State Police Arrest Burglary Ring
Mercer County – The Pennsylvania State Police revealed the arrest of five members of a burglary ring targeting the Amish community in Mercer County. 19-year-old Caden Hinkson of Fredonia and four juvenile males were all taken into custody by troopers operating out of Mercer. Hinkson apparently served as the gang’s ringleader and was the only adult member; he allegedly led the boys in perpetrating at least 21 burglaries from September 2021 until last November. They are accused of stealing more than $16,000 worth of property and causing $26,000 in damage.

Special Election Results
Allegheny County – Preliminary results of yesterday’s special elections show democrats sweeping all three Allegheny County races. While not finalized, the tallies show that each race attracted around 10,000 voters with Democratic candidates winning rather handily. Joseph McAndrew and Matthew Gergely both won with nearly 75% of the vote in the 32nd and 35th districts while in the 34th district Abigail Salisbury earned about 85% of the vote.

US Senators Ask FDA for Answers
Washington DC – US Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and seven other bipartisan lawmakers are demanding information from the FDA on the Avian Influenza outbreak that is causing egg and poultry prices to soar. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza is being blamed by poultry producers for the increase in prices because of the destruction of entire flocks of commercial chickens due to disease; Casey and the other lawmakers assert that the USDA has the funds and ability to take a more active role in lessening the impact the the outbreaks. In Pennsylvania two farms in Lancaster County recently revealed that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza was detected among their own flocks.