Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County (Habitat) is permanently closing the ReStore, the nonprofit’s retail arm, because of financial losses incurred since its temporary closure at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. A clearance sale will take place August 6-16, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Since 2012, the Goleta ReStore has accepted community donations of new and gently used home and office furniture, appliances, household items, and building materials and supplies. Items were sold back to the community at a fraction of the retail price, with the net profits benefiting Habitat’s affordable housing program.

While the ReStore is closing, Habitat continues its affordable home building and home ...

It took a pandemic to keep Lyn Bergdoll’s annual scholarship program from making it onto the stage.

The Distinguished Young Women of York County program (formerly Junior Miss) has been an annual show, tied to thousands of dollars in scholarships, for 55 years. Bergdoll, once The Distinguished Young Woman, has been the director of the program for decades.

Known for her devotion to the arts and meticulous staging and dance routines, it pained her to keep the program off the stage.

Yet, 29 juniors (now nearly seniors) in high school, all from York County, still competed. This year, it was virtual, and judging finished just this week. At stake was $32,000 in scholarships. 

The top prize was awarded to Milana Schechtman From ...

A group of nearly 50 local religious leaders criticized state Sen. Douglas Mastriano in an open letter this week, saying he twists the meaning of Bible scriptures to support his opposition to restrictions meant to slow the spread of COVID-19.   

“We, the undersigned Lutheran pastors, deacons, and theologians serving in Adams and Franklin counties are deeply concerned about recent declarations by State Senator Doug Mastriano,” begins the letter, which was first published Wednesday as a full-page ad in the Gettysburg Times. “He is blatantly critical of local church leaders whose congregations prioritize communal health and well-being over ‘individual freedom.'” 

Mastriano, a Republican whose district includes Adams...

Empty stands, cardboard cutouts and face masks are not the only new additions to the many baseball stadiums all over the country. If you’ve seen a San Francisco Giants game recently, jersey No. 92 might have caught your attention.

No. 92 belongs to Alyssa Nakken, the first woman to coach on the field during a major league game and the first full-time female coach on major league staff. The Giants announced that Nakken would be taken on as an assistant coach as part of Gabe Kapler’s staff Jan. 16. On July 20, she made her title and presence public when she took the field during the late innings of the club’s successful 6-2 win during its exhibition game with the Oakland A’s.

Promoting Nakken to this position is not only a bullet point in the MLB’s history books, but also a steppin...

Voters won’t need to buy a stamp to mail in their absentee or mail-in ballot this fall, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State.

The Pennsylvania Department of State says it will pick up the cost of the postage for the 2020 general election so that voters can return their ballots for free. It is working with counties to determine how the prepaid postage will be handled. 

“Our goal is to make voting as accessible, safe, and easy for eligible voters as possible,” Secretary Boockvar said, according to the news release...

Taking summer classes during a pandemic has been exactly the headache one might expect, and I often find myself longing for campus. Sometimes, if I squint, I can see the Campanile as I stare out my window, strategically looking through the abundance of plants I have accumulated during my time in quarantine. 

To help curb my longing, I began to think about how my classes at Zoom University would have been different had they been held on campus. For one, my mental health would probably be better. Also, I don’t think I would have gained as much weight. But other than these two factors that have derailed my life, classes have been — for the most part — quite similar. 

Classes at UC Berkeley have always been difficult, but that’s what I enjoy...

Updated July 31: Ezequiel B. Almodovar surrendered to East Lampeter Township Police on Friday.

A Lancaster County man charged with shooting two men and burning their bodies surrendered to East Lampeter Township Police on Friday.

Police charged Ezequiel B. “Zeke” Almodovar, 36, of Upper Leacock Township Wednesday with two counts of homicide and abuse of a corpse and single counts of arson and tampering with evidence.

Almodovar surrendered with his attorney just after noon on Friday and was arraigned in the afternoon. He is not eligible for bail.

An investigation showed that Jonathan Rivera and Eugenio Morales-Torres were shot Monday evening in Almodovar’s home in the 1500 block of Hunsecker Road...

Two decades ago, 22-year-old Sam Redmond played a role in taking two innocent lives through gang violence. Rather than go to trial, Sam accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to two life without parole, or LWOP, sentences. Consumed with guilt and remorse, Sam signed the plea agreement believing he deserved to die in prison.

Since then, despite having no hope for release, Sam has transformed himself into a good and responsible man who makes daily amends to his victims by doing his best to help others. Sam strives to reach beyond prison walls to be a force for good in the outside community to which he has caused harm...

A man who was not charged after confessing to paying at least two times for sex and later given immunity in Cumberland County appears to have a 2015 conviction for patronizing prostitutes, according to court records.

On Aug. 21, 2014, the Pennsylvania State Police arrested Senad Mujkanovic after he contacted a person who turned out to be a female undercover police officer on Backpage.com through text message and asked for a “quickie.” He showed up at a hotel in Swatara Township with condoms, lubricant and $130, police said, and requested “full service sex.”

Mujkanovic later pleaded guilty in the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas for no further penalty, court records state.

RELATED: He admitted to paying for...

Many of the emergency responses to closing the digital divide amid the COVID-19 crisis have been tied to schools. For example, policymakers have coordinated with schools to disperse hotspots and devices to school-age children. While these actions are important, especially as distance learning becomes even more of a norm, our long-term approach to closing the digital divide should target children at even younger ages. Indeed, we should be addressing the digital divide at birth by providing new families with a prepaid mobile hotspot.

Governments have recognized that income inequality has an unfortunate impact from the moment a child enters the world...