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Keystone State News Connection

May 10, 2022

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Emily Scott

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections has officially launched “Little Scandinavia,” a unit in a state prison to focus on rehabilitation and reintegration.

The new unit at SCI Chester comes after a multiyear partnership with the Norwegian Correctional Service and the Swedish Prison and Probation Service. Little Scandinavia residents have access to a communal kitchen, green space, and redesigned cells, furniture and common areas.

Kenneth Eason, superintendent of SCI Chester, said it is about creating a more humane prison environment.

“You’re going to see a change in culture, the rippling effect, and not just within the walls,” Eason contended. “I’m speaking wellness in the men, living healthier, things introduced to them that they truly need to be successful, to move on beyond these walls and do well, and not come back.”

In 2019, state prison employees traveled to Norway, Sweden and Denmark to gain experience working under the Scandinavian model for several weeks. Little Scandinavia residents will receive specialized programming to prepare them for reentry. The unit has 64 cells.

The partnership also includes a research collaboration between Drexel University and the University of Oslo to evaluate the effectiveness of the model.

Jordan Hyatt, associate professor of criminology and justice studies at Drexel, said it is about understanding how the development of Little Scandinavia affects life at SCI Chester.

“What does it mean for the men who are living on this unit? How does it change the way they see their community, themselves and being in prison?” Hyatt outlined. “In the long term, we hope to understand what this means for community reintegration. When people leave Little Scandinavia, where do they go, both from a staff perspective and for the men incarcerated?”

Data will be collected on prison climate, staff, disciplinary actions and the well-being of the people serving their sentences there. Acting Corrections Department Secretary George Little said he hopes to see a similar program implemented at one of the women’s prisons as well.

Gas prices are four cents higher in Western Pennsylvania this week at $4.39 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                $4.39
Average price during the week of May 2, 2022                                        $4.35
Average price during the week of May 10, 2021                                      $3.09

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

$4.472      Altoona
$4.339      Beaver
$4.393      Bradford
$4.399      Brookville
$4.423      Butler
$4.398      Clarion
$4.387      DuBois
$4.380      Erie
$4.385      Greensburg
$4.410      Indiana
$4.389      Jeannette
$4.411      Kittanning
$4.395      Latrobe
$4.395      Meadville
$4.413      Mercer
$4.298      New Castle
$4.385      New Kensington
$4.399      Oil City
$4.390      Pittsburgh
$4.399      Sharon
$4.384      Uniontown
$4.399      Warren
$4.366      Washington

Trend Analysis:

Drivers are paying considerably more at the pump as the cost of gasoline moves steadily higher. In the past two weeks, the national average for a gallon of gasoline has risen 20 cents to $4.32, a penny less than the record high set on March 11 and $1.36 more than a year ago. The increase is primarily due to the high cost of crude oil, which was hovering near $100 a barrel last week and is now closing in on $110. With the cost of oil accounting for more than half of the pump price, more expensive oil means more expensive gasoline. Gas prices also trend higher this time of year as refineries make the switch to summer-blend gasoline which is more expensive to make.

At the close of Friday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate increased by $1.51 to settle at $109.77. Crude prices rose last week after the European Union announced a proposal to ban Russian oil imports within six months, while refined product imports would be prohibited by the end of 2022. The price increases occurred despite continuing COVID lockdowns in China weighing down crude demand and EIA reporting that total domestic crude inventories increased by 1.3 million barrels to 415.7 million barrels. Current crude inventories are still14 percent lower than the storage level at the end of April 2021.

According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), total domestic gasoline stocks decreased by 2.2 million barrels to 228.6 million barrels last week. Gasoline demand increased slightly from 8.74 million barrels per day to 8.86 million barrels per day.

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

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 72 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.

(File Photo)

(Darlington Twp, Beaver County, Pa.) Pa State Police in Beaver are reporting that they were called to the scene of two vehicle accident with injuries at the intersection of Rt. 51 and Cannelton Road in Darlington Twp. around 2:50 PM on Sunday, May 8, 2022.
Upon arriving on the scene and investigating it was learned that 49-year-old Amy Trotter of East Liverpool, Ohio was operating a 2021 Ford Bronco northbound on Rt. 51 when she failed to stop for a red light.
Trotter’s vehicle struck a 2005 Cadillac CTS being driven by 23-year-old Trey Dillan of Darlington Township that was turning right from Cannelton Road onto Rt. 51.
Dillan suffered suspected serious injuries and was transported to Heritage Valley Beaver. Trotter suffered suspected minor injuries and refused transport to the hospital.
Trotter was charged with a traffic signal violation and Dillan was cited for operating a vehicle without official certificate of insurance. There is no word on Dillan’s condition.

(Photo Courtesy of Pa. Media Services)

(Harrisburg, Pa.) Governor Tom Wolf joined the Fraternal Order of Police for a service in memorial of Pennsylvania’s fallen heroes who have served and given the ultimate sacrifice yesterday.
This 27th annual observance was held at the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg with members of law enforcement, families, and local elected officials in attendance. The service included a Color Guard presented by the Capitol Police, F.O.P. Lodge #85, Rifle Salute by the
City of Philadelphia Police, and Amazing Grace performed by the Greater Pittsburgh Police Emerald Society Pipe and Drums.
Roll call for presentation of Ultimate Sacrifice Medals included two Beaver County Officers in Chief Robert W. Sealock from the Aliquippa City Police and Interim Police Chief Mark J. Romutis from Ambridge Borough Police

(U.S. Marshals Service, Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office via AP, File)

By KIM CHANDLER and MIKE BALSAMO Associated Press
Authorities say a former Alabama jail official has died and the murder suspect she is accused of helping escape from custody has been apprehended in Indiana after more than a week on the run. The two fugitives were caught Monday in Evansville, Indiana, after U.S. Marshals pursued their vehicle and then crashed into it. Officials say Casey White surrendered and Vicky White shot herself, and was taken to a hospital. The two are not related. Vanderburgh County Coroner Steve Lockyear said White died from her injuries. The arrests ended a nationwide manhunt that began April 29.

The featured image above shows the entrance sign to the New Brighton Area School District
Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published May 9, 2022 8:36 P.M.

(New Brighton, PA)The New Brighton Area School Board met Monday evening for a committee meeting.  Motions to be voted on include a five year affiliation agreement with Slippery Rock University to provide student teachers and interns to the district effective July 1st through June 30th of 2027.  Also on the agenda was the renewal of a contract with Medic Rescue for the 2022-2023 school year at a cost of $3,400.  The board also discussed the Act 39 Energy Savings Project, which will create more efficient and cleaner HVAC and water related utilities. The district will have a Guaranteed Energy Savings Agreement with Constellation Energy Solutions, LLC and the project is estimated to cost around 6.2 million dollars, with about 4.5 million being payed with district stimulus funds. Superintendent Dr. Joseph Gaurino relayed that work for the project will not take place until Summer 2023.

(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
By AAMER MADHANI and WILL WEISSERT Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden says 20 internet companies have agreed to provide discounted service to people with low incomes. The program announced Monday at a Rose Garden event at the White House could effectively make tens of millions of households eligible for free service. The $1 trillion infrastructure package passed by Congress last year included funding that provided $30 monthly subsidies on internet service for millions of lower-income households — $75 in tribal areas. Some 48 million households will be eligible for $30 monthly plans for service at least 100 megabits per second. Biden says high-speed internet access is a necessity, not a luxury.

(File Photo of Federal Court in Pittsburgh)

(PITTSBURGH, PA) 43-year-old Rebecca Lynn Boyce, of Imperial pleaded guilty to one count of failing to account for and pay payroll taxes to the Internal Revenue Service before United States District Judge  Nicholas Ranjan on Monday, May 9, 2022. The plea was announced by  United States  Attorney Cindy K. Chung. 

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from at least 2006 through at  least 2019, Boyce owned and operated Cutie Patootie Daycare, a childcare center in Imperial,  Pennsylvania. During that period, Cutie Patootie employed staff and withheld payroll taxes from the  paychecks of its employees. Cutie Patootie was required to pay over payroll taxes to the IRS on a  periodic basis and was required to account for payroll taxes by filing with the IRS on a quarterly  basis Form 941, an Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return. Boyce failed to pay over payroll taxes  to the IRS and failed to file any Forms 941 from the quarter ending March 31, 2015, through the  quarter ending December 31, 2018. Boyce was informed of her obligation to file Forms 941 and  make payroll tax payments during IRS audit and collections activities that preceded the periods  charged in the Indictment. Boyce agreed to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $299,830.20,  plus interest. 

Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for September 20, 2022. The law provides for a  maximum sentence of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing  Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior  criminal history, if any, of the defendant. 

Assistant United States Attorney David Lew is prosecuting this case on behalf of the  government. 

The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation leading to  the Indictment in this case. 

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing drilling operations on I-376 (Beaver Valley Expressway) and Route 68 in Vanport Township, Beaver County will occur Tuesday, May 10 weather permitting.