One issue brought up in several interviews with social service workers and store owners was how some recipients could be spending their funds more wisely.

Recipients I spoke with said they shopped around, used coupons and found other ways to save money.

Some food-stamp participants, though, purchase steaks and other expensive foods. Others often use their benefits to buy snacks, pop and junk foods.

We don’t know, though, how many of these items are actually purchased. The U.S. Department of Agriculture does not track individual items purchased, only monitoring usage at the transaction level.

The USDA manages the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as food stamps.

Most local grocers, corner stores and markets accept the EBT Access cards issued to food-stamp recipients. You can view a map of these businesses on the USDA’s retailer locator website.

Many local retailers listed offer limited items of nutritional value. Of the 186 participating businesses with Erie addresses, 41 are gas stations and 21 are dollar stores.

Eligible stores must either sell at least three varieties of qualifying foods in each of four food groups or have eligible “staple” foods account for more than half of the total value of all retail sales. The USDA outlines more details on eligibility criteria online.

A complete list of participating businesses with Erie addresses is shown below. Surprised to see any on the list? Let us know in the comments section.

 

Store	Address	Zip
10th And Ash Convenience Store	606 E 10th St	16503
1of1 Convenience Store	2602 Parade St	16504
A & J Convenience Store	501 E 13th St	16503
ABS Store	2601 Parade St	16504
Aldi 17	4728 Buffalo Rd	16510
ALDI 20	2647 W 12th St	16505
ARNONES INC	1711 Cherry St	16502
Arts Bakery	4380 W Ridge Rd	16506
Ash St Market	601 E 6th St	16507
B & D s Fresh Meat & Deli	1001 W 6th St	16507
Barka's Market 27-2507621	1031 East Ave	16503
Bayfrent Convenience Store	556 W 4the St	16507
BELLO'S SHURFINE	2650 W 8th St	16505
BEL-MART FOODS	2176 W 32nd St	16508
BIG KMART 4113	2873 W 26th St	16506
BIG KMART 4334	4401 Buffalo Rd	16510
BIG KMART 7187	1320 E Grandview Blvd	16504
Billyums Deli	1918 Buffalo Rd	16510
BRADLEY'S SHURFINE	450 W 8th St	16502
Buffalo Speed Check	2267 Buffalo Rd	16510
cbk variety store	560 E 21st St	16503
Circle K 4216	3327 Pine Ave	16504
Circle K 4217	2917 Glenwood Park Ave	16508
Circle K 4218	603 W 26th St	16508
Circle K 4219	4216 Main St	16511
Classic Convenience	1022 State St	16501
Cornerstone of Erie	2720 Peach St	16508
COUNTRY FAIR 1	1939 W 8th St	16505
COUNTRY FAIR 101	3116 W 26th St	16506
COUNTRY FAIR 14	3501 W 38th St	16506
COUNTRY FAIR 2	957 E 26th St	16504
COUNTRY FAIR 25	5838 Wattsburg Rd	16509
COUNTRY FAIR 27	2301 Peninsula Dr	16506
COUNTRY FAIR 3	347 E 12th St	16503
COUNTRY FAIR 32	5211 E Lake Rd	16511
COUNTRY FAIR 33	1904 E Lake Rd	16511
COUNTRY FAIR 35	4646 W 12th St	16505
COUNTRY FAIR 38	1810 Sassafras St	16502
COUNTRY FAIR 40	2617 W 26th St	16506
COUNTRY FAIR 43	3826 Peach St	16509
COUNTRY FAIR 48	5866 Station Rd	16510
COUNTRY FAIR 49	5008 Peach St	16509
COUNTRY FAIR 50	2266 E 38th St	16510
COUNTRY FAIR 56	4753 Buffalo Rd	16510
COUNTRY FAIR 59	4526 Pine Ave	16504
COUNTRY FAIR 61	1449 W 8th St	16502
COUNTRY FAIR 65	8080 Peach St	16509
COUNTRY FAIR 66	2500 Zimmerly Rd	16506
COUNTRY FAIR 72	2905 Buffalo Rd	16510
COUNTRY FAIR 73	2841 W 12th St	16505
COUNTRY FAIR 81	1564 W 26th St	16508
COUNTRY FAIR 83	810 East Ave	16503
COUNTRY FAIR 84	7400 Peach St	16509
Country Fair 90	2525 State St	16503
Country Fair 91	803 Brown Ave	16502
COUNTRY FAIR 98	7650 Old Perry Hwy	16509
Crosby Mart 92	1502 Greengarden Rd	16501
Crosby Mart 93	8024 Peach St	16509
Crosby Mart 94	8228 Peach St	16509
Crosby Mart 95	8030 Perry Hwy	16509
CVS PHARMACY 2346	3750 Sterrettania Rd	16506
CVS PHARMACY 2678	1111 Peninsula Dr	16505
CVS PHARMACY 3168	3800 Pine Ave	16504
CVS PHARMACY 4082	410 E 12th St	16503
CVS PHARMACY 4216	1407 Buffalo Rd	16503
CVS Pharmacy 7684	1535 W 26th St	16508
Dollar General 4826	4669 Buffalo Rd	16510
Dollar General 7151	824 State St	16501
Dollar General 9037	1501 W 38th St	16508
Dollar General 9327	3742 W 12th St	16505
DOLLAR GENERAL STORE 0270	1700 PEACH STREET	16501
DOLLAR GENERAL STORE 1335	714 East Ave	16503
DOLLAR GENERAL STORE 4965	2315 W. 12TH STREET	16505
DOLLAR GENERAL STORE 7600	3785 Zimmerman Rd	16510
DOLLAR GENERAL STORE 7705	5051 Peach St	16509
DOLLAR GENERAL STORE 7910	2603 W 26th St	16506
Dollar Tree 1862	3708 Liberty St	16508
Dollar Tree 2153	3604 Buffalo Rd	16510
Dollar Tree 4659	2211 W 12th St	16505
Eastside Mini Mart	2928 French St	16504
ERIE COUNTY FARMS	2256 Broad St	16503
Erie Save-a-lot 24751	2026 Broad St	16503
Erie Speed Check	209 E 6th St	16507
Europa Delicatessen	2404 Peach St	16502
Family Dollar 1760	2226 Broad St	16503
Family Dollar 1780	155 E 12th St	16501
Family Dollar 3529	1530 W 26th St	16508
Family Dollar 3779	856 E 6th St	16507
Family Dollar 5290	2036 E 38th St	16510
Family Dollar 5910	2307 State St	16503
Family Dollar 8316	2184 W 12th St	16505
Family Dollar 8317	2923 W 26th St	16506
FARRELL'S SUPERETTE	363 W 4th St	16507
Footies Mini Market	702 Parade St	16503
G&R GROCERY	805 W 4th St	16507
Garys Superette	4703 E Lake Rd	16511
GARY'S VARIETY	2521 Buffalo Rd	16510
GetGo 3001	2906 W 26th St	16506
GIANT EAGLE 4010	2877 W 26th St	16506
Giant Eagle 4028	4400 Buffalo Rd	16510
GIANT EAGLE 4090	7200 Peach St	16509
GORDON FOOD SERVICE MARKET PLACE	6740 Peach St	16509
GORDON'S MEAT MARKET	5037 Peach St	16509
Gregorios Deli And Pizza Co	3802 Elmwood Ave	16509
HENRY LEE'S	1825 Buffalo Rd	16510
Honey House Holistic Bakery	1210 W. 26th St.	16508
International Market	261 E 28th St	16504
Ishtar Grocery	1106 Parade St	16503
KANG FUEL FOOD MART INC	605 Parade St	16503
Keiths Corner Market	1102 W 10th St	16502
KELLEY'S KORNER MARKET	3502 Station Rd	16510
LANGDON FARM MARKET	CORNER OF STATE ST. & S.PARK ROW	16501
LARRYS CENTRAL MARKET	1626 Sassafras St	16502
Le Nails-Goods Supply	2122 Buffalo Rd	16510
Lindsey Variety & More	1620 Parade St	16503
Marina s Seafood	1619 W 26th St	16508
MASON FARMS	839 Peninsula Dr	16505
MELODY DAIRY MART	1402 E Lake Rd	16507
Moon Meadows	9915 Station Rd	16510
N & O MEATS	1608 Parade St	16503
New Sara's Market	460 E 12th St	16503
ONE STOP 1	601 W 32nd St	16508
Oriental Store	3858 Peach St	16509
Orograin Bakeries Sales Inc 8730	1860 W 26th St	16508
Orsini's	231 Parade St	16507
ORSINI'S CORNER MARKET	560 E 5th St	16507
Palm	2702 Parade St	16504
PatRich Corner Store	501 E 13th St	16503
PRESQUE ISLE SUPERETTE	3108 W Lake Rd	16505
Quality Markets 6662	712 W 38th St	16508
Quality Markets 6665	1328 E Grandview Blvd	16504
Quick Stop Food Store	408 W 18th St	16502
RED APPLE FOOD MART MO317	4702 W Ridge Rd	16506
Rite Aid 11007	1338 E Grandview Blvd	16504
Rite Aid 11008	353 E 6th St	16507
Rite Aid 11009	5430 Peach St	16509
Rite Aid 11010	4145 Buffalo Rd	16510
RITE AID 1376	916 State St	16501
RITE AID 1854	1709 Liberty St	16502
RITE AID 213	2715 Parade St	16504
Rite Aid 2375	925 W Erie Plz	16505
RITE AID 2382	163 W 26th St	16508
SAMMY'S FOOD MART & DELI	717 Liberty St	16502
Sams Club 6675	7200 Peach St	16509
Sander's Markets	838 E 6th St	16507
Sara's Market	660 E 12th St	16503
SAVE A LOT	934 W Erie Plz	16505
Schwans Home Service ERIE #05070	280 Pennbriar Dr	16509
SCHWEBEL BAKING CO. OF PA	8275 Perry Hwy	16509
SELECT EUROPEAN DELI & PASTERIES	4117 W Ridge Rd	16506
SERAFIN'S FOOD MARKET	601 E 24th St	16503
Sheetz 245	4662 W Ridge Rd	16506
Sheetz 367	4816 Buffalo Rd	16510
SHOP FAST	34 W 8th St	16501
SHOP RITE	1031 Parade St	16503
SHOP RITE	2401 Parade St	16503
Smiths Market And Grill	1161 Buffalo Rd	16503
STATE NEWS & VARIETY	431 State St	16501
State Street Market	1027 State St	16501
Stop N Go	928 East Ave	16503
Sundance Mini Market	2102 Parade St	16503
Sunnys Variety	861 E 23rd St	16503
SUNOCO	26 E 12th St	16501
Target Stores 1287	6700 Peach St	16509
The Lotto World	832 State St	16501
The Walters Meat Company 0	10203 Wattsburg Rd	16509
TOPS 601	1702 E 38TH ST	16510
Tops 602	1520 W 26th St	16508
Traditions by Karen	310 E 24th St	16503
TRAWKAS MARKET INC	712 Payne Ave	16503
Tyte's Convenience Store Inc.	2001 E 10th St	16511
URBANIAK BROTHERS INC	310 E 24th St	16503
Valu King 5510	1338 E Grandview Blvd	16504
VARIEDADES REYES STORE	1027 East Ave	16503
Wal Mart 2278	1825 Downs Drive	16509
Wal Mart 2561	4950 W 23rd St	16506
Wal Mart 5445	2711 Elm St	16504
Walgreens 10520	3727 Peach St	16508
Walgreens 11429	4309 Buffalo Rd	16510
Way 2 Go	1002 Liberty St	16502
Wegmans 69	5028 W Ridge Rd	16506
Wegmans 75	6143 Peach St	16509
WHOLE FOODS COOPERATIVE	1341 W 26th St Ste 100	16508
Wykoff Enterprises Inc. 2	3804 Liberty St	16509
Wykoff's Enterprises Inc. 1	4917 Peach St	16509
YORKTOWN GIANT EAGLE 623	2501 W 12TH STREET	16505

Inspectors with the city’s Bureau of Code Enforcement track vacant properties. A committee also designates some dilapidated structures as “blighted.”

You can search for properties in your area with our interactive map. The 364 properties on the map were compiled using code enforcement records.

Officials we spoke with said the list of vacant properties, though, is not complete. Inspectors aren’t notified, for example, when a home becomes vacant.

Another version of the map below includes 2009 census survey housing data. You’ll notice that neighborhoods with the largest declines in housing units appear to also have the most blighted and vacant homes.

Please note that points on the map may take a few moments to load.

U.S. PIRG, a federation of state public interest research groups, graded each state on providing online information on government spending. The group looked at how states disclosed information on contracts, subsidies and other spending.

Pennsylvania received 78 out of 100 points, good enough for a C+. The grade ranked about average among the 50 states, with 10 receiving an F.

Probably the most well-known source for Pennsylvania spending information is the state Treasury Department’s contract search tool.

From the scorecard, areas that U.S. PRIG identified as needing improvement include posting tax expenditure reports, downloadable files and financial information for local governments.

For more, read a summary of the group’s findings.

Advanced Placement (AP) courses, which are run by the College Board, vary greatly among high schools within the district. An average of seven AP courses were offered per school in 2009-2010, slightly less than the state average of 10, according to U.S. Department of Education data.

This number can be misleading, though, because the majority of AP classes were offered at one school: Northwest Pa. Collegiate Academy. The school offered 23 AP courses.

East High School, Strong Vincent High School and Central Career and Technical School offered a combined five courses, according to the data.

“Inexperienced” teachers are those in their first or second year of teaching.

The chart below shows the percentage of inexperienced teachers for each school in the district. Hover over a school for additional figures.

The rate had fallen the first few months of the year before rising last month and May. At this point, it’s probably too early to say if recent numbers represent a bad survey sample or indicate increasing job losses.

Erie County’s unemployment figures continue to be less than the national rate, but higher than Pennsylvania’s rate.

Below is a chart with data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics representing local, state and national unemployment rates. Please note that rates listed are not seasonally adjusted.

The number of Erie County residents living in owner-occupied housing dropped about 7,000 from 2000 to 2010. Those living in rentals, though, grew by 7,827, an 11 percent increase, according to census data.

Area real estate agents and others interviewed attributed the demand for rentals to a variety of factors over the decade.

Many lost their homes because of foreclosure. With stricter lending criteria and reduced home values to borrow against, buying a property proved more difficult for potential homeowners.

Along with the economy, shifting demographics also played a role.

It’s important to note that the figures do not necessarily suggest a long-term shift to renting. The census numbers only provide a snapshot of housing occupancy every 10 years, and some local real estate agents suspect the recent downturn in the economy accounts for much of the change.

Statewide, housing data mirrored the local increase in renting. Pennsylvania, which gained total population, saw about a 13 percent jump in those living in rentals. Residents living in owner-occupied housing remained nearly unchanged.

To view 2010 census figures for your area, search the table below:

The state Department of Public Welfare administers several cash assistance programs to aid disabled individuals or those not earning enough money to support their families.

In June, 9,016 Erie County residents received cash assistance grants, according to state data.

Using 2010 census counts, I calculated this is 3.2 percent of the county’s total population. Only Philadelphia County has a higher rate.

The majority of recipients, 7,276, received grants part of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The program distributes grants to pregnant women, parents and children who meet certain requirements.

Another 1,729 county residents received General Assistance benefits. These funds assist low-income individuals and families not eligible for TANF benefits.

The other 11 cash assistance recipients were for visually impaired persons with the state’s State Blind Pension Program.

In all, grants totaling $1,189,349.79 were paid to Erie County residents in June. Neighboring Crawford County’s total was $244,611.51

In Sunday’s story, we report on how more families are opting to adopt children. Local experts attribute the jump in adoptions to fertility issues, an increase in teenage pregnancies and more willingness to adopt foreign children or those from foster care.

In Erie County, adopted children living in family households rose to 2,208, a 5.7 percent increase from 2000. Although it’s not a large spike, the numbers are significant when compared to other census figures.

Statewide, Pennsylvania’s 2010 census count of adopted children actually dropped slightly by 1.5 percent.

Like the rest of the state, numbers of biological children living with families fell in Erie County. The county lost nearly 5,000 biological children over the decade, a 6.4 percent drop.

Here are the areas in Erie County with the highest number of adoptions, according to census data:

The federal government pays farmers subsidies to offer assistance as they weather unpredictable growing conditions and fluctuating crop prices.

But some advocacy groups argue the subsidies amount to wasteful spending, with many recipients not farming at all.

The Environmental Working Group, a Washington-based nonprofit, has spent years lobbying Congress to end the direct payments. Each year, EWG compiles farm subsidy payments into a national database.

The government paid about $42.5 million in farm subsidies to individuals with Erie County addresses between 1995 and 2010, according to EWG data. This includes:

– $19.9 million in commodity subsidies.
– $10.7 million in crop insurance subsidies.
– $4.03 million in conservation subsidies.
– $7.93 million in disaster subsidies.

Troyer Growers, Inc., received the largest check in 2010. The Waterford company was paid $34,236, according to EWG data.

Other top local recipients are listed on the group’s website.

Enter a ZIP code in the box below to search recipients:

Beeman allegedly owes the IRS $2.1 million in unpaid taxes, interest and penalties. U.S. District Judge Sean J. McLaughlin ruled in June that Beeman was liable  for the tax debt, but said the IRS would need to wait to auction four of his parcels until Beeman’s corporate entities had an opportunity to defend their interests.

The letter, docketed Monday at U.S. District Court, is addressed to McLaughlin. Here’s a copy:

But Howard Beeman, Beeman’s father, died on April 6, 1997. Here’s his obituary published in the Erie Daily Times:

Beeman told Times-News reporter Lisa Thompson he was unaware of the letter. So, the question remains: Who wrote it?