WYOMISSING, Pa. – In the parking lot of a closed Berkshire Mall in Wyomissing, cars lined up for an a-peel-ing offer.
Tulpehocken Township-based Dieffenbach’s Potato Chips recently got its hands on 40,000 pounds of Grade-A russet potatoes left behind by the hurting restaurant industry, and the company didn’t want to see them go to waste.
Dieffenbach’s gave away thousands of boxes filled to the brim with 20 pounds of spuds
“You can just do so much with the potato. I love ’em,” said Terese Rippond from Laureldale, who wasn’t going home with a small-fry amount. “I have a list for my neighbors, and hopefully I can get to them as well.”
She was part of a line of traffic that wrapped around the mall, spilling out onto surrounding roads, including the bypass.
Distribution started around 10:30 a.m. By 12:30 p.m., every last potato was gone.
“When we got here at 7 a.m., there was people who were already here,” said Dwight Zimmerman, Dieffenbach’s vice president of sales and marketing. “It’s just an unbelievable response.”
Larger, 50-pound boxes of potatoes went to food pantries.
“We’re all about saving potatoes and giving back to the community,” said Zimmerman.
It’s one way to butter up a crowd.
We have compiled a list of regional event and community related updates.
Pennsylvania health officials reported 746 new COVID-19 cases in the state on Wednesday.
“ABE is enduring a historic challenge in aviation that will take a while to bounce back from.”
Officials with Bethany Christian Services of Reading said they currently have more than 100 kids in foster care. That’s the most they’ve ever had.
“Although we are already moving forward to make 2021 the best festival yet, we’re excited to offer online and virtual activities this year.”
According to the New England Journal of Medicine, stroke evaluations have decreased by 39 percent and the American Heart Association says less people are going to the ER with chest pains.
County residents are eligible to use the site at Easton Hospital
Overall, Berks County has had 3,735 positive cases of the coronavirus, state health officials announced Tuesday.
That brings the statewide total to 63,666, according to the health department.
‘The real penalty is the people at risk of getting sick.’
The drive-thru pickup will take place on the parking lot of the Berkshire Mall in Wyomissing.
That ups the statewide total to 63,056, according to the health department.
It’s the fifth day in a row that the daily increase has been less than 1,000.
Counties and lawmakers continue to pressure him, but Wolf said he hasn’t changed his criteria for deciding which counties can emerge from his stay-at-home order and his business shutdown order.
The health department also reported 44 new deaths Thursday, and 231 more from over the past few weeks.
A virtual veterans expo will take place at the same time.
There were also 137 new deaths reported, which occurred over the past several weeks, officials said.
“Without assistance, there are many businesses that may not survive this.”
‘This is to call attention to the plight of our industry and ask Congress and the White House to help get back on our feet.’
The additional tests are part of Murphy’s plan to get the state back open.
Wolf said Tuesday his administration will undertake the surveillance testing with a goal of testing every resident and employee once a week.
Local school districts are preparing for multiple possibilities amid a sea of unknowns.
That brings the total number of cases in the state to 57,991, officials said.
The district is not replacing retiring teachers and staff, and is considering cutting after-school clubs and programs.
He said he will be in isolation at his home for 14 days.
“To those politicians who decide to cave in to this coronavirus, they need to understand the consequences of their cowardly act.”