Blockbuster Movie Could Make 2014 Pittsburgh’s Best Year For Film, TV Production

A blockbuster movie just approved for a multimillion-dollar Pennsylvania film tax credit could make 2014 Pittsburgh’s biggest year yet for film and TV production — as long as the project stays on track after losing its star.

Actor Will Smith backed out of the title role in “Brilliance” on Thursday as Legendary Pictures learned it had been awarded a $19.5 million tax credit by the Pennsylvania Film Office, putting the movie’s cost somewhere around $100 million.

“If the level of interest continues, this is setting up to be the biggest year we’ve ever had,” said Dawn Keezer, director of the Pittsburgh Film Office. She declined to comment on “Brilliance.”

Read more: http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/6202360-74/film-pittsburgh-tax#ixzz33J7wDHXV
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Program Helps Centre County Residents Get Green Thumb

Counties constituting the Happy Valley Region of Pennsylvania (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

STATE COLLEGE, PA — The area behind the Food Bank of State College on South Atherton Street looked more like a miniature farm Friday than a parking lot.

It was full of broccoli, cabbage, eggplant, lettuce, tomato, squash and herb plants for food bank clients to plant in their own gardens.

Members of Penn State Master Gardeners, Centre County Office of Adult Services and Nutrition Links teamed up with the food bank for the annual Home Grown Project.

For the past five years, the event has helped a few hundred local families better understand the food they consume, master gardener Norman Knaub said.

Read more here: http://www.centredaily.com/2014/05/30/4201771/program-helps-locals-get-green.html?sp=/99/116/#storylink=cpy

Pennsylvania Electricity Rates Spiking By As Much As 50 Percent

Blame it on the polar vortex.

Effective Sunday, Metropolitan Edison customers will see electricity generation rates spike 25.4 percent.

Overall, the company’s electric bills — of which generation is one part — are rising 16 percent, from $93 to nearly $108 a month for the average residential consumer using 750 kilowatt-hours a month, said Met-Ed spokesman Scott Surgeoner.

The reason is two-fold: Demand during the summer, when prices normally rise, is one factor, and the utility purchased some of the electricity for the upcoming three-month period “during the January polar vortex, when prices were extremely high,” he said.

Read more: http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/breaking-news/index.ssf/2014/05/pennsylvania_electricity_rates.html

DA Announces Chester County’s Biggest Ever Drug Bust

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Chester County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WEST CHESTER, PA — Law enforcement officials gathered at the Chester County District Attorney’s Office Wednesday to announce dozens ofarrests in what officials called the largest drug ring prosecution in the county’s history.

Forty-four people were arrested and 12 more are wanted on outstanding warrants in what authorities dubbed “Operation Telaraña,” a year-long multi-agency probe targeting a major cocaine trafficking network with ties to a dangerous Mexican drug cartel.

Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan led a press conference Wednesday morning that included members of local police departments, state police, a regional drug enforcement task force, and federal agentsfrom the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Salvadore Lemus, 65, was arrested on May 1 after a lengthy investigation identified him as the leader of a major cocaine trafficking network with ties to a violent Mexican drug cartel, according to police. Authorities said his 23-year-old son, Francisco Lemus, acted as Lemus’ lieutenant. A nephew, Mario Hernandez Garcia, was also arrested.

Read more: http://www.dailylocal.com/general-news/20140528/photo-gallery-da-announces-countys-biggest-ever-drug-bust

Manatawny Still Works Hosts Grand Opening In Pottstown

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

POTTSTOWN — The bar was bustling during the grand opening of Manatawny Still Works Friday night.

The newest addition to the cluster of businesses on Circle of Progress Drive is the brainchild of John Giannopoulos, the owner of Sly Fox Brewery, Jeff Vaughan, Paul Czachor, Al Matarazzo and Derek Menaldino.

Right now the distillery pumps out vodka, un-aged whiskey and — as of Friday morning — a double distilled rum.

And those three spirits took center stage Friday after the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20140531/manatawny-still-works-hosts-grand-opening-in-pottstown