HARRISBURG — The agency that controls liquor and wine sales in Pennsylvania has transferred a record $526 million to the state government's main bank account.

In a new report, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board said the total for the year ending June 30 is $13 million, or about 2.5 percent, higher than the previous year's transfer.

Most of that revenue comes from state liquor and sales taxes, but it also includes profits of $80 million that was transferred early at Gov. Tom Corbett's request while this year's state budget plan was being assembled.

The board's net income totaled $124 million, up from $119.5 million in 2012-13. Retail wine sales, driven by the Chairman's Selection program, showed the strongest growth.

On the expense side, pension contributions for employees increased by $7 million or 43 percent, service fees for credit and debit cards increased by $1.4 million or nearly 7 percent, and store rent grew by $1.7 million, or 4 percent. Those expenses were partially offset by the continued deferral of computer upgrades, which saved $4 million, and lower advertising costs.

Corbett is an advocate of privatizing the sale of alcoholic beverages. Last year, he backed a bill to phase out the state stores and sell hundreds of new wine and liquor licenses.

HARRISBURG — A judge in northern Pennsylvania is throwing out a municipality's decision to allow a natural gas well to be drilled in a residentially zoned area.The environmental group PennFuture said Wednesday the ruling was a test of a state Supreme Court decision that struck down a 2012 law restricting municipalities' ability to control where companies may drill.PennFuture had sued on behalf of a nearby landowner. The Marcellus Shale well pad was to be as large as 300 feet by 350 feet, and located within 3,000 feet of a large residential development.But Lycoming County Judge Marc Lovecchio's ruling Friday says neither the drilling company nor Fairfield Township showed how the operation is compatible with permitted land use in the residential district.

WASHINGTON — Looking to motivate their most loyal voters, Democrats may hold a campaign-season Senate vote as soon as next week on their effort to boost the federal minimum wage, Senate aides and lobbyists said Wednesday.The Senate may also revisit a pair of other Democratic measures before the November elections that, like minimum wage, were blocked by Republicans earlier this year. One would let people refinance student loans at lower interest rates while the other would pressure employers to pay female workers the same as men.All three measures seem assured of defeat. But with less than eight weeks to go before congressional elections, Democrats and their supporters see the issues as a chance to appeal to working-class, female and younger voters.