(File Photo)

(Beaver Pa.) A Beaver County judge has denied Sheldon Jeter Jr’s request for a new trial or an evidence hearing.
Earlier this year, Jeter was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison for killing his friend and roommate Tyric Pugh in Aliquippa back in 2020.

Keystone State News Connection

December 10, 2021

Emily Scott

READING, Pa. — Food banks in Pennsylvania have been a lifeline to families during the pandemic. Now, state officials are using an influx of federal dollars to help food banks build up their infrastructure to serve more people.

Sen. Judy Schwank, D-Reading, speaking at Mary’s Shelter in Reading Thursday, announced $11.4 million American Rescue Plan dollars are being made available for the COVID-19 Food Bank Cold Storage Infrastructure Program, to support groups fighting hunger to purchase freezers, coolers, and more.

Schwank said it will allow food pantries to offer perishable items and help eliminate food waste.

“We’ve learned where our weaknesses are in addressing hunger,” Schwank explained. “We know now that we could do better in making sure that people not only have food to eat, but more importantly, healthy, nutritious food – and available to them in a way that’s easy for them to access.”

An estimated 1.5 million Pennsylvanians are experiencing food insecurity. The grant program will fund upgrades at 18 food banks, serving all 67 counties in Pennsylvania.

During the pandemic, food banks faced their own problems, from supply-chain interruptions to staff shortages and transportation obstacles.

Frances Wolf, Pennsylvania’s first lady, pointed out despite those challenges, they were able to persevere, and have distributed almost 400 million pounds of food since March 2020.

“Increasing cold storage capacity will strengthen our charitable food network in so many ways,” Wolf stated. “It will allow food banks to create more mobile pantry options, ones that can meet people where they are, and break down the transportation barrier that so many Pennsylvanians have.”

The grant program will work in tandem with the Agricultural Surplus Program, which distributes fresh produce grown on local farms to more than 2,700 food pantries, soup kitchens, feeding programs and shelters across the Commonwealth.

Vikings beat Steelers 36-28, deny last-play pass in end zone
By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Pro Football Writer
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings held on to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 36-28 by forcing an incomplete pass in the end zone on the final play. Ben Roethlisberger’s throw to Pat Freiermuth was on target. Anthony Barr and Harrison Smith sandwiched the rookie tight end at just the right moment to dislodge the ball. The Vikings nearly squandered a 29-0 late third-quarter lead. Dalvin Cook rushed for 205 yards and two touchdowns in his faster-than-expected return from a shoulder injury for the Vikings. Roethlisberger had three touchdown passes in the second half. The Vikings improved to 6-7. The Steelers are 6-6-1.

The featured photo above shows the meeting taking place in the Beaver Falls High School Library.

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Curtis Walsh, published December 9, 2021 at 6:50 P.M.

(Beaver Falls, PA) The Big Beaver Falls School Board held their reorganization meeting Thursday night.  Cynthia Cook was reelected Board President while Ron Miller was also reelected Vice President.  Jessica Campbell was elected Board Secretary.  The board went on to approve their meeting schedule, which will be the second Thursday of every month at 6 pm.  Also approved was the paying of general fund bills at a cost of $323,753.78.

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1230 WBVP, 99.3 FM, 1460 WMBA and beavercountyradio.com’s Bob Barrickman and Bruce Frey have the call from Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey of this 2021 PIAA Class 4A Championship high school football state playoff game as the WPIAL champion Aliquippa Quips battle the District 3 champion Bishop McDevitt  Crusaders.

If you can’t tune into the game you can click the link below to listen on-line via beavercountyradio.com:

You can also down load our free apps:

US jobless claims at 52-year low amid seasonal volatility
By PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits plunged last week to the lowest level in 52 years, more evidence that the U.S. job market is recovering from last year’s coronavirus recession. Unemployment claims dropped by 43,000 to 184,000 last week, the lowest since September 1968, the Labor Department said Thursday. The four-week moving average, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, fell to below 219,000, lowest since the pandemic hit the United States hard in March 2020. Overall, just under 2 million Americans were collecting traditional unemployment benefits the week that ended Nov. 27.

Police chief faces intimidation count in sex assault case
BETHEL PARK, Pa. (AP) — A police chief in western Pennsylvania has been charged with witness intimidation stemming from the alleged sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl. Duquesne Chief Thomas Dunlevy turned himself in Wednesday after Allegheny County police obtained a warrant for his arrest. It wasn’t known Thursday if he has retained an attorney. The suspect in the sex assault case is a 20-year-old man who authorities say is a friend of Dunlevy’s. Authorities say Dunlevy confronted the teen’s father with information that would come out during the trial of the sex assault case and that he said could result in “a negative contact” with the county’s child welfare department.