Area state police arrest more people for DUI and/or drug possession…Ridgway police investigate gun fired toward a residence…..Millerton woman cited for failing to keep dog restrained….Wellsboro man arrested for harassing Michigan woman…..Chocolate may be good for us…..Department of Health is urging college students to get vaccinated before leaving campus for the summer……
https://soundcloud.com/user-159792485/black-forest-broadcasting-podcast-april-15-2021
Wednesday’s high, 65; Overnight low, 40; .02” rain
MOSTLY CLOUDY TODAY A HIGH OF 47.
MOSTLY CLOUDY TONIGHT WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN OR SNOW SHOWERS LOW OF 33.
MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AGAIN TOMORROW HIGH 46
CLOUDY TOMORROW NIGHT LOW OF 37.
SATURDAY SOME IMPROVEMENT PARTLY SUNNY WITH A HIGH OF 52
Tioga County
Mansfield Based State Police have arrested 18 year old Leshawna Benjamin -Brown of Millerton for violating dog laws. Troopers claim that the suspect failed to contain her dog to the premises of her residence in Rutland township yesterday and that the dog went on to other’s property and she’s now facing charges in district court.
State police in Mansfield investigated a suspected DUI crash occurring on Route 15 North at Bloss Mountain Road in Liberty Township at around 4:30am on April 10. Police report when they investigated they found that the driver of a 2003 Subaru Legacy Outback was under the influence of alcohol and was subsequently charged. The driver’s name was not given.
And a 33 year old Wellsboro man has been cited for harassment in connection to an incident allegedly taking place on the afternoon of March 29. Authorities say that the suspect continuously harassed a 21 year old East Jordan, Michigan woman despite being warned repeatedly to stop. Charges were filed in District Court.
Elk County
Ridgway based State Police arrested 21 year old Russell Irvin of St. Mary’s for drug possession after stopping his 2003 Chevy Silverado on West Mill Street at McGill Street in the city of St. Mary’s on April 10 just after midnight.
Police at Ridgway are continuing to investigate a stalking and harassment incident occurring this past Monday on German Settlement Road in Ridgway Township, someone fired a gun near a residence of a 58 year old Ridgway woman.
A 49 year old Penfield woman whose vehicle was stopped along Route 219 in Horton Township on April 2, just before midnight. Patrol officers police stopped to ask if she needed help and then determined she had been driving the 2017 Chrysler under the influence of alcohol. and are pending lab results.
Region
Supplementation of cocoa powder in the diet of high-fat-fed mice with liver disease markedly reduced the severity of their condition, according to a new study by Penn State researchers, who suggest the results have implications for people.
Cocoa powder, a popular food ingredient most commonly used in the production of chocolate, is rich in fiber, iron and phytochemicals reported to have positive health benefits, including antioxidant polyphenols and methylxanthines, noted study leader Joshua Lambert, professor of food science in the College of Agricultural Sciences.
“While it is typically considered an indulgence food because of its high sugar and fat content, epidemiological and human-intervention studies have suggested that chocolate consumption is associated with reduced risk of cardio-metabolic diseases including stroke, coronary heart disease and Type 2 diabetes,” Lambert said. “So, it made sense to investigate whether cocoa consumption had an effect on non-alcohol-related fatty liver disease, which is commonly associated with human obesity.”
This study has several strengths, Lambert explained. It used a commercially available cocoa product at a “physiologically achievable dose” — meaning its equivalent could be duplicated by humans. “Doing the calculations, for people it works out to about 10 tablespoons of cocoa powder a day,” he said. “Or, if you follow the directions on the Hershey’s box of cocoa powder, that’s about five cups of hot cocoa a day.”
The high-fat-fed mouse is a well-established, diet-induced model of obesity, Lambert added. By waiting until mice were already obese before beginning cocoa treatment, researchers were able to test the protective effects of cocoa in a model that better simulates the current public health situation related to non-alcohol-related fatty liver disease.
That’s important, Lambert pointed out, because a significant proportion of the world’s population has preexisting obesity and non-alcohol-related fatty liver disease. “Given the high proportion of people in the United States and other parts of the world with obesity, there is a need to develop potentially effective dietary interventions rather than just preventive agents,” he said.
For this study, researchers examined changes in fatty liver disease, markers of oxidative stress, antioxidant response and cell damage in high-fat-fed obese mice treated with a diet supplemented with 80 mg cocoa powder per gram of food — roughly a pinch per quarter teaspoon — for eight weeks.
In findings recently published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, the researchers reported that cocoa-treated mice gained weight at a 21% lower rate and had smaller spleen weights — indicating less inflammation — than the high-fat-fed control mice. At the end of the study, mice fed the cocoa-powder-supplemented diet had 28% less fat in their livers than the control mice. Cocoa-treated mice also had 56% lower levels of oxidative stress and 75% lower levels of DNA damage in the liver compared to high-fat-fed control mice.
The mechanisms by which cocoa imparts health benefits are not well understood, but previous studies in Lambert’s lab showed that extracts from cocoa and some of the chemicals in cocoa powder can inhibit the enzymes that are responsible for digesting dietary fat and carbohydrate.
The result, he proposes, is that when mice get cocoa as part of their diet, these compounds in the cocoa powder prevent the digestion of dietary fat. When it can’t be absorbed, the fat passes through their digestive systems. A similar process may occur with cocoa in humans, he hypothesizes.
In view of this new information about cocoa powder, Lambert is not recommending that obese people — or anyone — simply add five cups of hot cocoa to their daily routine and change nothing else in their diet. But he does advise, based on what he has learned in this study, to consider substituting cocoa for other foods, particularly high-calorie snack foods.
“This exchange is potentially beneficial, especially in combination with a healthy overall diet and increased physical activity,” he said. “If you go to the gym and work out, and your reward is you go home and have a cup of cocoa, that may be something that helps get you off the couch and moving around.”
Also involved in the research were Mingyao Sun, YeyiGu and Shannon Glisan, former graduate students in the Department of Food Science.
The research received technical support from the Penn State Genomics Core Facility and the Penn State Laboratory Animal Program. This study was funded, in part, by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Silvio and Edith Crespo Faculty Award.
Blommer Chocolate Co., East Greenville, Pennsylvania, provided a gift of cocoa powder for the research.
Statewide
The Departments of Health (DOH) and Education (PDE) today encouraged all students at Pennsylvania colleges and universities to receive their COVID-19 vaccination before the semester ends. DOH and PDE officials are encouraging all institutions of higher education to work with local providers to ensure vaccination opportunities are available before students leave for the summer.
The DOH vaccine jurisdiction includes 66 counties across Pennsylvania, and everyone over 16 is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine – regardless of occupation, health conditions, residency, or citizenship. Students do not have to be a resident of Pennsylvania to receive the vaccine here.
To date, more than 6.6 million doses have been administered to more than 4.3 million people. You can find vaccine demographics in our vaccine dashboard here.
Students can visit the DOH vaccine map to find a provider nearest them or call the PA Health Hotline at 1-877-PA-HEALTH (1-877-724-3258) with questions.
While vaccine supply from the federal government remains limited, the Department of Health is working to ensure the vaccine is provided in a way that is ethical, equitable and efficient.
- All of the locations that received vaccine and how much they have received can be found on the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution webpage.
- Vaccine dashboard data can also be found on the website to find more information on the doses administered and showcase demographic information.
Here in the Black Forest Broadcasting service area the number of confirmed cases is 2494 for McKean county; 2395 Tioga County; 1469 for Elk county; Potter County 816 and Cameron 19. Across the border in New York State Cattaraugus County now has 5068 confirmed cases and Allegany County 3149.
John W. Fedalen, 78, of Lafayette Hill, PA passed away early Monday April 12, 2021 at Sweden Valley Manor. He was born February 20, 1943 in Lansing Michigan to Richard C. and Ruth C. (Richards) Fedalen. John graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from Philadelphia Biblical Univiersity, and served his country in the US Army. On June 25, 1968, he married Barbara Ann Mellor. Mr. Fedalen was a pastor and social worker in the southern Pennsylvania and New Jersey region, serving several of the communities there. He was an avid sports fan and followed the 76er’s, the Philadelphia Eagles, and was a devoted Philadelphia Phillies fan.
John is survived by a son: Paul D. Fedalen (Courtney) of Coudersport, a daughter: Hope Doughty (Jon) of Herman, ME, and 5 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife and two brothers.
His family has entrusted the Thomas Fickinger Funeral Home 210 North East Street Coudersport, PA with his arrangements, and in keeping with his wishes there will be a memorial service celebrating his life at a later date in the Philadelphia area. To share a memory or condolence with his family, visit www.thomasfickinger.com.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John W. Fedalen, please visit our floral store.