State won’t sell powdered alcoholHARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration said it supports a decision by state liquor regulators not to allow the sale of powdered alcohol in Pennsylvania.Wolf’s appointees in charge of his departments of Drug and Alcohol Programs and Health said Monday they worry that the product could make it easier for minors to get alcohol.In a statement, acting Health Secretary Karen Murphy said the product is easy to conceal and could lead to an increase in substance abuse or misuse. Acting Drug and Alcohol Secretary Gary Tennis said endorsing products that make it easier to consume alcohol creates an unacceptable health and safety risk.Several states have already banned the product called Palcohol, even though its maker received approval last month from the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

GOP unveils own tax relief proposalHARRISBURG — Republicans who control Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives are poised to present their counter-proposal to Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s property-tax relief plan.The bill sponsored by Rep. Stan Saylor, with co-sponsors including Majority Leader Dave Reed, is being aired at a Finance Committee hearing Tuesday.Like Wolf, Saylor proposes to finance a multibillion-dollar reduction in school property taxes by increasing state income and sales taxes.He would increase the income tax to 3.7 percent from the current 3.07 percent, while increasing the sales tax to 7 percent from 6 percent.Wolf’s plan calls for a smaller increase in the sales tax.But unlike Saylor’s bill, Wolf is proposing to eliminate scores of sales-tax exemptions to generate an additional $1 billion a year.

Salmonella scare gets egg execs jailedSIOUX CITY, Iowa — Two former egg industry executives were sentenced to three months in jail Monday for their roles in a 2010 salmonella outbreak that sickened thousands.Austin “Jack” DeCoster and his son, Peter DeCoster, faced up to a year in jail on charges of shipping adulterated food. They will remain free while appealing their three-month sentence.Prosecutors said the sentence sends a strong message about the importance of following food safety rules.