>>The Latest
(Undated) -- Here's the latest news: Management at Kellogg's Cereal plants in Lancaster and across the country says they'll replace union workers who voted down a proposed five-year contract. Lancaster County's health officials say COVID-19 indicators have surged in the area since Thanksgiving. Penn Medicine's Lancaster General Hospital has been included on a national list citing it as one of the best hospitals in the country for maternity care.
>>Union Workers at Kellogg's Factory in Lancaster Reject Deal; Management Will Replace them
(Lancaster, PA) -- A majority of union Kellogg workers at all its U.S. plants, including one in Lancaster, have voted against a new five-year contract and a three percent raise increase. Reuters reports the company says that decision is forcing it to hire permanent replacements for the striking workers. Kellogg also says they don't have any further plans to meet with the union. Temporary replacements have already been working at the company's cereal plants, including the one in Pennsylvania. Some 14-hundred union members went on strike company-wide on October 5th. Their contracts expired at that time as talks over pay and benefits stalled.
>>PennDOT Having Trouble Hiring Seasonal Drivers for Clearing Roads
(Harrisburg, PA) -- The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation says it's struggling to hire drivers, particularly seasonal workers who can keep the roads clear of snow especially during major storms. PennDOT says fewer available drivers could impact when neighborhood streets get cleared and will add delays for some of the smaller routes. Officials say the PennDOT district that covers the Susquehanna valley has 57 vacancies among its permanent drivers and they're still looking for about 50 temporary drivers. Starting pay is more than 19-dollars per hour.
>>Lancaster's COVID 19 Statistics Surge After Thanksgiving
(Lancaster, PA) -- Lancaster County's health officials say COVID-19 indicators have surged in the area since Thanksgiving. New cases for the week ending December 4th are up about 54 percent from the week before. The county recorded just over 24-hundred new COVID-19 cases last week, up about eight-hundred from the previous week. Hospitalizations also hit a 12-month high and weekly deaths have climbed to their highest level since January. The number of people in county hospitals was 166 on December 6th. The county coroner reported a total of 28 deaths last week - that's seven more than the week before.
>>Penn Medicine's Lancaster General Hospital Named Tops For Maternity Care
(Lancaster, PA) -- "U.S. News & World Report" released its inaugural list of more than 200 Best Hospitals in the country for Maternity Care on Tuesday, and one in Lancaster was rated as high performing. Penn Medicine's Lancaster General Hospital has been included on the list. The analysis looked at 2019 hospital data relating to only uncomplicated pregnancies, scheduled early deliveries and rates of exclusive breast milk feeding, among other factors. The report expands on the publication's annual Best Hospitals rankings.
>>Lancaster-Area Church Hit With Satanic Vandalism
(Lancaster, PA) -- A Pennsylvania church continues to be on guard after being vandalized with satanic messaging. Graffiti painted on the Lititz Church of the Brethren in Lancaster County included satanic symbols and the words "kill God." Other phrases included "hail Satan" and the number 666, the biblical number for the Antichrist. It's believed the vandalism happened last Thursday night into Friday morning.