KEYSTONE CLIPS Rainfall reaches normal for November, not year

Rainfall in the Shenango Valley during November was right on the money, according to the Shenango Valley Division of Consumers Pennsylvania Water Co.
The normal rainfall for the month is 3.4 inches and that's exactly what fell this year, the company said. Normal is calculated as the average of 21 years of data.
The Valley is still behind in rainfall totals for the year, however, showing 32.55 inches so far as compared to the normal 36.48 inches at this point. Rainfall for all of 2000 was more than an inch below normal.
Food collections: The Civic Committee of the Mercer Area Chamber of Commerce is conducting a food drive to restock the shelves of Alternatives for Women: Advocacy, Resources and Education (AWARE) and the Sharing Shed and Loaves & amp; Fishes food pantries.
Nonperishable food items are being collected at various Mercer businesses now through Dec. 21. Those making donations will be eligible to enter a drawing for two holiday hams to be given away by Walt's Golden Dawn on Dec. 22.
Food drop-off points in Mercer are the chamber office at 320 E. Butler St., The Country Kitchen, Courthouse Square Dry Goods, Fox's Pizza Den, The Gallery, Mercer Mercantile & amp; Soda Shoppe, Pizza Joe's, Shannon's Kandy Kitchen and Walt's Golden Dawn.
200 years of history: The Mercer County Bicentennial Pictorial History, a 600-page volume published for the county's 200th birthday last year, is available at a special holiday sale price of $50 until Jan. 15. The regular price is $75.
The history features nearly 700 black and white photos, more than 75 duotone photographs, 16 pages of color photography and a gold embossed cover. Orders inside Pennsylvania must include $3 tax. Shipping and handling charges are $7.50 per copy.
Copies are available through the Mercer County Historical Society, 119 S. Pitt St., Mercer, Pa. 16137.
Lifesaver honored: Lawrence County Deputy Sheriff Ron Richmond thought he was coming to the Lawrence County commissioners' meeting to watch out for unruly visitors.
Instead, he ended up in the spotlight for some quick thinking. Commissioners honored Richmond this week for his part in saving a Mahoning Township man from accidentally electrocuting himself.
Richmond was passing out Clark bars for Sheriff Robert Clark at the Mahoning Township Fire Hall on election day when a woman came outside and said her house was on fire. Richmond said he ran over to help and found her son tugging at the water hose in an effort to put out the blaze that started in an electric water heater.
Richmond, 40, of Edinburg, realized the man could have been electrocuted and stopped him from using the hose. The sheriff's deputy then grabbed a fire extinguisher and put out the fire.
XContributors: Harold Gwin of the Vindicator Sharon Bureau and Laure Cioffi of the New Castle Bureau.