Centre Daily Times - Food prices have been increasing at a slower rate, but they remain higher than average, straining many wallets. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said costs rose 0.2% between March and April but were 7.7% higher than in April 2022. As of Thursday, all food prices are expected to increase 6.2% this year, the USDA said in a report. The costs are different depending on whether the food is purchased to eat at home or away from home. Grocery store prices are forecast to rise 6.3% while restaurant prices are expected to increase 7.7%. In 2022, overall food prices rose 9.9% (supermarket costs were up 11.4%, while restaurant prices rose 7.7%). The USDA now expects beef, veal and fresh fruits to see price increases, while pork prices are expected to decline.

Centre County residents who need help stretching their grocery budget amid these price changes have several places to turn. GROCERY GIVEAWAY Centre Church and New Beginnings Church hold a food distribution event on the third Friday of the month. It takes place from 6-7:30 p.m. at Centre Church, 119 E. College Ave., Pleasant Gap. Register at centrechurch.org/groceries. Participants should bring their own reusable bags to carry their groceries and note that the distribution is first come, first served. “We have all felt the budget strains caused by astronomical grocery prices. Through this event we hope to bless local individuals and families with supplemental groceries to help lighten the load,” Centre Church wrote on Facebook. FARMERS MARKET The Community Farmers Market at the Nittany Mall will give away local produce this summer.

The Progress - Ann B. Wood of Clearfield has been named “Woman of the Year” by the Clearfield Business and Professional Women’s Organization. Wood was born and raised in Clearfield. She is a graduate of Clearfield Area High School, Lycoming College and The University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Following graduation from law school in 1976, she became the first woman attorney in private practice in Clearfield County when she joined the law firm of Bell, Silberblatt & Swoope, now known as Bell, Silberblatt & Wood, a law firm founded by several attorneys, including her grandfather.

She has provided pro bono legal services through Mid Penn Legal Services, formerly Keystone Legal Services, since 1976. She has been professionally and is a member of the American Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Association, where she has served on the Board of Governors and currently serves as a member of the House of Delegates and on the PA Bar Insurance and Trust Board and the Clearfield County Bar Association where she has served as treasurer.

Justice Rising - Throughout my legal career as a corporate attorney specializing in mergers and acquisitions — specifically private equity and independent sponsor deals — I have had the privilege of engaging in pro bono work for nonprofit organizations. Guiding these entities in establishing their non-profit statuses and facilitating their registrations with the appropriate local jurisdictions has been instrumental in enabling them to fulfill their important missions.

The United States provides numerous opportunities to diverse groups of people. However, throughout our country’s history, certain communities have been denied equal access to justice, sometimes even deliberately. This systemic discrimination costs communities in incalculable ways with effects that last for generations. By closing the justice gap, we aim to level the playing field for disenfranchised communities.