New Sheetz to open

New Sheetz to open

AUSTINTOWN

Sheetz will open a new location in the township at 1101 N. Canfield-Niles Road on Thursday, with a grand-opening celebration to follow at 10 a.m. July 17, according to a news release.

The new location will offer free self-serve coffee and soft drinks to customers for a limited time.

Sheetz will donate $2,500 to Second Harvest Food Bank of Mahoning Valley, and customers who attend the grand opening are encouraged to bring nonperishable food donations.The store also will donate $2,500 to Special Olympics of Ohio.

The Altoona, Pa.-based convenience store chain operates more than 575 stores in the U.S.

$10K food-bank grant

YOUNGSTOWN

The Bank of America Charitable Foundation recently awarded a $10,000 grant to Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley, which will support Second Harvest’s mission of feeding families in the Mahoning Valley.

The grant is part of the first round of grants Bank of America will give to local nonprofits this year, according to a news release. This round focused on economic mobility for individuals and families.

“We are partnering with Bank of America through their initiative to support Ohio families’ long-term economic mobility by ensuring that they have the food they need to thrive,” said Michael Iberis, Second Harvest Food Bank executive director.

Starbucks plans to ditch plastic straws

NEW YORK

Starbucks will eliminate plastic straws from all of its locations within two years, the coffee chain announced Monday, becoming the largest food and beverage company to do so as calls for businesses and cities to cut waste grow louder.

While the straws account for a small percentage of the pollution that ends up in the ocean, they’ve become a flashpoint because they’re seen as an easy way to reduce waste.

A week after its hometown of Seattle banned plastic drinking straws and utensils, Starbucks said Monday that by 2020, it will use straws made from biodegradable materials such as paper and specially designed lids. The company already offers alternative straws in Seattle.

Outages, flooding

HUMACAO, Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands were hit by power outages and widespread flooding Monday as remnants of the Atlantic season’s first hurricane, Hurricane Beryl, provided an initial test of how far they have recovered from last year’s devastating storms.

More than 47,000 customers in Puerto Rico lost electricity at the peak of the bad weather, but that number had dropped to 13,000 late in the afternoon as crews rushed to restore power.

Missing in flooding

HIROSHIMA, Japan

Rescuers in southwestern Japan dug up more bodies Monday as they searched for dozens still missing after heavy rains caused severe flooding and left residents to return to their homes unsure where to start the cleanup.

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said 108 people were confirmed dead as of Monday night.

Officials and media reports said at least 80 people were still unaccounted for.

Staff/wire reports