HANOVER — A central Pennsylvania snack food company says it plans to buy its nearby competitor, pending regulatory approval.

Snyder's of Hanover announced Wednesday that it intends to acquire Utz Quality Foods. Both companies are in Hanover, York County, and make pretzels, potato chips and other salty snacks.

Both companies are privately held, and the value of the deal was not disclosed.

Snyder's president Carl Lee Jr. says the company plans to continue operations in all four of the Utz plants in Hanover, plus the Snyder's of Hanover plant. He says no anticipated job losses are anticipated.

WASHINGTON — Two Giant Eagle stores will be the first supermarkets in the Pittsburgh area allowed to sell beer.The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board unanimously approved liquor licenses for a store in South Strabane, Washington County, and a store opening Nov. 5 in Robinson Township, Allegheny County.Before the Giant Eagle licenses were approved Wednesday, 20 supermarkets have been allowed to sell beer in Pennsylvania.The beer will be sold out of cafe areas in each store. Customers can buy the equivalent of two six-packs at the supermarkets. Beer distributors, who have fought supermarket efforts to sell beer, must sell beer by the case.Giant Eagle wants to sell beer in 11 other Western Pennsylvania stores.

PITTSBURGH — A retired Erie insurance executive who donated $10 million toward the University of Pittsburgh's basketball arena is also helping fund an Olympic Sports Complex on campus.John Petersen is a 1951 Pitt graduate and retired president and chief executive officer of the Erie Insurance Group.He and wife, Gertrude, have made an unspecified donation to build what will be known as the Petersen Sports Complex. The 12-acre complex with lighted fields for baseball, softball, and men's and women's soccer is expected to open in January 2011.The Petersen Events Center, a 12,000-seat basketball arena and concert venue on campus, is also named for the couple.

PITTSBURGH — Renowned forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht is being honored by the Western Pennsylvania county where he once served as coroner.The main laboratory at the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office has been named the "Cyril H. Wecht Institute for Forensic Science" in honor of the man well-known for his work on famous deaths, including Elvis Presley and JonBenet Ramsey.Earlier this year, federal prosecutors dropped corruption charges against the 78-year-old doctor who had been accused of using his former county staff for personal gain. A criminal trial in the case ended in a mistrial.Wecht has a lucrative private practice, but also spent two separate 10-year stints as county coroner before resigning in January 2006.

PITTSBURGH — Dozens of people arrested during the Group of 20 economic summit in Pittsburgh have been offered deals to perform 50 hours of community service in exchange for having their records cleared.Several dozen people declined Wednesday's offers and planned to challenge their arrests. Most charges were for disorderly conduct and failure to disperse.A few people were held on more serious charges, including 23-year-old Lauren Wasson, of Pittsburgh, who's accused of throwing her bicycle at a police officer at the University of Pittsburgh on Sept. 24. She's charged with aggravated assault.