 each – 6 bottles for individual consumers, 1 bottle for licensees
  • Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey Barrel Proof (129 Proof) 2020, $109.99 each – 10 bottles for individual consumers, 3 bottles for licensees
  • George T. Stagg Straight Bourbon Barrel Proof (130.4 Proof) 2020, $109.99 each – 14 bottles for individual consumers, 4 bottles for licensees

Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2019

For the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2019 lottery, there are five drawings.

  • Eagle Rare Straight Bourbon 17 Year Old 101 Proof Bottled Summer 2019, $109.99 each – 1 bottle for individual consumers, 1 bottle for licensees
  • Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey 18 Year Old 90 Proof Bottled Summer 2019, $109.99 each – 1 bottle for individual consumers, 1 bottle for licensees
  • Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey Barrel Proof (125.7 Proof) 2019, $109.99 each – 2 bottles for individual consumers, 1 bottle for licensees
  • William Larue Weller Straight Bourbon Barrel Proof (128 Proof) 2019, $109.99 each – 3 bottles for individual consumers, 1 bottle for licensees
  • George T. Stagg Straight Bourbon Barrel Proof (116.9 Proof) 2019, $109.99 each – 6 bottles for individual consumers, 1 bottle for licensees

Bourbon Mix

For this lottery, there are six separate drawings.

  • Michter’s Straight Bourbon Limited Release 20 Year Old 114 Proof, $799.99 each – 1 bottle for individual consumers, 1 bottle for licensees
  • Eagle Rare Double Eagle Very Rare Straight Bourbon 90 Proof, $1,999.99 each – 1 bottle for individual consumers, 1 bottle for licensees
  • Michter’s Straight Bourbon 25 Year Old 116.2 Proof, $999.99 each – 2 bottles for individual consumers, 1 bottle for licensees
  • Rock Hill Farms Single Barrel Bourbon, $49.99 each – 7 bottles for individual consumers, 2 bottles for licensees
  • O.F.C. Straight Bourbon 1995 90 Proof, $2,499.99 each – 8 bottles for individual consumers, 2 bottles for licensees
  • Old Forester Birthday Straight Bourbon 2020 98 Proof, $129.99 each – 9 bottles for individual consumers, 3 bottles for licensees

Limited-Release Lotteries are open to licensees and Pennsylvania residents age 21 or older who provide both a verifiable Pennsylvania billing address and identify a Fine Wine & Good Spirits store for delivery at registration. Any non-licensee registrant with a billing address that cannot be verified as a Pennsylvania address will be removed from the lottery.

There is a limit of one entry per household/billing address or licensee for each drawing, and duplicate entries will be cancelled. The PLCB reserves the right to disqualify all entries received from a single household or billing address.

Individual consumers and licensees interested in entering one or more drawings must have an active account with FWGS.com, and the quick checkout store delivery information must be completed. Each participant is encouraged to verify that accurate, up-to-date billing information is associated with their customer account to prevent transaction delays or cancellations. The use or creation of multiple Fine Wine & Good Spirits accounts for the purposes of participating in a Limited-Release Lottery is strictly prohibited and may result in the entrant being banned from current and future Lotteries.

Store delivery of Limited-Release Lottery products is required; failure to identify a valid store for delivery may result in the loss of the right to purchase that product.

In light of attempts by previous lottery winners to illegally resell products obtained through Limited-Release Lotteries, the Terms and Conditions remind residents that the sale of alcoholic beverages without a license is strictly prohibited under Pennsylvania law. When entering a Limited-Release Lottery, a participant will be asked to acknowledge that they agree to these terms and conditions and are a Pennsylvania resident or active licensee. Violating the Terms and Conditions may result in an entrant being disqualified from current and future lotteries.

Lottery drawings will be witnessed by an independent third party. Winners will be selected at random by computer program. Participants will be notified by email when the lottery process is complete.
The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates 600 wine and spirits stores statewide, and licenses 20,000 alcohol producers, retailers, and handlers. The PLCB also works to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking through partnerships with schools, community groups, and licensees. Taxes and store profits – totaling nearly $17.9 billion since the agency’s inception – are returned to Pennsylvania’s General Fund, which finances Pennsylvania’s schools, health and human services programs, law enforcement, and public safety initiatives, among other important public services. The PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies, and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit lcb.pa.gov.

AAA: Western PA Gas Prices Increase; National Demand Continues to Rise

AAA: Western PA Gas Prices Increase; National Demand Continues to Rise
Gas prices in Western Pennsylvania are up three cents this week to $3.035 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                  $3.035
Average price during the week of April 19, 2021                                       $3.002
Average price during the week of April 27, 2020                                       $2.082

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

$2.993      Altoona
$3.073      Beaver
$3.099      Bradford
$3.006      Brookville
$3.056      Butler
$2.999      Clarion
$3.001      DuBois
$3.076      Erie
$2.992      Greensburg
$3.050      Indiana
$3.013      Jeannette
$3.005      Kittanning
$3.009      Latrobe
$3.087      Meadville
$3.099      Mercer
$2.921      New Castle
$3.076      New Kensington
$3.099      Oil City
$3.029      Pittsburgh
$2.999      Sharon
$3.008      Uniontown
$3.099      Warren
$3.004      Washington

Trend Analysis:
At 9.1 million barrels-per-day, U.S. gasoline demand recorded its second highest measurement since mid-March 2020, indicating that motorists are filling up more often. This latest demand reading is the highest spring number released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) in two years. In fact, it is only about 3% below the same week in 2019.

 

Both demand and supply have steadily increased in the past five weeks, but weekly gasoline supply builds are trending less substantial. On the week, supply only saw a 100,000 barrel build to 234.9 million barrels, most likely due to high consumer demand.

 

The jump in demand combined with the small increase in supply pushed the national gas price average two cents more expensive on the week to $2.88. This is the largest one-week national increase in the last five weeks.

 

Cheaper crude oil prices, which are mostly pricing at less than $63 per barrel, and stable and strong refinery utilization (85%) are helping to keep pump price increases at moderate levels. On the week, 35 state averages increased with the majority seeing only one to three cent jumps.

 

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.

2020 Census Apportionment Results Delivered to President Biden

(Washington D.C.) The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that the 2020 Census shows the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2020, was 331,449,281.

The U.S. resident population represents the total number of people living in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The resident population increased by 22,703,743 or 7.4% from 308,745,538 in 2010.

“The American public deserves a big thank you for its overwhelming response to the 2020 Census,” Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said. “Despite many challenges, our nation completed a census for the 24th time. This act is fundamental to our democracy and a declaration of our growth and resilience. I also want to thank the team at the U.S. Census Bureau, who overcame unprecedented challenges to collect and produce high-quality data that will inform decision-making for years to come.”

“We are proud to release these first results from the 2020 Census today. These results reflect the tireless commitment from the entire Census Bureau team to produce the highest-quality statistics that will continue to shape the future of our country,” acting Census Bureau Director Ron Jarmin said. “And in a first for the Census Bureau, we are releasing data quality metrics on the same day we’re making the resident population counts available to the public. We are confident that today’s 2020 Census results meet our high data quality standards.”

The new resident population statistics for the United States, each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are available on census.gov.

  • The most populous state was California (39,538,223); the least populous was Wyoming (576,851).
  • The state that gained the most numerically since the 2010 Census was Texas (up 3,999,944 to 29,145,505).
  • The fastest-growing state since the 2010 Census was Utah (up 18.4% to 3,271,616).
  • Puerto Rico’s resident population was 3,285,874, down 11.8% from 3,725,789 in the 2010 Census.

In addition to these newly released statistics, today Secretary Raimondo delivered to President Biden the population counts to be used for apportioning the seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. In accordance with Title 2 of the U.S. Code, a congressionally defined formula is applied to the apportionment population to distribute the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives among the states.

The apportionment population consists of the resident population of the 50 states, plus the overseas military and federal civilian employees and their dependents living with them overseas who could be allocated to a home state. The populations of the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are excluded from the apportionment population because they do not have voting seats in Congress. The counts of overseas federal employees (and their dependents) are used for apportionment purposes only.

  • After the 1790 Census, each member of the House represented about 34,000 residents. Since then, the House has more than quadrupled in size (from 105 to 435 seats), and each member will represent an average of 761,169 people based on the 2020 Census.
  • Texas will gain two seats in the House of Representatives, five states will gain one seat each (Colorado, Florida, Montana, North Carolina, and Oregon), seven states will lose one seat each (California, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia), and the remaining states’ number of seats will not change based on the 2020 Census.

Upon receipt of the apportionment counts, the president will transmit them to the 117th Congress. The reapportioned Congress will be the 118th, which convenes in January 2023.

“Our work doesn’t stop here,” added acting Director Jarmin. “Now that the apportionment counts are delivered, we will begin the additional activities needed to create and deliver the redistricting data that were previously delayed due to COVID-19.”

Redistricting data include the local area counts states need to redraw or “redistrict” legislative boundaries. Due to modifications to processing activities, COVID-19 data collections delays, and the Census Bureau’s obligation to provide high-quality data, states are expected to receive redistricting data by August 16, and the full redistricting data with toolkits for ease of use will be delivered by September 30. The Census Bureau will notify the public prior to releasing the data.

Supreme Court to Hear Student Free-Speech Case

Keystone State News Connection

April 27, 2021

Supreme Court to Hear Student Free-Speech Case

Andrea Sears

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Can a school discipline students for things they say outside of school?

The U.S. Supreme Court will consider the question tomorrow in a Pennsylvania case.

In 2017, a high school sophomore was kicked off the Mahanoy Area High School cheerleading squad for posting a picture and text online the school district believed to be “negative,” “disrespectful,” and “demeaning” about cheerleading.

Sara Rose, senior staff attorney for the ACLU of Pennsylvania, said courts have ruled schools have broad powers to discipline students for speech considered disruptive when they are in school, but this student’s Snapchat message was posted on a Saturday and sent only to friends.

“We think it’s really important that the court decide that when they’re no longer under the school’s supervision, when they’re under their parents’ supervision, students and their parents get to decide what’s appropriate for them to say, and not the school,” Rose explained.

A brief filed by the school district claims schools should be able to treat students alike when the disruptive speech is directed at the school no matter where it originates.

Some appellate courts have ruled students can be punished for speech outside of school. But Rose pointed out that, in this case, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals was the first to limit that disciplinary power.

“They said when the speech is not harassing, threatening or bullying normal First Amendment standards apply,” Rose recounted. “You don’t apply this standard that’s really deferential to school officials when the kids are outside of school.”

She noted all but one of the other off-campus student free-speech cases involved speech that could be considered threatening or harassing.

In 1969, the Supreme Court ruled schools can punish students for speech in school that materially and substantially disrupts school activities.

Rose pointed out in this case, the school is asking the court only to rule that it can apply that standard to speech outside school.

“If the court were to rule that, they’ve asked them to remand the case back to the Third Circuit to make findings on whether our client’s speech caused a material and substantial disruption,” Rose outlined.

She added 24 organizations, ranging from conservative religious groups to civil-rights advocates, have filed amicus briefs on behalf of the student in this case.

Pennsylvania Population Lag Costs State a US House Seat

Pennsylvania population lag costs state a US House seat
By MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Official word on Monday that Pennsylvania’s population growth continues to lag behind the nation’s marks the 10th consecutive decade the Keystone State has lost clout, even as it rose a notch to the fifth-most populous state. Pennsylvania will have one fewer electoral votes in presidential elections — from 20 to 19. It also will have one fewer U.S. House seats. Census figures show Pennsylvania’s resident population crept to just over 13 million last year from 12.7 million in 2010, a 2.4% gain. That’s far behind the nation’s growth of 7.4%. That could mean Pennsylvania will see a reduced share of federal money for Medicaid, social programs and infrastructure.

Judge Sets Hearing On Graham Spanier’s Pending Jail Sentence

Judge sets hearing on Graham Spanier’s pending jail sentence
By MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Graham Spanier’s lawyers are expected to be in a Pennsylvania courtroom next month as a judge considers whether the former Penn State president should have to report to jail to start serving his sentence related to the Jerry Sandusky child molestation scandal. A judge in Harrisburg said Monday the May 26 hearing will address a motion by the state attorney general’s office seeking to enforce Spanier’s jail sentence. A message seeking comment was left for Spanier’s legal team. Spanier was found guilty by a jury of a single misdemeanor count of endangering the welfare of children. He was sentenced to a minimum of two months in jail.

New Brighton Area School Board Holds Meeting

(Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Curtis Walsh)

(New Brighton, PA)  The New Brighton Area school board met tonight for the second meeting of the month.  They approved a number of motions that were discussed in their meeting earlier this month.  Two agreements were approved to lease classroom space to two companies, one being the operator of Head start and the other Tiny Tots, for the 2021-22 school year.  The board then approved to exonerate school property taxes in the amount of $2,386.09 for a parcel located at 907 10th Street, for 2019 and 2020. The parcel was purchased by a Pittsburgh company from the repository of unsold property.  The board also approved the Beaver County Career and Technology Center’s general fund budget of $6,234,249.00 for the 2021-22 school year.  Also approved is a three year agreement with the New Brighton Police Department  to provide coverage at athletic and school events through 2024.  Another item approved that was discussed at the last meeting is that New Brighton will move forward with a co-op agreement with Freedom for soccer and wrestling.  The board approved to establish the agreement for the 2021-22 school year for Varsity Boys Soccer and Varsity Wrestling.

Rochester Area School Board Holds Meeting

(Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Curtis Walsh)

(Rochester Township, PA) The Rochester School Board met tonight to vote on a variety of motions.  First approved were multiple requests by dance studios to use the building to host rehearsals and recitals at an approximate cost of $1,046.50 to 1,546.50 per studio, depending on services needed.  The board then had to take a roll call vote on a request to exonerate  $3,382.93 worth of delinquent school real estate taxes on a parcel located at 313 Deer Lane, a property that has been in the tax repository since 2018.  The board voted 4-2 and the request was approved.  The board went on to approve the administration to enter into discussions to purchase two parcels of undeveloped and unused land on Maryland Avenue at a cost of a maximum of $10,000 to develop additional parking.  Also on the agenda was the approval of an agreement for an emotional support program for students in grades 1-8 for the 2021-22 school year at a cost of $143.53 per day per student if purchased in advance and $149 for additional seats.  The elimination of two first grade teaching positions was approved as well, based on a decrease in enrollment.  Another position that was approved to be eliminated is the secretary to the assistant principal.

Gov. Wolf, Health Agencies, Community Partners Helping Pennsylvanians Who Cannot Leave Home Receive COVID-19 Vaccine

Reading, PA – As Pennsylvania continues its accelerated COVID-19 vaccination plan, Pennsylvanians who are not able to leave their homes must be reached, and various state agencies and community groups are helping.

Governor Tom Wolf visited Reading today to talk about how the state and its partners are using various means to reach people not able to leave home to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

“Pennsylvanians who cannot leave their homes face unique challenges when it comes to vaccine access,” Gov. Wolf said. “We’re all working together to reach out to this population that can be hard to pinpoint. It’s very important to me and to everyone here today that we make this concerted effort to reach out to this group of Pennsylvanians who have been particularly hard-hit by the isolation that comes with a pandemic. We are committed to finding every way to reach Pennsylvanians who cannot leave their homes and give them equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine.”

The governor was joined by Secretary of Aging Robert Torres and Acting Secretary of Human Services (DHS) Meg Snead, along with Sen. Judy Schwank, Rep. Manny Guzman, Reading Mayor Eddie Moran, and representatives of Berks County and the Pennsylvania Area Agencies on Aging.

Collaborative efforts are already taking place to locate people who cannot leave their homes and get them vaccinated, including those Pennsylvanians who are not receiving services through the Department of Human Services or the Department of Aging.

“The Department of Aging and the Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) are committed to helping all segments of Pennsylvania’s older adult population obtain a COVID-19 vaccine, including those older adults for whom leaving their home to get a vaccine is either impossible or highly impractical,” said Aging Secretary Robert Torres. “Addressing the needs of these seniors is an issue that requires us to mobilize and collaborate to fit the needs and resources of each community. AAAs have been doing a great job collaborating with community partners to help older adults obtain their vaccine appointments. Now, we’re seeing AAAs and counties build upon those successful models to find creative ways to reach seniors who cannot leave home, such as partnering with EMTs and visiting nurses. We appreciate the ongoing support of Governor Wolf and the departments of Health and Human Services to help us further advance these efforts.”

Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam today amended an order to ensure vaccine providers are working with local AAAs and other groups to reach those who are not able to leave their homes. The order was originally signed to connect providers to AAAs, which lead to great success to reach those 65 and older who were having difficulty obtaining vaccine appointments.

“Today’s amended order continues our work with our Medical Assistance managed care organizations to facilitate vaccine appointments for Pennsylvanians who are at greater risk of a severe COVID-19 case if they contract the virus,” said DHS Acting Secretary Meg Snead. “These partnerships break down barriers for seniors, adults with disabilities, and others in our Medical Assistance system who are high-risk and cannot leave their homes, many of whom are lower income or people of color. This direct outreach and coordination are essential for an equitable vaccination process and will help us save lives.”

“Homebound individuals have experienced social isolation for more than a year because of the pandemic,” Sen. Schwank said. “Simple activities we take for granted, like getting food, household necessities and medical care, became even more difficult to accomplish. Getting COVID-19 vaccines has added an additional layer of anxiety for homebound people, especially seniors, who desperately want to be vaccinated but can’t leave their homes. It’s our obligation to do all we can to get to them vaccinated and I am especially pleased that Governor Wolf and Acting Secretary of Health are taking this charge seriously.”

“We are in this fight against COVID-19 together, and I appreciate Governor Wolf and his administration coming to Reading and making a commitment to ensure our residents are vaccinated,” said state Rep. Manny Guzman, D-Berks. “It is important for all levels of government to partner in this effort, and my office is available to help connect people to the vaccine, as well as get them the help they need during this very difficult time. People should not go without proper health care and services, no matter their circumstance.”

While it is difficult to pinpoint the number of Pennsylvanians who are not able to leave their homes, the state and its community partners are committed to using all means of outreach to ensure everyone who wants a vaccine can get one.

“We are also working with housing associations, nursing care organizations, our federally qualified health centers, and other community partners to identify all Pennsylvanians who cannot leave their homes who need to be vaccinated and connect them to a provider,” Gov. Wolf said. “If you or someone you care about can’t leave home and wants to be vaccinated, please reach out to the Department of Health, your local Area Agency on Aging, or the Department of Human Services for help obtaining a vaccine appointment.”

A list of Area Agencies on Aging can be found here.

A map of vaccine providers can be found here.

The Acting Secretary of Health’s amended order can be found here.

Teleforum Tuesday

On Tuesday’s Teleforum program with host Eddy Crow, the topics will include (but not be limited to) SCOTUS and the scheduled conceal carry gun case; The latest covid vaccination news (hint: not great), and how to set yourself on fire while drinking with your buddies. Teleforum is every weekday from 9 till noon on AM1230WBVP, AM1460WMBA, and 99.3FM presented by St. Barnabas.